In a collaborative effort to support students affected by Hurricane Helene, Andrews University has initiated a virtual mission trip that includes 22 undergraduate and graduate students volunteering to offer trauma processing sessions.

The initiative aims to provide crucial social-emotional support to schools in Western North Carolina. 

“Our goal is to lay a foundation of social-emotional support for Western North Carolina students as they continue to process the aftermath of Hurricane Helene,” said Mindy Salyers, director of Consultation Services and a leading figure in the project. “We hope this will enable school administrators and staff to further develop resiliency skills among their students.”

Volunteer Andrews University students, who represent a range of majors including speech pathology, social work, theology, and psychology, participated in training on October 23 to prepare for the trauma processing sessions. These sessions have focused on whole-group trauma processing based on the story of Jesus calming the storm from Mark 4. 

During these sessions, students are encouraged to contextualize their trauma responses to Hurricane Helene using the story’s framework. They reflect on what they experienced during and after the storm — focusing on their God-given senses by considering what they tasted, touched, felt, smelled, and heard; how their bodies alerted them to stress and anxiety as trauma responses; and the God-given coping skills they can use to calm themselves and regulate their emotions. 

The initiative, well supported by local educators and mental health professionals, has reached 685 students to date. Participating North Carolina schools include Silver Creek Adventist School in Morganton, Fletcher Academy in Fletcher, and Mount Pisgah Academy in Hendersonville. It also includes Captain Gilmer in Fletcher and Asheville-Pisgah School in Hendersonville. 

Dustin Young, assistant professor of social work, and Harvey Burnette, chair of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, are among those backing the effort, along with Jose Bourget, Andrews University lead chaplain, and Salyers. 

Feedback from the participating schools has been overwhelmingly positive.

“Thank you again for a heart that reached out and helped people in WNC. Your extended hand was truly a blessing in so many ways!” Sarah Wilson, principal at Captain Gilmer, said.

Lindsay Seafong, principal at Silver Creek, agreed. “We really appreciate your help and the resources you provided for our students!”

As the intervention progresses, the team remains committed to aiding in the healing process for students in the aftermath of the hurricane, highlighting the importance of addressing the emotional challenges they face. “At the end of the day,” Salyers said, “our hope is to empower these students with the tools they need to navigate their feelings in the wake of trauma.”

The original article was published on the Lake Union Conference website.