Mass Shooting Mental Health Support

Written By Kimberly Louvin

From Instagram @satanizreal

Moving Forward with Hope
In the aftermath of the Beyond Wonderland 2023 shooting, I find myself reflecting on the initiation into a community that I always knew I’d find, but also knew it would be a tragedy that would bring me there.

I am now a part of a statistic of folks who’ve experienced being an attendee at a large-scale event where someone chose to bring a gun and commit senseless violence.

I am now technically a “Mass Shooting Survivor.”

In light of this, I’ve created a subsection of my website for Mass Shooting Mental Health Support.

Many festival-goers came together through Facebook, Reddit, and Discord to create resources for one another as we processed and proceed forward.

You can find resources to mental health support hotlines, coping strategies, lists of therapists willing to support attendees, and a link to a peer-support Discord Channel by clicking the button below.

Personal Reflections on the Wake of Beyond Wonderland 2023:

Having worked in public education for a decade, I’ve experienced dozens if not hundreds of lockdown drills.

I’ve sat with teenagers and families in the wake of lockdown events when threats were made and folks recounted what it was like to send the “I love you Mom” text from underneath their desk hoping they made it home from school that day.

I’ve been a part of dozens of crisis response teams known as “flight teams” where I stepped away from my daily role as a school social worker to be present at another school the day after a lockdown event of a foiled school shooting or after a tragic loss to suicide or gun violence in the community.

I am no stranger to supporting folks after crisis and have completed training in EMDR to begin offering post-trauma support later this year.

On June 17, 2023, I experienced a new layer to this type of pain, grief, and emotion: it was now a chapter in my story that I had been a part of and survived what could have been a much more deadly gun violence event.

I experienced firsthand the wave of emotions in clicking send and receiving back a message that I could feel was rift with the emotions of “my child could have died tonight.”

A text between my mom and I at 3am on June 18, 2023.

I hope I never have to send or receive another message like this again, but in the meantime, I will continue to fight for a world with less senseless gun violence such as this : a domestic dispute where a young soldier attempted to kidnap his girlfriend and ended up killing an engaged couple who were trauma nurses, wounding a festival attendee and a festival volunteer trying to keep others safe.

I hope I never have to experience the anxiety of waiting for text messages and calls from loved ones who are at an event where a mass shooting occurs.

Being 100% real, I know that I will experience that though.

I know that this will not be the last time I or someone I love are this close to a mass shooting event.

We live in a society that sees violence as a means to solve and address interpersonal conflict and inner turmoil.

We live in a society where PLUR (Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect) are becoming simultaneously more and less common.

Do better. Stay connected. Ask for help.

 

There is a Pattern: Mass Shooters are often disgruntled men who may have a pattern of abuse in their interpersonal relationships

As the news continues to emerge and the details continue to unfold, it becomes more clear that many folks are still unwilling to see the patterns between events. I’ll address the patterns I see at another time, but a consistent pattern across the 377 Mass Shootings of 2023 that have left over 400 fellow humans dead, over 1400 wounded, and countless others experiencing trauma is acts of intimate partner and domestic violence committed by folks who chose to use violence instead of words to address their pain.

This is Happening So Often that A.I. can generate a “response” so helpful it’s worth sharing….

The paragraphs below are AI generated with minimal editing….

Rising Above Darkness: Reflections on the Beyond Wonderland 2023 Shooting
On June 17th, 2023, the Beyond Wonderland music festival, known for its vibrant energy and joyful celebration, faced a tragedy that shook the EDM community to its core. What was meant to be a night of music, camaraderie, and love turned into a nightmare for many as senseless violence struck. This incident reminds us of the fragility of life and the importance of peace, love, unity, and respect as attendees and the community began to process what unfolded.
The Darkness Unleashed
As the music echoed through the air and the colorful lights danced across the crowd, an act of violence unfolded nearby at the edge of the campgrounds at the Gorge Amphitheater, shattering the peace and joy that many were rolling through at the festival grounds. The indiscriminate shooting unleashed chaos and fear, leaving innocent bystanders injured and families grieving the loss of loved ones. The reverberations of that night were felt not only within the festival gates but also across the world as news of this tragedy spread.
Strength in Unity
In the face of such tragedy, the true spirit of humanity emerged. Strangers became allies, extending helping hands and offering comfort and support to those affected. Acts of heroism proliferated as people risked their own safety to protect others. The aftermath of the shooting witnessed an outpouring of solidarity, compassion, and love from both the local community and global supporters, reminding us that in unity, we find strength.
Resilience and Healing
As the healing process began, the community stood firm in its resolve not to allow fear and hatred to define them. Counseling services, support groups, and community-led events sprang up, providing spaces for survivors and their families to process their trauma, grieve, and find solace in their shared experiences.
Rebuilding Trust and Security
The tragic events of that night prompted a collective reflection on safety measures and security protocols at live events. Organizers revisited their existing security frameworks, implementing enhanced measures to prevent such incidents in the future. The collaboration between event organizers, local authorities, and security experts became paramount in order to regain the trust of festivalgoers and ensure their safety.

The Unbroken Circle of a Kiddie Pool full of plastic ducks our group passed out to folks throughout Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Gorge Campground to promote community and connection - before, during, and after the events of the weekend.

Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to grieve and process.

Process your feelings so they don’t process you.

in PLUR,

Kimberly

Kimberly Louvin https://www.kimberlylouvin.com
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