In the wake of a catastrophic tornado, the small but mighty town of Mayfield is working day and night to rebuild its once functional buildings and homes.
With unwavering support from neighboring cities, Western Kentucky demonstrates the natural ability that close-knit communities have to aid those in need. Throughout the town, shelters and supply donation centers are open for people to obtain the basic needs that might be few and far between for individuals whose homes and appliances suffered damage in the storm.
Locally-operated businesses are reaching out to community members in all kinds of capacities to aid in the tornado recovery efforts. For those in the Mayfield area struggling with emotional distress from the traumatic event, there are multiple resources available.
Four Rivers Behavioral Health is a Western Kentucky-based organization that is working with survivors of the Mayfield tornado at this time. As a business that offers counseling, medication management services, and specialized addiction services, Four Rivers Behavioral Health is well-equipped to meet the needs of people experiencing post-traumatic stress from the tornado.
The organization operates its Fuller Center out of Mayfield and is taking walk-ins for anyone needing to be seen as a result of the disaster. As a 28-day substance abuse recovery center, this facility cares for clients with substance abuse disorders. In the emotionally-triggering aftermath of losing their home or a loved one, the center is currently aiming to help those struggling with substance abuse at this time.
The professionals of Four Rivers Behavioral Health are also checking the hotels in Mayfield to make sure residents displaced from their homes are having their needs met. At the same time, clinicians are going to nearby state parks like The Moors, Kentucky Dam Village, and Lake Barkley Lodge to assist more tornado survivors.
These resources are also being extended to Spanish-speaking families in the area.
“We’ve been taking a Spanish translator to home visits in Mayfield to accommodate that community’s needs,” said Thelma Hunter, the division director of addiction services.
For adults, the organization is doing psychological first aid to ensure all basic needs are met. And with children, Four Rivers Behavioral Health is doing pop-up stations for kids at parks to teach coping mechanisms and facilitate art projects to get their minds off devastation.
Hunter explained that those suffering from emotional distress after the tornado are never alone.
“People need to be talking to someone about what they are going through, even if it isn’t us,” she said. “They need to know that support is out there, with so many resources available to them.”
The locally-owned and operated Emerald Therapy Center is also working towards helping the tornado victims who are emotionally suffering.
Emerald Therapy Center provides counseling, psychiatry, and addiction treatment to those in the Western Kentucky region. With locations in Paducah, Murray, and Mayfield, the facility is prepared to aid those who are directly and indirectly suffering from emotional health issues as a result of the tornado.
The organization is meeting with people at the Mayfield fairgrounds where donations are being distributed to those in need.
Emerald Therapy Center professionals are also meeting with those needing extra support right now in their offices. For those who are unable to make it to a facility due to displacement from the tornado, the organization will coordinate a way to meet any individual’s needs by meeting them at a shelter or finding a way to get in touch.
Psychotherapist and owner of Emerald Therapy Center, Shelly Baer, believes the important thing to do now is address the trauma that happened.
“Your brain and body respond to a traumatic event by protecting you,” she said. “So when you see sights or hear sounds that remind you of what’s happened, it can trigger the same sense of stress you experienced when you were in danger.”
The organization is diligent in letting its clients know that there is always a light to look towards in times of emotional distress.
“We can’t change what’s happened, but your power is in learning how to think about it differently,” Baer said. “It would help to focus on what good came out of an experience. Maybe you’re stronger than you thought or you were able to reach out and help people.”
If you or a loved one is experiencing emotional health issues in the aftermath of the Mayfield tornado, please reach out to Four Rivers Behavioral Health, Emerald Therapy Center, or any emotional health professional in the surrounding areas.
