Friday’s severe weather may trigger PTSD, counselor gives advice

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – With chances of severe weather blowing into Bowling Green again on New Year’s Eve weekend, people may be feeling a little anxious.

Charles Burgett has worked as a counselor for over 20 years, and now he’s helping people suffering from PTSD after December’s tornadoes.

“Once you’ve been through something like Bowling Green experience, you’re going to have a period in which whenever the clouds come or the thunder claps that you’re going to jump in the dark a little bit,” said Burgett. “That’s normal. If you didn’t feel that, then I’d say there you got a problem.

Burgett will step into his new role as a counselor at Jennings Creek Monday morning helping the school system recover mentally after Bowling Green’s tornadoes.

“Kids are very stressed out right now,” said Burgett. “They’re gonna be walking back into the classroom for the first time and maybe seeing an empty chair where their friend is not there.”

So,  what can people who’ve been scared by storms do in the future when thunder strikes and anxiety attacks?

First off, Burgett said parents can ease kids’ nerves with visual preparation.

“Hopefully, we’ll be okay tonight. But you might take the time to walk your children through where’s the safe room in your house tonight for if it does come and the sirens go off,” Burgett advised.

He also said children will feed off of their parent’s reactions.

“If Mom and Dad are just running around like chickens with their heads cut off, the kids are going to pick up on that anxiety,” he noted. “So, the more parents can can be under control, the better it’ll be for their children.”

When adrenaline turns to fear Burgett said it’s perfectly normal, and recovery time is not a one size fits all.

“A lot of times people want a quick fix for these kind of things,” he remarked. “And when you’ve been through something like we experienced [when the tornadoes hit], that it’s going to take some people a while to recover.”

Most of all, Burgett said talking to somebody is crucial for healing.

“If it’s really bothering you, seek out that person. Don’t try to do this on your own,” said Burgett.

For a list of physical and mental resources to heal after the tornado, click here.