Edward Mooney, a 2013 Doctor of Education graduate of Northeastern’s College of Professional Studies penned an opinion piece for CNN.com after the Nevada school shooting this week. Mooney is a teacher and author, whose doctoral thesis entitled “The Effects of Witnessing a School Shooting on a Teacher’s Career: A Narrative study” discusses the necessary steps that schools need to take in order to make sure their teachers can recover from tragedies like these.
In the CNN column, Mooney advises that it’s important to quickly get professional psychological treatment, tailored to each individual and that everyone heals at a different pace, noting:
“In my own study I compared two teachers recovering after witnessing a school shooting. One was able to return within a week and had extended support from district and local mental health professionals for some time. A mental health professional checked in on him weekly, even a year later. The other teacher had no such support. She was not even offered counseling. Her world descended into defensiveness and health problems. She was unable to function after a month back on the job.”
Read more at After school shootings, traumatized teachers need help
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