Healing The HealersSýnishorn

The Story of the Tragedy

Imagine hearing about another communal tragedy. Instinctually, you turn on the news for details and catch a glimpse of a community living through a horrific nightmare. The media feeds on our insatiable thirst for information. 

When we are detached from the event, we may sit glued to the television, wanting to hear more. But what happens when the crisis is in our backyard? As clergy, we may be thrust into the news photographers’ lights, becoming a spokesman for the community we are trying to heal.

The faith leader’s words – through the media - can bring healing to their own congregants, and those far from the scene, but affected none-the-less. At the same time, clergy speaking to the press on behalf of those traumatized need to be careful that they don’t cause additional trauma to those in emotional pain. They need to protect confidentiality so that they remain a trusted pastoral presence to the community when the cameras are turned off. 

Additionally, a public/private role brings a rare set of pressures which may cause secondary trauma to challenge that cleric’s faith or alternatively, bring resilience to strengthen his or her resolve.

Many times, news reporters will want to interview a representative of the victims. Pastors are naturally those representatives. However, the victims are also looking to the same people as their personal confidant and pastor for strength and hope. You cannot breach your congregant’s trust by revealing confidential information to the media. As ministers, we must find that delicate balance to respond to the needs of the global community but continue to be in a position of trust to our local churches.

Some clergy will choose not to speak to the media, so that they are not put in that situation and can give their full attention to those in trauma. Others find value in speaking to the media to bring a message of hope, comfort and strength to the larger community and beyond.

You may never return to the person you were prior to a traumatic incident. You may be strengthened by being a public face to a tragedy as it may build your resilience knowing your words brought healing and comfort to people in your community and beyond, through the media. But it could also have the reverse effect and result in your being secondarily traumatized. Recognizing that you may feel the trauma in a unique way is crucial to your own healing and strength.