Counseling gives hope to Mississippi CUs' employees
JACKSON, Miss. (1/24/06)--More than 150 credit union employees have gone through post-hurricane debriefing sessions to help them cope with the psychological effects of the disaster, with another 350 scheduled to participate and more sessions expected.
The Mississippi Credit Union Association (MCUA) is organizing the debriefing sessions to offer information that is critical to understanding and coping with the normal human reactions and behavior that result from a disaster like Hurricane Katrina, according to MCUA President Charles Elliott.
"Most people generally do not know, or do not admit, how stress is affecting them, but there is a real, profound physiological effect on the human body," Elliott said. The 'flight or fight' response causes blood pressure to increase, and blood to thicken and flow out to extremities. Hormone production increases, the heart pumps faster and eyes dilate. Over the long term, the individual cannot handle the increased pressure, causing a "stress fracture" to some part of the body.
"Credit union staff need relief and understanding and the debriefing sessions help provide them with that opportunity," Elliott said. Learning that their reaction is normal and acceptable also equips staff to better deal with members.
Charles Scott, a professional counselor who worked with Federal Emergency Management Agency employees following Katrina, facilitates MCUA's debriefing sessions. Scott will also speak at the MCUA annual meeting May 1-3 in Sandestin, Fla., with details available online at www.mscua.com. The annual meeting was moved to Florida because the hotel scheduled for the event is closed for repairs.
Elliott praised the credit union family for providing both financial support and hope to strengthen employees' will and determination.
"Being able to communicate the reality of the situation that credit unions and employees affected by Hurricane Katrina are dealing with is extremely difficult," Elliott said. "Places they live, work, worship, eat, play and shop are gone. Their friends, neighbors and sometimes, family, are living somewhere else. Every day, they drive through piles of debris that used to be their community. They lost control of their world. Our most important goal is not letting them lose hope."
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