Counseling in an Age of Fear and Trauma: From the Nashville School Shooting to Everyday Life

Last March 27th, a tragedy of unimaginable proportions unfolded in Nashville, Tennessee, as a transgender gunman opened fire at The Covenant Christian School, killing three adults and three children. While news outlets brought the calamity to the world, counselors at Daystar Counseling Ministries, some three miles away, mobilized immediately, grabbing therapy pets and other tools to the reunification centers. Sissy Goff, Director of Child and Adolescent Counseling, was one of them. She spent the rest of the week helping parents and children navigate and go on with their lives in the aftermath of such evil. Goff understands that rare tragedies like what happened at Covenant are piled onto the already burdensome stresses of everyday life. And being a Christian-based counseling center, she offers the only hope, which is that found in Scripture. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Goff talks about what happened that day of the Nashville shooting, as well the rise in depression and stress in children’s lives today. Divorce, death, bullying and more are all part and parcel of the reason for the 27% rise in anxiety among 3- to 17-year-olds. Hear some solutions as Goff explains how to become a worry-free parent.

Highlights:
0:01:23 – Counseling After School Shooting and Anxiety
0:06:11 – Guidance for Grieving Parents
0:14:53 – Understanding Childhood Anxiety and Resilience Development
0:17:46 – Parental Anger and Anxiety
0:25:49 – The Impact of Divorce on Children
0:37:46 – Impact of TikTok on Mental Health