Mega Doctor News
There’s no denying a natural disaster can cause considerable damage while threatening human safety and infrastructure. In the United States, the varying size, geography and climates of the different regions, make the country subject to diverse types of natural disasters, including tornadoes, earthquakes and hurricanes.
Throughout the U.S., many communities are constantly bracing for the next natural disaster while barely recovering from the last, especially during hurricane season. In the aftermath of a significant weather event, people are left to deal with loss of life, property destruction, economic loss and a threat to the overall security and safety of their communities.
Recovery from a natural disaster is a gradual process. While safety is a primary issue, ensuring that the physical and mental well-being of people impacted is paramount.
In North Carolina, communities are still reeling in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which wreaked havoc across the Southeast last month, killing at least 123 people in The Tar Heel State and impacting nearly 600,000 residents.
Once the recovery process began, aid from across the nation poured in to help those impacted. Among those offering their services is licensed professional counselor Anival Henrickson, a therapist with South Texas Health System Behavioral who specializes in trauma and grief caused by disruptive events or natural disasters.
“Addressing mental health after this type of event is crucial,” says Anival, who has been offering his counseling services at no cost in hard-hit communities for a decade. “These individuals are dealing with trauma and I’m here to reassure them that what they’re going through, what they’re feeling and what they’re experiencing is normal after a natural disaster, and that recovery is a process,” says Henrickson.
In the last decade, Henrickson has responded to various natural disasters across the country. In 2017, he offered his services to Houston residents when Hurricane Harvey devastated the area. He’s also been onsite in the aftermath of hurricanes that affected Louisiana.
“I guess I’ve always been the nut that runs into the fire,” he jests. “But seriously, it’s just something that has become natural for me. I’m a good listener and, sometimes, not having to say a lot does more for a person going through grief or trauma. I’m just doing my little part for these individuals dealing with these traumatic events in their lives.”
Henrickson found his calling to support devastated communities after being approached by an employee assistance program that asked him to go to an area with severe damage after an intense storm. Without hesitation, Henrickson left his home in Edinburg for a few weeks and offered counseling to a community not too different from his own. Since then, he’s traveled all over the U.S. helping people whose lives have been uprooted.
“I’m really just doing my little part for these individuals dealing with such traumatic events in their life,” says Anival. “I’m just there to provide the mental health support they need at a low point in their lives, to reassure them that they will get through it.”
For the last two weeks, Henrickson has been in North Carolina counseling residents who’ve lost everything to Hurricane Helene. But his services go beyond the individuals impacted.
“Some of the people I’m talking to come from a hospital setting, they’re in law enforcement or they’re first responders,” he says. “All of these people who are out there still working and helping, I work with them, too,because they’re seeing firsthand the effects these massive storms can have and they’re suffering from post-traumatic stress associated with witnessing the devastation, the loss of human life and the emotional impact on survivors.
Henrickson adds that being bilingual has proved to be an advantage; he’s been able to counsel the Latino communities in North Carolina, especially those who feel more comfortable speaking in Spanish.
“We’re such a culturally diverse country,” says Anival. “I take pride in know that I can go anywhere and do what I can to help people in the recovery process after a natural disaster, regardless of the language they speak.”
While it’s tough to witness firsthand the effect Mother Nature’s fury can have on communities, he finds it rewarding to offer a sense of comfort to individuals in need.
“Once we get to talking, people start venting and unwinding and then, after a while, you see them begin to gain some clarity,” he says. “That’s when you can truly see the resiliency of a community. That’s why I got into the mental health field… to help people cope, heal and hopefully thrive after a horrible ordeal.”
After two weeks in North Carolina, Henrickson returned to the Rio Grande Valley this week. While he’s happy to be back in the community that raised him, he’s at the ready to help serve other hard-hit areas in the future.
“If the need is there, I’m there,” he says. “I’m ready to jump in and help out wherever I can!”
