In the wake of this weekend’s tragedy, the UT Austin Employee Assistance Program offers support to UT Austin and UT System faculty, staff, and retirees.
Lives have been lost, and many have been forever changed. For the Austin community, the UT family, and countless others, life will never be the same. Many will experience fear, anger, denial, grief and a mix of other emotions. Some will seek a motive to make sense of the senseless, while others will organize and advocate to regain control. There’s no right or wrong way to feel; your reaction helps you cope with tragedy. A collective experience demands collective support.
Guidance for Campus Leaders and Managers during Critical Incidents
You, as a person, experience the tragedy through many lenses: parent, partner, co-worker, professor, sibling, adult child, or leader. As a leader, employees and students look to you for guidance, support, information and compassion. Acknowledge that people bring personal and collective trauma that can be exacerbated by tragedy, and everyone responds differently. How can you serve while honoring your own reactions to a tragedy?
You set the tone for how your college or department responds to tragedy. Faculty and staff are supporting students, grappling with the aftermath. Creating space for acknowledgment, flexibility, and connection can make a difference. We respect the deeply personal nature of this tragedy by honoring the privacy of those most directly affected and letting official channels guide public communication.
Resources for supporting your staff
How to talk to employees after a tragic event
Supporting employee mental health
You might experience:
Trauma responses include behavioral changes like disrupted sleep, loss of focus, changes in appetite, and fatigue. Emotional shifts include sadness, anger, numbness, anxiety, and fear. Thoughts may include disbelief, vivid recollections, disorientation, and memories of past experiences.
In the next few days, more information will be shared, and reactions will vary. It’s okay to not know how to react, to be relieved that you or your loved one was not at the event, or to be reminded of past events.
Everyone responds differently; pay attention to yourself and what you may need.
Taking care of yourself and others:
Pay attention to your body and thoughts, identify when things become too much, and take care of yourself.
- Connect with loved ones who see, hear, and feel you.
- Acknowledge your emotions and make space to honor them.
- Offer yourself fierce self-compassion.
- Move your body.
- Slow down to notice the present moment, taking in cues of safety.
- Give yourself permission to cry if tears come.
- Be mindful of the news you consume.
- Distraction is a valid need.
- Connect with nature.
People are affected differently and respond uniquely to the same event. As you seek support or try to support others, consider the diverse groups are the variety of people impacted:
- Family, friends, and co-workers were harmed
- People who were present during the event, who tried to help, and/or witnessed it
- First responders at the scene
- 911 operators fielding calls
- UT staff who served those impacted
- Those who first heard the news when they woke
While processing feelings and connecting with supportive community, we also need to respect the privacy of victims on their own terms.
We’re here for you
Connecting with supportive others following potentially traumatic events is one way to care for yourself and make sense of the tragedy.
Individual counseling and consultation for faculty and staff: UT Austin’s HealthPoint Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers free and confidential counseling support for benefits-eligible faculty and staff, or guidance on supporting colleagues and students affected by the tragedy. Same-day virtual and in-person appointments are available Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Call 512-471-3366 to schedule an appointment or access 24/7 counseling at 512-471-3399.
Voluntary group support sessions for faculty and staff: The EAP facilitates group support sessions for colleges, schools, departments, or units that provide a space for employees to acknowledge what’s happened, normalize stress responses, share coping strategies, support one another, and discuss how to support students. To schedule a session for your team, call 512-471-3366 or email eap@austin.utexas.edu.
Additional Resources:
EAP handout on caring for ourselves and coping after a traumatic event