UCA WAVES and Yale CHATogether webinar, ‘Where Are We Now,’ one year after Atlanta spa shootings

The panelists first explored traumas and challenges, and the impact of these experiences. Dr. Yuen discussed Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the risk outcomes associated with ACEs. Lily Chen shared her lived experiences and discussed the collective traumas that many immigrant parents have faced. Current traumas can be triggers too, almost colliding with trauma from the past. Dr. Li shared her family’s lived experiences and explored the traumas that can result from intersectional identities. 

The panelists then discussed coping with trauma, with a focus on helping children cope. Dr. Yuen highlighted the importance of parents meeting their children’s emotional needs to foster a “circle of security”, i.e. secure attachment. Research has consistently shown that secure attachment is crucial for children’s current and future wellbeing, especially in dealing with traumatic experiences. Child-parent mentalization can aid in fostering secure attachment by promoting greater empathetic understanding. 

Dr. Li discussed practicing coping techniques such as mindfulness and grounding to help cope with uncertainty and anxiety. It’s important to stay in the present and not fall into rumination. To better support children going through trauma, Dr. Li emphasized communication. Open communication fosters a supportive environment in which children can open up, and it also models to children how to ask for help at their own pace. During conversations, children should be given the space to ask questions and express their emotions. Dr. Yuen added that conversation is also an opportunity to show children how to handle situations that can be traumatic, e.g. microaggressions. 

Lily Chen discussed the importance of parents addressing their own traumas and seeking support in coping with trauma. Unspoken and unresolved trauma negatively impacts parents’ mental health. It can also result in conflict or trauma for children. Encouraging sharing and healing is vital to tackling intergenerational trauma.

Dr. Sust discussed the importance of peer emotional support for children. Children need their own safe spaces and safe people. It builds a sense of community and fosters resiliency. Children are also more likely to open up to their personal forms of support first. Personal care is just as important as professional care for emotional wellbeing.

This past year has not been easy for the AAPI community. It has been a challenging time, and our community has faced numerous collective traumas. While it hasn’t been easy to navigate these challenges, the “Where are we now: One year later” webinar reminds us that we are not alone and support is always available.

UCA WAVES 线上研讨会：我们现在何处- 一年之后的回顾

2022 年 3 月 16 日正好是亚特兰大水疗中心枪击事件一周年。UCA WAVES 在这一天邀请了社区成员齐聚一堂，向遇难者致敬，回顾过去的一年，并探索应对创伤的挑战。

线上研讨会以简短的悼念开始。我们纪念了以下八人的生命：冯道友（音译）、Delaina Ashley Yaun Gonzalez、Hyun Jung Grant、Paul Andre Michels、Soon Chung Park、Suncha Kim、Xiaojie “Emily” Tan 和 Yong Ae Yue。

我们持续哀悼这些受害者的惨重损失。然而我们也需警醒，这起枪击事件并非孤立事件，它只是亚裔美国人在过去直至今日所经历的暴力和种族主义的冰山一角。 2021 年，Stop AAPI Hate 报告了 2020 年 3 月至 2021 年 12 月期间发生的 10,905 起仇恨事件。即使在 2022 年，这些创伤性事件仍在继续，例如克里斯蒂娜·尤娜·李 (Christina Yuna Lee) 被谋杀或在纽约扬克斯 (Yonkers) 遭到袭击的老年妇女。

除了不断上升的反亚裔之暴力以外，人们对乌克兰正在发生的战争的担忧也在增长。由于AAPI 社区面临诸多集体创伤，不堪重负、焦虑和恐惧的感觉司空见惯。对于父母而言，在试图自我支持的同时，也会有一种无法满足孩子的情感需求的感觉。

周三的网络研讨会在悼念仪式之后进行了小组讨论，以解决这些问题。小组成员讨论了如何应对创伤和触发因素，并探讨了这一过程带来的经历和情绪。小组发言人由以下心理健康专家和社区领袖组成：Eunice Yuen 博士（儿童和青少年精神科医生）、Lily Chen（注册护士、UCA WAVES 主任）、Annie Li 博士（儿童和青少年精神科医生）和 Steve Sust 博士（儿童和青少年精神科医生）。 UCA WAVES 协调员 Jennifer Tu 主持并协调了讨论。

小组成员首先探讨了创伤和挑战，以及这些经历的影响。 Yuen 博士讨论了童年的负面经历 (ACE) 以及与 ACE 相关的危害后果。 Lily Chen 分享了她的生活经历，并讨论了许多移民父母所面临的集体创伤。当前的创伤也可能是触发因素，几乎与过去的创伤相冲突。Li 博士分享了她家人的生活经历，并探讨了交叉性身份可能导致的创伤。

小组成员随后讨论了应对创伤，重点是帮助儿童应对。Yuen博士强调了父母满足孩子的情感需求以培养“安全圈”（即安全依恋）的重要性。研究一直表明，“安全依恋”对儿童当前和未来的幸福至关重要，尤其是在处理创伤经历时。通过促进更大的共情理解，孩子-父母对心理的”心智化”可以帮助培养“安全依恋“。

Li 博士讨论了练习正念和”接地”等应对技巧，以帮助应对不确定性和焦虑。重要的是要活在当下，不要陷入冗思。为了更好地支持正在经历创伤的孩子，Li 博士强调了沟通。开放式交流营造了一个支持性的环境，孩子们可以在其中敞开心扉，它还为孩子们树立了如何按照自己的节奏寻求帮助的榜样。谈话应该给孩子们提问和表达情绪的空间。 Yuen 博士补充说，对话也是一个向孩子们展示如何处理可能造成创伤的情况的机会，例如微攻击。

Lily Chen 讨论了父母解决自己的创伤并寻求支持以应对创伤的重要性。未说出口和未解决的创伤会对父母的心理健康产生负面影响，也会导致儿童发生冲突或创伤。对分享和治愈的鼓励对于解决代际创伤至关重要。

Sust 博士讨论了同伴情感支持对儿童的重要性。孩子们需要自己的安全空间和安全友伴。这会建立社区意识并增强心理弹性。孩子们也更有可能首先向他们个人的支持形式敞开心扉。情绪健康的个人护理与专业护理同样重要。

过去的一年对 AAPI 社区来说并不容易。这是一个充满挑战的时期，我们的社区面临着诸多集体创伤。虽然克服这些挑战并不容易，但“我们现在何处：一年之后的回顾”线上研讨会提醒我们，我们并不孤单，支持随时都在。