My wife shared a great Facebook post with me the other day, and I can't stop thinking about it. The post compared our common experience of stay-at-home to riding out a storm. The fascinating point is this: we're all experiencing a storm, but we're not all experiencing the same storm.

partly cloudy

For some of us, this is a period of rejuvenation. Life's pace is slowing down a little bit, priorities are becoming clearer, and we're using technology to connect with friends and family. This seems less like a storm, and more like those times when the rain clouds kind of lighten up, and the sun's rays shine through.

heavy rain

For others, we're waiting for a break in the weather; the rain is present, but maybe not constant. We're ready for the rain to stop and, sometimes, grateful for the refreshment. We're enjoying having dinner as a family every night. Watching movies and playing games. Taking walks. Riding bikes. We're thankful for the opportunity to spend time together, and, if we're honest, kind of ready to have some of our old routine back.

thunderstorm

Then there's the thunderstorm: some of us are haunted by loud, ominous clouds of anxiety or anger. The people we live with are driving us batty and we're fairly certain that we can't stand another day with them. And, of course, we can't focus on anything other than the news. Or our aging parents. Or our children. Or our grandchildren. Or groceries. Or...

hurricane

Still others of us are feeling helpless and hopeless, watching as the hurricane tears apart the life we've built. The roof is coming off, the foundation is washing away, and we can't find any way to stop the damage. Our marriage is crumbling, our kids are floundering, and our incomes and savings are disappearing.

a spectrum of experience

This storm is a wide spectrum of experience - and you may find yourself at many points on that spectrum throughout the day. One minute, you're delighted to be connecting with a friend on FaceTime, and the next you're screaming at your kids and beating yourself up over it. (I know because I'm having that experience, too.)

But here's something we should all remember: all of these experiences are normal, as is everything in between. Feeling these things makes sense in our current climate - but that doesn't mean we're out of options.

Consider what your storm looks like; review these resources and ideas, and, even though it might seem silly, give some a try. You might be surprised.

Crisis Defined: A crisis is not just an external event or circumstance (such as COVID-19), but it also encompasses the individual’s response to that event. Since people are so uniquely made, there will be a variety of responses to the same crisis event and vastly different needs that surface during this time.

This training will help you navigate those range of needs and help support those in need.

Step 1: Assess the Need from Highest to Lowest

• What is your greatest concern right now? examples include:
  • Physical Danger
    • Medical Attention or Care
    • Physical Resources and Needs
  • Spiritual Needs
    • Faith Crisis/Opportunity (where is God? Openness to know more about God)
  • Emotional Needs
    • Anxiety-fear in response to something currently happening or fear in response to something potentially happening
    • Depression-isolation or feelings of hopelessness
  • Relational Needs
    • Isolation/Disconnection
    • Amplified Relational Struggle-being in close quarters for a long period of time will heighten preexisting challenges or surface new relational challenges.

Step 2: Presence

• Establish Rapport
  • Some of our callers may not be someone we know personally, so it’s incredibly important to first create a quick relationship with that person that feels safe and supportive.
• Compassion
  • Engage and respond to the person with compassion and understanding.
• Normalizing
  • Just allowing someone the space to voice their fears/concerns and meeting that voice with understanding and compassion is a healing experience that calms the fears down.

Step 3: Educate and Support: Navigate the person to possible resources to meet their need

• What can I do to be helpful? Options:
  • Would you like some resources that our church is offering or that I know of in the community?
  • Let them know the options or plans that we have put into place already
  • Can I pray with you?