The Counsellors Association of India has offered its services to the Maharashtra government to give a healing touch to families that lost their kin and to those injured in the July 11 train bomb blasts.
"There is an uneasy apprehension and feeling of nervousness among people who are commuting by local trains and there is also a lot of anger and helplessness," association president Harish Shetty told PTI in Mumbai on Monday. Therefore, to restore normalcy, the association has offered its services to affected families, he said.
A day after the blasts, many association members travelled by train to study the feelings of commuters and found that there was a lot of anger and helplessness among them, Shetty said, adding that the youth, who were busy with classes and admissions, were avoiding trains and using other modes of public transport.
On what should be done now, Shetty said, "People should accept feelings and experience them; connect with others through thoughts, feelings, jokes and songs. This will improve people policing."
Friends of the dead and injured should meet their families several times during the next six months and help to express and relive those memories -- a process of 'regriefing,' Shetty said.
Those having no sleep, those who are extremely agitated and with abnormal behaviour, those who are drinking excessively and those with suicidal ideas should be treated by by psychiatrists immediately," he said. Visiting the blast sites after some time, organising condolence and prayer meetings and coming together in small groups frequently will help address the trauma, he added.
