The New York Inferno: Taking Solace from the Stories

The sudden destruction of the World Trade Center on 9/11 created an instant scenario of panic and horror. It was followed by post-traumatic shock that spread across New York. Psychoanalysts and other therapists were mobilized to provide emergency counseling for survivors, families of victims, firemen, police, rescue workers and others who had been scarred. One of the most effective techniques was to encourage the telling of personal stories as a method of working through trauma. It emerged as the most powerful tool in our therapeutic arsenal.