Victims of Alto tornado invited to participate in group therapy session at SFA

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Dr. Jose Carbajal, Stephen F. Austin State University assistant professor of social work, invites victims of the recent tornado in Alto to participate in a group therapy session designed to help them process and heal from this traumatic event.
 
The processing session will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Friday, May 17, on the SFA campus in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Multimedia Room. Carbajal is an approved consultant in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing treatment and is an EMDR certified therapist.
 
"Research shows that processing a traumatic event soon after it occurs is most effective," Carbajal said. "This treatment has proven to help alleviate trauma symptoms, decrease or eliminate distress from the disturbing memory, improve view of self, provide relief from bodily disturbance, and resolve present and future anticipated triggers."

EMDR therapy is based on the adaptive information-processing model, which posits when a disturbing event occurs, it can be encoded in the brain with the original picture, sounds, thoughts, feelings and body sensations. EMDR therapy often decreases the emotional activation that develops following a traumatic event.

The event is free. To RSVP, or for more information, contact Carbajal at carbajalji@sfasu.edu.