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Navigating Emotional Recovery After Wildfire Devastation

January 15, 2025
Trauma Wildfire Disaster Recovery TherapyTribe
If you’re struggling with your mental health, you’re not alone. Seeking support can be a helpful tool for recovery.
Nicole Arzt, LMFT By Nicole Arzt, licensed marriage and family therapist, author.

In light of the recent Los Angeles wildfires, many people feel naturally angry, sad, anxious, and disoriented. These grief reactions are completely typical, as natural disasters leave an enduring impact on both local communities and the world at large. But amid this collective trauma, it’s important to remember that honoring your mental health can be just as crucial as addressing any physical or material concerns.

Coping with Collective Grief and Loss

Managing grief is less about following a specific set of protocols and more about leaning into your intuition and trusting your emotions. This may feel challenging, especially if you’re looking for immediate relief, but

● Acknowledge your emotions: Grief has many layers, and your emotions will likely range in type and intensity. It’s reasonable to ebb and flow between reactions of sadness, anger, overwhelm, fear, and numbness. These are normal grief reactions, and there is truly no right or wrong way to feel in the immediate aftermath of wildfire recovery.

● Seek peer support: It may feel tempting to isolate yourself after a traumatic event, but connecting with good support can help mitigate the impact of disaster recovery. Reach out to friends, family, or community members for camaraderie.

● Use professional resources: Immediate crisis counseling may reduce the impact of acute stress disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Furthermore, if you already have preexisting mental health concerns, the recent wildfires may have exacerbated some of your emotional struggles. Connecting with a therapist can offer invaluable support and help you manage your stress adaptively.

Managing Recovery Anxiety and Stress

Traumatic events can magnify anxiety levels for several weeks or months. This reaction is also quite common. Identifying and addressing anxiety after a serious fire is an important part of any recovery process.

● Limit your exposure to news: 24/7 accessibility to sensationalized media has its clear drawbacks. Consider setting limits around how and when you access wildfire-related news. This can help mitigate rumination or intense panic. Remember that reducing exposure doesn’t mean you’re ignoring what’s happening; you’re just implementing boundaries to protect your emotional well-being.

● Practice grounding techniques: Deep breathing and mindfulness can anchor you to the present moment, helping you feel more regulated during everyday moments. These techniques calm the central nervous system and can make a big difference when feeling overwhelmed.

● Focus on what you can control: Although it may feel like everything is “out of control,” right now, sometimes empowering yourself with actionable steps maintains a sense of stability. This may entail creating a logistical plan for immediate needs, organizing essential documents, or reaching out for community assistance.

Supporting Children and Teenagers

Young people may process stress and trauma differently than adults, and their needs for emotional safety are not always as apparent. If you’re a caregiver, strive to create a supportive environment that emphasizes reassurance and stability. Although you may not have all (or any) of the answers right now, your presence matters.

● Embrace open conversations: Regularly check in with your child about their emotions. Let them share how they feel without trying to analyze or judge them. Offer validating statements, including, ‘It makes complete sense that you feel ___,’ and, ‘I appreciate you opening up to me about feeling ___. You are not alone, and I am here for you.’ Open dialogue helps people feel supported and cared for, potentially easing intense uncertainty.

● Aim to maintain a sense of consistency: Routines are important, so if you can uphold anything that feels familiar to them, this can offer a feeling of stability for your child. That said, you may not have that option right now. If that’s the case, consider which new routines may offer structure, even if they’re relatively minor, like bedtime rituals.

● Keep an eye on potential behavioral concerns: Young people can be susceptible to coping with their intense emotions in harmful ways, including substance abuse, self-harm, disordered eating, and reckless sexual activity. If you’re concerned about your child’s well-being, consider seeking professional support. Early intervention can support them in using healthy coping skills and strengthening resilience.

Rebuilding Resilience

Resilience refers to the capacity to adapt and cope with adversity. Resilience is not necessarily a fixed trait; it can be deliberately fostered with intention and effort. Resilience also isn’t about avoiding emotion or hardship- it’s just about finding proactive ways to move forward despite emotional or logistical struggles.

● Find meaning (even in small ways): You absolutely don’t need to like or even “accept” what’s going on right now. You may feel ravaged by loss and fear. However, Volunteering, reconnecting with loved ones, or creatively documenting your journey allows you to reclaim agency even in chaos.

● Lean on your community: One silver lining of wildfire recovery is seeing just how quickly strangers come together to share resources, connection, and hope. Consider getting involved with different rebuilding projects to cultivate a deeper sense of purpose. Working with others toward a goal can feel tangible and build a greater sense of mutual support and belonging.

● Focus on gratitude: Even if it truly feels like you’ve lost everything, spend a few moments reflecting on what still remains- whether it’s certain relationships, your physical health, your job, or other small joys. While gratitude doesn’t invalidate the pain of loss, it gently reminds you that there are still some things worth appreciating.

Building Community Support

When a natural disaster ravages an entire community, it can feel like all hope is lost. However, genuine recovery often lies in coming together and strengthening the bonds of the changed community. Despite the unfathomable loss, collective connection cultivates purpose.

● Reconnect with your neighbors: Participate in local support groups or engage in community gatherings that align with your values. Staying connected to people experiencing the same collective grief can deeply support your healing process.

● Access local resources: Now may be the time to seek out local or federal organizations supporting essential needs, including housing assistance, emergency management, and mental health resources.

Below are some immediate local resources:

  • FEMA assistance: Visit disasterassistance.gov or call the helpline at 1-800-621-336
  • Disaster Recovery Centers (available throughout Los Angeles): View current locations here
  • Red Cross Los Angeles for immediate shelter housing: find a shelter here

Please refer to the comprehensive resource list provided by the Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority for more services and organizations.

When to Seek Professional Help

If you’re struggling with your mental health, you’re not alone, but seeking support offers guidance, compassion, and practical coping strategies for managing your stress.

Some serious mental health warning signs include:

  • persistent feelings of hopelessness or helplessness
  • immense difficulty functioning in daily life
  • increased avoidance behaviors, including substance abuse
  • intense mood swings, including chronic anger
  • suicidal ideation

Below are some immediate crisis support resources:

Please refer to the central Los Angeles Fire Emergency website for a more extensive list of local resources.

Final Thoughts

As difficult as things may feel right now, your grief won’t feel this way forever. That said, natural disaster recovery is an ongoing process. For now, take things one hour or day at a time. You have more resilience than you probably give yourself credit for, and you wholeheartedly deserve to lean on loving support right now.


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