Rebuild:LA Episode 022 - Post-Traumatic Growth with Dr. Veronica Viesca

Months after the Palisades and Eaton Fires swept through Los Angeles County, many people are still struggling emotionally. So much so, that California Assemblymember John Harabedian has introduced legislation that would require insurance companies, as part of disaster claims, to cover up to 12 sessions with a mental health professional. This week, we talk to Dr. Veronica Viesca about that struggle. She is a Marriage and Family Therapist, an Assistant Professor at Pepperine University, and the founder of the Center for Mental Health Excellence. She joins host Cameron Barrett to discuss how the mental health of individuals says a lot about the community as a whole, and how a phenomenon called post-traumatic growth, is building resilience across the community.

Resources:

• Center for Mental Health Excellence
• Pro Bono Mental Health Providers
• Spectrum News Piece of  Mental Health After the Fires
• Assemblymember John Harabedian - District 41

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 2:00 Pro Bono List of Providers
• 3:00 Uniquely Southern California
• 4:15 Where are we months after the fires?
• 6:30 Community trauma
• 8:10 Are people angry?
• 10:00 Post-traumatic Growth
• 12:20 Helicoptering parenting just got worse
• 16:15 How to lower your anxiety
• 18:00 Cellular level stress
• 19:40 Making the world less scary
• 21:30 Concerns for older adults
• 25:00 Processing grief
• 26:30 Warning signs
• 28:50 Reasons for optimism