“The attack on the Capitol was a traumatic event for many. How will they cope?”

Afton Kapuscinski, assistant teaching professor in the College of Arts and Sciences and director of the Psychological Services Center, was interviewed for The Hill piece “The attack on the Capitol was a traumatic event for many. How will they cope?”  Kaspuscinski says that it is important for one’s mental health to look at the full picture instead of focusing on single upsetting events, as experiences like the recent attacks on the Capitol can become quickly overwhelming. “Many of us are justifiably experiencing shock, fear and anger … yet becoming paralyzed or overwhelmed by those emotions can contribute to hopelessness and mental health difficulty at a time when we are already dealing with so many challenges as a nation,” Kapuscinski says.