Refugees and asylum seekers who had graduated from needing mental health services called Sara Nelson last week.<\/p>\n
The program manager at the Center for Victims of Torture<\/a>, which supports people who have survived torture, said those calling wanted to restart services following ramped up Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) action in the Twin Cities that included the shooting death of Renee Good by an ICE agent. Other clients, out of fear for their own safety, changed their appointments from in-person to virtual.<\/p>\n Advocates say the shooting and ICE enforcement action is yet another traumatic event affecting the community, leading to feelings of anger, hopelessness and fear.\u00a0<\/p>\n Therapist Shonda Craft, Ph.D., said her clients last week \u201cneed(ed) to expel the fact that they\u2019d been thinking about\u201d these violent acts, even while addressing previous concerns around their mental health.\u00a0<\/p>\n Even people in the Twin Cities who have stayed home watching the events unfold on social media are experiencing a traumatic event, Craft said, defining it as \u201cany event or incident that radically shakes\u201d someone\u2019s sense of wellbeing.<\/p>\n Craft, owner of a private mental health practice, is among many responding to clients\u2019 growing needs. Larger organizations, such as M Health Fairview, responded by offering two free psychological first aid trainings this week.\u00a0<\/p>\n