As the sun was rising the morning of October 2, 2017, I knew deep down that I needed to do something to help myself and others heal from the horror we had just experienced. I wasn’t exactly sure what that looked like, but knew I wasn’t equipped to do it on my own and I needed to find a therapist. After a couple of weeks, I also found some of the Route 91 Facebook groups and realized I truly was not alone.
As a community, we pulled together, with many helping support other Routers who were struggling and trying to figure out their new “normal.” This was so incredibly helpful, but with it being informal, there was no one to call if the person giving support needed some help of their own or was going through something more than we were capable of handling.
The Vegas Strong Resiliency Center could see how helpful this kind of aid was to so many other Routers and they set out to establish a formal peer support program to complement what had been happening organically and support the supporters. When the VSRC asked me to oversee this program, I knew this was something I needed and wanted to do—a way I could continue to help support other Routers. Two years ago, we started the first training for this peer support program, which we now call HEART (Healing, Empowering, And Rebuilding Together). Our training is based on the award-winning Reciprocal Peer Support Model, created by a therapist at Rutgers University and used in many other peer support programs throughout the US.
How Peer Support Works
Therapy, support groups, and talking with Routers, and other mass shooting survivors, have been a huge help as I continue my healing journey. Peer support complements therapy and can also be the stepping stone someone needs to seek therapy. Unlike therapy, with peer support you are able to talk with someone who went through the same experience and has had similar feelings as you. Unlike support groups, peer support is one-on-one as little or as much as you need. Oftentimes it’s beneficial to talk with someone who isn’t a friend. In peer support, there is no judgment and what you talk about with your HEART Peer Mentor is confidential.
There are Peer Mentors who were at Route, first responders and others who responded in the aftermath, attended Route but were not in the venue at 10:05, parents of Routers, and friends of Routers. We know that our experience from October 1, 2017, has impacted our lives ever since and we are here to help you with any challenges that may arise. We continue to do work on our own healing and understand that there can’t be a one-size-fits-all approach. Each of us processes traumas differently and react to it in different ways. We have talked with and learned tools from others that we can share—tools not only to help support you with your feelings surrounding Route but also in everyday life.
We know that many of us are still struggling and need to talk with someone who’s been there, who understands what we’re feeling and going through. If peer support would help you in your healing journey and you’d like to be paired with a HEART Peer Mentor, please fill out the brief request form at VegasStrongRC.org/HEART and either Alice Goldstein (Lead HEART Coach) or I will reach out to you.
Get Involved
If you’re interested in becoming a Peer Mentor, we will hold information sessions on Tuesday, February 7, at 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET and on Monday, February 13, at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET. These info sessions will be held via Zoom and last 30 to 45 minutes. Our next trainings will begin Tuesday, February 21. To register for the information sessions, please click here. To fill out the HEART Peer Mentor Interest Form, you can click here.
Please let us know if you have any specific training or skills, including bilingual abilities. If you have any questions, you can reach me at HEARTPeer91@gmail.com. HEART truly is support for everyone who was impacted by Route, whether directly or indirectly, no matter where you live. We are not alone!