The Mental Health Foundation has adapted its “winning ways to wellbeing” model to aid people in Christchurch to cope in the aftermath of the 6.3 earthquake that devastated the city yesterday.

A series of resources have been uploaded to the Foundation’s website today, including:
• A blog post, “Maintaining Your Wellbeing After The Earthquake”, with advice for how to apply the five simple ways to wellbeing – connect, give, take notice, learn and be active – to coping with disaster
• A practical “Tips For Coping After An Earthquake” advice sheet, including how adults can help children and how to take care of yourself
• A sheet outlining exercises to help you keep well, which can be performed “on the spot” for people in restricted locations or with physical impairments
• Information on coping with the sudden death of a loved one
Mental Health Foundation Chief Executive Judi Clements says the impact of the quake has been deeply felt by its staff in Christchurch. “It’s been scary, shocking, upsetting, distressing and so unpredictable,” she says. “All our staff are safe, but as far as their homes are concerned, we’re still finding out the full extent of the damage.”

Four of the six members of the Foundation’s Christchurch team were in their offices – now uninhabitable – when the quake struck. They took shelter under desks as windows blew in and furniture turned upside down.

Following an evacuation, staff watched in horror as hundreds of workers began to fill Latimer Square as buildings on the perimeter crumbled to ground around them.

“As far as I know, all our staff are at home now, some with power, some with water, and some without,” she says. “It’s more difficult to keep in touch with some team members than others, but it’s thankfully a pretty fortunate situation for our colleagues, as far as we can find out.”

Clements is urging people to focus on their wellbeing as well as their day-to-day survival at this difficult time. “Like any trauma, there’s an inevitable reaction of panic that can take over. But in the midst of that, keep those human contacts going, stick together and look after others who may be more vulnerable – young people, older people, people on their own or with physical impairments or disabilities.
“And looking after each other has to start with looking after yourself. “

In terms of what to do to make a difference, Clements says to keep it simple. “Be there. Listen. Help. Do the practical things, do the little things. Don’t think that you have to be something special or be an expert – bring a cup of tea, hold a hand, play with a child. Children in particular won’t understand what’s happening, and they need to feel that sense of safety from adults.”

If you’re outside the region feeling helpless about what to do, the Foundation says messages of support can go a long way.

“Send text messages, send messages of support,” says Clements. “Ask if there’s anything that they need, or anything you can send. Wait and see what the emergency services ask for, and if they need any volunteers, or material things that you can provide.

“For those of us outside Canterbury, I think we’ve got to be guided by the people on the ground who have specialist skills and knowledge in coping with disasters.”

The Foundation’s earthquake coping resource page can be found here: http://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/page/895-news+coping-in-a-disaster

ENDS

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