Healing The Nation: Commentary

Healing is the subject today. Stay with me here, because, I’m going to go down a path that hasn’t been tread in recent days. In order for peace, and healing to occur and love to grow amongst  people and the nation we’ve got to go there. We need to have this discussion. Many individuals consider this an unsafe path to take. It will make some people very uncomfortable. However, the risk need to be taken in spite of, and because of the discomfort some people may feel during the process. Say what you will. Someone need to do it.

Something has been nagging at me since the New Orleans tragedy. Then came Minnesota and before it cooled off or could be processed on a cognitive level, we were bombarded with the killings in Dallas. I have to stop right here and applaud the citizens of Dallas, the Police Chief Police Officers and the Mayor for their actions.

Now back to what’s been nagging me. It’s the grieving process. How many families who are directly affected by these tragedies have had an opportunity to grieve? I haven’t gotten to the police officers who have continued to work and their families, the extended families, the first responders, the nurses, doctors and spreading out to you.

Today I heard Donna Diamond, the girlfriend of Philando Castile, say she has not seen a grief counselor and her daughter has not cried. That’s not good.

What can we do as health care providers or friends to help some of the thousands of people who are grieving? The nation continues to have a public health problem that has now escalated. This physical and mental public health problem has been mentioned in other articles here and on LWN social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

In addition, the word diversity has been used so much, in some cases it’s true meaning and ramifications has been lost or has become diluted to the point of having no authentic, true meaning. Times such as these are a teaching learning and opportunity. Yet, when my social media news feeds are read , there is minimal to no meaningful dialogue between individuals across the color lines. Again, that’s not good.

Feel uncomfortable talking about matters of race and color? Life is not comfortable.

People of color and families with family members of color are always uncomfortable and resilient in order to survive – going to work, in work environments, in school, walking down the street, during job interviews, being followed in stores. The protective armor goes on and the mask is worn when the first step is taken outside the door. In order for peace, love and for the nation to start the healing process there has to be meaningful dialogue. That would be good.

Mental health issues with accompanying physical health challenges will increase in the coming weeks. As a public health professional, this I know. My public health residency, years of working in the field of public health and experience in Louisiana, taught me well. It is time for nurses, professional health counselors, primary care clinicians and integrative holistic care practitioner and clinicians to mobilize and communicate with each other regarding health and wellness strategies for healing a nation. Cultural beliefs, cultural diversity, health equality, health equity  and  the health status of police officers are important ingredients in fostering healing of people of color and people of non-color, so to speak. Care givers need to engage in the maximum of self-care capable going forward. If a person need to learn cultural behaviors, ask someone , read and travel outside of their comfort zone; associate with people, outside their comfort zone. Feel uncomfortable. Invite people of color to worship with them  and vice versa. Refer friends and family members for professional grief counseling and for professional spiritual counseling. Go yourself. Go to your community police precinct meetings to help formulate changes in relationships and mental health behaviors of police officers.

These are my concerns and suggestions for diminishing the public health problem– improving the health and wellness of individuals, the health of the public, the nursing profession, and the police profession– to help foster healing and to bridge the divide between races.