ARKANSAS, USA — Friday's tornadoes were a terrifying reminder of how powerful Mother Nature can be. If you've been feeling scared or traumatized by the storms— you're likely not alone.
"I can just hear it in people's voices, what they've been through, this is a disaster," Molly Bloom, owner of Bloom Counseling Services said. "Whether you were directly hit or not, this was a traumatic event."
While many have been hard at work removing the physical and material wounds of the storm, Bloom has had her focus on the mental scars.
Friday's storm left behind more than just debris. Now many are feeling scared, especially with severe weather in the forecast for Tuesday evening.
"Your nervous system, your body is doing what it's supposed to do when it's in danger," Bloom said.
Trauma and stress, the inability to function— Bloom has heard from many both in the path of the storm and those close to it.
They're not easy calls, but she explained that they're understandable. With Tuesday's weather, she said she's expecting more.
"What's gonna happen?" she said. "And I think there's just a lot of panic going on right now."
So how do you prepare?
Weather preparations are important, but Bloom also recommends some simple mental tips to make sure you're alright.
First, find something that comforts you, whether that's something like an animal or loved ones to keep you distracted.
Bloom also said it's okay to feel helpless but to understand that support is out there.
Finally, talk it out— you're not the only one feeling the way you are.
"We need our community to wrap our arms around each other and realize, yeah, we've been hit, but we're going to become stronger from this," she said. "I just see teams working like crazy to help our city get put back together."