Psychosocial support for trauma-affected students after school shootings in Finland

In Finland, as many as 20 people have lost their lives in two school shootings within one year. This article describes trauma-theoretical rationale, planning, and implementation of acute and long-term psychosocial aftercare that was organized in Kauhajoki where one of the school shootings happened. The aftercare was embedded in the school community's everyday life to enhance easy access. The aftercare proceeded in 6 phases, involving the immediate support phase at the first 24 hr, the acute phase for the first 2 weeks, followed by a 5-month period of empowerment, normalization, and creating "a safe place." The habituation phase coincided with the completion of the renovation of the damaged school building and students returning to the scene. The first anniversary was marked by shared rituals and remembrance, and the follow-up phase lasted until the end of the aftercare in 2 years. The aftercare contained, for example, psychoeducation, screening, and services at community, group, and individual levels.