Understanding and Dealing with Psychological and Social Stresses of Working with Contaminated Communities (Part 2 of 2)
Presented by: Jan Shubert, Office of Emergency and Remedial Response, and Pat Seppi, Region 2, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Numerous EPA Regional staff members are actively involved in working directly in communities and dealing with residents about highly controversial issues, such as potential exposures to hazardous materials, health effects of such exposures, property values, and how contamination should/will be cleaned up. Because the individuals or companies that originally caused the problems may be unavailable, EPA staff frequently find themselves the targets of residents’ rage and frustration–a very stressful situation for all concerned. This workshop will examine the potential physiological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral effects of stress, explain how stress also affects communities and why residents behave the way they do, and assist participants to develop healthy ways of relating to residents of communities and of managing their own work-related and personal stress. The presenters have extensive experience as mental health professionals and in working with communities. In addition to providing information on the effects of stress on individuals and communities, they will provide examples of successful and unsuccessful community involvement efforts (and lessons learned from both) and engage participants in developing their own personal stress management plans. Throughout the workshop, the presenters will draw on their own experiences to stimulate a dialogue and experience-sharing by participants. While the presenters’ experiences are based on working with Superfund communities, the workshop content is appropriate for anyone who has had or expects to have experience working with communities on environmental issues.

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