The letters WTC recently took on a new meaning in our vocabulary, evoking an array of emotions: anger, horror, loss and fear, but also patriotism, caring and concern. These letters can also stand for an inspirational message — that we all need the will to conquer fear, or as one psychiatrist commented, the will to conquer “the terror that is meant to bring people to their knees; terror that can destroy everything in its path.” Our political and cultural leaders admonish us to “get back to work,” “return to normalcy” and “enjoy life.” But how do we, as a society, begin to do this, especially with the recent anxieties generated by anthrax?

One of humanity’s greatest sources of enjoyment and nurturing has always been the arts. In times of crisis, the arts are particularly crucial in fostering a sense of community, spirituality and emotional well-being.

Decades earlier, HAI collaborated with The Rockefeller Foundation to host four symposia on The Healing Role of the Arts. At that time, the primary concern of these gatherings was the use of the arts to foster healing for individuals with mental disabilities. In recent days, this examination of the role of the arts has suddenly and dramatically broadened to include The Healing Role of the Arts for Those in Crisis, namely, for all of us. The public ruminations and the actions of many theater and television producers also indicated a searching of souls to gain a footing in the new reality.

On September 11th, HAI experienced this new reality at its offices, located about one mile from Ground Zero. Staff could clearly feel and view the shattering explosions and watched thousands of people running up Broadway to escape danger. The office shut within an hour and was forced to remain closed until the following Monday. Fortunately, all HAI personnel and those in the HAI “family” were unhurt. HAI addressed the challenges in several ways. Firstly, we arranged for group counseling for our staff, including HAI workshop facilitators, actors and teaching artists who work on the “front lines” in shelters, mental health facilities and correctional programs. Through these meetings, actors and facilitators of Prevention Education workshops were able to exchange grief, mourn together, and discuss strategies for dealing with issues related to the attacks, particularly violence prevention and racial prejudice. For arts workshops, teachers utilized the expressive arts to assist participants in coping. Secondly, HAI made its huge loft/office space available to the publishing industry, which, in five days, put together a fund-raiser that generated over $135,000 for disaster relief, incorporating matching corporate funds. About 400 people attended. Finally, HAI offered its two Omni*Buses to the City because of these vehicles’ ability to move large numbers of people on stretchers. Sadly, their use was never needed.

To Go or Not To Go: That is the Question – Hamlet seemingly had it easy when he pondered “to be or not to be.” Nowadays, when someone contemplates going to the theater, the stadium or any other major public place, one wonders about the unknowns, previously confined to cheap science fiction/horror films, that have now become realities, ranging from facts to rumors and speculations…through media, word of mouth, etc. Given this daily dose of nightmares, HAI did what any New Yorker would do — turn to a shrink for advice and guidance. In this instance, we turned to the psychiatrists on HAI’s Clinical Advisory Board.

These psychiatrists’ advice parallels and reaffirms the daily admonitions of Mayor Giuliani “to get out there and live,” to seek normalcy, ranging from “plain, old normalcy, bland, banal everyday life going on,” to “enhanced normalcy,” especially for mental health consumers who are often “isolated and cut off from the world, which increases depression and diminishes healing.” They encouraged HAI to be proactive in urging mental health workers to recognize their mission of fostering and maintaining the mental well-being of vulnerable people and not to be “cowed” by these events. No one can guarantee safety in daily life activities like crossing the street, nor can HAI guarantee safety on public transportation and at public venues. However, with the nation’s heightened alertness and security, a new way of life is emerging. The quicker we adjust and regain our balance, the quicker the healing for all will begin, especially for us and for those vulnerable souls who are the primary focus of HAI’s mission.