FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 28, 2001 CONTACT: Lisa Lacher, (515) 271-3119 DRAKE PROF COUNSELS VICTIMS OF WTC ATTACKS AS RED CROSS VOLUNTEER IN NEW YORK CITY Anger, frustration and a sense of hopelessness pervaded the Red Cross center in New York City where Linda Nebbe recently spent nearly two weeks counseling victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Nebbe, assistant professor of education at Drake University and a licensed mental health counselor, completed two days of training before going to New York City on Nov. 14 to volunteer as a Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Services worker. She was assigned to the Red Cross center in the Pier 94 Family Service Center at 54th Street and the Hudson River that houses 50 agencies assisting victims of Sept. 11. She worked 12-hour days, counseling people who came to the Red Cross for help because they had lost their homes or jobs. "More than two months had passed since Sept. 11, and people were coming down from the adrenaline rush and automatic pilot that had gotten them through the first stages of the disaster," Nebbe said. "Many of them had used up their savings and desperately needed money. There was a lot of anger and frustration as well as a pervasive sense of hopelessness. When things don't improve in two months, you begin to feel that they'll never get better." An expert on animal-assisted therapy, professor Nebbe was instrumental in persuading the Red Cross to expand the use of therapy dogs at the Pier 94 center. She also was interviewed in a Nov. 20 "ABC World News Tonight" story about therapy dogs bringing comfort to victims and volunteers as well as workers toiling to clear the rubble at "Ground Zero." Professor Nebbe noted that scientific studies document that pet therapy eases anxiety and lowers both blood pressure and heart rate. She said therapy dogs made a world of difference when they visited the waiting room at the Pier 94 Red Cross center where she worked. "People were sitting there for hours on end, waiting for their numbers to be called," she said. "They'd just stare at the walls and relive their traumatic experiences. It was really depressing. "Then a dog would come into the room. People would smile and reach out to pet the dog. That would lead to conversation, hugs and laughter. It was almost like magic — like a life infusion where people began to feel again and react again." The Pier 94 Red Cross center was closed on Thanksgiving Day, so Nebbe used her day off to see for herself the area near "Ground Zero." "The worst part was walking through the neighborhood. It was like a ghost town," she said. "It looked like there had been a war. Seeing that helped me understand the hopeless feelings of clients I was seeing from that area." Nebbe was able to go to New York as a Red Cross volunteer with the help of her colleagues in the Counseling Education Program who covered her classes while she was gone. Now that she's back on campus, she plans to share the knowledge she gained with her students. "It was an amazing experience in dealing with trauma and diversity," she said. "It was overwhelming, but very worthwhile." - 30 - Note to News Media: Linda Nebbe is available for interviews this afternoon (Wednesday, Nov. 28) and tomorrow morning (Thursday, Nov. 29). To arrange an interview, call Lisa Lacher at (515) 271-3119.