News of Florida shooting hits some in Las Vegas hard

News reports of yet another mass tragedy, this time at a high school in Florida, may have set off a wave of renewed sorrow and stress across Las Vegas. Local psychologists say they’re ready to help Oct. 1 survivors and Las Vegans affected by the shooting on the Strip who exhibit symptoms of post-traumatic stress triggered by the killing of 17 students and staff in Parkland, Florida on Wednesday. Call volumes are increasing at the Vegas Strong Resiliency Center following the shooting in Florida, said Clark County Assistant Manager Kevin Schiller. “It’s definitely a trigger point, and it’s definitely causing an increase in a need for service,” Schill said. The reaction is normal, said Michelle Paul, director of The Practice, UNLV’s therapy clinic. “I would expect everybody to be triggered at some level,” Paul said. Many of those affected will feel a range of emotions, from sadness and anger, to flashbacks and difficulty sleeping and eating, Paul said.