News

'Creating Calm after Chaos' sessions offered free this summer

By Lightning Reports, Published: June 9, 2025

A free program to learn about trauma and its effects, Creating Calm after Chaos, is being offered from mid-June through July in downtown Hendersonville.

The 2-day intensive sessions offer 12 hours of trauma recovery and tools through discussion and art. After discussing fight-or-flight instincts and tools to cope with stress, participants then express their thoughts through collage art. Sessions are being offered June 17, 19; June 24, 26; July 1, 2; July 8, 10; July 15, 17; July 22, 24; and July 29, 31. Each session is limited to 8 participants.

The program is funded by the Community Foundation of Henderson County with support from the Arts Council of Henderson County.

“We discuss trauma, but we don’t dwell on any person’s specific emotions,” said Kate Stockman, who co-facilitates the series with Amy Lloyd Huggins, a trauma recovery coach. “We talk about how normal it is to feel repercussions from trauma or tragedy so that individuals can sort through their own thoughts and feelings. And then we have fun with art.”

The schedule for the 2-day sessions is designed to accommodate anyone who is interested. It also offers emergency services, law enforcement, school staff, government staff, non-profit staff — those who continue to respond daily to trauma suffered by clients, students and families — a summer opportunity to participate.  

To register, visit www.ascensionwellnesslife.com/creatingcalmafterchaos.