Making sense of loss by words and pictures

SUNDAY'S national day of mourning is not the end of the grieving process for those involved in the Black Saturday bushfire tragedy.

As moving as the huge ceremony at the Rod Laver arena may have been, and it can be easily argued there were too many officials and bureaucrats, the reality is those who lost family and friends, homes and property will be forever scarred. It is convenient for many to claim that such rituals hasten a process called closure but closure doesn't exist except in the minds of those who hope to shut a file, seal a court document, bring an end to an investigation. As Christopher Hall, a psychologist and the director of the National Centre for Grief and Bereavement, told me: "The cultural desire for closure belies the true nature of loss (which is) a lifetime process." Memorial services play a part in providing a setting for those affected by tragedy to regain some control and they can contribute to building a narrative that will put the disaster into some sort of perspective, but they don't alter the fact we are all changed by loss and essentially must learn to exist while trying to understand and come to terms with altered circumstances and relationships. Hall, who has worked with trauma victims from major tragedies such as the Port Arthur massacre, the Canberra fires and the Bali bombings talks of medium and long-term ways to reduce suffering. Unlike armchair critics such as The Sydney Morning Herald's Ross Gittins, who speciously offer flawed advice far from the front line, Hall is appreciative of the role the majority of the media plays during times of such disaster. There has been little coverage I've seen that has been intrusive and voyeuristic, he said. People have a desire to make sense of their experiences and, with few exceptions, the ability to tell their stories helps give victims a sense of safety and restores a feeling of control over their lives, he said. After the Port Arthur shootings, Hall said, many people found the presence of the media helpful, media workers were respectful and let those who had lived through the horror tell their stories. It was helpful to them - the public and the media needed each other. Hall said some people were helped when they saw stories of those who had suffered more than they had, as if there was a league ladder of pain, seeing people worse off than themselves helped them find resilience and hope. Just being able to talk to a good listener, as most in the media are, who will hear their stories non-judgmentally, is beneficial, he said. Old media hands have long known that, more often than not, victims of tragedy found it cathartic to be able to retell their stories to those whose profession was largely about listening. In recent decades however, the educational theorists who have gained control over much of the content of media courses have injected an unwelcome element of social engineering that has seen ignorance replace experience as source material. Natural sensitivities about interviewing the victims of tragedies were replaced with rigid guidelines that often prevented the media from approaching trauma victims to learn of their experiences. Shamefully, the entertainment union that covers reporters was at the forefront of developing this ideological approach to reporting on disasters. Rather than be ashamed or apologetic about doing their jobs in difficult, emotional circumstances, the media should look with quiet satisfaction at the coverage of this tragedy. The ABCs local radio network in Victoria has been uniformly praised for keeping people in the bushfire affected areas informed, but the print media have also provided exemplary coverage. The Daily Telegraph's covers certainly resonated with its readers, and The Herald Sun provided a special print copy of a free 16-page guide to people in bushfire areas outlining all of the resources available to those trying to get their lives back on track. Complete with telephone numbers, addresses, the guide provided information on every possible service, from accessing instant cash to securing replacement identity documents and obtaining legal advice. All information was also carried on the newspapers website, accessible through news.com.au. While it is fashionable for left-leaning teachers to portray the media as the constant adversary because the press has the capacity to expose the Left's penchant for profligate spending on unnecessary, even damaging, programs, this tragedy has brought out the very best in the Australian press and demonstrated that the media is more likely to be the most constant friend those in genuine need will ever find. The practical information provided by The Daily Telegraph's sister publication in Victoria has been an invaluable resource for those re-establishing lost identities. In providing a sympathetic ear to the grieving victims, the media has provided just as important a psychological role in assisting the recovery of the many rebuilding their shattered lives.