ABSTRACT
Recall the lingering fears and tears experienced by Valerie Knudson? Val is the fictional character I introduced in Chapter 1. She was the victim of “The Ceiling.” Val represents a lot of earthquake victims I have interviewed over the years who have described similar symptoms. Fortunately, most, like Val, also experience the healing power of family, friends, and other components of the postdisaster therapeutic community, so, over time, their symptoms gradually disappear.
