Since the dramatic attacks of September 11, 2001, American families have been learning to live with the threat of terrorism. The unique nature of the attacks-using commercial airliners as bombs-pierced many people’s assumptions of security and introduced a new source of fear and anxiety into their lives. The magnitude and severity of emotional difficulties following a terrorist attack are much greater when the incident involves large numbers of fatalities, especially when children are included and when the incident leads to a protracted rescue and recovery effort (Sitterle & Gurwitch, 1999). The attacks on the World Trade Center thus produced enormous emotional damage and challenged one of the basic functions of the family (and social structures in general), that is, to provide a sense of security to members and to help members manage fear and anxiety during times of crisis. The ways in which families cope with uncontrollable stressors, such as the threat of terrorism, can either amplify the anxieties and fears of family members or provide a sanctuary from the stress of those emotions.