ABSTRACT
Katherine was an attractive woman, who looked to be somewhere in her late 40s. She was dressed casually, but nicely. Her appearance suggested privilege without pretension. Although she was clearly upset, she managed to offer a warm smile as the Red Cross volunteer brought her over. During the Port Authority orientation, the officer had suggested that we not necessarily introduce ourselves as psychiatrists. Perhaps this was to avoid having people feel as if they were being singled out for psychiatric care, which might be perceived as intrusive, as opposed to just needing appropriate emotional support. All the volunteers of varying mental health disciplines wore generic “Mental Health Volunteer” tags. At the memorial site, the volunteers stepped back, giving the families some privacy. Katherine was one of the few who had come alone. Most others had someone to lean on or cry with.
