Lahaina psychologist offers advice for wildfire survivors

Dr. Kelly Harnick is working to find a new office location in West Maui soon.
LAHAINA — West Maui Counseling Center founder and owner Dr. Kelly C. Harnick hopes to find a new location soon, so she can continue helping people in the community.
“It’s been tough to try and find somewhere to see our patients and get back to work,” she said.
“I’ve just been doing phone, telehealth, and then just keep working on trying to find somewhere to put us so we can help.”
The Lahaina Town business that Dr. Harnick built up for 12 years served over 5,000 people from West Maui. It was staffed with four therapists at the time of the fire.
“We have lost people, and our patients have lost children, so we just want to get back to doing what we do,” she explained.
“This is really horrific, and what I’m seeing and hearing around is a lot of anger, a lot of helplessness. A lot of people just having intense anxiety because they don’t know where they’re gonna go.”
Anyone who needs counseling or therapy is welcome to contact her at (808) 280-8775 or drharnick@westmauicounseling.com. She can also link patients up with doctoral level psychologists who worked at West Maui Counseling Center in the past and are rejoining her team.
Dr. Harnick earned her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University Maryland and her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park.
She is licensed as a Psychologist in the State of Hawaii, Board Certified in Clinical Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology and a Fellow of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology.
Dr. Harnick’s experience includes training on the Inpatient Trauma Disorders Unit at Sheppard Pratt Hospital in Maryland, including treatment of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and mental health issues related to severe and chronic trauma.
She wrote her dissertation on traumatic stress and debriefings with first responders.
Residents and first responders are dealing with the terror of the fires and then the grief of losing loved ones, homes, businesses and jobs.
“I want to put out there some education, too, about trauma because I’m a trauma specialist, and what people can expect emotionally and psychologically right now to kind of normalize it,” she said.
“The mental health impact comes typically after the initial shock. First, basic needs have to be met — like food, shelter, water — and then a little bit later on comes where mental health really needs to intervene.”
Survivors may experience intrusive memories, feelings and thoughts; difficulty eating or sleeping; nightmares; feelings of hopelessness, depression or anxiety; or “survivor’s guilt.”
“All of that’s really normal; we say: ‘It’s a very normal response to a very abnormal tragedy.’ And so people need to know that what they’re feeling… that they’re going through a very normal human process, but the majority of people have internal mechanisms that are resilient,” she said.
“In time, and with support, people will heal. And I think one of the most important things that’s going to help our community heal is the cultural foundation of aloha, and that foundation is going to be something that helps.
“One thing that really helps people heal from such horrific trauma is making meaning out of it. One of the meanings that could be positive for our community is to share their culture. Here’s an opportunity — and the world is watching — for West Maui and Hawaii in general to share the Hawaiian culture… People need to feel empowered in some way to heal.”
Dr. Harnick said it’s important for survivors to take care of themselves and talk about their experiences and reactions to a therapist, friend or family member.
“I think the most important thing, mental health-wise, that they stay connected, and that they allow themselves permission to feel what they’re feeling. Sometimes we don’t give ourselves permission to let it out, or process it,” she explained.
“Let everybody just kind of be vulnerable — be able to be genuine and real with how they’re feeling. And that is strong to face your emotions. That is brave, and that is helping someone else, because everyone is feeling the same way right now.”
West Maui Counseling Center will post updates on its Facebook page.