Presentation

A Virginia Tech Survivor’s Journey: Recovering from Trauma

Ms. Hamp provides a unique first-hand testimony and shares many lessons learned during this tragedy, including how her class at Virginia Tech successfully built a barricade to successfully prevent multiple entry attempts by the shooter on April 16, 2007.  She discusses considerations for crisis and emergency preparedness and guidelines for thinking about safety. This session provides takeaways regarding both personal and community aspects of mass shooting recovery, recommendations to counseling centers and communities after tragedy, and considerations for short and long-term survivor recovery.

Biography

Lisa Hamp is a survivor of the Virginia Tech shooting that took place on April 16, 2007. Lisa suffered from untreated PTSD for years, eventually seeking counseling in 2015 for an eating disorder caused by unresolved emotions from the trauma. Lisa believes you don’t have to be shot to be injured, and is passionate about sharing her story to help those who experienced trauma, first responders, social workers, and school mental health professionals. She has a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Virginia Tech, a M.S. in Operations Research from George Mason University, and a M.S. in Economics from John Hopkins University.