In June 2016, tragedy struck in Orlando with the largest mass shooting in US history at the Pulse Nightclub. As sadness, fear, and an array of other emotions surfaced among individuals in the Central Florida community and around the world, Dr. Super stepped forward to help organize a statewide collaborative effort to provide counseling services and support to victims, their families, and others (including many in the LGBT+ community) who were hurting and afraid. Dr. Super used social media and email to reach out to many counselors and counseling students asking for their help. Within a few days, he helped enlist and organize more than 600 counselors, counseling students, and other helping professionals throughout the state who traveled to Orlando to provide free counseling and support at the Center, hospitals, and many other locations throughout the Orlando area including LGBT+-friendly bars.
Approximately 20 of the volunteers were counseling students that he taught in the University of Florida Counselor Education program, and in addition to helping organize efforts to provide services to the community, Dr. Super also served as an outstanding teacher and mentor to his students through the volunteer efforts, encouraging them to share their experiences and provide support to each other. Additionally, he provided free counseling services for vicarious trauma to National Public Radio reporters who covered the tragedy and mentored UF doctoral students to help in those efforts. During the few weeks after the tragedy, he served the counseling and LGBT+ communities by meeting with media writers as a source of information on how the trauma affected both the LGBT+ community and the greater community. Furthermore, when counseling professionals around the nation reached out to Dr. Super asking how they could help, instead of turning them away, he encouraged them to reach out to their community and make a difference in their corner of the world through counseling, support, and education. Thus, in the midst of tragedy, Dr. Super showed compassion, support, and love for others, including many members of the LGBT+ community, an outstanding display of service.
University of Florida College of Education News Article: “Counselor Ed. Volunteers Reflect on Orlando Pulse Nightclub Tragedy”
Video Interview with Dr. John Super: “Orlando Tragedy: Community Trauma and What Counselors Can Do?”
