Santa Barbara trauma specialist returns home from Ukraine-Poland border

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – A Santa Barbara local emotional trauma specialist and disaster responder returned home from her deployment to the Ukraine-Poland border on Wednesday.

Fran Graham was at the Ukraine-Poland border handing out food and water to the refugees as they crossed into safety in Poland, offering her expertise in trauma relief to displaced Ukrainians and disaster relief workers.

Graham works is a 911 At Ease International consultant working in Santa Barbara. The organization offers free, confidential and trauma-informed counseling to first responders and their immediate families.

She began her work as a police officer in England, and after suffering her own trauma and job loss as a result of the trauma, Graham began her mission to keep the same from happening to other first responders.

She has led responses to Hurricane Sandy, the Montecito Mudslides and the Marysville Pilchuck High School shooting.