A new program by the Chester Community Coalition and clinicians from the Child Guidance Resource Center in Havertown offers a group approach to trauma therapy for people affected by gun violence, writes Vinny Vella for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The 12-week program was founded by public grant money, including two grants from Catholic Health Initiatives and a grant from The Foundation for Delaware County.

The program, the first of its kind in Chester, brings together people who have been affected by gun violence. It gives them the opportunity to heal together with the help of licensed and experienced psychologists.

“The big-picture goal is to reduce gun violence in Chester, a massive goal starting with one family at a time,” said Alexia Clarke, the program’s director.

According to Clarke, the program differs from a number of similar peer-led and faith-based counseling programs because it takes those efforts a step further by bringing in professional help.

“They’re the ones to help you think about it, and challenge you in a way that a peer might not think to,” she said.

Read more about the program in the Philadelphia Inquirer by clicking here.