Taming Your Tormenta: A Story About Courage and Hope in the Face of Hurricane Maria

If You Practice Good Self-Care, Stay Calm and Be Present in the Moment, You Can Be Resilient and SafeOn September 20, 2017, Category 4 Hurricane Maria made landfall on the tranquil island of Puerto Rico, leaving destruction in her wake. Many lost everything they owned and lacked access to basic necessities like water and electricity for more than eleven months.Despite the hardships they faced, Puerto Ricans found their resilience and began to rebuild their island. Part-time resident Jacque Marling de Cuellar returned to her Puerto Rican home and was inspired by the generous helping spirit of the Puerto Rican people who offered what little they had to others who had nothing.Realizing the potential trauma of natural disasters like hurricanes, Jacque offers stories, meditation, and a mindfulness self-care program through the use of play to children and their parents. These critical life skills teach self-care, prevention and coping strategies with the ongoing aftermath of any traumatic event. Taming your Tormenta was inspired by teaching Life Skills in the school program, Open Doors (Puertas Abiertas) in Cidra, and Punta Santiago Community Center and Humacao’s children and families in Palmas Del Mar, Puerto Rico.