The public gets its first glimpse of James Holmes, 24, the suspect in the Colorado theater shooting during his initial court appearance Monday, July 23. With his hair dyed reddish-orange, Holmes, here with public defender Tamara Brady, showed little emotion. He is accused of opening fire in a movie theater Friday, July 20, in Aurora, Colorado, killing 12 people and wounding 58 others. More photos: Mourning the victims of the Colorado theater massacre
Aurora, Colorado (CNN) -- Picture the monumental task of counseling strangers affected by a horror worse than they've ever imagined.
Now, imagine spending an entire career doing that, year after year.
Regularly exposed to the aftermath of deadly attacks and natural disasters, grief counselors face the fury of Mother Nature and the worst of humanity -- while leading the effort to counteract it with the best.
Those who sign up for disaster counseling require a demeanor, depth and inner-strength to keep going, experts say.
"Our job is to provide psychological first aid and to help people find their strengths," says Margaret Charlton, a psychologist who has been handling calls and walk-ins at a hotline center here in Aurora, Colorado, since Friday's massacre at a midnight showing of the new Batman film "The Dark Knight Rises."
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"In this type of shooting disaster, the unexpectedness of it is a big part of the difficulty for unsettling families, because they want to know why. And we know after we've done this for a while that there often isn't an answer as to why. So you're trying to help people move past that without being able to know," she said.
The center and its partners spoke with about 200 people within 24 hours of the shootings, and more have been coming in since.
Many are locals who knew victims. Some are even relatives.
"One woman lost her daughter who had small children," says Holly Cappello, one of the counselors here. "And she didn't know how to exactly go about talking to the small children about this loss."
So far, the task of these counselors has been first to express sympathies for any loss, says Cappello, "then try to sort out from them what it is that they need in this moment."
They listen, offer words of support and encouragement, and focus on helping in pragmatic ways to relieve other concerns -- getting families help for planning memorial services or financial support. "So part of it is education," says Cappello. "And part of it is accessing resources for the person who is grieving."
While every disaster is unique, this one hit "very, very close to home," says Cappello.
"We knew a lot of teenagers who had friends there -- or who were shot," she said.
And the gunman targeted what most people feel is a safe place. Going to the movies is even something disaster counselors often suggest that families do together as a positive experience, she said.
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Cappello herself has a 17-year-old daughter, and understands the fears many parents now have when their children are going out.
"You think when you send your child to an event like that, there's a likelihood of it being safe," she says.
The ability to associate with those needing counseling is helpful, but it also speaks to a professional hazard: vicarious trauma, also called secondary trauma. Counselors can experience their own emotional toll.
"I have a feeling in a few days I will have a story of vicarious trauma," says psychologist Kirsten Anderson, who has been coordinating counseling efforts at the disaster response site in Aurora. Just weeks ago she was working with evacuees from wildfires in the state. In 2010 she helped those affected by massive wildfires at Fourmile Canyon in Boulder.
Counselors these days are given a lot of training on how to handle the stresses, and how to recognize symptoms of secondary trauma in themselves, Anderson says. "That's why we check in with people" who are offering the counseling, to see how they are, she said. And "a part of our professional duty is preparing ourselves."
The toll it takes on counselors is a big reason there's plenty of attrition in the industry, the psychologists say.
And they've had times when they chose not to take part in counseling after certain events, because they knew they weren't up to it.
"I was tired or there were family crises going on that left me without enough reserves," Charlton says.
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But for all the challenges, the experience -- amid tragedy and devastation -- is incredibly rewarding.
"I think it's important for everyone, not just professionals, to feel like they're contributing, helping the community heal from what has happened," says Anderson. "It's rewarding for everyone."
"If I was going to be a medical doctor, I'd be an E.R. doctor," adds Cappello, who has worked in disaster response for 20 years. "I like a lot of energy, I think I do well under pressure."
Whatever the perils of the profession, she says, the work is worth it. "If you have a skill you want to utilize it in a way that helps people. When they're having the worst day of their life and you're there to help them with that, that's a small personal price to pay."
For now, they're focused on helping the community of Aurora move on.
The goal for initial disaster counseling is to help people have "a little less pain at that point," says Charlton.
"People have a little more peace, a little more normalcy than before they chatted with us," says Anderson.
The result can be enormous.
About 80% of those who seek this kind of help often have a "spontaneous recovery," Charlton says.
That doesn't mean they suddenly feel fine -- it means the counseling can help steer people in a direction away from developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. They will go through the normal grief process and think about the events for a long time, but then will move on.
"Most people are resilient," says Charlton, who has been working in disaster response since 1988 and helped people after the Columbine massacre, as well as evacuees from Hurricane Katrina. "Our job in disaster response is to help them find their resilience."
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Police release the official photo from Holmes' booking after the shooting.
Holmes often had a blank stare during his court appearance Monday, appearing to be in a daze.
Victims and their relatives and journalists watch the proceedings Monday.
Flags fly at half-staff Monday at the Arapahoe County Courthouse in Centennial, Colorado, where the movie theater shooting suspect had his first court appearance. The prosecutor held a press conference outside the courthouse.
Arapahoe County District Attorney Carol Chambers talks to reporters Monday before heading into the courthouse. Chambers said the decision on whether to pursue the death penalty is a long process that involves input from victims and their families.
Family members of the victims arrive at the courthouse Monday for the suspect's first court appearance.
The Century Aurora 16 multiplex in Aurora becomes a place of horror after a gunman opened fire Friday in a crowded theater. At least 17 people remained hospitalized late Sunday, July 22, in the shooting rampage that shocked the nation.
Holmes is accused of opening fire during a midnight screening of the new Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises." Holmes purchased four weapons and more than 6,000 rounds of ammunition in recent months, police say.
Police investigate outside the Century 16 multiplex Saturday, July 21, a day after the mass shooting. Authorities have been tight-lipped about a possible motive in the case.
Agents search the suspect's car outside the theater.
Aurora police escort a sand-filled dump truck containing improvised explosive devices removed from Holmes' booby-trapped apartment Saturday. Authorities have said they believe the suspect rigged his place before leaving for the movie theater.
Police break a window at the suspect's apartment Friday in Aurora.
Law enforcement officers speak with Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, center, outside the suspect's apartment Saturday.
Law enforcement officers prepare to disarm the booby-trapped apartment Saturday.
Officials tow cars outside Holmes' apartment Saturday. Police disassembled devices and trip wires set up in the apartment.
Officers prepare to place an explosive device inside the apartment.
Debris flies out a window, right, after law enforcement officers detonate an explosive device inside the apartment Saturday.
People mourn the victims during a vigil behind the theater where a gunman opened fire on moviegoers in Aurora.
A woman grieves during a vigil for victims behind the theater.
A distraught woman receives counseling from Pastor Quincy Shannon, left, in front of Gateway High School in Aurora, where the families of the missing met following the shooting.
Lin Gan of Aurora holds back tears as she speaks to reporters about her experience in the Century 16 theater Friday.
People embrace before a vigil for victims behind the theater where a gunman opened fire on moviegoers.
Investigators work on evidence near the apartment of James Holmes on Friday.
Members of the Aurora Police Department SWAT unit walk near the apartment of James Holmes. Police have Holmes, 24, of North Aurora, in custody.
Television news crews gather in front of the home of Robert and Arlene Holmes, parents of 24-year-old mass shooting suspect James Holmes, in San Diego, California, on Friday.
A popcorn box lies on the ground outside the Century 16 movie theatre.
An NYPD officer keeps watch inside an AMC move theater where the film "The Dark Knight Rises" is playing in Times Square on Friday. NYPD is maintaining security around city movie theaters following the deadly rampage in Aurora, Colorado.
Adariah Legarreta, 4, is comforted by her grandmother Rita Abeyta near the Century 16 Theater in Aurora.
A cyclist and pedestrians pass a theater showing the latest Batman movie in Hollywood, California, on Friday. Warner Brothers said it was "deeply saddened" by Friday's massacre at a Colorado screening of "The Dark Knight Rises."
Obama supporters observe a moment of silence for the victims at a campaign event at Harborside Event Center in Fort Myers, Florida, on Friday.
Jessica Ghawi, an aspiring sportscaster, was one of the victims.
A woman waits for news outside Gateway High School, a few blocks from the scene of the shooting at the Century Aurora 16.
Aurora police chief Daniel J. Oates speaks at a press conference near the Century 16 Theater on Friday.
Agents search the trash container outside the suspect's apartment in Aurora.
A Federal ATF officer carries protective gear onsite at the home of alleged shooting suspect James Holmes.
Obama speaks on the shootings at the event in Fort Myers.
Moviegoers are interviewed at the Century Aurora 16.
Officers gathered at the theater Friday.
Investigators were a common sight at the theater Friday.
Authorities gather at the shooting suspect's apartment building in Aurora. Police broke a second-floor window to look for explosives that the suspect claimed were in the apartment.
Screaming, panicked moviegoers scrambled to escape from the black-clad gunman, who wore a gas mask and randomly shot as he walked up the theater's steps, witnesses said.
University of Colorado Hospital spokeswoman Jacque Montgomery said that all of the wounded had injuries from gunshot wounds, ranging from minor to critical.
A woman sits on top of her car near the crime scene.
Police block access to the Town Center mall after the shooting.
Witnesses told KUSA that the gunman kicked in an emergency exit door and threw a smoke bomb into the darkened theater before opening fire.
What is believed to be the suspect's car is examined after the shooting.
Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney delivers remarks regarding the shooting in an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater on Friday at a campaign event in Bow, New Hampshire.
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