Life is not fair when it comes to understanding the violence which has plunged Cherokee County residents into grief over the past week.

Mental health counselor Dr. Roger Rhoades said he believes friends and family support are the most important factors in helping county residents recover emotionally from the recent tragic events in the community.

"It's important to talk and share your feelings with people you trust and feel close to on a daily basis," Rhoades said. "Healing from a devastating event does not happen in people's heads."

Rhoades made his comments Thursday afternoon during a presentation on stress at the Spartanburg Community College campus in Cherokee County. The workshop was organized by the Spartanburgbased P.A.C.E Center, a nonprofit mental health agency, to provide county residents with tips on coping with the stress and anxiety many are still experiencing over the recent murders here.

More than 45,000 people are victims of homicides annually in the U.S.

"These statistics, as do all statistics, have names. They are someone's parent, grandparent, spouse, sibling, child, neighbor and friend," Rhoades said. "It's important to reach out to friends and relatives for support. The supportive presence of those who live on and care about you will give you the strength to face the trauma and keep going."