Grace at Ground Zero - Episode 9: The Healing Begins

Episode Descriptor The first hours after 9/11 split life into before and after - and for Barbara Bruns, the day became a test of calm, courage, and humanity. Barbara was in Manhattan on the morning of the attacks, in the middle of a new client engagement, when everything changed. What followed was a long, unforgettable walk through a stunned city, a desperate search to reach her family, and a reminder that even in chaos, people can still choose kindness. Barbara joins Philip Patrick and Tim for a deeply personal conversation about survival, leadership, music, and healing. As one of the creative forces behind the podcast, she also shares how her work as a musician and church musician shapes the way she listens, leads, and helps people through grief, joy, and transition. In this episode you'll discover: What Barbara saw and felt in New York on September 11th, from the moment the second tower was hit to the silence of the streets afterward How a calm, decisive CEO helped hold a room together when no one knew what would happen next Why music and worship became lifelines for so many people after the attacks How Barbara's approach to coaching and conducting overlaps with the work of helping people heal The powerful behind-the-scenes story of the September 11th Fund and Safe Horizon, and how thousands of displaced workers and families received support Show Notes Tim also shares how his workplace ministry took shape in New York and how organizations like the September 11th Fund mobilized social workers, community leaders, and language specialists to meet urgent human needs in the months after the attacks. The conversation goes beyond the headlines and into the lived reality of trauma, resilience, and the small acts of care that helped a city keep going. This episode is essential listening if you care about 9/11 history, the psychology of crisis leadership, the healing power of music, or the quiet ways communities rebuild after devastation. It is a moving reminder that grace is often found not in grand gestures, but in steadiness, service, and showing up for one another. Credits Podcast Producer: John McBlain Creative Director: Barbara Bruns Clinical Advisor: Anne Freund, Ph.D. Website Production: Matthew Dobbins Clip Photographer: Antonio Littles Music: Air des Musettes by Andre Campra. Recorded by Barbara Bruns and Thompson Brass Ensemble. Copyright © 2014 Barbara Bruns and Philip Swanson. All photos Copyright © 2026 Timothy Dobbins Except "A Priest at Ground Zero" and "Churchyard" by Harald Franzen  Copyright © 2026 Harald Franzen. Reproduced with permission. Thank you: Molly Coffin, Allison Miller Dobbins, Bill Bruns, Dan Dobbins, John Dobbins. The Grace at Ground Zero Podcast is produced by Timothy Dobbins and Philip Patrick.  Copyright © 2026 by Timothy Dobbins and Philip Patrick.  All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this audio is strictly prohibited.