For too many, the past few days have been some of the toughest in recent memory.

We gasped at the approach of a monster storm, no less formidable because of its casual moniker. In the days leading up to its arrival, our friends and family in the East prepared as best as they could. Then they hunkered down as Sandy wreaked havoc in a crazed rumpus.

Millions have begun to take the first steps on the road to recovery, daunting as it may be.

Stress and anxiety are a given in the aftermath of a natural disaster -- particularly for those living in shelters; those still lacking power; those attempting to return to work with no transit system; or those who must deal with insurance companies -- or worse.

Short-term emotional and behavioral reactions are both common and normal following a natural disaster, says Richard Heaps, a clinical psychologist and professor at Brigham Young University's counseling psychology department. Heaps has served as a disaster mental health volunteer with the American Red Cross since 1992.

"It's OK to mourn losses," says Heaps. "It's not an abnormal reaction, but healthy and appropriate."

Heaps and Melissa Brymer, director of Terrorism and Disaster Programs at the UCLA/Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, offer advice and strategies for stress management following natural disasters:

1. Keep in touch

Connection and communication are both critical right now, says Brymer.

People experiencing strong emotional reactions may sometimes withdraw and pull inside themselves, Heaps says. This gets in the way of managing and dealing with the stress of traumatic incidents. "These people may avoid threat, but they also avoid healing," he says.