Disaster Mental Health Counseling

Focuses on understanding cultural and psychosocial contexts to promote optimal healing for disaster survivors This is the first book for mental health professionals working with survivors of mass trauma to focus on the psychosocial and culture contexts in which these disasters occur. It underscores the importance of understanding these environments in order to provide maximally effective mental health interventions for trauma survivors and their communities. Global in scope, the text addresses the foundations of understanding and responding to the mental health needs of individuals and groups healing from traumas created by a wide range of natural and human-made critical events, including acts of terrorism, armed conflict, genocide, and mass violence by individual perpetrators. Designed for professional training in disaster mental health, and meeting CACREP standards, the text promotes the knowledge and skills needed to work with the psychosocial aspects of individual and group adaptation and adjustment to mass traumatic experience. Reflecting state-of-the-art knowledge, the book offers detailed guidelines in assessment and brief interventions related to survivors’ posttraumatic stress symptoms and complex trauma associated with being at the epicenter of extraordinary stressful and traumatic events. In addition, this book also covers critical issues of self-care for the professional. Illustrated with first-person accounts of disaster survivors and case scenarios, this book emphasizes how counselors and other mental health professionals can foster resilience and wellness in individuals and communities affected by all types of disasters.Key Features: Considers disaster and mass trauma response from a culturally and globally relevant perspective—the first book of its kind Addresses CACREP’s clinical standards and content areas related to disaster mental health response Covers many types of disasters and categories of survivors Includes updated information on PTSD, complex trauma, and self-care Addresses cultivating resiliency in individual and group survivors along with social justice issues

This timely book provides current research and skill-building information on Disaster Mental Health Counseling for counselors, educators, students, and mental health responders in agencies, schools, universities, and private practice. Recognized experts in the field detail effective clinical interventions with survivors in the immediate, intermediate, and long-term aftermath of traumatic events. This extensively revised edition, which meets 2016 CACREP Standards for disaster and trauma competencies, is divided into three sections: Disaster Mental Health Counseling Foundations, Disaster and Trauma Response in the Community, and Disasters and Mass Violence at Schools and Universities. Real-world responses to violence and tragedies among diverse populations in a variety of settings are presented, and responders share their personal stories and vital lessons learned through an “In Our Own Words” feature. Each chapter contains discussion questions and case studies are interwoven throughout the text. *Requests for digital versions from the ACA can be found on wiley.com. *To request print copies, please visit the ACA website here. *Reproduction requests for material from books published by ACA should be directed to [email protected]

Disaster Mental Health Community Planning is a step-by-step guide to developing mental health disaster plans, assisting communities to act on long-term resilience and recovery. As disasters continue to increase in severity and number, with 16% of survivors identified as potential PTSD victims if they don't promptly receive care, this book is a critical read. Chapters outline how to prepare, develop, and implement a trauma-informed collaborative process that prioritizes lasting emotional wellbeing along with survivors’ short-term needs. The manual demonstrates how to form this partnership through effective communication, assess those individuals at greatest risk of distress, and deliver trauma-specific treatment. Readers will appreciate the book’s practical, user-friendly approach, including case studies, checklists, and follow-up questions to better define goals. Cutting-edge treatment interventions are included along with basic information on trauma's impact on the brain and the types and effects of human-caused and natural disasters to help readers make sound planning decisions. Accessible to mental-health providers, community leaders, organizations, and individuals alike, Disaster Mental Health Community Planning is a Road Map for anyone interested in delivering a trauma-informed mental health supplement to their community's medical disaster preparedness and response plan.

Disaster Mental Health Case Studies is a riveting collection of case studies by master clinicians that reveal how disaster mental health interventions must be tailored to meet the needs of survivors. Each unique case study is structured to give the reader an introduction to the community affected pre-disaster; a glimpse into the thought processes of the disaster mental health responders pre- and post-disaster; and a reflective selection of lessons learned as a result of the experiences. The 17 case studies offer the reader: Guidance on how to develop an empathic approach to disaster mental health response; Exposure to a diverse sample of disaster contexts, including naturally-occurring disasters, human-caused disasters, and disasters which occurred in an international setting; An understanding of the strategic approaches needed for disaster mental health service response, as well as an appreciation of the need for self-care when responding; A grounded and accessible writing style, bookended by chapters from the editors which thematically link and analyze the case studies. Offering a rare and compelling view into the challenges, tragedies, pain, frustrations, and grief at the heart of disaster mental health work, this must-have collection is tailored to appeal to students of mental health and counseling, psychology, and social work; and working mental health professionals who would like to learn directly from experienced responders.

Disaster Mental Health Interventions uses DSM-5 diagnostic criteria and the latest research to help build disaster mental health intervention skills that will last a lifetime. Students and emerging professionals across the fields of mental health counseling, social work, school counseling, spiritual care, and emergency management will appreciate the accessible tone, level of detail, and emphasis on practice. Case studies and anecdotes from experienced professionals add an additional level of depth and interest for readers.

In the devastation that follows a major disaster, there is a need for multiple sectors to unite and devote new resources to support the rebuilding of infrastructure, the provision of health and social services, the restoration of care delivery systems, and other critical recovery needs. In some cases, billions of dollars from public, private and charitable sources are invested to help communities recover. National rhetoric often characterizes these efforts as a "return to normal." But for many American communities, pre-disaster conditions are far from optimal. Large segments of the U.S. population suffer from preventable health problems, experience inequitable access to services, and rely on overburdened health systems. A return to pre-event conditions in such cases may be short-sighted given the high costs - both economic and social - of poor health. Instead, it is important to understand that the disaster recovery process offers a series of unique and valuable opportunities to improve on the status quo. Capitalizing on these opportunities can advance the long-term health, resilience, and sustainability of communities - thereby better preparing them for future challenges. Healthy, Resilient, and Sustainable Communities After Disasters identifies and recommends recovery practices and novel programs most likely to impact overall community public health and contribute to resiliency for future incidents. This book makes the case that disaster recovery should be guided by a healthy community vision, where health considerations are integrated into all aspects of recovery planning before and after a disaster, and funding streams are leveraged in a coordinated manner and applied to health improvement priorities in order to meet human recovery needs and create healthy built and natural environments. The conceptual framework presented in Healthy, Resilient, and Sustainable Communities After Disasters lays the groundwork to achieve this goal and provides operational guidance for multiple sectors involved in community planning and disaster recovery. Healthy, Resilient, and Sustainable Communities After Disasters calls for actions at multiple levels to facilitate recovery strategies that optimize community health. With a shared healthy community vision, strategic planning that prioritizes health, and coordinated implementation, disaster recovery can result in a communities that are healthier, more livable places for current and future generations to grow and thrive - communities that are better prepared for future adversities.

Disaster mental health is a growing field of practice designed to help victims and relief workers learn to effectively cope with the extreme stresses they will face in the aftermath of a disaster. The goal of disaster mental health is to prevent the development of long-term, negative psychological consequences, such as PTSD. This book assists clinicians and traumatologists in "making the bridge" between their clinical knowledge and skills and the unique, complex, chaotic, and highly political field of disaster. It combines information from a vast reservoir of prior research and literature with the authors' practical and pragmatic experience in providing disaster mental health services in a wide variety of disasters.

This text provides professionals with the skills needed to effectively assist survivors of disasters, including Hurricane Katrina, with healing, recovery, and resilience. This comprehensive collection includes powerful, direct accounts of first responders and the organizations they represent. Taking a practical, skill-building approach, it offers clear and pragmatic recommendations to help providers, educators, advocates, and policymakers better understand how to meet the needs of children, families, and communities in the aftermath of disasters. Key Features Provides a substantial review of the current theoretical and research literature on disasters and disaster response Emphasizes multicultural competency in the aftereffects of disasters Uses a practical skill-building approach to develop competencies in crisis work Covers the spiritual dimensions of healing as well as funeral practices to encourage discussion on grief and mourning Intended Audience This book is a must-have reference for mental health practitioners. For graduate students of counseling, psychology, or social work, Crisis and Disaster Counseling will clarify how theory and research can be applied to practice and policy.