Coping with Catastrophe: A Handbook of Post-Disaster Psychosocial Aftercare ANNOTATION
Incl. nature & effects of trauma, psychological debriefing process, effects of emergency work, PTSD, grief.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Disasters strike with sudden violence, tearing bodies, lives and families apart. Coping with Catastrophe is a practical handbook for people who provide psychosocial aftercare for victims of disasters. Peter E. Hodgkinson and Michael Stewart are leading experts in the field of disaster aftercare, and this book is based on their unique and extensive experience, which includes the Bradford fire, the Zeebrugge disaster, the Lockerbie plane crash and the Hillsborough disaster. Using the survivors' own words, the authors provide a vivid and moving account of the experiences of survival and bereavement under different types of conditions. They summarise the most up-to-date thinking about the psychological effects of disaster, and describe the therapeutic strategies available for treating victims with persistent problems, emphasising the welfare needs of staff involved in rescue and support. They also discuss in detail the practical aspects of co-ordinating disaster relief, such as the organisation and planning of specific services like outreach facilities and crisis helplines after the event. Coping with Catastrophe will be of value to a wide variety of helping professionals and carers, including social workers, psychologists, doctors, voluntary counsellors, and all those whose work brings them into contact with disaster victims.