Crisis and Disaster Counseling

Priscilla Dass-Brailsford is an Associate Professor in the Division of Counseling and Psychology at Lesley University. She has worked with underserved and chronically traumatized populations specifically in child advocacy and sexual abuse evaluations. Additionally, Dr. Dass-Brailsford coordinated a state-wide crisis team, the first of its kind at its inception, which responded to incidents of community violence. Dr. Dass-Brailsford’s research projects are multiple: resiliency in the aftermath of political trauma and socio-economic stress; the effects of community violence, multicultural research on institutional trust and racial identity; the effects of secondary trauma on first responders and other volunteers; and the benefits of walk-in mental health services for disaster survivors. She was a first responder in New York after the terrorist attack in 2001 and deployed to New Orleans immediately after Hurricane Katrina (2005). She has returned to the area several times to work with mental health providers. This edited book was inspired by her work with the survivors of Hurricane Katrina; it is a testimony to their resiliency despite the challenges of loss, dislocation, recovery and reconstruction.

• PrefaceCh 1. A Historical Overview of Disasters and the Crisis Field - Priscilla Dass-BrailsfordCh 2. Hurricane Katrina: What Went Wrong? - Priscilla Dass-BrailsfordCh 3. Effective Disaster and Crisis Interventions - Priscilla Dass-BrailsfordCh 4. Ignore the Dead: We Want the Living - Priscilla Dass-BrailsfordCh 5. Families Affected by Hurricane Katrina and Other Disasters: Learning from the Experience of African American Survivors - Nancy Boyd-FranklinCh 6. Children and Crisis - Kenyon KnappCh 7: Provider Perspectives on Serving the Needs of Displaced Disaster Survivors Following Hurricane Katrina - J.Brian Houston, Gilbert Reyes, Betty Pfefferbaum, Karen Fraser WycheCh 8: Older Adults and Natural Disasters: Lessons Learned from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita - Katie Cherry, Priscilla Allen, Sandro GaleaCh 9. The Spiritual Dimensions of Caring for People Affected by Disasters - Harriett McCombsCh 10. Working With Rural and Other Communities After Disasters - Beth Boyd, Randal Quevillon, Ryan EngdahlCh 11. Voices of Hope: A Commentary on Dislocation and Relocation - Sylvia MorattaCh 12. The Federal Government in Disaster Mental Health Response: An Ever-Evolving Role - Daniel Dodgen, Jessica MeedCh 13. A Community-Based Approach to Coping With Crisis in Africa - Karen CarrAbout the EditorAbout the Authors