crisis management

After a Crisis or Disaster

In Crisis Intervention Strategies, James describes two types of disasters—individual and collective. Individual disaster applies to one person while collective disasters impact an entire community of people. Phases for responding to both individual and collective disasters follow a linear progress. These phases are described in the Pathological Chronosystem of Crisis Event. The phases are obvious, and initial responses facilitate stabilization of physiological needs.

When the devastation of a disaster is significant, individuals and communities may never re-establish the life that once was known or experienced. For everyone, there are permanent changes in the way they once lived, resulting in the formation of a “new normal.” Depending on the response to human needs and community needs, pathology may result. The resulting possibility of pathology may be magnified when communities have not recovered from one disaster when another one hits, such as the 2010 massive earthquake in Haiti which was preceded by several years of destructive hurricanes.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review Figure 17.2 “Pathological Chronosystem of Crisis Event” in Chapter 17 of your course text, Crisis Intervention Strategies, paying particular attention to descriptions the impact traumatic experiences can have. Think about how those phases may necessitate interventions for individuals as well as for entire communities.
Review the natural disaster you chose in Week 8. Think about how each stage of grief and loss might relate to the acceptance of the “new normal” for that disaster population.
Review Chapters 12 and 17 in your course text, Crisis Intervention Strategies, focusing on the dynamics of bereavement and the types of loss.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 a brief explanation of the disaster you chose for Week 8. Then describe ways you would apply the stages of loss to the concept of the “new normal” as it would relate to this particular natural disaster.