Strategic Interventions for People in Crisis, Trauma, and Disaster

Book excerpt: Strategic Interventions for People in Crisis, Trauma, and Disaster enables therapists to walk into difficult situations with a thorough understanding of interactional dynamics and a plan of action. With the stressful turbulence of our present culture, more and more clinicians are called upon to intervene in crisis situations. Violent interactions, once considered rare or beyond the province of the therapist, have become familiar events to many practitioners. This volume provides them with both the theoretical background and practical techniques to help people learn from crisis experiences and move toward change and growth. Of special interest are practical guidelines and specific intervention strategies for conducting psychotherapy with different types of violent persons and of victims. Treatment principles for each crisis situation are then illustrated in detailed case studies. As the authors demonstrate, with these troubled people a therapist must be ready to make quick decisions, draw upon all available resources from the family and community, and offer continuing support as traumas are worked through and new behavior patterns are learned. In addition, the authors discuss the legal and ethical responsibilities of the therapist.