| iv id="body"> | | | | and cultural background, make it clear one method |
| George W. Doherty continues his work of | | | | does not fit everyone, one form of grief |
| educating recovery workers so they can help | | | | processing does not heal everyone grieving, and |
| themselves and those directly affected by crises | | | | people have to consider the human and individual |
| in "From Crisis to Recovery: Strategic Planning for | | | | elements in the recovery process. |
| Response, Resilience, and Recovery." This book is | | | | Throughout, the book offers practical steps for |
| a type of follow up to his earlier work, "Crisis | | | | helping in a crisis. One excellent example was if a |
| Intervention Training for Disaster Workers: An | | | | crisis worker is told about an elderly person having |
| Introduction." While Doherty covers some similar | | | | a difficult time dealing with the crisis, the worker |
| ground in this book, overall, the book is better | | | | can prioritize what otherwise would be |
| organized and more reader-friendly, breaking | | | | overwhelming by focusing on immediate rather |
| down everything to be considered during a crisis | | | | than secondary needs, immediate needs including |
| to provide an effective response and recovery | | | | medication, eyeglasses, and shelter; once |
| from the event. | | | | immediate needs are determined, the easiest can |
| The first chapter, "What is Stress?" is valuable to | | | | be tackled first. I thought this suggestion was a |
| everyone, whether the person has been in a | | | | practical and stress-relieving way to help the |
| disaster, helped at a disaster, or just lived a | | | | person suffering from the crisis. In addition, |
| normal life. While this chapter does not relate to | | | | Doherty discusses helping children cope with the |
| disasters specifically, it is relevant to understand | | | | situation, as well as how disaster workers can |
| what is the natural level of stress people can | | | | explain their absence from home to their own |
| handle and what are basic and effective methods | | | | children without traumatizing them with worry. In |
| of coping with stress, including effective breathing | | | | short, Doherty covers every possible scenario |
| exercises. The many positive side effects of | | | | imaginable. I doubt there is anything he did not |
| stress are also included because they propel us | | | | consider in writing this book. Much of the book |
| forward. As Doherty points out later in the book, | | | | seems like common sense, but the material is |
| humans prefer a certain level of risk, rather than | | | | invaluable as a reminder of what needs to be |
| stagnation, and if risk is not present, they will | | | | done, which otherwise workers may not mentally |
| create a level of risk comfortable to them. I | | | | be able to formulate for themselves in the midst |
| found all this information helpful in understanding | | | | of a crisis. |
| my own stress and anxieties, and I feel better | | | | Doherty uses considerable research and |
| prepared for traumatic situations as a result of | | | | references to real disasters ranging from |
| reading this book. I can see how this | | | | September 11th to hurricanes, tsunamis, and |
| understanding of people's responses to stress is | | | | earthquakes to illustrate his points. While at times |
| invaluable for understanding how they cope with | | | | the book is a bit repetitive, and may also seem a |
| disasters. | | | | little overwhelming to read from cover to cover, |
| Anyone who will work with people during a crisis | | | | after one thorough read, I think it would serve as |
| will find this book invaluable, especially team | | | | a quick and effective reference guide that crisis |
| leaders who must prepare for all the various | | | | workers will return to again and again. |
| aspects of a crisis. As Doherty points out several | | | | Beyond the book's main text, the appendices |
| times, it is important to understand that "No one | | | | provide an enormous list of resources-they |
| who sees a disaster is untouched by it." Whether | | | | actually make up over a quarter of the book. |
| a person loses a home or loved one in the | | | | Web sites, books, and phone numbers of |
| disaster, is part of relief and recovery efforts, or | | | | emergency organizations are included as well as |
| is simply part of the media reporting on the story, | | | | outlines of what is needed for planning |
| all these people have undergone a traumatic | | | | consideration, structural organization, and guidelines |
| experience and need to know how to handle it. | | | | for setting up processes. Examples of individual |
| Doherty's explanations of understanding how | | | | "After Action" reports and actual disaster plans |
| different people cope with trauma, based on age | | | | are included. |