Crisis Counseling, Not Therapy, Is What’s Needed in Wake of COVID-19

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FromĀ Medscape:Ā “Through Project Liberty, New York established the Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP). And it didn’t take us long to realize that what affected people need following a disaster is not necessarily psychotherapy, as might be expected, but in fact crisis counseling, or helping impacted individuals and their families regain control of their anxieties and effectively respond to an immediate disaster. This proved true not only after 9/11 but also after other recent disasters, including Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. The mental health system must now step up again to assuage fears and anxietiesā€”both individual and collectiveā€”around the rapidly spreading COVID-19 pandemic.

So, what is crisis counseling?

A person’s usual adaptive, problem-solving capabilities are often compromised after a disaster, but they are there, and if accessed, they can help those afflicted with mental symptoms following a crisis to mentally endure. Ensuring safety and promoting return to functioning, as well as being informed about immediately available resources, are the central objectives of crisis counseling, thereby making it a different approach from traditional psychotherapy.”

Articleā†’

ATW Crisis counseling needed

2 COMMENTS

  1. Absolutely, stay away from the psychotherapists! I learned the hard way after 9/11/2001 that they all went off believing “all distress is caused by chemical imbalances” in people’s brains. Despite their “chemical imbalance” theories being debunked decades prior to 2001. No, distress caused by 9/11/2001 is distress caused by distressing events (an ELCA pastor had denied my innocent child a baptism as the World Trade Center buildings were being hit on the morning of 9/11/2001). Distressing events cause distress, psychotherapists. Wake up.

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  2. If this is how ā€œcrisis counsellingā€ will be approached then at least it does make sense. NO psychiatry and NO need for their absurd psych labels, damaging drugs or ECT, etc. :

    “1. It is strength-based, which means its foundation is rooted in the assumption that resilience and competence are innate human qualities.”

    “2. Crisis counseling also employs anonymity. Impacted individuals should NOT be diagnosed or labeled. As a result, there are no resulting medical records.”

    “3. The approach is outreach-oriented, in which counselors provide services out in the community rather than in traditional mental health settings.”

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