Crisis and Disaster Counseling: Lessons Learned From Hurricane Katrina and Other Disasters
Priscilla Dass-Brailsfordis 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.