The Effects of Trauma on Clients and Mental Health Counselors

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The one traumatic natural disaster I have experienced was Hurricane Fran. Living on the southern east coast of the United States you are susceptible to hurricanes. Hurricane Fran hit the east coast on Sept 5th, 1996. The wind got high as 125 MPH causing over two million people to go without electricity. The heavy rainfall flooded areas inland all the way up to the Virginias. The North Carolina region which depends on tourism was devastated. Property damages in North Carolina alone was over $2.3 billion. Hurricane Fran was the worst natural economic disaster to happen in North Carolina. Survivors of a natural disaster would have feelings of shock and grief, and want to rebuild their home and reconnect quickly with their loved ones. Mental health counselors as first responders should have training in disaster and mental health traumatology techniques. In order to start resiliency and help survivors cope after a natural disaster, mental health counselors and first responders should know psychological first aid (PFA). Mental health counselors and first responders must know how to bring people individually and as a group together to stabilize the chaos. Webber stated “disaster response and crisis counseling are essential areas of knowledge and skill for counselors in the 21st century Shallcross, (2012). Mental health counselors and first responders can develop vicarious traumatization (VT) and secondary traumatic stress through empathy and the physical challenges after a natural disaster. VT is the changes mental health counselors, and first responders develop after over exposure to traumatic event and crises. STS is the feeling or syndrome develop similar to post-traumatic stress disorder because of exposure to traumatic events of others Baird& Kracen, (2006). Traumatic event such as a natural disaster or crisis effects survivors, mental health counselors, and first

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