Role of Counselors in Emergency Response

Abstract

Counselors are integral personnel in aiding in crisis responses. The role of counselors is to cope with and support people after a significant crisis. As defined in this study, crisis counseling entails a brief and time-limited process aimed at fostering the attainment of specific goals that foster stability, increase an internal sense of safety and empowerment, and locate the needed resources (Bauwens & Naturale, 2017). Crisis counseling is not suitable for long-term therapy. Instead, it is concerned with ensuring and providing a client with immediate relief. For this project, a crisis counselor was selected for the interview, and they were asked to explain more about their role in crisis counseling. The paper contains an overview of the role and responsibilities of a crisis counselor, the skills needed to become a crisis counselor, and builds knowledge on crisis counseling and its importance.

Role of Counselors in Emergency Response

A crisis is a term that refers to a traumatic event or experience but a person's response to the situation. Such events substantially trigger a crisis ranging from domestic violence to suicide. Crisis counseling is a form of intervention that aids people in dealing with a problem by having assistance and support from a counselor. With the surge of disasters and emergencies in the world today, counselors have emerging roles, considering they are members of a disaster response team. From the process of preparedness and recovery, counseling remains a source of support for victims and involved persons. Therefore, this study outlines the role of counselors in emergency response, focusing on interview responses obtained from a crisis counselor and an overview of research on the same.

Interview with an Emergency Professional

For this project, the crisis counselor interviewed works in the Lifeline Suicide Prevention Organization as a crisis counselor. The organization responds to cases of suicide. As a crisis counselor, the interviewee claimed that they help assist suicide victims by calling Lifeline, which is free and works 24 hours a day. They support those in distress and provide prevention and crisis resources to those contemplating suicide. As the interviewee claimed, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers providing free and confidential support to people having a suicidal crisis and being distressed emotionally. This organization aims to advance suicide prevention by empowering people and promoting best practices while building awareness, which aligns with psychological first aid goals and aims.

Comparison with the Mental Health All-Hazards Planning Guidance

The interviewee agrees with the planning guide on the importance of cohesiveness...…Westernized interventions may not be suitable for minority groups. Thus, culturally-based interventions are some of the roles and responsibilities of counselors in emergency management.

Skills, Knowledge, and Training Required for Crisis Counselors

Counselors should know about suicide and mental health conditions that lead to suicide. Counselors must acknowledge the psychological effects of trauma and disasters on a person. Thus, specific skills are integral for crisis counselors. Precisely, counselors should learn to display empathy. Validation and reflection of feelings are essential counseling skills that could be applied during a crisis. The interviewee claimed that counselors have skills trained to use in times of an emergency, including cultural competence, which allows them to provide culturally-centric help and aid to clients. Another essential skill required in crisis counseling is collaboration (Oostlander et al., 2020). Knowledge of the chain of command to follow during a crisis is integral. At the same time, considering that the interviewee works in Lifeline, a call center for suicidal persons, negotiation is essential. A skilled negotiator knows how to convince a patient in crisis not to attempt suicide but seek other different forms and sources of help. The negotiation process could be time-consuming. Counselors should learn to be patient to ensure that they have effectively convinced a person with suicidal ideations not…