Disaster Mental Health Interventions: Core Principles and Practices

Disaster Mental Health Interventions: Core Principles and Practices, Second Edition, is a comprehensive overview of the physical and psychological impacts of disasters, and of current best practices for addressing survivors’ reactions. This revised edition includes updated research and expanded lessons to help advance disaster mental health interventions in response to acute events such as hurricanes and mass shootings, as well as chronic threats like climate change and pandemics. Case studies and anecdotes from experienced professionals add an additional level of depth and interest for readers.

Written in an approachable style, the text combines theory and practice in a practical and engaging field guide for disaster responders. Topics covered include how disaster characteristics tend to influence reactions; how to differentiate expectable post‑disaster stress responses from extreme reactions like posttraumatic stress disorder; what makes certain populations more susceptible to more negative outcomes and how to help these high‑needs groups; and how to support all survivors through Psychological First Aid and other early interventions. Cultural impacts are addressed throughout this book. Occupational hazards for disaster mental responders and the need for self‑care are also addressed.

Disaster response professionals and students across the fields of mental health counseling, social work, school counseling, psychology, health care, spiritual care, and emergency management will appreciate the accessible tone, level of detail, and emphasis on practice.

James Halpern, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus and Founding Director of the Institute for Disaster Mental Health at the State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz. He is the recipient of numerous state and federal grants to develop and deliver trainings in the U.S. and abroad. He received the Lifetime Mission Leader Award from the American Red Cross.

Karla Vermeulen, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Psychology at SUNY New Paltz. In addition to training disaster responders and trauma workers, she teaches courses on disaster mental health and grief counseling, and researches the impact of disasters and other stressors on emerging adults.