62nd Annual Conference

Chairs:

George Everly, Jr., Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Loyola College, New York, NY

Darryl Feldman, Ph.D., ABPP, CGP, Private Practice, Dix Hills, NY

Dianne Kane, DSW, CGP, Assistant Director of Counseling Service Unit, New York Fire Department, New York, NY

Suzanne B. Phillips, Psy.D., CGP, Adjunct Professor, Postdoctoral Program in Group Psychotherapy, Derner Institute, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY

This workshop will train participants to intervene with Fire, Police, EMS and Military personnel in the aftermath of disaster.  Using media, models of trauma, and resilience, role-playing and disaster simulation, it will train participants in assessment, psycho-educational techniques, individual and group strategies relevant to pre-incident, acute, sub-acute and long-term stages of disaster response.

Learning Objectives:

The attendee will be able to:

1. Identify general aspects of intervention with Uniform Service Personnel that differentiate them from civilians.

2. Identify aspects of fire fighter, police, EMS and Military cultures that are relevant to the nature and timing of intervention with them.

3. Name the stages (pre-incident, acute, sub acute, long term) of disaster response and the role of the clinician in terms of the goals of recognizing, restoring or enhancing resilience and functioning of that stage.

4. Identify, assess, and utilize a suitable strategy given the request for involvement, the individual or group, the particular culture (Firefighter, police, EMS, Military) and the time and place of the disaster.

References:

1.  Johnson, D.R. & Lubin, H. (2000).  Group psychotherapy for the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder. In R.H. Klein & V.L. Shermer (Eds.) Group Psychotherapy for Psychological Trauma. (Pp. 141-169). New York: Guilford Press.

2.  Karam, J.A (2002).  Into the Breach: A Year of Life and Death with EMS. New York: St. Martin's Press.

3.  Kates, A. (1999).  Copshock: Surviving Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Hillbrook Street Publishers.