The Dialogue: A Firefighter Peer Counselor's Three Questions

	Volume 10, Issue 4

	Download the Full Issue [PDF - 5.9 MB] Articles in this issue highlight the importance of fostering postdisaster resilience from three different perspectives. We hope these stories can help you and your colleagues in your own planning, response, and recovery efforts. A Firefighter Peer Counselor's Three Questions by Jim Jeannette, M.S.W., RSW Mr. Jeannette retired from the Windsor, Ontario (Canada), fire department after 32 years of service and currently serves as a counselor. In this article, he lists the three questions he asks every client and discusses how each question sets the stage for healing dialogue. Resilience in Joplin (and the Healing Power of Butterflies)by Vicky Mieseler, M.S., Licensed Psychologist, Vice President of Clinical Services, Ozark Center, and Michele Skalicky, Morning Edition Host, KSMU Ozarks Public Radio Ms. Mieseler discusses how hard the residents of Joplin have worked to recover from the devastating May 2011 tornado. Ms. Skalicky describes how a new garden in Cunningham Park provides residents with a place to heal and remember those they lost to that disaster. Strength After: The Importance of Disaster Behavioral Health Responders Staying Engaged Throughout Long-Term Recovery by Christian Burgess, M.S.W., Director of the National Disaster Distress Helpline Mr. Burgess explains the long-term psychological effects of Hurricane Sandy, highlights community and individual resilience, and lists disaster behavioral health challenges and lessons learned by staff operating the hotline. Recommended Resources New! Disaster Substance Abuse Services: Planning and Preparedness This podcast helps disaster substance abuse coordinators and others who work with people who have substance abuse issues understand the importance of disaster planning and preparedness. This podcast can be found athttp://bit.ly/DisSubAbuse. Postdisaster Retraumatization: Risk and Protective Factors This podcast informs disaster behavioral health professionals about the concepts and signs of retraumatization and associated risk and protective factors, and highlights promising treatment strategies and tips for avoiding retraumatization. This podcast can be found athttp://bit.ly/Retraum. Understanding Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction: Tips for Disaster Responders This podcast can help disaster behavioral health professionals learn about the positive and negative effects of helping disaster survivors. This podcast can be found athttp://bit.ly/CompFatigue. Cultural Awareness: Children and Youth in Disasters Information provided in this 60-minute podcast can help disaster behavioral health responders provide culturally aware and appropriate services for children, youth, and families affected by natural and human-caused disasters. This podcast can be found at http://bit.ly/YouthInDisaster. SAMHSA Behavioral Health Disaster Response App SAMHSA recently released a behavioral health disaster response app (SAMHSA Disaster App) that can help responders provide quality support to survivors. Users can share resources and learn about predeployment preparation, on-the-ground assistance, and postdeployment resources, all from one button on the home screen. The SAMHSA Disaster App can be found athttp://www.store.samhsa.gov/apps/disaster/.
	About The Dialogue The Dialogue, a quarterly technical assistance journal, is an arena for professionals in the disaster behavioral health field to share information, resources, trends, solutions to problems, and accomplishments. Read previous issues of The Dialogue.