Read 2 months into COVID-19 pandemic…..
From Columbia University Psychiatry by way of Medscape:
What is crisis counseling?
A person’s usual adaptive, problem-solving capabilities are often compromised after a disaster, but they are there, and if accessed, they can help those afflicted with mental symptoms following a crisis to mentally endure. Ensuring safety and promoting return to functioning, as well as being informed about immediately available resources, are the central objectives of crisis counseling, thereby making it a different approach from traditional psychotherapy.
The five key concepts in crisis counseling are:
It is strength-based, which means its foundation is rooted in the assumption that resilience and competence are innate human qualities.
Crisis counseling also employs anonymity. Impacted individuals should not be diagnosed or labeled. As a result, there are no resulting medical records.
The approach is outreach-oriented, in which counselors provide services out in the community rather than in traditional mental health settings. This occurs primarily in homes, community centers and settings, as well as in disaster shelters.
It is culturally attuned, whereby all staff appreciate and respect a community’s cultural beliefs, values, and primary language.
And it is aimed at supporting, not replacing, existing community support systems (eg, a crisis counselor supports but does not organize, deliver, or manage community recovery activities).
Crisis counselors are required to be licensed psychologists or have obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher in psychology, human services, or another health-related field. In other words, crisis counseling draws on a broad, though related, group of individuals