Introduction and Overview

Abstract

Counseling psychologists have responded to many disasters, including the Haiti earthquake, the 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, and Hurricane Katrina. However, as a profession, their responses have been localized and nonsystematic. In this first of four articles in this contribution, “Counseling Psychology and Large-Scale Disasters, Catastrophes, and Traumas: Opportunities for Growth,” the authors assert that counseling psychology can make important contributions in disaster research and response. Throughout all the articles, the authors use Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model of human development as a foundation from which to more broadly view counseling psychology’s role in training, prevention, intervention, and research in mass trauma work. Disasters affect individuals, families, communities, work places, and disaster responders. Thus, they require a multisystem analysis and response, which counseling psychologists can provide through their scientist-practitioner, strength-based approaches, supported by social justice values based in multicultural and vocational counseling. The authors also provide the history of the Society of Counseling Psychology’s response to disasters following Hurricane Katrina, from which the need for this contribution arose.