A Model for a Telephone Response System to Disaster and Trauma

Abstract

Human stress is increasing on a global scale. The experience and belief of this author is that a wider range of people impacted by this stress feel comfortable accessing counseling by telephone because of its immediate accessibility and the lack of stigma associated with this modality. Telephone counseling additionally presents itself well to disaster and traumatic response since victims may initially be overwhelmed by their experiences and resistant to using treatment, yet may later need to access counseling services. Through telephone contact, this can be done in a non-threatening way as their grieving and symptoms unfold. As a result, telephone counseling is both responsive to the victim and can be an effective point of access to the therapeutic process.