Международный журнал неотложной психической помощи и устойчивости человека

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Building a Foundation for Crisis Intervention in Eastern Europe

Evan Parks

The principles of Critical Incident Stress Management for assisting individuals and groups are applied to an Eastern European crisis event. This case study demonstrates the importance of understanding the cultural context where crisis events occur and the value of developing a network of local relationships as a step toward gaining credibility when working cross-culturally. I recount experiences over the past 13 years working in Eastern Europe as a clinical psychologist, consulting and intervening in a wide variety of critical incidents. There is a great need to raise the awareness of depression, anxiety, trauma, abuse, and addictions among health professionals, educators, clergy, and the general public. By combining the practices of community and clinical psychology, traction has been gained in developing counseling and crisis response initiatives led by both non-professionals and mental health personnel in Eastern Europe.