The booklet 'coping with a major personal crisis' (downloadable below), is for those who have recently have been involved in an emergency, disaster or other traumatic situation. It provides an insight into the way in which adults and children have reacted in similar situations, highlighting ways to help normal healing to occur. Key issues discussed include: normal feelings and emotions experienced physical reactions family and social relationships children ways of making the events and the feelings about them easier to bear Reading and sharing the information in this booklet with family and friends may help you and others to better support you, however in some instances professional support may also be required

The booklet 'Coping with a major personal crisis' contains information to help you understand how adults and children have reacted in similar situations, and how you can help normal healing to occur and avoid some pitfalls.

Victorian Department of Human Services

As part of their role as coordinator of recovery from disasters in Victoria, the Department of Human Services (DHS), provides a range of information in the form of fact sheets on their website, including information on likely effects of disasters.

Examples include:

• stress after emergencies
• the stress of being under threat
• children's reactions to war and uncertainty

As a result of the current situation in the Middle East they have also developed material specific to people in the following three key groups:

• those who have been to the affected areas
• those waiting to hear about loved ones
• those affected by the media exposure

 podcast of entire booklet

Listen to a podcast of the coping with a major personal crisis booklet  (what is a podcast?) http://www.redcross.org.au/podcasts/emergencyservices /allpersonalcrisisannounce.xml [copy & paste the URL into your podcasting program]

podcasts of each section from the booklet

what you might be feeling physical reactions people who might need more help children family and social relationships making it easier to cope seeking support

 mp3

Download an mp3 file of the booklet (6.8Mb) [right click and save]

cda

Listen to an audio file of the coping with a major personal crisis booklet (1.79Kb) [right click and save]

 

Podcast production
Recordings provided by Vision Australia.