Counselling Interventions for Mothers Post Disaster
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Authors
Sheldon, Nicola
Issue Date
2024-08
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
families , mothers , natural disaster , post-traumatic stress , resilience
Alternative Title
Abstract
Natural disasters cause havoc with millions of people's lives throughout the world every year. These repercussions can be felt for many years. British Columbia is particularly at risk for natural disasters with many people living in areas that are high risk. As climate change continues to have an impact on global weather patterns natural disasters are only set to increase. In BC children have not only had to navigate COVID-19 but also heat domes, floods and wildfires in a short space of time. It is a lot for them to process and make sense of in their short lives. The resilience of families after a disaster is impacted by not only the mental health of the family predisaster but also by how well the parents/caregivers cope post-disaster. There are distinct gender roles that become apparent in the aftermath of a disaster with mothers tending to act as the primary caregivers taking care of the children physically and emotionally. There are a lot of logistical factors to consider after a disaster, such as finding accommodation, as well as the immense stress that people find themselves under. Early therapeutic interventions after a disaster can support parents in managing their own emotions and thus being more effective parents. Preparing parents before a disaster on what to expect can help them know what to do once a disaster strikes. Support groups for mothers following a disaster can help them re-build a sense of identity and not feel so isolated which will in turn make them more competent parents. Acceptance and commitment therapy and existentialistic-humanistic therapies can help mothers answer some of the existential questions that the disaster may have given them as well as practical coping strategies so they can move forward.
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Citation
Publisher
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
openAccess
openAccess