The Complete Guide to Crisis & Trauma Counseling: What to Do and Say When It Matters Most!

by H. Norman Wright

Many pastors and lay counselors have had minimal training in clinical methods of grief and trauma counseling. The Complete Guide to Crisis and Trauma Counseling is a biblical, practical guide to pastoral counseling written by one of the most respected Christian therapists of our time. Dr. H. Norman Wright brings more than 40 years of clinical and classroom experience to this topic, and shares real-life dialogs from his decades in private practice to demonstrate healthy, healing counseling sessions. Readers will learn how to counsel and coach both believers and non-believers who are in crisis, how to walk alongside them through the hours, weeks and months following their trauma and how to help them find the path to complete restoration.

Genres: Counselling, Nonfiction, Psychology, Christian, Grief

458 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

H. Norman Wright is a well-respected Christian counselor who has helped thousands of people improve their relationships and deal with grief, tragedy, and other concerns. He helps couples bring vibrancy to their relationships through counseling, seminars, and more than 90 books, including Before You Say “I Do” and After You Say “I Do.” Norm also reveals insights for spiritual growth, great relationships, and success in devotionals that include Strong to the Core, Quiet Times for Every Parent, and Truly Devoted: What Dogs Teach Us About Life, Love, and Loyalty. www.hnormanwright.com

Reviews

[Crystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title is misleading. Not complete, it has nothing on sexual assaults or domestic violence. This might be good for a pastor but for a clinical counselor looking for crisis interventions it is pretty basic.

[Aaron Battey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was maybe the 2nd best book I read this year, something I wish I read before I ever started preaching. H. Norman Wright is an experienced Christian counselor who addresses about every angle you can think of on the topic of counseling crisis and trauma. Crisis is a lot broader of a category than one might at first suppose. Wright does a good job explaining this and giving understanding of the subject along with practical and biblical advice on how to counsel people through their various crises in life. I did appreciate his use of scripture throughout and his conservative views on psychology. His address on grief, traumatic death, and adolescent crises were my favorite parts to read.

[Brandon Vaughan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the text book for one of my seminary classes on Crisis counseling. I found the book to be very informative when it comes to emotional and psychological anthropology. It even helped me minister to my wife as we are in a great time of crisis during the time of reading this book. Dr. Wright is very passionate about his work, and understandingly so as he tragically lost a son to suicide. This book is good to read through and to reference again as needed. The only knocks I have against the book is that he made a couple of theological statements that made me cringe a little bit, and even being written in 2011, the book seems dated at times with absolutely no mention or data about the impacts of social media. An overall good read.

[Mike Dugal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Library Must

Dr. Wright is a Christian counselor who has counseled as well as mentored others in the field of counseling. This is a solid overview of the multiple dynamics concerning counseling and the skill set the counselor needs to bring into the counseling relationship. This book needs to be in the library of anyone who does counseling, regardless of how often they counsel. It should be required reading and studying for every Christian desiring to be used by the Holy Spirit in the ministry of lay counseling.

[Melody · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
This was a book required reading for one of my classes and I didn’t quite make it all the way through. Though containing some helpful information, it felt overly simplistic in many ways. And the title is a bit pretentious. Reading it alongside a well-written textbook probably influenced my perception as well.

[Rachel Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wright shares some of the best counseling basics (with scripture) I've read to help us help those in crisis or dealing with trauma. If you are a ministry leader, pastor, a helping professional, or someone who has friends/family going through crisis/trauma you really should read this book.

[Chaplain Donald-coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The struggle is real but this book can help both the counselors and counselee!

Phenomenal book I was reading for a class but it’s helped me with some a major traumas which have resulted in a crisis that I’m now better able to understand, process and walk out!

[Jonathan Ballou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great textbook for Counseling course

Comprehensive manual on helping people deal with trauma, both in the acute sense of a moment of crisis, as well as in the aftermath or renewal of past issues.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really simple and straightforward book on crisis intervention.

[Austin Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the practicality of Dr. Wright’s work. His observations are connected to Scripture and academic experience.

[Kay's Pallet · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a big collections of lists, which made it not very readable. There was no science to back any of the psychological assumptions either.

[Becky Colaw]

This is an excellent resource.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book with detailed examples on how to handle counseling to the person in need.

[Joshua Cline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource for pastoral counselors. Highly recommend.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal text that touches on several practical uses when counseling crisis and trauma individuals. It even goes a little bit into helping adolescents.

[M T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Wright's Trauma Counseling provides essential keys to dealing with the crisis and loss with a Christian Worldview.

[Roselyn Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent information!

[Rochelle Lamborn baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a grad student, I found this book to be valuable. It is meant for pastors and church leaders but much of the information can be applied to a new counselor as well.

[Tony Portell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great reference tool for anyone doing crisis intervention such as a chaplain, or pastor. Good understanding of trauma and how to help those in need of wise counsel.

[Kayleigh Carlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yeah this was a textbook and it was definitely really good. I highly recommend for anyone wanting to learn more.

[John-Jaimi Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource book.

[shelby barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have resource for pastoral counseling.

[Philip Meinel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource. Explores grief, loss, crisis, and trauma. Also special consideration for children and adolescents.

[Abbie Riddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that should be on every Pastor's resource shelf. I would also encourage it to be in the hands of the Women in women ministry who stand in the capacity of counseling women. It is a quick reference to many situations and circumstances backed with solid scripture. Wright has long been one of my favorites because of his solid biblical foundation in his writing.

Wright does not offer "feel-good fluff" or over-used christian cop-outs like "It is all for the best", "Be happy" but rather he does what he has always done best. Wright goes straight to the bible, with open honesty he deals with compassion and the Truth to show how to handle each situation.

Dr. H. Norman Wright is one of the greats! A must have for Christian counselors, laymen, and those in positions in the church to offer counsel.

Thanks to Regal for this review copy.

[Bill Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a textbook for a crisis counseling course, but it is so much more than that. Dr. Wright beautifully integrates Jesus' example for us as Christians, let alone as Christian counselors, along with Scripture to make this work a must read (in my opinion) for any Christian that is involved in or has interest in crisis counseling/intervention/response.

[Aadel Bussinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice theoretical book that details crisis response and psychological first aid from a Christian perspective. I would have liked a better layout. This was 0ne of two texts in my crisis intervention class so it worked well as a more personable introduction.

[Joshua · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very informative book but it is not a complete guide and there are areas of life that cause crisis and trauma that are not covered. There are also areas that find its origins in crisis and trauma but are not expressed within this book.

[Ann Gemmel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of our texts for my class in crisis counseling at seminary. Super thorough and a great resource for anyone in church or lay ministry with people who are facing the trials and sufferings of this life. I am certain I will refer to this one quite often!

[Estacia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource for anyone who is functioning in the role of pastor or layperson counselor.

[Gwendolyn Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book for churches and their staff to read!