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The First 48 Hours: Spiritual Caregivers as First Responders
The first 48 hours are critical to the recovery of trauma victims.First responders make the difference between life and death for trauma victims. But what is often not recognized is that when disaster strikes, spiritual caregivers are often among those first on the scene. For these caregivers response should also help propel survivors toward positive transformation. This book focuses on critical responses that are key in the aftermath of natural disaster, community violence, personal injury, and crime. These basics the power of presence, safety, assessment and triage, how we help, putting the pieces together, telling the story, hope, and caring in the long haul.
145 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 4, 2020
a good easy read covering many practical points. Really enjoyed the summary at the end of each chapter.
February 25, 2015
As a volunteer ambulance chaplain, I was given this book by my senior chaplain (thanks Paul!), and I am very glad to have read it. In two words: highly recommended.
Before I describe why, however, there is one bugbear to note - questionable use of the Bible.
I've often seen that Christian books dealing with counselling or other personal helps tend to read their pastoral situations back into texts of the Bible, and thereby determine what they think a particular Bible verse means.
So here we read of disciples, 'Struggling with direction, full of doubt and fear, they believe they are alone' (p.20) - this sounds more like one of the authors' crisis care situations than an accurate portrait of Matthew 28:18-20. Yes, there are elements of this, but not as much as is claimed. And so Jesus' closing words ('I am with you always, to the very end of the age') become comfort. There is, undoubtedly, an element of comfort. But also of challenge: the one with all authority has given a command and is with us!
This is important because the Bible word lives and is powerful. When Christians adopt powerful emotional ties to wrong interpretations, it's an unstable help. One of the authors mentions how Hebrews 12:1 is a great comfort to him after his father's death: believing that the 'great cloud of witnesses' witness us, rather than bear witness to the faithfulness of God (p.120). I could not help but think he will be painfully discomforted when someone points him to a more accurate reading of Hebrews 12.
Noting this point, though, I still highly recommend this book.
It has a clear focus on the first stages of helping people in crisis. It has helpful definitions (for example, the difference between critical event and crisis). And it is so very realistic - speaking of the first 48 hours as a first aid-type involvement. That is, first responders don't need the advanced skills of fully-trained psychologists or psychiatrists.
With presence, sensitivity, compassion, one's own life experience, and a few fundamental skills caregiving is possible.
The First 48 Hours names these skills, as well as illustrating them with real life examples. Perhaps most importantly, it generously encourages Christians to provide this type of crisis care.
Before I describe why, however, there is one bugbear to note - questionable use of the Bible.
I've often seen that Christian books dealing with counselling or other personal helps tend to read their pastoral situations back into texts of the Bible, and thereby determine what they think a particular Bible verse means.
So here we read of disciples, 'Struggling with direction, full of doubt and fear, they believe they are alone' (p.20) - this sounds more like one of the authors' crisis care situations than an accurate portrait of Matthew 28:18-20. Yes, there are elements of this, but not as much as is claimed. And so Jesus' closing words ('I am with you always, to the very end of the age') become comfort. There is, undoubtedly, an element of comfort. But also of challenge: the one with all authority has given a command and is with us!
This is important because the Bible word lives and is powerful. When Christians adopt powerful emotional ties to wrong interpretations, it's an unstable help. One of the authors mentions how Hebrews 12:1 is a great comfort to him after his father's death: believing that the 'great cloud of witnesses' witness us, rather than bear witness to the faithfulness of God (p.120). I could not help but think he will be painfully discomforted when someone points him to a more accurate reading of Hebrews 12.
Noting this point, though, I still highly recommend this book.
It has a clear focus on the first stages of helping people in crisis. It has helpful definitions (for example, the difference between critical event and crisis). And it is so very realistic - speaking of the first 48 hours as a first aid-type involvement. That is, first responders don't need the advanced skills of fully-trained psychologists or psychiatrists.
With presence, sensitivity, compassion, one's own life experience, and a few fundamental skills caregiving is possible.
The First 48 Hours names these skills, as well as illustrating them with real life examples. Perhaps most importantly, it generously encourages Christians to provide this type of crisis care.
June 7, 2015
If you want to read a book that doesn't waste a lot of time and words in how to do crisis presence and counseling ministry support in times of disaster response, this is a great one to read. There are many useful illustrations and basically good advice to give a new caregiver basic tools to assist people in need in the early stages of crisis. I was glad to give it a good read!!
June 5, 2010
Lot of info that I already knew. But good to read and to hear. Good intro to spiritual care first responders. Highly recommended
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews