Crisis Center

How societies and individuals deal with disaster

John A. Call, Ph.D., J.D., A.B.P.P. is a forensic psychologist, an attorney, and president of Crisis Management Consultants, Inc. For more information visit crisisinc.com See full bio

April 29, 2009

Managing Anxiety About Swine Flu

In previous posts I've talked a lot about preparing for disasters, building resilience, developing a survival attitude, etc. Well now, with the developing swine flu crisis upon us it's time to put all that into practice. Read More

January 17, 2009

PTSD in the Military: An Interview of a Military Wife

As ever-increasing numbers of soldiers are being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the need to understand this complex and troubling experience grows larger. In order to better understand what soldiers are going through, I interviewed the wife of a veteran who was diagnosed with PTSD. Read More

December 3, 2008

Holiday Stress: How to Manage It

The holidays are a great time to relax and spend time with family and friends, but many people find themselves being stressed out during this time. Read More

November 15, 2008

How to Become a Happier Person: Is There a Way?

Happiness: everyone wants it and most people can't get enough of it. Is there a way to become happier than you are now? Read More

November 7, 2008

The Truth About Depression

Depression is a disorder in which a person has thoughts of extreme sadness, hopelessness, and/or despair, and these feelings usually interfere with daily life, such as working, eating, or sleeping. These symptoms must persist for at least two weeks to meet the diagnosis for depression. Read More

October 3, 2008

Posttraumatic Disorder--Temporary or Permanent?

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that may develop after a person is exposed to a traumatic event, such as an assault, rape, car accident, terrorist attack, natural disaster, or military combat. Read More

September 26, 2008

Multitasking--Efficient or a Waste of Time?

We've all done it. Making breakfast while checking email. Paying bills while having a serious conversation with your significant other. And the most infamous one: driving while talking on a cell phone. It saves time, right? Getting two things done at once is better than just getting one thing done. Or is it? Read More

September 17, 2008

Common Reactions to Disasters and Ways to Cope with Them

On September 1, Labor Day, as a member of the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps, I spent the day working with about 2,000 Louisianans who had just been bused to Oklahoma City to shelter from Hurricane Gustav. They were sheltering in a huge unused warehouse-the Lucent Technology Center in southwest Oklahoma City. Read More

September 12, 2008

What to Do Immediately After a Disaster

The topic of disasters is not one people like to think about, but we all need to be prepared to deal with the aftermath of a disaster if ever caught in that situation. There are several things you can do to help restore peace to yourself and your family immediately after a disaster. Read More

August 26, 2008

The Role of a Psychologist at a Disaster Site

When a disaster happens, disaster sites are set up to assist people with their immediate needs. Psychologists go to these sites to assist people with their emotional needs-to provide Psychological First Aid. They provide help by talking to people and answering questions they may have about their situation. They may also help people understand their emotions and reassure them that their emotions are normal. Specifically, what do psychologists do when they offer support at a disaster site? Here are a few duties they may fulfill:

Resilience is that ineffable quality that allows some people to be knocked down by life and come back stronger than ever.

Go to the Resilience Basics page for more on Resilience including:

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