03/13/2026
A few years ago, after a major crisis, a clinician told me something that stuck with me:
“I know how to treat trauma… but disasters feel different.”
Disasters bring their own challenges:
-The timelines stretch
-The stress is layered
-The cultural context feels unfamiliar
-And helpers are often navigating their own reactions at the same time.
Supporting communities after a disaster takes more than good intentions. It requires understanding how resilience actually develops amid disruption and uncertainty.
Without the right training, many clinicians aren’t sure what effective support looks like in these situations. Approaches that work well in a traditional clinical setting do not always translate to emergency contexts, and doing “therapy as usual” can even cause unintended harm.
Because disaster response isn’t just therapy in a new place, it’s a different challenge altogether.
Starting April 1, I’ll be leading 4-session online training for 8 CEs called 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳, in partnership with Praxis Continuing Education and Training. This course is designed to close that training gap and help clinicians of all kinds (MDs, PhDs / PsyDs, LSWs, MAs, LMFAs, etc.) use their skills with confidence when their communities face crises or disaster.
Across the course’s four sessions, you’ll learn:
-How disaster behavioral health differs from standard clinical practice
-What’s normal (and expected) in crisis and “emergency mode” responses
-How to support resilience at individual, family, and community levels
-Strategies for communication, de-escalation, and ethical decision-making
-How to prepare yourself—professionally and personally—for disaster work
Dates: April 1, 8, 15, and 22
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST
Format: Online
This training offers 8 CE hours if attended live.
Registration (link in the comments) is open to licensed clinicians and helping professionals, as well as anyone interested in learning more about supporting resilience after crisis.