Applying Critical Consciousness: Culturally Competent Disaster Response Outcomes

• Published in: Journal of counseling and development Vol. 87; no. 4; pp. 458 - 465
• Main Authors: Goodman, Rachael D., West-Olatunji, Cirecie A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 22.09.2009; John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subjects: Collaboration; Community Development; Community Relations; Consciousness; Coping; Counseling services; Counselor education; Counselor Training; Counselors; Crisis Intervention; Critical thinking; Cultural Awareness; Cultural competence; Cultural values; Culture; Demographic aspects; Disaster relief; Disasters; Empowerment; Health Personnel; Health services; Hurricanes; Interpersonal Relationship; Intervention; Medical personnel; Mental health care; Mental Health Programs; Mental health services; Mental Health Workers; Multiculturalism & pluralism; Oppression; Professionals; Psychiatric services; Qualitative research; Reflection; Research design; Research methodology; Social justice; Therapists; Thinking Skills; United States; World Views; United States
• ISSN: 0748-9633; 1556-6676
• DOI: 10.1002/j.1556-6678.2009.tb00130.x

The authors explored the use of critical consciousness as a training tool to provide effective, culturally competent disaster response counseling services to disaster‐affected communities. The results are presented of a qualitative study evaluating the outcomes for participants in a disaster response outreach project serving residents of post‐Katrina New Orleans. Participants demonstrated increased personal and cultural awareness and also constructed new knowledge related to counseling outreach competencies.