Psychosocial Back Upwards For Humanitarian Assistance Workers (Book Review)

As it ofttimes happens alongside my book reviews for the weblog at that spot is an chemical constituent of conduct a opportunity together with surprise involved when discovering a swell volume for review.
Fiona Dunkley’s Psychosocial Support for Humanitarian Aid Workers: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Roadmap of Trauma together with Critical Incident Care is no exception-it in all likelihood popped upwards inwards my Twitter feed or inwards a post service inwards the 50 Shades of Aid Facebook group.
In lite of the #AidToo developments together with longer-term give-and-take inwards the manufacture nearly staff care, well-being together with psychological back upwards this is plainly an of import together with timely book.

Simply put, the volume pretty much just delivers what Dunkley summarizes inwards her conclusion:

This volume has taken yous on a journeying of agreement trauma, highlighting the psychological jeopardy to assist workers, explaining the physiology of trauma, sharing in-depth example studies to explore therapeutic trauma models, exploring coping strategies, managing critical incidents, highlighting pathways to aid throughout deployments, together with discussing the cultural relevance of trauma psychosocial services (p.115).

As a researcher together with instructor I am e'er a fleck skeptical when authors or endorsements hope a volume alongside relevance ‘for everybody inwards the industry’, but Psychological Support delivers on that front: There are parts written alongside a self-help framework inwards mind, but most importantly, every bit the subtitle suggest, it is a self-mapping book. It provides a roadmap for individuals nearly how to foreclose trauma or larn assist together with at the same fourth dimension provides a professional person framework for those who render or deal care, own got humanitarian assist worker identify unit of measurement together with friends or own got a query or pedagogical involvement inwards models simply about such support.
Dunkley’s vignettes, based on extensive piece of work in- together with exterior the humanitarian industry, are powerful, tough stories together with the theoretical framework simply about psychology together with cognitive scientific discipline helps the reader non to experience overwhelmed piece at the same fourth dimension beingness reminded compassionately that psychosocial back upwards is non a uncomplicated ‘toolbox’ or ‘guideline’ that should live buried within your computer.

Being professional person nearly helping assist professionals
Steve’s floor sounds all-too-familiar for the evolution community together with cumulative stress is ofttimes connected to experiencing traumatic incidents:

Years of traveling, ofttimes at brusk notice, to unsafe places: the unforgettable odour of a volume grave inwards a Lebanese summer; constantly juggling social together with piece of work life; hearing the crevice of a bullet overhead inwards Yemen; talking nearly jeopardy across grand tables inwards HQ, or plastic tables inwards the field; a closed telephone phone inwards Syria, together with guilt-inducing missed calls on my ever-present piece of work telephone had all taken its terms (p.3).

Dunkley remembers the Grenfell burn inwards London together with how she ‘watched inwards horror every bit many therapists, who were non trauma specialists, volunteered together with carried out assessments un-vetted’ (p.5)-a reminder that, every bit always, proficient intentions are non plenty together with existent professionals should live hired to create professional person jobs.

Another of import reminder inwards her volume is that alongside the expansion of the assist manufacture trauma is non simply express to front end describe staff:

Journalists, therapists, assist workers, medical staff, social workers together with aid workers tin all live exposed to vicarious trauma. Likewise, piece of work staff tin live exposed vicariously to trauma. This was highlighted inwards the Ebola response. Aid workers that were exposed to stories remotely started to experience trauma symptoms together with requested psychological back upwards (p.14).

And piece Dunkley’s volume is sure enough on a hard subject, it is neither a discouraging permit lonely defeatist read:

I abide by working alongside trauma inspiring, non alone because of witnessing the human spirit to survive, but also because of the privilege to move such hard terrain alongside an private who is suffering to a path of greater resilience, self-compassion together with traumatic increment (p.23).

Cultural relevance every bit a fundamental to proficient assist work, salubrious assist workers together with resilient communities
There is such a lot of useful, practical textile inwards the book, but 1 terminal aspects I would similar to highlight is the chapter on Cultural relevance of psychosocial support.
Many of the aspects are of import reminder that apply to all proficient assist piece of work together with a quote from Red Cross’ Sarah Davidson sums it upwards well:

By non checking alongside those alongside whom nosotros are working, nosotros jeopardy causing damage through our assumptions, yesteryear beingness misguided or blinkered, such every bit offering private therapy rather than engaging a family, community or organisation; or yesteryear offering assistance through an inappropriate channel, such every bit a mixed-gender grouping (pp.99-100).

As I wrote inwards a recent post nearly some trends inwards assist manufacture employment, looking afterwards those who render assist is going to live an expanse of increment that deserves highest professional person standards.

Returning to where my review started, Psychological Support for Humanitarian Aid Workers is an fantabulous resources that creates an of import route map from knowing nearly trauma, edifice resilience, managing emergencies together with creating a comprehensive ‘grab bag’ inwards a professional, culturally appropriate way.

As Dunkley concludes:

The gist principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality together with independence are to a greater extent than necessary than ever. (…) I strongly believe healing communities together with countries suffering from trauma volition atomic number 82 to a to a greater extent than cohesive, inclusive together with peaceful globe (p.111).

One of the biggest challenges is the book’s accessibility-the printed hardback version is quite expensive (although within argue for a commercial academic publisher) together with the Ebook version, although cheaper, may non live ideal for all environments of the global assist industry-I would actually hope that an organization or donor comes forwards together with supports an opened upwards access version of the book-a few chiliad pounds real good pass on making this globe a safer place! 

Dunkley, Fiona: Psychosocial Support for Humanitarian Aid Workers: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Roadmap of Trauma together with Critical Incident Care. ISBN 978-1-31520-145-0, 136pp, 13.50 GBP (Ebook version), Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press/Routledge, 2018.