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Humanitarian Aid in the Philippines: How We're Involved
Jim Guy & Don Bosch
Photo: Nove foto da Firenze
Super Typhoon Haiyan passed over some of the poorest areas in the Philippines. Only a year ago, last September, our Director of Clinical Services, Don Bosch, was in the Philippines for a security training on Bantayan Island just north of Cebu. The eye of Haiyan went directly over this small island. Don recalls remarking to one of the other trainers that the area was reminding him of Haiti. The other trainer replied that Haiti looked like a developed country in comparison, given the poverty and lack of infrastructure. From reports we have received, the island has been totally devastated with none of the poorly constructed buildings still standing.
Several of our larger client organizations have teams of specialists in the affected areas, to assess and advise on the services and resources needed most right now. We've been providing supportive counseling and resilience assessments for those preparing to go and those already on the scene. By offering psychological care before, during, and after their deployment, we help them stay at their best while doing their important work. We're circulating our most helpful online resources and training for those with internet access in the months ahead, and we will debrief first responder teams following the initial response.
The recent loss of life and massive destruction is beyond imagination and will require deep grieving for so many people. Yet the focus now needs to also be on recovery. Aid workers will lead the efforts to rescue, recover, and rebuild the affected communities. And, together with your help, we'll enable them do it.
New Resource
Helping Aid Workers and Their Children Cope with Disaster
In the past few months, we have been receiving more requests for resources focusing on aid workers and their families. As a response to these requests, our clinical training director, Dr. Rick Williamson, has developed a resource specifically for aid workers on how to help their children cope and process after a disaster or a critical incident. We just produced a video resource highlighting his insights, with some practical guidelines. In the video, he addresses the differences between processing an event with male and female children, older and younger children, and includes some tips on what parents can do to help and support in their children in the aftermath of a disaster or a critical incident. - Fara
 From the President
We recently made an important decision that will influence the future of the Institute. After years of focusing our services solely on international humanitarian relief and development workers, we've decided to expand to include domestic emergency first-responders among those we support. Given our location in Los Angeles County, the epicenter of every imaginable disaster, this makes sense. We are now offering training, counseling, consultation, online resources, and outcome research services to local responders. This will include police and fire departments, municipal and state emergency services, American Red Cross, and faith-based programs positioned in the community to help in an emergency. This decision allows us to be better neighbors during a mass fatality incident or natural disaster. We plan to share all we've learned in the past 15 years about resilience and trauma recovery to help build the capacity of neighbors putting themselves at risk to assist other victims and their families. Join us in this effort by supporting our work with your advice, referrals, donations, and words of encouragement. Thanks. -Jim
 Welcoming Dr. Nancy Magnussun Durham
After a few years’ hiatus, we’re happy to announce Nancy Magnusson Durham’s reappointment to the Headington Institute Board of Directors. Nancy initially served on the Headington Board from 2002 - 2009, before joining the leadership at Lipscomb University as their Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives. Before bringing her expertise to Lipscomb, Nancy was Senior Vice President for Planning, Information and Technology at Pepperdine University, where she led that institution’s strategic planning efforts, including developing a program for assessing educational effectiveness, enhancing and remodeling the institution's libraries and providing the technology necessary for instruction and administration. Nancy also served as Assistant Dean of Seaver College, Interim Provost, Director of Pepperdine's London program and Dean of the Graduate School of Education and Psychology. We look forward to the ways she will help us accomplish our mission. Welcome back Nancy!
If you're interested in supporting the work of the Headington Institute, please click here:
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