One of the most challenging aspects of crisis counseling is understanding and dealing with the visceral and emotional responses of both client and therapist to the crisis. As humans, we have basic physiological responses to stressful situations. When we find ourselves in a crisis situation, adrenaline floods the body, heart rate increases, breathing becomes shallow, and field of perception narrows. Often, in addition to these physiological effects on the body, when a person i

The events of the last few months and weeks in this country have been heartbreaking. Every day it seems that the gaps in our communities grow wider as voices in the media bring to light new and devastating incidences of violence and community dissension. Every media outlet, social, print, or broadcast seems to be filled with the cries of anger and hurt and blame. The finger-pointing, accusations, and frustration expressed on every side has reached epic proportions with seemin