Center for Crisis Psychology

Concerning the recent tsunami in Japan, here is some guidance to adults on how to talk to children - click here
A Spanish version of this can be found by clicking here,  a German version can be found by clicking here and an Italian version by clicking here.

A publication list from staff members at CCP (including articles in Norwegian) can be found by clicking here

It is the season for vaccines and we have provided information for parents on how to handle vaccination of a child. This information can be found by clicking here. Information for health providers on the same issue can be found by clicking here

Center for Crisis Psychology is situated in Bergen, Norway. The center was founded in 1988 and has from the start focused on dealing with critical situations and their impact on child and adult victims, as well as on personnel that have to deal with such situations. The center has three main areas of activities:

• Clinical work with crisis and disaster situations both locally and internationally.

• Educational activities, i.e. lecturing to a variety of groups within and outside of the health professions, both locally and internationally.

• Conducting research on various aspects of stress and trauma.

As a resource center we have been used by UN organisations and NGOs in planning help and rehabilitation of war and disaster traumatised children in several parts of the world. Our staff have been engaged in work for children in war in former Yugoslavia, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Angola, Rwanda, Russia, China, Liberia, Bangladesh and many other countries.

For more than 20 years our staff have been involved in research on cumulative stress and burnout in addition to developing routines for staff stress and trauma management. In this regard we have conducted training and workshops in a variety of national and international organisations, including UN agencies, such as UNICEF and UNHCR. This training has been conducted both in Africa, The Middle East, The Far East and Europe.

We started our work for children in war situations in Uganda back in 1984 and since then we have conducted research, and implemented a variety of assistance programs to help children in different war areas. On the scientific side this has resulted in a series of book chapters, books and many journal articles. This has provided other professionals working in the field with knowledge on which to base interventions. We have also published a series of articles on the helper's situation when dealing with stress, trauma and grief.

Our mission has been, as professionals in child psychology and stress and crisis management, to teach target groups of professionals and managers in different countries to help war traumatised children, and to plan a more systematic way of caring for the well being of the often overloaded helpers.

From 2009, thanks to the Danish Egmont Foundation we have had a grief center that focus on research on grief in children and their families as well as clinical support to the same group.

Presently, the center staff consist of 20 professionals, mostly clinical psychologists, but also clinicians and researchers with other backgrounds (i.e. social anthropologist, sociologists, psychiatrist). The center is unique both in Norway and Scandinavia in its combination of clinical experience, teaching ability and research activities.
 

INFORMATION ABOUT CRISIS AND DISASTERS

Center for Crisis Psychology has been engaged in helping people affected by different disasters including ferry and train disasters, earthquakes, air crashes, etc., both bereaved families and survivors. For survivors who have English as their first language we have written an information leaflet about usual reactions with some advise on coping methods. For parents information about children's reactions with some advise are also available. A leaflet containing practical self-help methods for disasters for children can be found by clicking here. Examles of self-help methods for adults can be found here.

Over 20 years our staff have also been involved in assisting UNICEF and other organisations following wars and disasters, and we expect that over the years to come we will continue this work. We also direct your attention to the Children and War Foundation website, as manuals and instruments are available for professionals who are to assist following war and disaster.

Our website is primarily a website in Norwegian and we direct English readers to other websites that contain relevant information about crises and disasters:

American Academy of Pediatrics, National Institute of Public Health (about children), American Red Cross (about children), Website that contains valuable links

REFERENCE LISTS ON TOPICS RELATED TO CRISIS, TRAUMA AND DISASTER