Reconceptualising and supporting disaster recovery as growth
-
Project Leader
Professor Louise Harms+ 61 3 834 49413
Project Details
After the Black Saturday bushfires, psychosocial support was provided to people in geographically-affected communities. Localised services focused on supporting those experiencing posttraumatic stress, and other adjustment difficulties, reflecting current theories of adaptation post-trauma.
This project addresses two major inequities in psychosocial support for disaster-impacted people, arising from this current theorisation. These inequities arise as a result of (1) pathogenic definitions of recovery, which neglect posttraumatic growth experiences; and (2) geographic discrimination, which creates subsequent marginalisation from both services and research.
From interviews, personal and professional experiences of the barriers and enablers of posttraumatic growth will be documented.
Researchers
- Associate Professor Lou Harms
- Dr David Rose
- Rhonda Abotomey
- Associate Professor Robyn Woodward-Kron
- Dr Jenny Waycott
- Associate Professor Barb Bolt
Funding
University of Melbourne, Melbourne Social Equity Institute Seed Funding Grant