Support for Survivors and Bereaved
Disaster Action offers support and guidance to survivors and the bereaved through our leaflet series When Disaster Strikes, as well as telephone and email contact and personal meetings. Many of those who contact us say how helpful it is to talk to those who have been in a similar situation. Some have gone on to become members of the charity. Disaster Action does not offer counselling, although we are familiar with counselling and other forms of therapy that may be appropriate for those affected by a disaster.
Disaster Action
offers:
- The benefit of personal experience
- Non-judgmental, listening support and practical guidance
- An understanding of the issues particular to disasters
- Experience of the civil/criminal justice system
- Ongoing support and contact with others similarly affected.
- Enables family and survivor support groups to come together.
People affected by a disaster may feel that the lasting effects of their trauma can only be fully understood by those who share experience of the same event. Disaster Action facilitated the coming together of British residents affected by the 11 September attacks in the United States and the Bali bombing of 2002. Both groups then formed their own support groups - a primary source of self-help for those affected by a disaster.
As a member of the Tsunami Support Network set up by the British Red Cross to offer assistance to those affected by the 2004 Tsunami, Disaster Action assisted those affected to come together as a group. When the Network closed the bereaved and survivors formed the UK Tsunami Support Group, and also joined Disaster Action.
Links to Support Services and Family/Survivor Support Groups
BABCP (British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies)
BABCP has a register of accredited CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) practitioners.
Telephone: Tel: 0161 705 4304
:: http://www.babcp.com Bethnal Green Tube Disaster :: http://www.stairwaytoheavenmemorial.org
British Red Cross
:: http://www.redcross.org.uk
Child Bereavement Charity
:: http://www.childbereavement.org.uk
Compassionate Friends
:: http://www.tcf.org.uk
Cruse - Bereavement Care
Telephone 0208 939 9530 (administration); 08444 779400 (helpline, 09 00 - 17 00)
:: http://www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk
Healthtalkonline
This is the website of the DIPEx charity. It lets you share in other people's experiences of health and illness and includes a section on dying and berevement that some Disaster Action members participated in. You can watch or listen to videos of the interviews, read about people's experiences and find reliable information about conditions, treatment choices and support.
:: http://www.healthtalkonline.org/
Lockerbie Disaster UK Families Flight 103
:: http://www.lockerbie-disaster.org.uk
The Matthew Fulham Foundation
Set up by his family in memory of Matthew Fulham, who was killed in the July 2005 Sharm El Sheikh bombing.
:: http://www.matthewfulham.org//
Marchioness Action Group
:: http://www.geocities.com/jndenio/
Ufton Nervet Train Crash Network
:: http://www.unix.demon.co.uk/untc/content/news/18.htm
Victim Support
Telephone 020 7735 9166.
:: http://www.victimsupport.com
UK Bali Bombing Victims Group
:: http://www.ukbbvg.co.uk/
UK Tsunami Support Group
The Tsunami Support Network aims to help provide support for families and individuals in the UK affected by the South East Asian Earthquake and the resulting Tsunami of 26 December 2004.
:: http://www.tsunamisupport.co.uk
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