Everyone has a unique way of helping. Some people naturally step in during moments of crisis and disruption. Others prefer walking alongside people through longer seasons of growth and recovery. Some enjoy building programs and preparing people before challenges...
Not sure where to start? Let's start with a familiar framework: The Disaster Management Cycle. In disaster and emergency management, professionals often use something called the Disaster Management Cycle. The cycle includes four phases: Preparedness Response Recovery...
Early in my coordinating career, I was leading a team meeting rallying the peers around the Hippocratic Oath: “Do no harm” -- when I heard a voice from the back of the room say, "further". I didn’t understand so asked I asked him to explain. The peer said plainly, “I...
When you are building a support program or care ministry, one of the most important decisions you will make is this: Who is called to help? At first, it may seem kind and generous to open the door wide and welcome anyone who wants to serve. After all, if people are...
By the end of a training, something in the room has usually shifted. People who arrived uncertain often leave more grounded. More aware. More connected — not only to the skills they have learned, but to the deeper calling that drew them there in the first place. And...
When tragedy strikes your faith community, who responds? Are they prepared? And who cares for the caregivers?These are questions every denominational leader deserves to answer with confidence. Faith communities are called to care — but many do not yet have structures...
I didn’t set out to create a protocol. I simply wanted to pause and reflect more deeply on the conversations I was having with people who were struggling. I spent 12 years as a crisis counselor (“CISM Specialist”) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center...
Not All Helpers Prefer the Same Speed One of the biggest misunderstandings in helping work is the assumption that every Helper should respond the same way. But in reality, Helpers often have different strengths, pacing, preferences, and life demands. Some Helpers love...
When people think about helping in times of crisis or stress, they often picture one moment: - The moment something goes wrong.- The moment someone needs help.- The moment you show up. But real care doesn’t live in just one moment. It lives in a cycle. A rhythm of...
They called you. Maybe it came at 6am. Maybe it interrupted dinner. Maybe it was a text that just said "can you call me" and you already knew from those four words that something had broken open. You got dressed. You got in the car. You showed up. Because that's what...