• Directories
    • Business Directory
    • Church Directory
    • Organization Directory
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Help
  • Log In
MENUMENU
  • Learning
        • Leader’s Edge
          • Author Interviews
          • Book Summaries
        • Book Reviews
          • Book Look
          • EMQ Book Reviews
        • Publications
          • Anthology
          • Evangelical Missions Quarterly (EMQ)
          • Missiographics
        • Podcasts
          • The Mission MattersNew
          • Missio Nexus
          • People First HR
          • Members Only Feed
        • Blogs
          • Global Issues Updates
          • Member Highlights
          • Mission Advisors
        • Topics
          • COVID-19 ResourcesNew
          • Diaspora Missions
          • Mobilization
          • Muslim Missions
          • Support Raising
        • Media Library
          • Conferences
          • Global Issue Updates
          • On Mission
          • Thought Leader Briefings
          • Webinars
          • Workshop
          • View All
  • Programs
    • Accreditation
    • Alliance for Benefits
    • Bible CertificateNew
    • Church Missions Coaching
    • Cohorts
    • Cybersecurity
    • ImproveNew
    • Mission Jobs
    • RightNow Media
    • The Mission App
    • Women’s Development
  • Events
          • Calendar
          • In-Person Events
          • Virtual Events
          • Event Recordings
          • Awards
        • Upcoming Events

          • Webinar: Through the Wall
            Thu Jan 28 2021, 02:00pm EST
          • Three Easy Ways to Drive Innovation
            Thu Feb 11 2021, 02:00pm EST
          • Three Steps to Kickstart Your Fund Development Program
            Tue Feb 16 2021, 03:00pm EST
        • View All Events
  • Research
          • Missiographics
          • Mission Handbook
          • Research Reports
        • Popular Research
          • Compensation Reports
          • COVID-19 ResourcesNew
          • Field Attrition Report
          • View All Reports
        • Contribute
          • Current Research Projects
          • Submit Data for Mission Handbook
          • Volunteer
  • About Us
        • Who We Are
          • Our Contribution
          • Meet the Team
          • Board Members
          • History (1917–present)
        • Our Beliefs
          • Statement of Faith
          • Community Standards
        • Awards
        • Partner with Us
          • Advertise
          • Donate
          • Sponsorships
          • Volunteer
        • Help
          • Contact Us
          • Advertising Specs
          • Branding Guidelines
  • Join
        • Learn
        • Learn what you cannot learn anywhere else.

        • Meet
        • Meet people you otherwise won’t meet.

        • Engage
        • Engage in a community like none other.

          • Benefits
          • Benefits for Churches
          • Pricing

Sponsored Content

Upcoming Events

  • Webinar: Through the Wall
    Thu Jan 28 2021, 02:00pm EST
  • Three Easy Ways to Drive Innovation
    Thu Feb 11 2021, 02:00pm EST
  • Three Steps to Kickstart Your Fund Development Program
    Tue Feb 16 2021, 03:00pm EST
  • Webinar: Innovating Theological Education: How BibleMesh can Prepare your Staff for Ministry
    Thu Feb 25 2021, 02:00pm EST
  • Association Leaders Gathering
    Tue Mar 2 2021, 08:30am EST

View all events »

Topics

author interview Canada CEO Church Church Missions Church Mission Team Church Planting Coaching Conference Proceedings COVID-19 Cross Cultural Skills Diaspora Evangelism Focus Future Globally Engaged Churches Islam Justin Long Leadership Management Missiology Missionaries Mission Finance and Administration MLC2019 MLC2020 Mobilization muslim Muslim Diaspora Networks Partnership Personal Productivity Podcast Presenter Research Security Short-Term Missions Spirituality support raising Training Trends Unengaged Unreached unreached people groups Weekly Roundup Women

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Stress and Trauma Handbook

Posted on July 1, 2004 by July 1, 2004

by John Fawcett, editor

Beyond protection, we must create space to grow, flourish and develop.” With this premise, John Fawcett thoughtfully develops field research findings taken from research conducted among World Vision personnel.

World Vision Resources, 800 W. Chestnut Ave., Monrovia, CA 91016-3198, 2003, 152 pages, $12.95.

—Reviewed by Priscilla Hirst, Personal and Professional Development and Asia-Pacific Departments, TEAM.

Beyond protection, we must create space to grow, flourish and develop.” With this premise, John Fawcett thoughtfully develops field research findings taken from research conducted among World Vision personnel. This book reveals and emphasizes what works on the ground for international relief and development personnel who are often at high risk of burnout from depersonalization, emotional exhaustion and lack of personal accomplishment.

Fawcett and his colleagues focus on a strategy of flourishing rather than containment (boundaries, margins) for developing resilient personnel. This handbook is divided into three parts: 1) definitions of stress; 2) overview of research methods and results; and 3) recommendations for better support systems, spirituality, on-site personal and team strategies, and organizational interventions.

Because it uniquely blends readable research and practical tools for evaluation and stress-management focused on multiple audiences, this handbook is an excellent investment. Definitions and terminology are highly professional, up-to-date and well explained. Case studies are compelling and thought provoking. End of chapter checklists and questions prompt aid workers and agency management to assess stress levels, design stress management programs, prevent serious traumatic disability, and improve working conditions for personnel.

The book also includes six measurement scales (Appendix One) and a recommended reading list with an extensive bibliography of professional psychological literature (Appendices Two and Three).

Fawcett’s research confirms that strong relationships afford the best protection for personnel. Those with compromised social support are at higher risk to experience trauma, un-wellness and acute anxiety. Social networks that are health promoting and protective are comprised of people who know each other well; the network’s interconnectedness, not its size, makes it protective.

According to the research, many stressful events are not the difficult situations and dangers associated with relief and development projects, but originate in the organizational culture, management style and operational objectives of the relief organization itself. Fawcett emphasizes that addressing matters of social support, team cohesion and leadership quality are the most effective ways to relieve considerable stress. Focusing on themes of team dynamics, consultative leadership style, clarity of mission objectives and agency structure treat the roots of organizational stressors.

Faith-based organizations should carefully consider Chapter Six, “Spirituality as the foundation for growth,” and the discussion on religious behavior as correlated to stress experiences. “There isn’t a worldview rooted in any location, culture or country that will not be significantly challenged upon exposure to front-line humanitarian work.”

Although this research is still in progress, it clearly contains insights and material critical to the development of hardy people working in a world in crisis.

….

Copyright © 2004 Evangelism and Missions Information Service (EMIS). All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from EMIS.

GoToOlder PostNewer PostAll PostsBook ReviewsEMQSectionVolume 40 - Issue 3

Comments are closed.

Subscribe to Our Mailing List

Keep up to date with our community.

Menu

  • Join
  • Directories
  • Events
  • Donate

About

  • Who We Are
  • Statement of Faith
  • Awards
  • Resources

Help

  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Cookies Policy

Connect

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Google+

PO Box 398
Wheaton, IL 60187-0398

Phone: 770.457.6677
678.392.4577

© Missio Nexus.
All Rights Reserved.

Membership website powered by MembershipWorks