title: Mini-marathon groups: psychological "first aid" following disasters.
abstract: Large group counseling sessions for soldiers following battle have been commonly used since World War II. The author conceptualizes and demonstrates how these mini-marathon sessions can be adapted to support all ages and types of civilians involved in disasters. Mini-marathons take about 3 hours and are divided into three sections: story sharing, symptom sharing, and suggestions for self-help, including sharing tales of heroism and survival. After an initial mini-marathon session, a second session may be held emphasizing creativity. The author also describes how mini-marathons can be adapted for therapists who will lead their own sessions.
authors.affiliation: University of California, School of Medicine, San Francisco.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Terr
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003419:Crisis Intervention; D004190:Disasters; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D013534:Survival / Q000523:psychology