Surviving 9/11 : Impact and Experiences of Occupational Therapy Practitioners

A collection of firsthand accounts from occupational therapy providers and their clients that reveal the thoughts and fears of therapists who had to help heal their clients while suffering stress themselves. The book also demonstrates the importance of therapeutic treatment for all types of victims, from survivors to television observers.

The first in-depth look of the effects of September 11 on occupational therapy!

Surviving 9/11: Impact and Experiences of Occupational Therapy Practitioners is a collection of firsthand accounts from occupational therapy providers and their clients. This book reveals the thoughts and fears of occupational therapists who had to help heal their patients while suffering emotional and psychological stress themselves. This volume shows how occupational therapy practitioners dealt with the aftermath using group discussions, planned events, and creative projects to heal themselves as well as their clients.

Surviving 9/11 demonstrates the importance of therapeutic treatment for all types of victims of the attacks, from survivors to television observers. It discusses how distinct each client’s needs are—from the survivor in the hospital bed to the firefighter endlessly searching for his lost brothers. This book will also show you the importance of changing therapeutic styles during the lengthy coping process to adapt to the changing needs of the client.

This enlightening text is divided into three parts:

• September 11th Day One—personal and professional accounts of the day of the disaster from occupational therapists in and around the city and around the world—with a special narrative from a 9/11 survivor who received occupational therapy
• Ground Zero Milieu—the experiences in and around Ground Zero following the attack, including occupational therapists at the rescue and recovery site, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Project Liberty program, and the development of the Downtown Therapists Assistance Project to help occupational and physical therapists whose businesses were irrecoverable after September 11
• Spirituality—the new challenges to occupational therapy in mental health in dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and panic disorder—throughout the general population and in the mental health community

Surviving 9/11 is a unique blend of personal and professional perspectives designed to help you get in touch with your feelings and thoughts about what happened on September 11. More importantly, this easy-to-read book can help you prepare for future disasters, whether you are a healthcare professional, a disabled person, a survivor, or someone who is otherwise affected. With illustrations, memorial designs, and photos of the tragedy and its aftermath, this book is a must-read in this age of uncertainty.