Which statement best describes the two goals of external disaster/emergency brief therapy?

Which statement best describes the two goals of external disaster/emergency brief therapy?

• A. Normalize feelings
• B. Normalize feelings and help find effective ways of coping with ongoing stress
• C. Provide long-term psychotherapy
• D. Focus on pharmacotherapy only

Answer: (B)

External disaster/emergency brief therapy aims to quickly reduce distress by validating people’s emotional responses and teaching practical ways to cope with ongoing stress. Validating feelings helps individuals feel understood and less isolated in the immediate aftermath, while providing concrete coping strategies gives them tools to manage continuing challenges—displacement, loss, uncertainty, and daily stressors—so they can function more effectively in the short term. This combination reflects the intervention’s brief, action-oriented nature: it’s not about long-term psychotherapy or medications, but about rapid stabilization and empowerment in the moment.

External disaster/emergency brief therapy aims to quickly reduce distress by validating people’s emotional responses and teaching practical ways to cope with ongoing stress. Validating feelings helps individuals feel understood and less isolated in the immediate aftermath, while providing concrete coping strategies gives them tools to manage continuing challenges—displacement, loss, uncertainty, and daily stressors—so they can function more effectively in the short term. This combination reflects the intervention’s brief, action-oriented nature: it’s not about long-term psychotherapy or medications, but about rapid stabilization and empowerment in the moment.