Chief Trauma Counselor
Ministry: Art & Culture · Emergency Function: Trauma & Emotional Care
Role Purpose
Leads emotional and trauma support for community members affected by disasters, coordinating psychological first aid and connecting residents to ongoing care.
What You Would Help Do
Before an Emergency
- Develop trauma support plans for shelters and community spaces.
- Train volunteers in psychological first aid.
- Build a network of counselors and support volunteers.
- Participate in preparedness exercises.
During an Emergency
- Lead psychological first aid operations in shelters.
- Support residents experiencing acute distress or trauma.
- Coordinate with Health & Human Services on mental health needs.
- Connect residents to ongoing care resources.
After an Emergency
- Support community grief and healing processes.
- Coordinate long-term emotional recovery support.
- Document trauma care lessons and community needs.
Qualifications & Helpful Skills
Who would be a good fit?
Required
- Willingness to complete Weather Watchmen training.
- Professional counseling, social work, or mental health credentials strongly preferred for this leadership role.
Helpful But Not Required
- Licensed counselor, social worker, or mental health professional
- Crisis intervention or trauma training
- Experience supporting disaster-affected communities
- Leadership and coordination ability
Training & Readiness
Volunteers are not expected to respond to emergencies without preparation.
Weather Watchmen volunteers may receive or be asked to participate in role-appropriate training, exercises, orientations, drills, and continuing preparedness activities before being assigned operational responsibilities.
Potential training for this role:
Working Together
No Ministry operates in isolation during an emergency.
Three-Deep Succession
Weather Watchmen's emergency management system is designed around continuity of leadership. Critical functions should have trained Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary personnel so that operations can continue if a primary leader is unavailable.
Multiple volunteers may express interest in the same operational area to build this depth.
Interested in Serving?
You do not have to know everything today. If you have relevant experience, transferable skills, or a willingness to train and serve, we encourage you to express your interest.