ABSTRACT
The impact of traumatic events on individuals has been widely established (National Institute of Mental Health, 2002; National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, 2004). The motivation to respond as mental health professionals can arguably be described as human and at times heroic, but is nonetheless an important area for research and intervention. One particular area of burgeoning research and controversy has been in the area of post-critical incident outcomes. This chapter aims to provide a critical evaluation of current and historical literature around a wide range of critical incidents. This will include practical illustrations and current best practices for consideration as the controversy, research and implementation in this area evolves.
