With increasingly devastating disasters occurring across the planet, it is imperative that a wider population of counselors beprepared for the eventuality of cataclysmic events happening within their region. It is also an avenue of service to be capableof volunteering whenever a disaster calls for an influx of counselors from foreign environs. However, this work requiresspecialized training. This article is intended to brief counselors on the basic skills required for disaster mental health relief.These skills include the ability to assess the five emotional reactions to traumatic situations – resilience, avoidance,underactivation, overactivation and psychosis - and the four skill sets that are needed for an effective response - activelistening and assessment, motivational interviewing, activating, and grounding skills.