Onna: la rinascita di una comunità ferita dopo il terremoto

This article presents the author's experience at Onna camp, inAbruzzo, during the six months following the April 6th 2009 earthquake.Its purpose is to explain the role of psychologists inemergency scenarios. The article underlines the importance, in thatkind of contexts, of interventions aimed at promoting people wellbeingby using the already existing community’s resources and thenew resources that can develop within it, to stimulate internal processesthat can fight back against the material, economical and socialdestruction. Therefore the psychologist, by operating within theemergency system as a mediator and facilitator of the complex relationshipsthat develop inside and outside the emergency camp,plays an active role inside the community that is trying to rebuilditself. In the Onna case, through active listening, participativeobservation and analysis of the local cultural environment, the psychologistsidentified the emerging needs and promoted actions aimedat reactivating the liveliest aspects and resources of the communityof Onna.