The most devastating effects of the Sichuan 5.12 earthquake occurred in Yingxiu, where Guangzhou social workers were sent to deal with the aftermath. In this paper, we describe our experience working in the post-earthquake community and the theoretical approach we adopted to realize our objectives. We also outline the challenges and opportunities of the social work profession in the field of disaster management. We argue that social workers in China should adopt a holistic approach to disaster intervention and act as promoters of psychological well-being in the community, needs appraisers, capacity builders, and social resource mediators.

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