Crisis InterventionCrisis Intervention““a highly emotional temporary state in a highly emotional temporary state in

which an individual’s feelings of anxiety, which an individual’s feelings of anxiety, grief, confusion or pain impair his/her grief, confusion or pain impair his/her

ability to act”ability to act”

Qualities and Characteristics of a Qualities and Characteristics of a CrisisCrisis

1) period of heightened 1) period of heightened psychological accessibilitypsychological accessibility

2) usually stimulated by an outside 2) usually stimulated by an outside precipitatorprecipitator

3) are normal reactions to 3) are normal reactions to emotionally hazardous situationsemotionally hazardous situations

4) individual’s appraisal/perception 4) individual’s appraisal/perception determines the occurrence and determines the occurrence and seriousness of the crisisseriousness of the crisis

Qualities and Characteristics Qualities and Characteristics (cont’d)(cont’d)

5) the more seriously threatening 5) the more seriously threatening the appraisal, the greater the the appraisal, the greater the likelihood for primitive coping likelihood for primitive coping behaviorsbehaviors

6) persons in crisis tend to “pull 6) persons in crisis tend to “pull away” from contactaway” from contact

7) persons in crisis tend to lose all 7) persons in crisis tend to lose all concept of timeconcept of time

How a Crisis DevelopsHow a Crisis Develops

1) Stimulus/Precipitating Event1) Stimulus/Precipitating Event

2) Appraisal of Situation by the 2) Appraisal of Situation by the IndividualIndividual

3) Coping Methods and Personal 3) Coping Methods and Personal ResourcesResources

Types of CrisisTypes of Crisis

1) Developmental1) Developmental

2) Situational2) Situational

Potential CrisesPotential Crises

The ABC Method of Crisis The ABC Method of Crisis Intervention (Stone)Intervention (Stone)

““A”: Achieving contact with the A”: Achieving contact with the person in crisis.person in crisis.

““B”: Boiling down the problem to its B”: Boiling down the problem to its essentials.essentials.

““C”: Coping with the problem.C”: Coping with the problem.

SuicideSuicide

Why discuss suicide?Why discuss suicide?

Edwin Shneidman: father of the Edwin Shneidman: father of the suicide prevention movement in the suicide prevention movement in the United StatesUnited States

Feelings Suicide Survivors Feelings Suicide Survivors ExperienceExperience

Shame: predominant feelingShame: predominant feeling GuiltGuilt AngerAnger Fear Fear Distorted ThinkingDistorted Thinking

Effective Listening Principles for Effective Listening Principles for Serving Suicide SurvivorsServing Suicide Survivors

““Do’s”:Do’s”:– Be an active listener, observe body language, Be an active listener, observe body language,

clarify, paraphraseclarify, paraphrase– Listen for the 5 most common concerns:Listen for the 5 most common concerns:

The need to know why.The need to know why. GuiltGuilt AngerAnger Finding someone to blame.Finding someone to blame. Client’s fear that they too are capable of suicide.Client’s fear that they too are capable of suicide.

– Make appropriate referralsMake appropriate referrals

““Don’ts” When Serving Suicide Don’ts” When Serving Suicide Survivors Survivors

Don’t answer questions that have not Don’t answer questions that have not been asked.been asked.

Don’t answer exclamations as Don’t answer exclamations as questions that require an answer.questions that require an answer.

Don’t answer questions that are Don’t answer questions that are theological, psychological or medical.theological, psychological or medical.

American Foundation for American Foundation for Suicide PreventionSuicide Prevention

Only national not-for-profit Only national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to organization exclusively dedicated to funding research, developing funding research, developing prevention initiatives and offering prevention initiatives and offering educational programs and educational programs and conferences for survivors, mental conferences for survivors, mental health professionals, physicians and health professionals, physicians and the public.the public.

www.afsp.org

Homicide/Sudden DeathHomicide/Sudden Death

Survivor may have: sense of Survivor may have: sense of unreality, guilt, need to blame, unreality, guilt, need to blame, helplessness, unfinished businesshelplessness, unfinished business

Medical and legal authorities.Medical and legal authorities. ““fight or flight response”fight or flight response” Increased need to understand Increased need to understand

“Why?”“Why?” Follow-up and appropriate referrals.Follow-up and appropriate referrals.

SIDSSIDS

Over 8000 babies/year in the U.S.Over 8000 babies/year in the U.S. Occurs in infants under 1 year.Occurs in infants under 1 year. Most frequent: 2-6 monthsMost frequent: 2-6 months Complicating factors:Complicating factors:

– Death occurs without warning.Death occurs without warning.– Absence of a definite cause.Absence of a definite cause.– Involvement of the legal system.Involvement of the legal system.– Meaning of the deceased child.Meaning of the deceased child.– Marital turmoil.Marital turmoil.– Sadness and anger.Sadness and anger.

AIDSAIDS

Features that could affect the Features that could affect the bereavement process:bereavement process:– ContagionContagion– StigmaStigma– Lack of Social SupportLack of Social Support– Untimely DeathsUntimely Deaths– Multiple LossesMultiple Losses– Protracted Illness/DisfigurementProtracted Illness/Disfigurement– Neurological ComplicationsNeurological Complications