A Basic Model Of Crisis Intervention

A crisis can be defined as a turning point, our habitual strengths and coping mechanisms have been surpassed and a new approach has to be developed. According to Barnes (1984:115) “crisis intervention focuses on the reduction of anxiety in the client alongside the mobilisation of hope and the restoration of a sense of autonomy and control over the situation.

Andrew Beckett is homosexual, and lives with another man. His lifestyle has caused Beckett to contract AIDS, and the illness is becoming a serious issue for him. Moreover, Beckett has failed to be truthful about his lifestyle. He has been lying to his associates at the law firm in which he works.

The ABC model of crisis intervention is a method created by Gerald Caplan and Eric Lindemann in the 1940s. The purpose of this crisis intervention method is to conduct a brief mental health interviews with clients whose functioning level has been lowered following a stressful precipitating event. The ABC model is a problem-focused approach and has been known to work best when applied within 4 to 6 weeks of the stressor. The ABC model of crisis intervention uses a three-stage approach to problem solving. This method allows a counselor to (A) build a rapport with the client, (B) identify the client’s perceptions and cognitions of the precipitating

The crisis intervention team (CIT) program is an approach for law enforcement officers to safely respond to individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis. Since its inception in 1988 in Memphis Tennessee, the program has spread rapidly and has been described as “the most visible pre-booking diversion program in the United States. CIT develops a special team of officers who are meant to serve as first responders to individuals suspected of having a mental illness, are suicidal, or experiencing a mental health crisis. The goal of CIT is to reduce arrests of individuals who would more appropriately be diverted to the community mental health system. It is also meant to improve the safety of officers and civilians and it accomplishes this

The counsellor must offer a clean, uncluttered, protected environment with no distractions and is safe from others hearing the conversations, and greet the client in a friendly welcoming manner. The room which the counselling takes place can have a great influence on the relationship so make sure it is welcoming and relaxing. The counsellor must build rapport with the client for the client to trust them and allow free flow of information. Rapport is the sense of connecting with someone. It is something that builds up over time by showing the client they can trust the counsellor and made to feel comfortable. As a counsellor/client relationship, although not friends it is important to highlight common interests between them, be empathetic and develop understanding. The client will unconsciously notice similarities and start to feel in tune with the counsellor. To build rapport with a client a counsellor can –

The scope of Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT) is limited due to the newness of this model being implemented in different police departments across the country. The CIT model is being implemented in over 400 programs with different aspects taken from the original model. (Draine,J.,Ottati,V.,Schaefer,M.Watson,A.2008)Focusing on the how police officers deal with the mentally ill, and the spread of the police based CIT programs.

Crisis intervention involves three components: 1) the crisis, the perception of an unmanageable situation; 2) the individual or group in crisis; and 3) the helper, or mental health worker who provides aid. Crisis intervention requires that the person experiencing crisis receive timely and skillful support to help cope with his/her situation before future physical or emotional deterioration occurs.

“A” of the ABC model of crisis intervention, is developing and maintaining a rapport. Structuring a rapport state of fathoming, a console between the counselor, and client the base of the healing process. This phase of the three-stages is critical in forming reliance with the client. The client will have a complexity being open with the client until he or she feels implicit and putative by the counselor. Therefore, the counselor should presence attending behavior skills such as: direct eye contact, body language, vocal qualities, and verbal following. These attending behaviors “demonstrate to the client that you are with him, or her, and indeed are listening,” enabling the client to talk more freely (Ivey, 2015). In addition to the informational material, the counselor should personally be cultural sensitive.

Being attentive means giving all of your physical attention to another person so that you are fully present for them. This will help you to notice what the client is NOT saying, by noticing their body language, and also their tone and pace of voice. The use of non-verbal cues and the counsellor’s own body language conveys to the client that he is interested in what the client has to say. (Bolton 1979). Managing silences from the client shows

The objective of this assignment is to conduct an interview with someone who currently works in the crisis intervention, in order gain a perspective of the work or service, what it entails and how to be successful in providing what is needed to those in crisis.

The Assessment Crisis Intervention Trauma Treatment (ACT) model was developed by Albert Roberts after the September 11th terrorist attacks. The way it works is mental health professionals, will follow a series of seven steps when responding to a crisis. The most notable include: assess the danger, establish psychological conduct, identify major problems, encourage the exploration of feelings, examine alternative strategies, implementing the plan and following up. The combination of these factors is designed to provide everyone with tools to effectively address the crisis. (Roberts, 2005)

Although not everyone that comes across a stressor in life will experience a crisis, some are unable to cope with the stressor in a healthy manner and eventually succumb to a crisis. If this person does not receive the adequate crisis intervention during this state, he or she is likely to be unable to function at the level he or she had been functioning before the crisis. This will inevitably lead to additional crisis scenarios for every stressor they must face in life. “This pattern can go on for many years until the person’s ego is completely drained of its capacity to deal with reality; often such people commit suicide, kill someone, or have a psychotic breakdown.” (Kanel, K. 2007).

In this assignment I shall be defining the topic surrounding crisis throughout the field of mental health. I will be attempting to do this by using a various range of literature and theories of that can help us create a greater understanding and knowledge base of what a crisis is, why it occurs and how we can potentially prevent a crisis from occurring. I shall then be discussing how I would engage those individuals that are in crisis, exploring the engagement process and showing the skills that are necessary to provide support to the person in crisis. I will then be discussing what challenges we meet as both professionals and the individual that is in crisis and what tools and strategies are placed in order to conquer these

The first aspect of crisis intervention noted was the establishing a rapport with the client. The quality of relationship between the worker and client is an important factor in determining the quality of assessment (Bland, Renouf & Tullgren 2009, p. 147). Non-verbal cues can enhance the therapeutic working relationship as it encourages the development of rapport between client and worker (Cormier, Nurius & Osborn 2012, p. 54). The worker established a rapport by displaying attentive non-verbals such as nodding. This was demonstrated in the recording through the worker maintaining eye-contact, and focus on Jen.

This case study is about a couple, Mike and Sally that have recently lost their 6-year-old son to cancer. They have decided to get counseling because Mike is unsure how to help Sally, she is having a difficult time coping with this loss, she cannot register how a child can die before a parent. Mike is handling this loss differently, he feels like this is the life cycle, and doesn’t quite know what to do to help Sally. When speaking to this couple I would start with the ABC Model of Crisis Intervention which will help Sally and Mike get comfortable with speaking to me. “The ABC Model of Crisis Intervention is a method of conducting very brief mental-health interviews with clients whose functioning level has decreased following a psychosocial stressor” (Kanel,2015). There are three stages in the ABC Model of Crisis Intervention. Stage one in the ABC Model of Crisis Intervention is to develop and maintain rapport between the counselor and client. This means that the counselor does what they can to help the client feel at ease, some ways to do this are making eye contact, showing warmth, compassion and empathy to allow the client to feel that they are safe and can talk to the professional openly. When the clients feel more comfortable it makes it a safe place for them to talk about the issues they may be having at home. Establishing a good relationship with the client must consist of being supportive and not being judgmental. Once this goal is achieved we will be able to move