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.

Law enforcement interactions with the mentally ill community are increasing, due to a number of factors such as cuts on long-term psychiatric beds, improvements in treatments and the philosophy of integration (Adelman, 2003). Which leads to mentally ill people living in the community, which leads to increase crisis and police interaction because of insufficient funding. Existing community-based crisis response services are not well unified and are limited, especially in rural areas. General hospital-based emergency services can also be difficult to access because of bed reductions, and only offer treatment to those only that are seriously ill (e.g. be actively delusional or suicidal). As Eric Macnaughton states in his study BC Early

Crisis intervention is emergency first aid for mental health (Ehly, 1986). In this paper, I intend to show you a brief overview of what crisis intervention is, describe what school psychologists do and summarize the steps they may use to identify, assess, and intervene with an individual experiencing crisis.

According to, the American Psychological Association (2013) define, “crisis intervention as the brief ameliorate, rather than specifically curative, use of psychology or counseling to aid individuals, families, and groups who have undergone a highly disruptive experience, such as an unexpected bereavement or a disaster” (p.148).

James, R. K., & Gilliland, B. E. (2013). Crisis intervention strategies (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning

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.

When someone asked me what I thought a crisis was, the first examples that came to my mind was Hurricane Katrina, September 11, 2001. Once I began to think more of what the definition of a crisis would be, I know that it is the reaction of how someone reacts to a crisis event. Other examples may be suicide, homicide, domestic violence, and different traumas that one experiences. Once we began our discussions in class, I realized that a crisis and how one deals with a crisis, whether it is a natural, manmade or personal, effects each person differently. How that person handles the crisis, may have short term or long term effects that may lead to a mental illness. That is one of the points that I found very interesting, among other information we learned in class, along with the various speakers that we had.

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

Safety is a default task that is always operational. Safety is a primary consideration throughout crisis intervention for reasons that are both physically and psychologically based (James & Gilliland, 2013). Institutions play a large part in treatment and may be viewed as an equal and contributing partner in resolving problems with clients disposed to becoming physically and verbally assaultive (James & Gilliland, 2013). The five main components of any effective safety and health program also apply to the prevention of workplace violence. These components are management commitment and employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, safety and health training, and record keeping and program evaluation (Occupational Safety

Crisis intervention is a short- term helping process (Hallisey& Hoff, 2009). Crises are restricted to limited periods of time (daSilva, Siegmund, &Bredemeier,2015). They are therefore immediate, transitory and temporary episodes, although some people are under constant exposure to distressing situations (daSilva, Siegmund,

Vecchi (2009) states that crisis intervention includes interventions and skills to aid others experiencing a crisis and need help with coping skills. The skills needed include active listening, empathy, and understanding (Vecchi, 2009). Meeting the needs to those in a crisis are similar to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, meaning safety and security is of highest importance. The basic needs of food and shelter along with freedom of fear are Maslow’s first two basic needs (Simple Psychology, 2007). Natural disasters, such as a hurricane is a prime example of a client experiencing a crisis where they have lost everything and have no idea which way to go next. Furthermore, understanding the client’s view, allowing them to have control of something within the crisis, and enabling the client to accomplish something are also needs that need to be met (Vecchi, 2009). According to Vecchi (2009) these are referred to as recognition, control, and accomplishment needs.

Crisis intervention is a method that uses concepts of crisis theory as a framework to aid in understanding a client’s experiences and to provide a worker with steps to follow when supporting a client in a crisis (Roberts & Ottens 2005, p. 331).

According to Lillibridge and Klukken (1978), crisis is an event or situation that cause " 地n upset in equilibrium at the failure of one's traditional problem-solving approach which results in disorganization, hopelessness, sadness, confusion, and panic" (62). In the face of crisis, there is an urgent need to swing to action and communication is the only vehicle that can convey this message to everyone concerned. When crisis occur, communication challenges becomes worsened because the