Taking a Look at Crisis Counseling

Statistics have shown that emotional and mental disorders in the United States range around twenty percent and counselors are vulnerable for such disorders for a variety of reasons

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).

To be honest, I have had no formal training in counseling. In fact, because of an unproductive experience in a psychology class in college, I have not been looking forward to attending class. I was content with just using common sense, and personal experiences to assist parishioners in coping with specific situations affecting their lives. I knew God had prepared me for my job as pastor, but when I read Webb’s book, “Crisis Counseling in the Congregation”, I realized that this book would prove useful in facilitating me in becoming a better counselor. When I was assigned to Rivers Chapel as a pastor, I used strategies I had learned, in the classroom, and on my previous jobs in counseling, which were common sense and life experiences. But now, after reading “Crisis Counseling in the Congregation”, I can perceive where common sense and personal experience would have been more productive if I had had a better understanding of the techniques Webb introduced in his basis toolbox. After reading Webb’s book, I know I can be a better counselor for my parishioners, their families, and my own family.

Crisis Intervention Training came from the deadly results between law enforcement and mentally unstable individuals. This training gives them the tools to be able to identify people with various kinds of mental illness. These illnesses include but are not limited to anxiety disorder, mood

The profession of counseling has a rich and bold history, evolving through the years from varied disciplines and birthing diverse specialties and branches along the way. Often referred to as the youngest of the counseling specialties is clinical mental health counseling. Despite physical health’s grasp on the nation, mental health has been a major focus at various times throughout history and continues to become an ever growing concern for people in general. As people come to better understand mental health issues and the demand for services grows, it is important to look at how clinical mental health counseling, and the counseling profession in general, has developed over time and how it has advanced to meet the needs of those seeking services.

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

Social workers in emergency room settings are regularly involved in trauma and crisis arrivals. While physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals attend to the patient, social workers are in a position to care for the family during an acute emergency room visit. Much of the literature for crisis interventions in emergency departments focus on acute psychiatric episodes. Therefore, a Patient and Family-Centered Care (PFCC) theory will be evaluated as an appropriate approach.

Dingman, R. L., & Ginter, E. J. (1995). Disasters and crises: The role of mental health counseling. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 17(3), 259. Accessed online: http://www.scientificreply.com/the-effects-of-trauma-on-clients-and-counselors.html

Furthermore, I would like to describe various therapies and the ways in which they are useful. To stabilize the individual and help them to achieve mastery over the situation crisis intervention is used (Caplan 1964). Techniques in crisis intervention includes: to provide an understanding that the crisis and psychological responses are linked, mobilizing social support, ventilation of feelings, exploration and promotion of alternative coping styles, promoting and planning for future difficulties. Immediate intervention should also address distorted perceptions of what has happened, aim to alleviate feelings to guilt and self-blame (Mezey 1997) and address immediate help for safety and medical attention

When mental health counselor’s work at outpatient mental health facilities; it is inevitable they will work with numerous clients who have multiple issues with multiple diagnosis. It is also favorable to say that mental health counselors wear many hats when working with their clients who can experience different crisis on a day to day basis.

Counseling is a relatively young profession when compared to other mental health professions. In my brief personal and professional experience with the field, I have come to define counseling as a process of engagement between two people, both of whom are bound to change through a collaborative process that involves both the therapist and the client in co-constructing solutions to concerns.

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).

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).

Find an article on crisis counseling, please try to not choose the same article as other students. Briefly summarize what you felt was important from the article and describe how you might use the information presenting in your future practice. What fears does this bring up for you?