1.
f
De-escalating Hostile
and violent language
I PAY YOUR [add expletive here] WAGES!
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Facilitator: Gerald Pauschmann

2.
All the
resources

3.
Today we will get clear about
•MITIGATING DANGER
•WHY WE GET ANGRY
•WHAT TO DO
•WHAT TO SAY
•COMMUNICATION WITH
THE MENTALLY ILL

4.
Neutral
Angry
Relaxed
Happy
Content
Thrill
Agitated
Not Happy
Upset
Violent
Hostile
Abusive
Excitement
Euphoria
Settle down
I’m an authorised officer
There is nothing
I can do You are entitled
To your opinion
You have to
I can’t
Unfortunately
That’s not our job
No

5.
Natural and practices skills of handling the wide
spectrum of callers
Essential:
Good attitude
Positive regard for all people
A capacity and ability to use empathy
Recognise:
There are customers who experience difficulty in conforming to what is
expected of them. This may be due to cognitive impairment—for example,
delirium, psychosis, intoxication, and intellectual disability
Practiced or life experiences:
Resilience
Mental toughness
TAC / NVC
Courage
Confidence

6.
• What are you thinking
• How will you approach the situation
• What is your introduction
• What will be your opening statement / question

7.
De-
escalation
skills that
DON’T work
Debate the
facts
Ask “why”
questions
Jump to
conclusions
Rush Use sarcasm
Criticize and
blame
Impose your
value
judgments
Nag and
preach
Counterpunch

8.
Get to the customer before the
customer gets to you
Good morning sir/madam, I just noticed
you were taking videos, BTW we don’t
have an issue with that but could I just ask
that you be mindful that there maybe some
people that could take offence to you taking
images of them or even their children.
I hope you get some great shots, if you
need anything I’ll be ‘over there’

9.
5 universal TRUTHS of human
interaction
All people want is to be:
1. Treated with dignity and respect
2. ASKED rather than TOLD to do something
3. To feel IMPORTANT
4. Offered OPTIONS rather than threats
5. Given a chance to be heard
Dr. George Thompson

10.
Today we will get clear about
•WHY WE GET
ANGRY

11.
The seven levels of escalating anger
Frustration
Defensive anger
Difficult angry people
Hostility
Rage
Violence
Threats

12.
All behaviour
has a
purpose – to
fulfil a NEED
• Power
• Revenge
• Attention seeking
• Hopelessness
• Conformity
NEED – DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR
RELIEF – INSTANT GRATIFICATION

13.
Where does our aggression
stem from?
• DNA?
• Upbringing
• Environment
• Learned
• Past experiences
• Circumstances
• Cultural

14.
Why are people ANGRY

15.
Masks of
anger
• Shame
• Hurt
• Fear
• Anxiety
• Sadness
• Guilt
• Insecurity
• Jealousy
• Embarrassed
• Rejected

16.
Today we will get clear about
WHAT TO DO

17.
TALK TO THEM
WALK AWAY BEAT THEM
UP / ARGUE

18.
THINK ABOUT THE DECISIONS
YOU ARE MAKING
E F
S L
Will it stand up to
SCRUNITY from
the
Community?
Is it ETHICAL and
ensure
compliance with
standards and
procedures?
Is it LAWFUL?
Consider the bi-
laws, regulations
and legislations.
Is it FAIR?
Consider the
community, your
family and
colleagues.

19.
Our first PRIORITY
Stay safe

20.
Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Work
Health and Safety Regulation 2011
WH&S Safe Plan
Tactical Assertive Communication and Non-Violent Communication

21.
Today we will get clear about
WHAT TO SAY

22.
So…
What are your customers NOT HAPPY with
What are your
customers saying
to you that is
rude, oppositional
or disrespectful?

23.
When you approach agitated
customers, you must monitor
your own emotional and
physiologic response so as
to remain calm and,
therefore, be capable of
performing verbal de-
escalation.

24.
STRATEGY
• STOP them from abusing you
• ACKNOWLEDGE they are (emotion)
• Reflect on WHAT THEY ARE NOT HAPPY WITH
• Tell them YOUR ROLE
• Give them your OUTCOME

25.
What would you say?
• You can’t tell me what to do
• I pay your wages
• I know the Mayor
• You’re a RACIST.
• Get me someone older
• I’m not talking to a woman
• What you are doing is illegal under the
constitution. I am a sovereign citizen
• You are all corrupt.
• You have NO idea what it’s like to bring up
children these days

26.
STRATEGY
• STOP them from abusing you
• ACKNOWLEDGE they are (emotion)
• Reflect on WHAT THEY ARE NOT HAPPY WITH
• Tell them YOUR ROLE
• Give them your OUTCOME

27.
Neutral
Angry
Relaxed
Happy
Content
Thrill
Agitated
Not Happy
Upset
Violent
Hostile
Abusive
Excitement
Euphoria
Settle down
I’m an authorised officer
There is nothing
I can do You are entitled
To your opinion
You have to
I can’t
Unfortunately
That’s not our job
No

28.
Things you can do to handle
someone else’s anger
Breathe
Remain calm
Think outcome
Make an effort to open
up the communication
Get more polite without
Being patronising or
condescending
Validate their concerns
Agree with them
Use humour*
IGNORE – AGREE – EMPATHISE – QUESTION – INVITE CRITICISM
Don’t take it
personally

29.
Agreeing with them!
Miller's Law
Miller's law states, “To understand what
another person is saying, you must assume
assume that it is true and try to imagine
what it could be true of.”
Is the quickest way to de-escalate a HSP

30.
All the resources LinkedIn

31.
You
Council
Acknowledge
Clarify
Reality
Action

32.
SYSTEM
I can see
You seem
That must be
I sense
You’re…
And you think
what you would like me to do is…
So what you are telling me is…
The way you see things is…
I know you aren’t making it personal
The situation is this
That doesn’t exempt you
Here’s the thing
The legislation
Councils stand…
You cannot
So you need to listen carefully
This is what we are going to do
I suggest that you
I’d like to keep this conversation respectful
Allow me to do my job and get you…
ACKNOWLEDGE
ACTION
REALITY
CLARIFY

33.
Today we will get clear about
MITIGATING
DANGER

34.
Your responses:
Deal with the
difficult
behaviour, not
the person
1
Respond to the
difficult
behaviour rather
than reacting to
it
2
Choose
appropriate
responses to the
other person’s
behaviour
3

35.
Don’t react to
emotional
outbursts
1
Allow people to
let off steam
2
Listen actively
& acknowledge
what is being
said
3
Explain, offer
alternatives
4

36.
Remember:
 Don’t take the BAIT
 Don’t get drawn into the other person’s
power games
 Maintain your self control
 Clarify any vague or general statements
to determine just what the other person
is saying

37.
Today we will get clear about
COMMUNICATING
WITH THE
MENTALLY ILL

38.
Mental illness alone does not
increase the risk of violence,
but when mental illness is
combined with other risk
factors such as substance
abuse, it does increase the
risk of violence.

39.
The highest risk for violence
was found in those who had
mental illness, a substance
abuse problem, and a history
of violence.
Research showed this group
had 10 times the risk of
violence than those who only
had mental illness.

40.
Actively listen by validating
how person feels:
• Redirect the conversation from
discussion of events to talking
about feelings and emotions.
• Example: “It sounds like you
have a lot of feelings about this.
That makes sense to me.”
Communication
strategies

41.
Ask if events have triggered
memories of other situations or
events:
• Memories may provoke painful
emotions and negative
behaviours (withdrawal,
avoidance, hyper-vigilance) as
ways to cope with these events
• Examples: “Have you found
yourself thinking about things
from the past?” or “Have you
been in similar situations
before?”

42.
Avoid clinical, diagnostic
and pathological language:
• You may see symptoms of
clinical issues such as
anxiety, depression, and
PTSD, but steer away from
language that connects to
diagnosis
• Example: Instead of saying
“That’s your depression
talking,” say “Those kinds of
feelings are normal.”

43.
Communicate person to
person rather than “expert” to
“victim:”
• Use straightforward terms
• Foster rapport and trust by
expressing genuine concern
rather than the expert position of
treating them as a victim of an
event
• Example: This is a really difficult
time. I’ve been wondering how
today has affected you” or “How
have you been coping with all of
this?”

44.
Foster resilience:
• A strengths-based approach
can promote long-term
recovery by helping
patients/clients adapt to
traumatic events
• The path to resilience varies
from person to person
• Example: “I’ve seen you get
through a lot of hard times --
we can figure out this one
too.”

45.
Encourage customer to minimise their
exposure to media coverage:
• Extensive media coverage can
exacerbate negative emotions and serve
as constant reminders of what happened
• Place media coverage into context and
remind them that there are also positive
things occurring in the world
• Example: “I wonder if you and the kids
could use a break from all the TV news.
• How about turning off the TV and doing
some activities with them tonight?”

46.
Understand your comfort level
with dealing with violent
traumatic events:
• Our own emotions can be
triggered by the work you
do. Get help from co-workers or
other practitioners to talk through
your responses
• Avoid discussing the situation,
staff opinions or interpretation of
the events in the presence of the
public. This can inflame and
evoke conflict.
• Find a trusted co-worker to share
your feelings with -- away from
customer contact areas.

47.
Phrases you could use depending on the situation
I want to work with you but I need you to be helpful.
I can help you with that but I need you to hear me out
Let me see if I heard you correctly
Tell me what has got you so upset
Will you allow me to try to help you with your concerns
I would if I could but I’m not authorised to do that
I would really like to help you with that but only the courts can do that