1. Families &
Crisis
Miss Kenny
CRISIS

2. Define ‘crisis’ and describe how people react.
JOURNAL

3. 1) Crises—experiences or events that cause people
to make major changes in their lives
2) Stressors—life events that change or have the
potential to produce change in the family
3) Pileup Effect—stress from each event continues
to build
4) Alienated—alone, without hope, or cut off from
others
5) Adaptation—changes that are practical and
appropriate
VOCABULARY

4. 6) Attitude—learned behaviors that people develop
as they interact with their environment
7) Mental Health—describes the overall condition of
your attitude
8) Stress—your body’s response to the events of
your life
9) Normative Stressors—everyday events that cause
stress
10)Anxiety—uneasy feeling people experience when
they believe something terrible will happen.
VOCABULARY

5. 11) Depression—overwhelming attitude of sadness,
discouragement, and hopelessness
12) Crisis Events—these events are changes in your
life that require major changes in your behavior
13) Internal Stress—stress that comes from inside the
family from normal growth and development
issues or from unresolved conflicts that continue
14) External Stress—stress that is caused by factors
outside the family
VOCABULARY

6. 15)Coping Behavior—is planned behavior that helps
the family
16)Chronic Illness—a medical problem that cannot
be cured
17)Disability—describes an impairment that
interferes with certain abilities
18)Resource—assists in coping with a crisis—can be
friends, family, community, support groups, or
spiritual
VOCABULARY

7. WHAT IS A CRISIS?

8.  An experience or event that causes people to make
major changes in their lives
 A crucial time, decisive moment, or turning point
 A crisis is a situation so critical, it overwhelms
usual coping methods
What are some examples of crises?
A CRISIS IS…

9.  A stressor is different from a crisis
 A stressor is…
 A life event that changes or has the potential to
produce change in the family and causes stress
What are some examples of stressors?
Where does the difference between stressors and crises
lie?
STRESSORS

10.  One’s perception of a crisis is influenced by your
past experiences
 What may be a major crisis in one family may not
be perceived as a crisis in another
What are some experiences that can affect how you
handle crisis?
What are some examples of events that could be
crises in one family, but not another?
PERCEPTION OF A CRISIS

11.  Suddenly
 Security
 Unpredictable
 Questions
 Self-Confidence
 Values
SIX CHARACTERISTICS

12.  Comes without warning
 We are often unable to be prepared for what’s
about to come
Give some examples of crises that come suddenly.
SUDDENLY

13.  A crisis threatens our security and well-being
 Physical
 Psychological
 Emotional
 Economical
 Social
 Causes us to panic because we may lose something
very precious—something that has given structure,
meaning, and purpose in life
How does a loss of security make you feel?
SECURITY

14.  We simply do not know how crises are going to
turn out.
 We may believe we can handle crises that come our
way, but until we experience it, we can’t know for
sure.
 Crises can be
 Short-term
 Long-term
 Last a lifetime
In general, do you like to know what to expect?
UNPREDICTABLE

15.  A crisis presents major problem-solving questions
 These arise because there are not clear-cut
solutions
 Time heals best in a crisis
 This is the time to consult with friends, loved ones, family
members, and others who can help
What are some questions that may present themselves
in a crisis?
QUESTIONS

16.  Crises erode self-confidence
 They remind us that life is fragile and
unpredictable; we are not invincible
 This can leave us unsettled and anxious
 In the end, we may be left feeling apprehensive
about life
How does dealing with something difficult and
tough, where the end result may be negative, make
you feel?
SELF-CONFIDENCE

17.  Crises help us redefine our values
 Most of the time, people can look back at crises
and admit that good came out of it
 Sometimes new values can be better, but not
necessarily
VALUES

18. CATEGORIES, TYPES,
REACTIONS, AND
OUTCOMES OF CRISES

19.  Lifespan Crises—due to age
 Elderly people are more likely to experience a friend’s death
 Older adults and teens are more likely to commit suicide
 Situational Crises—must be in the situation to
experience a certain crisis
 You must be married to experience divorce
 You cannot be in a car accident if you are not around or in a
car
Do you think people tend to experience more
lifespan or situational crises?
CATEGORIES OF CRISES

20.  What does a crisis mean to you?
 Loss
 Threat
 Challenge
What factors might affect whether a crisis is a loss,
threat or challenge?
Will they always be the same for everyone?
TYPES OF CRISES

21.  Loss of something or someone
 You can also lose something intangible, such as
your self-esteem or lifelong dream.
Phoenix Factor Example:
Bill and Helen’s daughter’s death
LOSS

22.  The established order, or “normalness” in our lives
is threatened
Phoenix Factor Example:
Being denied a promotion was a threat to Bob’s
dream.
THREAT

23.  An event for which you are unprepared for
 This may be something you’re unable to do at this
time
Phoenix Factor Example:
Sally was not ready to take the responsibilities of
being a manager at the bank.
CHALLENGE

24.  I can’t cope: Failure to have normal coping
methods. (If you can’t handle the problem by
talking, counseling, etc.)
 I’m going crazy: The crisis unleashes new
emotions, upsets normal routine, produces physical
symptoms or illness. Causes problems in
relationships; you feel like you’re going crazy. A lot
of crying.
How would you support a friend or family member
who reacts to a crisis in each of these ways?
REACTIONS TO A CRISIS

25.  I’m falling apart: Horrible feeling that you’re losing
control of your life. Defenses are down. (A friend
may help!)
 Will it ever end?: It doesn’t last forever, you will
get over it!
How would you support a friend or family member
who reacts to a crisis in each of these ways?
REACTIONS TO A CRISIS

26.  Debility: can’t get over the bitterness, anger, and
hurt. Can’t work or have relationships, your mental
ability slips away.
 Death: action of desperate and hurting person who
is not working through a crisis
 Growing Through a Crisis: growth in coping skills,
more mature attitudes about life, improved
interpersonal relationships, self-awareness, and
greater independence. You are more sensitive of
other people and develop strong ties with loved
ones.
THREE POSSIBLE OUTCOMES

27. STAGES OF A CRISIS

28. Definition: Initial reaction to a crisis
Description: Puts most victims in a daze; hits hard
and unexpectedly.
Reaction: Anxious, not oneself, has trouble making
decisions
1. OUTCRY/SHOCK (BOMBSHELL)

29. Definition: Don’t react or act as if nothing happened
Description: Deny the reality of what is happening;
put aside your reaction to help others
Reaction: Helps other (natural disaster), keeps self
busy with routine
2. DENIAL

30. Definition: Overburdened with thoughts about what
happened
Description: Crisis take over your mind; disorganized;
life won’t be the same
Reaction: Can’t sleep, eat, or concentrate; friction
with friends and family
3. HIT ROCK BOTTOM (INTRUSIVENESS)

31. Definition: Rediscover the meaning in life
Description: Dealing with thoughts and feelings
associated with getting through the crisis
Reaction: Move past the crisis, look to the future
4. WORKING THROUGH THE CRISIS

32. Definition: Refers to the time when crisis is woven
into the fabric of life
Description: Accept the fact of a major loss, won’t
forget but will move on
Reaction: Learn to live with it, grateful for comfort,
celebrate anything that brings hope.
5. COMPLETION

33.  What did you find an article on?
 How was the event a crisis?
 On what level did the crisis take place (personal, community,
state-wide, national, international, worldwide, etc.)? How
did you determine this?
 How did/do people react to the crisis?
ARTICLE SEARCH

34. Stressful
Events &
Coping
THE PILEUP EFFECT

35.  Sometimes crises result when several changes occur
at the same time, or one after another
 Each even is too small to cause significant change
resulting in crisis
 Yet, the stress from each event builds, ending in a
crisis
How do you feel when you experience change?
Do you feel differently when you experience several
changes versus one?
THE PILEUP EFFECT

36.  Starting a new job/business
 Family goes on welfare
 Family member makes a major purchase
 Spouse spends more time away from home
 Conflicts between husband and wife increase
 Arguments between parents and children increase
 Conflicts between siblings increase
STRESSFUL EVENTS

37.  Death of a parent, spouse, or child
 Divorce in the family
 Violence or abuse in the home
 Spouse/parent has an affair
 Family member gets arrested or sent to jail
 Family member becomes disabled or suffers from
chronic illness
 Family member becomes dependent on drugs or
alcohol
 Unmarried family member becomes pregnant
 Family moves to a new city
 Family member loses a job
EXTREMELY STRESSFUL EVENTS

38.  Why do you think it’s important to know the
difference?
 How is the amount of stress felt for an event
impacted?
 How do we deal with these types of events?
STRESSFUL/EXTREMELY STRESSFUL
EVENTS

39.  Four factors:
 The event
 Number of stressors experienced at the same time
 How the event is identified and interpreted
 Resources available to manage the stressful event
What are some examples or resources used to manage
stressful events?
How do people differ in identifying and interpreting
crisis?
WHEN DO STRESSORS LEAD TO CRISIS?

40.  We use coping behaviors to deal with stress
 Everyone has coping behaviors
How do you handle stress?
Is your way of managing stress healthy or unhealthy?
Can your method of coping cause additional stress?
COPING

41.  Identify the sources of stress
 To find your true sources, look at your attitude, habits, and
excuses…
 Do you say stress is temporary, even though you can’t remember
the last time you had a break?
 Do you define stress as a simple part of your life?
 Do you blame your stress on others?
Stress Journal—can help track stress and find patterns
 What caused your stress?
 How do you feel, physically & emotionally?
 How did you act in response?
 What did you do to feel better?
THE FIRST STEP…

42.  Smoking
 Drinking too much
 Overeating/Under-Eating
 Zoning out in front of the
TV or computer
 Withdrawing from friends,
family, and activities
 Using pills or drugs to
relax
 Sleeping too much
 Procrastinating
 Filling up every minute of
every day to avoid the
problem
 Taking out your stress on
others
HOW DO YOU COPE?
 Many people use unhealthy coping behaviors,
causing more stress

43.  Change the situation
 Avoid the stressor
 Alter the stressor
 Change your reaction
 Adapt to the stressor
 Accept the stressor
FOUR A’S

44.  Say “no”—have limits and stick to them
 Avoid people who cause you stress
 If something in your environment causes you stress,
change it
 Avoid hot-button topics
 Trim your “to-do” list
 Focus on what needs to be done, not what should be
done
What are other ways you work to avoid stress?
AVOID UNNECESSARY STRESS

45.  Express your feelings, don’t bottle them up
 Be open to compromise
 Be assertive
 Manage your time better
ALTER THE SITUATION

46.  Reframe problems
 Look at the big picture
 Adjust your standards
 Focus on the positive
 Adjust your attitude—get rid of the following
words: always, never, should, must. They often lead
to self-defeating thoughts
ADAPT TO THE STRESSOR

47.  You can’t control the uncontrollable, so don’t try to
 Look for the upside
 Share your feelings
 Learn to forgive
ACCEPT THE THINGS YOU CANNOT
CHANGE

48.  Go for a walk
 Spend time outside
 Call a friend
 Sweat it out—exercise!
 Keep a journal
 Take a bath
 Light candles
 Enjoy a warm drink
 Play with a pet
 Work in your garden
 Get a massage
 Read a book
 Listen to music
 Watch a funny show or
movie
 Connect with others
 Do something you enjoy
every day
 Keep your sense of humor
MAKE TIME FOR FUN & RELAXATION

49.  Your physical health will improve your metal health
and help you become more resilient to stress
 Exercise regularly
 Eat a balanced, healthy diet
 Reduce caffeine and sugar
 Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs
 Get enough sleep
ADOPT A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

50.  Helps you reduce stress in that moment
 Feel calmer and more at ease
 Get more in sync with life
 Experience a quick boost of clarity
QUICK COHERENCE TECHNIQUE

51. 1) Heart Focus
 Focus your attention to the area around your heart, the area in
the center of your chest
2) Heart Breathing
 Breathe normally and feel as if your breath is coming in and out
through your heart area
3) Heart Feeling
 As you maintain your heart focus and heart breathing, activate a
positive feeling
QUICK COHERENCE TECHNIQUE

52. HOW CRISIS AFFECTS
THE FAMILY

53.  An individual’s crisis can be a crisis for the family
 Ex: Alzheimer’s
 Every member in the family affects another member
 When a member is unable to function, the whole
family can be negatively affected.
Why do you think one person can affect so many
others?
HOW CRISES AFFECT THE FAMILY

54.  Family is functioning smoothly = balanced
 Each member carries out his or her roles
 Family works together to meet the needs of each member
 Family able to fulfill its function in each member’s life
 In a crisis, one or more changes disrupt balance
 Individual family members are unable to fulfill their functions
 Suddenly, family is not functioning smoothly as a unit
 Family needs time, resources, and support as it works to
adjust to the changes and restore balance
FAMILY SYSTEM BECOME UNBALANCED

55.  Most crises situations, some type of loss has taken
place:
 May involve a family member
 Skills or abilities
 Job
 Income
 Home
 Loss hinders the family’s ability to fulfill its normal
functions--at least for a period of time
Why do you think loss tends to affect families more
than other crises?
A LOSS AFFECTS FAMILY FUNCTIONS

56.  Family function of reproducing and socializing
children is hindered by
 Illness
 Divorce
 Hospitalization
 Loss of a family member
 Job loss or a natural disaster could hinder the
family’s ability to meet physical needs
LOSS AFFECTS FAMILY FUNCTIONS

57.  Family function of assigning roles may slowed by
any crisis that prevents members from carrying out
their roles
 Family’s ability to carry out the function of
providing close relationships and intimacy may be
hindered by
 Death
 Divorce
 Move away from relatives
What are some other family functions that might be affected?
LOSS AFFECTS FAMILY FUNCTIONS

58.  When family members experience loss, even though
small, they go through a grieving process
 When they are able to identify and accept their
feeling, they will be able to handle then and go on
with their lives
What are the steps in the grieving process?
THE GRIEVING PROCESS

59.  When loss occurs, family members pass through
certain emotional stages:
 Denial—Is this really happening to me?
 Anger—Why is this happening to me?!
 Guilt—What did I do to deserve this?
 Blame/Bargaining/Depression
 To try and get rid of these feelings, they may blame others for
the problem
 They may try to bargain to make themselves feel better
 They may feel sorry for themselves and become depressed
 Acceptance
Do you think that these steps moving in a linear, timely order?
THE GRIEVING PROCESS

60.  These feeling are NORMAL responses in the
grieving process
 It is important that family members move on and
accept the reality of the loss
 “This happened to our family and we are sad, but
we can and will move on.”
ACCEPTANCE

61.  Acceptance is needed so family members can take
action and adjust to the changes brought about by
the loss
 They need to work together so the function of the
family can be carried out
 Roles may need to be adjusted
 Financial resources or help from others may be
needed
ACCEPTING A LOSS

62.  If the family does not adjust, unhealthy patterns
may develop
 Feelings of anger, blame, and guilt will continue
 Members may feel depressed, stop eating, withdraw
from others, or fail to show up at work
 They may abuse alcohol or other drugs to cover up
their feelings
 They may lash out and abuse other family members
What are some other unhealthy ways people adjust?
UNHEALTHY ADJUSTMENT PATTERNS

63.  When family doesn’t function normally, the physical
and mental health of members may suffer
 Parents may ignore their parental responsibilities-
as result children may be neglected, malnourished,
or abused
 Children’s emotional development will suffer if they
do not experience love and acceptance
 Children may feel ALIENATED- alone, without hope,
or cut off from other who care
 This feeling is listed as a major factor in teen
suicide
UNHEALTHY ADJUSTMENT PATTERNS

64.  Responding to crises with unhealthy behavior
patterns may hinder the growth and development
of family members and cause serious long-term
results
 Developing skills for preventing a family crisis is
important for all family members
What kind of skills can prevent a family crisis?
UNHEALTHY ADJUSTMENT PATTERNS

65. RESOURCES

66.  Resources in our life help us cope with our crisis.
 Resources included are a person’s family, friends &
relatives.
 People also use community resources available to
them.
WHY DO WE NEED RESOURCES?

67.  Definition: Help with emotional well-being and
offer support when we are having a hard time.
 Crisis situations threatens security. Crises
help/force us to make decisions.
 Helps us to accept things we can’t change.
MENTAL RESOURCES

68.  Helps us to make a situation tolerable.
 Examples: Counselors, teachers, ministers, priest ..ect.
 Knowledge and religious belief.
MENTAL RESOURCES

69.  The bodies ability to demonstrate enormous
strength.
 Examples: People who are able to pick up a car in an
accident.
 The body produces adrenaline. The heart will beat
faster and the body can increase energy.
PHYSICAL HEALTH RESOURCES

70.  Crisis creates a need for money & finances.
 Family needs to have adequate income, savings and
insurance.
 Easily accessible savings.
FINANCIAL RESOURCES

71.  Family
Vows promise to support in good times and bad.
Crisis should never become more important than
the family
Love & care for each other.
Family members may change roles.
 Example: Children may need to become a parent
Allow children to share and be part of the crisis.
SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

72.  Friends
 Offer emotional support
 Typically short term, due to obligation to own family.
SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

73.  http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_
coping.htm
 Developed from PowerPoints created by Kate Pittack and
Jessica Meyers
REFERENCES