A crisis is a temporary state of upset and disorganization where an individual's usual problem solving abilities are impaired. It involves a precipitating event, the individual's perception of that event, and diminished functioning. Crisis intervention aims to reduce suffering, triage problems, and capitalize on strengths to facilitate coping. It is a brief therapeutic approach that assesses the stressor, individual, meaning of the event, and reactions of others to help create a treatment plan, provide resources, and refer to long-term therapy if needed. The goal is to return the client to their pre-crisis level of functioning through affective, cognitive, and environmental interventions.

1. Presented by:
Carolyn G. Carlisle PhD, LPC

2.  A crisis is “a temporary state of upset and
disorganization, characterized chiefly by an
individual's inability to cope with a particular
situation utilizing customary methods of
problem solving, and by the potential for a
radically negative or positive outcome”
(Jackson-Cherry & Erford, 2010, pg. 2)
 Trilogy Definition involves three major
components:
 The individual who is in crisis
 The actual event that precipitates the crisis
 Not so much what happens to the individual
 Their perception of the event–
 Diminished functioning when the distress is not
mitigated by adequate coping resources

3.  Stress
 Response to a stressor that leads to a change in equilibrium
 Trauma
 Powerful, overwhelming, and threaten perceptions of safety and
security
 Responses to trauma
 Typically respond with intense fear and horror
 Other physiological symptoms (difficulty eating, sleeping, and
functioning in everyday life; hypervigilence)
 Coping
 All actions taken in an attempt to manage the stress
 Adaptive or maladaptive
 Adaption
 Degree to which functioning has changed
 Resiliency
 How well an individual bounces back from adversity
 Based on physiological strengths and psychological resourcefulness

4.  Brief therapeutic intervention with the goal
to return the client to their level of
functioning before the crisis designed to:
 Decrease suffering/symptoms
 Then refer to long term therapy if needed
 Triage client problems
 Resource and referral
 May or may not include clinical diagnosis
 Capitalize on client strengths and protective
factors that will facilitate coping
 Prevention
 May prevent full blown crisis or diminish the severity

5.  Assessment
 the stressor event
 the person experiencing the crisis
 the meaning of the event to the person in crisis
 Reactions of others that impact the person
experiencing the crisis
 Important to assess risk factors
 Some of which may have been present prior to the
crisis
 Intervention
 Treatment plan
 Resource and referral
 Termination
 Short term nature of crisis intervention can present
termination issues

6. Interviewing the client
Psychosocial history
Perception of the event
Presenting symptoms
Risks for self harm
Coping resources available to client
Support system available to client
 Direct observations of the client during the
interview
 Present to person, place, time, and circumstance?
 Represents their level of contact with reality
 Level of fear, anxiety, despair, sense of
hopelessness?

7.  Affective Intervention:
 Need to establish rapid rapport with the client
 Help the client to express and manage feelings resulting from the crisis
 Cognitive Intervention:
 Help the client understand the connections between the traumatic
event and their response to it
 Clarifying the problem
 Identify factors involved
 Helping the client to intellectually understand the crisis
 Initiate coping strategies
 Help the client to change their perceptions surrounding the trauma
 Environmental intervention:
 Help the client to access support
 From family, friends, community resources
 VOCA grant
 All three of these approaches will be used at some point

8.  Debriefing
 Critical incident training
 Individual counseling
 Group counseling
 Social support
 Classroom guidance
 Prevention programs
 Resources to teachers and support staff
 PTSD symptoms; suicidal ideation
 Resources for parents and other stakeholders

9.  Assistant clients in understanding the ways crisis
has affected their life
 Cognitively
 Behaviorally
 Emotionally
 Monitor and assess the severity of the trauma
 Make referrals as needed
 Provide specific crisis intervention strategies
 Specific treatment plan
 Safety planning
 Coping skills development and stress inoculators
 Provide client with resources
 Prepare client to deal with future crises
 Will help eliminate symptoms

10.  May people report extreme personal growth
subsequent to a crisis
 Effective intervention is the key to positive
outcomes

11.  Jackson-Cherry, L; & Erford, B.(2010), Crisis
Intervention. Pearson, New York, New York.
 Information from a website- ksu.edu