CRISIS INTERVENTIONS AND SAFETY CONCERNS

Crisis intervention is a brief, focused, and time-limited treatment strategy that has been shown to be effective in helping people adaptively cope with stressful events. Knowledge of crisis intervention techniques is an important clinical skill of all mental health providers, regardless of clinical setting or practice specialty.

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Is a short-term therapy focused on solving the immediate problem. It is usually limited to 6 weeks. The goal of crisis intervention is for the individual to return to a pre-crisis level of functioning. Often the person advances to a level of growth that is higher than the pre-crisis level because new ways of problem solving have been learned.

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It is important for mental health providers to remember that culture strongly influences the crisis intervention process, including the communication and response style of mental health providers and the clients. Cultural attitudes are deeply ingrained in the process of asking for, giving, and receiving help. They also affect the victimization experience, so it is essential to understand and respect the sociocultural context of crisis care.

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Behaviors commonly exhibited during and after a crisis:

Anger

Apathy

Backaches

Boredom

Crying spells

Diminished sexual drive

Disbelief

Fatigue

Fear

Flashbacks

Forgetfulness

Headaches

Hopelessness

helplessness

Insomnia

Irritability

Nightmares

Numbness

Overeating or undereating

Poor concentration

Sadness

School problems

Work difficulties

Self-doubt

Shock

Social withdrawal

Substance abuse

Suicidal thoughts/ ideations

Survivor guilt

Denial

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Crisis intervention consists of actions to:

• Prevent clients from harming themselves and/or other people

• Administer medications if applicable

• Re-establish safety and security

• Provide clients with a supportive and safe space