Approaches to Problem Solving in Crisis Intervention

As a counselor, social worker, educator or friend, you may find it necessary to provide guidance to those who have landed in the midst of crisis and are temporarily incapable of coping with the stresses of life. In these cases, it is useful to employ a problem-solving strategy that can diminish the crisis or bolster the individual's coping skills enough for her to take hold of the situation.

Organize Problems

• In situations such as a rape or the loss of a loved one, an overwhelming factor is contributing to the crisis. However, individuals are often driven to the point of crisis by several life stresses and have simply reached the tipping point. In this case, listen to all of the problems and organize them in a logical manner. You could work collaboratively using a whiteboard to list the contributing factors and then ask the individual to rearrange them in order of severity. Sometimes, a single factor may be causing all the other problems without the individual realizing it. Try to pinpoint this factor, or the most severe one, and tackle that first.

Deal With Feelilngs

• A crisis consists of two primary components: the external event or situation that is causing the stress and the individual's reaction to that situation. If the event or situation is outside of the individual's hands and it is impossible for him to change it, such as the death of a parent, it is necessary to work at the level of his feelings and reactions. Sometimes an individual may simply need to tell his story, vent, cry and release his emotional experience. Active listening and demonstrating that you understand and empathize with the individual may be the most important step to solving the crisis.

Take Action

• It is always wise to make sure the person in crisis isn't thinking suicidal thoughts. An individual who is coming in because of attempted suicide or domestic violence must be regarded with much more vigilance and responsibility than normal. If you suspect possible suicide, it may be useful to discuss options such as brief hospitalization or a no-suicide contract. For women who are in physical danger at home, it may be necessary to aid them in finding temporary housing.

Alternatives and Plans

• Those in crisis may find themselves stubbornly clinging to ineffective coping styles and may have difficulty fathoming other possible means of dealing with problems. Brainstorming alternatives to problems can help loosen an individual's behavioral patterns and provide some much-needed perspective. Sometimes offering outlandish alternatives can be useful to jarring an individual out of the box they perceive themselves in. For example, a 16-year-old girl who attempts suicide because she can't stand being around her family has many options. Offer some possibilities, such as volunteering in a program that assists developing countries, becoming an emancipated minor or applying for scholarships and colleges on the other side of the country. Explore all possibilities and implement a plan together.