How to Prepare for Crisis Intervention

Crisis intervention is a method employed by mental health professionals in order to treat and assist people facing a crisis. Crises are times when a person faces a situation marked by a real or perceived loss, in which the person is unable to use effective coping and problem-solving skills. Crises can include life-threatening situations such as natural disasters, as well as sexual assault, crime, mental and medical illness, problems connected to substance use, suicide, homicide, sexual assault and loss of relationship -- such as a death or divorce.

Instructions

• 1

  Prepare to assess the client's response to the crisis and know how to find the precipitant. Crises do not occur in isolation and always have a cause. Understand how to speak with the client calmly but firmly. Practice explaining the importance that he tell his story, particularly what led him to his current state of crisis. You will only be able to plan an intervention strategy by knowing what events led up to the crisis. Educate yourself about the challenges of interviewing someone in crisis. People in crisis can present particular challenges; for instance, a person who is in a state of psychiatric mania may have difficulty telling a story in a straightforward fashion, may change topics quickly or speak in a very quick, pressured manner.

• 2

  Know how to assess for safety. Familiarize yourself with the risk factors for suicide. Understand it is normal to ask clients about suicidal or homicidal thoughts, feelings and plans as part of crisis intervention. Learn how to ask about these issues and assess whether or not the client is at risk for harming herself or others. Risk factors include prior attempts; a family history of attempting suicide; a current plan and intent and access to means of completing these plans, such as handguns or knives. Practice having these types of difficult conversations; you may use a supervisor or coworker to role-play such conversations, so you can feel more comfortable when you need to talk to clients about it.

• 3

  Familiarize yourself with the types of short-term treatment plans used in crisis intervention. Treatment for people in crisis can include medications and medical interventions, as well as speaking with family, friends, doctors and social service organizations. Learn how to include these different players in your treatment plans, and how to discuss their use with the client. Using people who know the client can be key to understanding what is going on. It will also give you the opportunity to inform those involved in the client's treatment. Be ready to put these types of interventions into action quickly, since crisis intervention is often time-limited.