1. Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Edition 6
Residential Child Care Project Cornell University 2009

2. A young person’s inability to cope results in a change in behaviour
A Crisis Occurs When
A young person’s inability to cope results in a change in behaviour
THE STRESS MODEL OF CRISIS: A TYPICAL CRISIS 9

3. The Goals of Crisis Intervention Are To
Support: environmentally and emotionally to reduce stress
and risk.
Teach: children better ways to cope with stress
THE STRESS MODEL OF CRISIS: A TYPICAL CRISIS 10

4. Stress Model of Crisis
THE STRESS MODEL OF CRISIS: A TYPICAL CRISIS11

5. Recovery Phase
THE STRESS MODEL OF CRISIS: A TYPICAL CRISIS 12

6. Skills Building Pyramid:LSI
THE LIFE SPACE INTERVIEW 63

7. Stress Model of Crisis
PROTECTIVE INTERVENTION 50

8. Elements of Potentially Violent Situation
A potential trigger to violence
A target
A weapon
Level of stress of motivation
PROTECTIVE INTERVENTION 51

9. Remove the Potential Trigger to Violence By
Never touching an angry and potentially violent person
Avoiding any aggressive moves and provocative statements
Avoiding the conflict cycle and counter aggression
Removing others who might trigger the violence
_ Body language is critical _
PROTECTIVE INTERVENTION 52

10. Remove the Target By Asking the targeted person to leave
If it’s you, reminding they young person of your relationship or leaving the situation and asking a “neutral” staff to mange the incident
- The target may shift during the episode -
PROTECTIVE INTERVENTION 53

11. Avoid the Weapon By Discreetly removing objects
Manoeuvring away from weapons
Staying a safe distance away
PROTECTIVE INTERVENTION 54

12. Decrease the Level of stress or Motivation By
Using your relationship
Actively listening to identify feelings
Removing the audience
Using co – regulation strategies (reactive aggression)
Offering alternative, nonaggressive ways to achieve goals( proactive aggression)
PROTECTIVE INTERVENTION 55

13. Skills Building Pyramid: Crisis Co-Regulation
HELP ME HELP MYSELF CRISIS CO-REGULATION 56

14. Stress Model of Crisis
HELP ME HELP MYSELF CRISIS CO-REGULATION 57

15. Objective of Crisis Co- Regulation
To provide support in a way that reduces stress and risk
HELP ME HELP MYSELF CRISIS CO-REGULATION 58

16. What to think (Self Awareness)
Ask yourself the four questions
Use positive self talk.
HELP ME HELP MYSELF CRISIS CO-REGULATION 59

17. What To Do (Nonverbal Strategies)
Take a deep breath
Use protective stance
Step back
Give the situation time
Sit sown if appropriate
Remember the importance of body language and facial expression
HELP ME HELP MYSELF CRISIS CO-REGULATION 60

18. What to say (Verbal Strategies)
Very little
Understanding responses
“ I can see….”(validate feelings)
“ When you …”(encourage positive behaviour)
“ I know we….” ( emphasise desirable outcomes)
“ I am sorry….” (offer an apology)
Remember the importance for tone of voice
HELP ME HELP MYSEL: CRISIS CO-REGULATION 61

19. What to Do When It is Over
It’s over when the …………….
Prepare to discuss the situation in a LSI
HELP ME HELP MYSELF CRISIS CO-REGULATION 62

20. Skills Building Pyramid: LSI
THE LIFE SPACE INTERVIEW 63

21. THE LIFE SPACE INTERVIEW 64

22. The Life Space Interview ( LSI) Is
A therapeutic, verbal strategy for intervening with a young person
“ The clinical exploitation of life events”
- Fritz Redl
THE LIFE SPACE INTERVIEW 65

23. Goals of the LSI Return the young person to normal functioning
Clarify events
Repair and restore the relationship
Teach new coping skills
Reintegrate the young person back into the programme
THE LIFE SPACE INTERVIEW 66

24. Steps to the LSI I – Isolate the conversation
E – Explore the young person’s point of view
S – Summaries the feelings and content
C – Connect feelings to behaviour
A – Alternative behaviours discussed
P – Plan developed / Practice new behaviour
E – Enter young person back into the routine
THE LIFE SPACE INTERVIEW 67

25. Caveat (Warning) Participate only if physically and medically able
Offer no resistance in the role of the young person
(unless the trainers instruct you otherwise)
Remove objects that might cause injury
Be appropriately dressed
Practice only the techniques demonstrated
PROTECTIVE INTERVENTIONS 49