1. De-Escalation
NON-VIOLENT PHYSICAL CRISIS INTERVENTION: DE-ESCALATION TRAINING Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI)
Power point template opening slide
Cheryl Fischer MS, LPC-S
Program Specialist, 504s and MDRs
Ameet Bosmia EdS, NCSP
School Psychologist

2. NON-VIOLENT PHYSICAL CRISIS INTERVENTION: DE-ESCALATION TRAINING Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI)
Aiken County Public School District (ACPSD)
Cheryl Fischer, MS, LPC
Program Specialist – 504s and MDRs
aiken county public school district

3. Essential Question
How can I use both verbal and nonverbal techniques to safely de- escalate behavior?
aiken county public school district

4. Outcomes
As a result of attending this session, participants will be able to:
Identify the levels of crisis development and the appropriate staff responses for each;
Identify verbal and nonverbal techniques to prevent acting out behaviors;
Gain an understanding of the role of precipitating factors and rational detachment.
aiken county public school district

5. WHAT Is Crisis Prevention Intervention “CPI”?
CPI Training:
Focuses on learning skills to enable you to defuse a potentially violent individual BEFORE they become assaultive. It is a two day training
Recognized world wide
Offered throughout the school year
To register, call
aiken county public school district

6. BASED ON THE CONCEPT OF THE INTERGRATED EXPERIENCE
The concept that our behaviors and attitudes impact the behaviors and attitudes of those around us and vice versa.
By changing our behaviors and attitudes in any situation, we can influence the behaviors and attitudes of others.
aiken county public school district

7. CPI CRISIS DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL
Integrated Experience
Crisis Development
Staff Attitudes/Responses
1) Anxiety
1) Supportive
2) Defensive
2) Directive
3) Acting out person
3) Non-violent Physical Crisis Intervention
4) Tension reduction
4) Therapeutic rapport
*We will not be covering the “Acting out Person  Non-Violent Physical Crisis Intervention” stages. This information involves training provided in a 2 day seminar.
To Nonverbal Behavior
aiken county public school district

8. CPI CRISIS DEVELOPMENT MODEL
INTEGRATED EXPERIENCE
Crisis Development
Staff Attitudes/Responses
1) Anxiety
A noticeable increase or decrease in a person’s behavior
Examples:
Pacing
Finger drumming
Writing of the hands
Staring
1) Supportive
Acknowledging that change in behavior and being of assistance
An empathetic, non-judgmental approach attempting to alleviate anxiety
aiken county public school district

9. Back to CPI Crisis Developmental Model
EMPATHIC LISTENING
EMPATHIC LISTENING:
Active process to discern what a person is saying
Key elements of empathic listening:
1. Be non-judgmental.
2. Undivided attention.
3. Listen for the real message.
4. Allow silence for reflection.
5. Use restatement to clarify messages.
Back to CPI Crisis Developmental Model
aiken county public school district

10. CPI CRISIS DEVELOPMENT MODEL
INTEGRATED EXPERIENCE
Crisis Development
Staff Attitudes/Responses
2) Defensive
The beginning state of loss of rationality. At this stage, the individual becomes belligerent and verbally challenges authority.
Examples:
Cussing
Name calling
Verbal threats
2) Directive
An approach in which a staff member takes control of a potentially escalating situation by setting limits, restating directives
aiken county public school district

11. CRISIS DEVELOPMENT MODEL
INTEGRATED EXPERIENCE
Crisis Development
Staff Attitudes/Responses
4) Tension Reduction
Decrease in physical and emotional energy output, which occurs after a person has acted out
Characterized by regaining of rationality
Individual calms down
4) Therapeutic Rapport
An attempt to re-establish communication with an individual who is in the tension reduction stage
aiken county public school district

12. NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR Proxemics (Personal Space):
The area around an individual that is comfortable (1 – 3 feet)
Space seen as an extension of one’s self
Things that make a difference in one’s proxemics
Gender
Height
Attitude
Facing someone
Seated vs. Standing
Culture
What else? How about personal information?
Kinesics (Body Language):
The way we communicate non-verbally through body language, posture, expression, motion, etc.
aiken county public school district

13. NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR PROXEMICS (Personal Space) EXERCISE:
Form two lines facing each other
Demonstration
One line approach the other letting the approaching line know when to stop
Reverse roles
Describe feelings
aiken county public school district

14. NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR KINESICS (Body Language) EXERCISE:
Two lines facing each other with different partners
Demonstration
Approach partner, stopping one leg length away
Take a large step toward partner and hold for 6 seconds
Take a small step toward partner and hold for 6 seconds
*Take one step back and pivot to side, forming L- shape with partner. This is the CPI supportive stance.
Describe feelings & behaviors
Reverse roles
aiken county public school district

15. NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR REASONS FOR USING STANCE: 1. Safety 2. Respect
3. Non-challenging (or threatening)
aiken county public school district

16. PARAVERBAL COMMUNICATION
How we say what we say
The link between verbal and nonverbal
The vocal part of speech, excluding the actual words one uses
Paraverbal communication helps us not send mixed messages
Paraverbal communication is to the spoken word, what punctuation is to the written word
aiken county public school district

17. PARAVERBAL COMMUNICATION
THREE COMPONENTS OF PARAVERBAL COMMUNICATION:
1. TONE
Avoid inflections of impatience, condescension, inattention, etc.
2. VOLUME
Appropriate for distance and situation
3. CADENCE
Use an even rate and rhythm; slow down speech and slow down thought processes
aiken county public school district

18. PARAVERBAL COMMUNICATION
PARAVERBAL COMMUNICATION EXERCISE:
Tone
Volume
Cadence
What are some of your experiences with each of these components of paraverbal communication?
What is the relationship between paraverbal communication and an individual escalating?
How does an individual’s paraverbal communication sign affect appropriate staff responses on the crises development continuum?
aiken county public school district

19. VERBAL ESCALATION CONTINUUM
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20. VERBAL ESCALATION CONTINUUM
INTEGRATED EXPERIENCE
Verbal Escalation Stage
Staff Intervention/Response
1) Questioning
Two Types of Questions:
1) Information Seeking
2) Challenging
1) Answer information seeking questions
2) Ignore challenging questions and redirect and set limits
aiken county public school district

21. VERBAL ESCALATION CONTINUUM
INTEGRATED EXPERIENCE
Verbal Escalation Stage
Staff Intervention/Response
2) Refusal
Non-compliance
Slight loss of rationalization
Redirect and set limits
Be mindful of your proxemics and kinesics as it can either escalate or de-escalate a situation
aiken county public school district

22. VERBAL ESCALATION CONTINUUM
INTEGRATED EXPERIENCE
Verbal Escalation Stage
Staff Intervention/Response
3) Release
Acting-out, emotional outburst
Loss of rationalization
Venting
Screaming
Sweating
HIGH energy output
Allow venting
Remove audience or acting out individual
When the individual calms down and is responsive, state directives
Enforce limits
aiken county public school district

23. VERBAL ESCALATION CONTINUUM
INTEGRATED EXPERIENCE
Verbal Escalation Stage
Staff Intervention/Response
4) Intimidation
Two Types of Intimidation:
1) Verbal
2) Non-verbal
1) Seek assistance
2) Take all threats seriously
3) Document, document, document
aiken county public school district

24. VERBAL ESCALATION CONTINUUM
INTEGRATED EXPERIENCE
Verbal Escalation Stage
Staff Intervention/Response
5) Tension Reduction
Decrease in emotional and physical energy
Re-establish communication and therapeutic rapport
Is this a good time to present a disciplinary referral or verbally reprimand the individual?
aiken county public school district

25. VERBAL ESCALATION CONTINUUM
KEYS TO SETTING LIMITS:
Setting limits offers a person choices and states the consequences of those choices
Offer positive choices and consequences first
Allow time to process (recall the loss of rationality)
Limits are most effective when they are:
1) Simple/Clear
2) Reasonable
3) Enforceable
Back to Verbal Escalation Continuum
aiken county public school district

26. VERBAL ESCALATION CONTINUUM
VERBAL INTERVENTION TIPS AND TECHNIQUES THAT WORK:
Give time to process
Remain calm
Give an out
Non-confrontational
Explain
Isolate the situation
Be realistic
Empathy
Restate directives
Redirect and set limits
Listen
Be aware of both self and individual’s non-verbals (proxemics and kinesics)
Be consistent
aiken county public school district

27. VERBAL ESCALATION CONTINUUM
VERBAL INTERVENTION TIPS AND TECHNIQUES THAT MIGHT WORK:
Humor
Sarcasm
Touch
aiken county public school district

28. VERBAL ESCALATION CONTINUUM
VERBAL INTERVENTION TIPS AND TECHNIQUES DOESN’T WORK:
Overreacting
Getting into power struggles
Yelling
Begging
Being threatening
Preaching
Making false promises
Name-calling
Faking attention
Using jargon (confuses and frustrates)
aiken county public school district

29. VERBAL ESCALATION CONTINUUM
EMPATHIC LISTENING:
Active process of discerning what a person is saying
Key Elements of Empathetic Listening:
1. Be non-judgmental.
2. Allow silence for reflection.
3. Give undivided attention.
4. Use restatement to clarify messages
5. Listen for the real message
Back to CPI Crisis Developmental Model
aiken county public school district

30. PRECIPITATING FACTORS, RATIONAL DETACHMENT, INTEGRATED EXPERIENCE
Internal or external causes of an acting out behavior over which a staff member has little or no control
What are some examples of precipitating factors? Work within your groups and present ideas
aiken county public school district

31. PRECIPITATING FACTORS
Home Environment
Abuse, Neglect <DSS Reporting>
Food (lack of, too much, or junk food)
Lack of sleep
Other caregivers in home-boyfriends, grandparents, stepparents
Medical problems
Kids that work
No stable or adequate place to live
Divorce
Death
Parents in jail
aiken county public school district

32. PRECIPITATING FACTORS
Medication (not taking it, not having it, taking too much)
Parental Involvement (too little, too much)
Latch Key Children
Excessive Absences
Too much responsibility on kids, on school
Loss of Personal Power
Need to Maintain Self-Esteem
Fear, Failure
Learning Disabilities
Attention-Seeking
Displaced Anger
Psychological Causes
Full Moon
aiken county public school district

33. RATIONAL DETACHMENT RATIONAL DETACHMENT:
The ability to remain calm and professional, in control of your behavior and not take the acting out behavior personally.
Can’t control precipitating factors, but can control own responses to acting out behaviors.
Maintain professional attitude so can control the situation without overreacting.
Find positive outlets for negative energy absorbed from acting out person.
aiken county public school district

34. WAYS TO HELP RATIONAL DETACHMENT
PREVENTION:
Exercise
Hobbies
Crisis Plan
Time Out
Sports
Vacation
Vent with Friends
Driving
Music
Massage
Training
Fun with Family
aiken county public school district

35. WAYS TO HELP RATIONAL DETACHMENT
INTERVENTION:
Whose mud puddle (issue) is it?
Self-talk
Breathe
Avoid power struggle
Leave other problems at the door
Take a step back
Get help: Use the team
Implement plan
aiken county public school district

36. WAYS TO HELP RATIONAL DETACHMENT
POSTVENTION:
Debrief and focus on good and bad and how to improve
Celebrate successes
Documentation
Let it go!!!
More training and practice
Evaluate plans again
aiken county public school district

37. POSTVENTION Re-establish communication with student
Determine if they are calm and in control
Discuss what happened
Identify triggers
Agree on alternative behaviors
This is your teachable moment!
aiken county public school district

38. Questions Cheryl Fischer, Program Specialist for 504 and MDR
Ameet Bosmia, School Psychologist
aiken county public school district