COU305A Working withSample Page
Crisis and Trauma
2 Crisis Intervention
Dr Michelle Mars –Associate Professor
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This week
• Introductions
• Topics for this week:
• Opening Exercise
Attachment styles and trauma
• Crisis intervention
• Models of crisis intervention
• Assignments
1 weekly discussion forums
2 & 3 due week 6 & 11 2000 essay
on the bushfires (PTSD focus) 2000
report (Complex trauma focus)

Opening Exercise
Attachment styles and trauma

ab_channel=TheSchoolofLife
Discuss the relationship between complex
trauma and attachment style.
a retraction or narrowing of the field of personal consciousness;
Models of crisis intervention
• Recognised reactions to crisis
• Crisis workers action continuum
• Models of Crisis Intervention
a retraction or narrowing of the field of personal consciousness; •
a retraction or narrowing of the field of personal conscioess;
• Recognised reactions to crisis
• Recognised Reactions to Crisis
• Withdrawal from social engagement
• Fight. flight and freeze
• Numbness and dissociation
• Shaking and trembling
• No symptoms at all
• No symptoms in the fist few days then the
onset and progression of symptoms
• Acute symptoms that settle after a few days
• Acute symptoms that continue to
through time
• Low level symptoms that persist
• Increased dependence on substan
• Somatic symptoms
• Sleep disturbances
• Inability to function
a retraction or narrowing of the field of personal consciousness;
Professional or Paraprofessional Intervention?
• After a crisis event the question that arises is, should professionals
intervene or can paraprofessionals – friends, family, lay people
support the sufferer to recover?
• The research in recovery from crisis tells us that we need to track
the outcomes for people post crisis. For people with no symptoms
or where their symptoms are settling and stabilizing over time then
professional wisdom tells us to not intervene. People are best left to
naturalistic recovery and/or paraprofessionals.
Professional or Paraprofessional Intervention?
• Naturalistic recovery: Includes time away from the crisis event, connection with love
ones, familiar and safe surroundings, places of personal rejuvenation, being with
pets, being near the ocean or bush, talking to a church member or pastor, sharing
your experience with other survivors. Monitoring Self and only if symptoms are not
settling making contact with a professional
• Are medications indicated? Medications may be needed by some survivors, where
their symptoms are continuing to overwhelm their functioning well being.
Medications should ideally be short term, and monitored closely by medical people.
Matters of dependency have to be judged and closely managed. Medication side
effects also have to be closely monitored, especially heightened social withdrawal
and heightened impulsivity, including self-harm and suicidal ideation.
• For those people whose symptoms are becoming worse through time (for greater
than a week or more), then professional intervention may be warranted. Referral to
a G.P., and crisis and trauma counselling may be required.
Richard K James Model of Crisis Intervention
James and Gilliland (1998) 6-step model:
1. Identify the problems/threats
2. Ensure safety
3. Provide support
4. Examine alternatives
5. Plan how to restore equilibrium
6. Gain commitment to take action
• •
Not a step by step process (like grief)
Crisis Workers Action Continuum:
•When the client is immobile the worker is directive
•When the client is partially mobile the worker is
collaborative
•When the client is mobile the worker is
nondirective
Robert’s Model of Crisis Intervention
The ACT model proposed by Roberts (2005) is an acronym:
• Assessment of the presenting problem, including emergency psychiatric and
other medical needs and trauma assessment
• Connecting clients to support systems
• Traumatic reactions and post traumatic stress disorders
• 7-step model:
1. Crisis assessment
2. Establish rapport
3. Identify major problems
4. Deal with feelings
5. Generate and explore alternatives
6. Develop plans
7. Provide follow up
Psychological First Aid
• The National Institute of Mental Health (2002) defines psychological
first aid as establishing the safety of the client, reducing stress-related
symptoms, providing rest and physical recuperation, and linking
clients to critical resources and social support systems. Raphael
(1977) used the term psychological first aid in her discussion of crisis
work following the Granville train disaster. She described a variety of
activities that provided caring support, empathic responding,
concrete information and assistance, and reuniting survivors with
social support systems. Paramount in psychological first aid is
attending to Maslow’s hierarchy and taking care of survival needs
first.
Taking in the good
Negative bias of the brain
Need to acknowledge the good things e.g.
making the time to be here
Really feeling into the good moments and
strengthening them
How might you practice this yourlsef in daily life
???
a retraction or narrowing of the field of personal consciousness;