Helping People In Crisis

"Human services professionals frequently are called on to help people cope with life crises resulting from alcoholism, drug abuse, depression, or other serious problems. Yet they often do now know the most effective techniques for helping people in crisis overcome their sense of panic or defeat, recover their capacity for problem solving, and deal with the physical symptoms of stress. In this book, Douglas Puryear offers practical assistance for psychologists, social workers, and all other professionals whose work involves aiding individuals and families in crisis. He outlines the basic causes and the course of personal and families crises and presents a set of principles for determining when and how to intervene. He details the steps for successful intervention, explaining how to: (1) handle the first contact, (2) assess the situation, (3) plan the intervention, (4) manage interviews, (5) establish and maintain good report and communication, (6) support and mobilize clients, and (7) close the intervention. Numerous case examples from clinical practice illustrate and clarify the approach, and Puryear recounts a typical case in a format that allows readers to check their analyses against his at every stage."- Publisher

Whether you’re a layperson or a professional counselor, Helping Those Who Hurt will help you care for others encountering life crises such as: Illness, hospitalization, and death A troubled marriage Addiction Suicide

The first edition of People in Crisis, published in 1978, established success as a comprehensive and user-friendly text for health and social service professionals. The book and its following incarnations included critical life events and life cycle transition challenges, clearly pointing out the interconnections between such events, stressful developmental changes, and their potential for growth but also danger of suicide and/or violence toward others. This revised edition includes new case examples and expanded coverage of cross-cultural content, including 'commonalities and differences' in origins, manifestations, and crisis responses. The authors illustrate the application of crisis concepts, assessment, and intervention strategies across a wide range of health and mental health settings, as well as at home, school, workplace, and in the community. Each chapter contains a closing summary that includes discussion questions, references, and online data sources for maximum application and learning. Updated chapters discuss new, research-based content on: • workplace violence and abuse • youth violence in schools and higher education settings • the use of psychotropic drugs, including for very young children in the absence of comprehensive assessment • the crisis vulnerability of war veterans and the hazards of 'pathologizing' what should be considered a 'normal' response to the repeated and catastrophic trauma of war • the intersection of socio-political factors with individuals’ psychological healing from catastrophic experiences such as war and natural disaster.

Psychological Crisis Intervention: The SAFER-R Model is designed to provide the reader with a simple set of guidelines for the provision of psychological first aid (PFA). The model of psychological first aid (PFA) for individuals presented in this volume is the SAFER-R model developed by the authors. Arguably it is the most widely used tactical model of crisis intervention in the world with roughly 1 million individuals trained in its operational and derivative guidelines. This model of PFA is not a therapy model nor a substitute for therapy. Rather it is designed to help crisis interventionists stabile and mitigate acute crisis reactions in individuals, as opposed to groups. Guidelines for triage and referrals are also provided. Before plunging into the step-by-step guidelines, a brief history and terminological framework is provided. Lastly, recommendations for addressing specific psychological challenges (suicidal ideation, resistance to seeking professional psychological support, and depression) are provided.

Helping Kids in Crisis: Managing Psychiatric Emergencies in Children and Adolescents provides expert guidance to practitioners responding to high-stakes situations, such as children considering or attempting suicide, cutting or injuring themselves purposely, and becoming aggressive or violently destructive. Children experiencing behavioral crises frequently reach critical states in venues that were not designed to respond to or support them -- in school, for example, or at home among their highly stressed and confused families. Professionals who provide services to these children must be able to quickly determine threats to safety and initiate interventions to deescalate behaviors, often with limited resources. The editors and authors have extensive experience at one of the busiest and best regional referral centers for children with psychiatric emergencies, and have deftly translated their expertise into this symptom-based guide to help non-psychiatric clinicians more effectively and compassionately care for this challenging population. The book is designed for ease of use and its structure and features are helpful and supportive: The book is written for practitioners in hospital or community-based settings, including physicians in training, pediatricians who work in office-based or emergency settings, psychologists, social workers, school psychologists, guidance counselors, and school nurses -- professionals for whom child psychiatric resources are few. Clear risk and diagnostic assessment tools allow clinicians working in settings without access to child mental health professionals to think like trained emergency room child psychiatrists--from evaluation to treatment. The content is symptom-focused, enabling readers to swiftly identify the appropriate chapter, with decision trees and easy-to-read tables to use for quick de-escalation and risk assessment. A guide to navigating the educational system, child welfare system, and other systems of care helps clinicians to identify and overcome systems-level barriers to obtain necessary treatment for their patients. Finally, the book provides an extensive review of successful models of emergency psychiatric care from across the country to assist clinicians and hospital administrators in program design. An abundance of case examples of common emergency symptoms or behaviors provides professionals with critical, concrete tools for diagnostic evaluation, risk assessment, decision making, de-escalation, and safety planning. Helping Kids in Crisis: Managing Psychiatric Emergencies in Children and Adolescents is a vital resource for clinicians facing high-risk challenges on the front lines to help them intervene effectively, relieve suffering, and keep their young patients safe.

Helping a Neighbor in Crisis addresses a problem many readers encounter: How can I help a friend or loved one who is experiencing a crisis situation? This practical reference book gives tips on how to understand the feelings your “neighbor” is experiencing and practical advice on how to help and encourage. All sections are written from a Christian point of view and include applicable Scripture, a prayer, and recommended reading for further study and encouragement. Over 30 crisis situations are addressed, including “Death of a Loved One,” “Burglary and Theft,” “Divorce,” “Substance Abuse,” “Domestic Violence,” and “Unemployment.”

A Valuable Resource for Crisis Intervention ''With societal problems increasing, this book is critical for its usefulness to a wide variety of clinical concerns.... A must for all practitioners in primary care settings.''--Ann W. Burgess, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing Now in its fourth edition, this is a comprehensive guide to the current theory and practice of successful strategies for working with people in crisis. This timely book takes a holistic approach, providing information for understanding, assessing, and intervening. It focuses on the victim/survivor and the assailant, and details how to administer prevention, crisis intervention, and follow-up care.

Lifeline: A Layperson’s Guide to Helping People in Crisis is the book for anyone who wants to help people experiencing such problems. Lifeline also debunks myths about mental disorders and guides readers on what to say and what NOT to say to those in pain in counseling vulnerable people through detailed scripts and conversations. Note: This book is NOT a substitute for professional help.