Handling a Crisis
Toward men and toward God, she maintained a respectful attitude, lightened by the belief that in a crisis she could deal adequately with either of them.
Robert Nathan Every crisis is different. That means there's no single way to help someone through one. There are, however, some tested approaches. Let's look first at a framework for the counseling process, and then the theological underpinnings for crisis intervention. The Stages of Counseling
Gerard Egan, in The Skilled Helper, spells out in layman's language a manageable and practical course of events for counseling that makes a team of the helper and the one in need. Egan's scheme divides counseling into three stages — problem definition, goal development, and action — each of which he further divides into three steps. Egan wants helpers to remember who is the central figure in each stage of the helping process. He feels "clients should 'own' as much of the helping process as possible. The steps of this model are actually tasks the clients need to accomplish, with the help of counselors." Stage I: Problem Definition. The job at this stage is to uncover the nature and dimensions of the crisis. We can be of no help if we don't know what's wrong. In crisis counseling, determining this may be done more quickly than in more routine situations. Problem definition may be sketchy as you pull on a coat and hurry out the door, but at least you want to know if the person you're rushing to help is more apt to commit suicide or adultery. • Step I-A: Helping clients tell their stories. In crisis situations, it's not always easy to get people to talk — or to talk coherently. Shock, trauma, anguish, emotion — many things contribute to the difficulty of getting the story. Some people say little, ...
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