Essentials of Crisis Counseling and Intervention

Book excerpt: A practical guide to effective crisis counseling and intervention Essentials of Crisis Counseling and Intervention offers practical, field-tested methods for dealing with traumatic and life-changing events. This helpful manual presents useful strategies for crisis prevention, functioning effectively during a crisis, caring treatment approaches, and aftercare--and describes how to assess the extent to which a crisis has impacted an individual. Important legal aspects of crisis counseling are also highlighted--such as risk, suicidality, and documentation--as well as helpful details on how to prevent potential malpractice issues related to crisis intervention. Essentials of Crisis Counseling and Intervention gives clear explanations of proven practice techniques and examples of effective interventions. It provides an accessible and practical guide to navigating through the complexities of any type of crisis situation, including natural disasters, community violence, and personal tragedy. Unique coverage is presented on such topics as group intervention, incorporating spirituality into treatment, community resources, coordinating efforts of crisis-response personnel, and the roles of various crisis workers, including instructions for how to prepare intellectually and emotionally for crisis situations. As part of the Essentials of Mental Health Practice series, this book provides the information mental health professionals need to practice knowledgeably, efficiently, and ethically in today's behavioral health care environment. Each concise chapter features numerous callout boxes highlighting key concepts, bulleted points, and extensive illustrative material, as well as "Test Yourself" questions that help you gauge and reinforce your grasp of the information covered.