Crisis Counseling Strategies

Although psychotherapy and crisis counseling strategies have some similar methodology such as listening and catharsis, there are unique factors that set them apart (Hoff, Hallisey, & Hoff, 2009). It is very important to understand the differences between crisis counseling strategies and psychotherapy so that the client is effectively and thoroughly assisted. “Dealing with crisis requires an approach that is different from traditional models of therapeutic interventions”(Sawicki,1988, p.83). The unnecessary referral of a client to psychotherapy or to a crisis center when they are not actually experiencing a crisis can leave the client in a worse mental state than they were originally in. The purpose of psychotherapy is to help the client function …show more content…
Cultural sensitivity is an ethical necessity when engaging in psychotherapy and in crisis situations. Trust must also be established between counselor and client in order to develop a good rapport and good communication. It is important for a counselor to be open-minded with clients who have different values and beliefs than their own. Considering the intense stress that is placed on the counselor during a crisis situation, the counselor may not take a client’s cultural background into consideration (Weaver & Wodarski, 1995). This can result in a lack of trust which may hinder the counselor’s attempt to help the client return to a pre-crisis state. Counselors must increase self-awareness by dealing with their issues of diversity, must learn about other cultures to be able to help them more effectively, and must be able to adapt their own skills to other cultures, knowing that each culture is different (Weaver & Wodarski, 1995). Everyone does not respond the same way to crisis and traumatic situations and it is important to know how people whose values and beliefs are different than our own respond so we can effectively help them. “We must uncover what is unique about that person’s definition of and response to critical life events” (Hoff et al., 2009, p. 19). In other words, the counselor must ask the client questions that help foster an …show more content…
There are times when this becomes difficult and the counselor gets frustrated. The counselor may then begin lashing out against the client for not responding the way they would like. The client may then begin retaliating against the counselor for trying to “help” them and a vicious cycle of victim-rescuer-persecutor triangle ensues (Hoff et al., 2009). The counselor must be aware of his own possible hidden motives when dealing with a client in crisis. The counselor should avoid confrontation and getting into power struggles with the client. They should also avoid any ideas of rescuing the client in order to feel better about themselves. Such forms of manipulation will cancel out any crisis intervention plan and hinder the client from getting better (L’Abate, 2009). The counselor should always focus on doing what is ethically right and this entails helping the client get to a place of self-sufficiency. “In such relationships all three roles are enacted by self and other parties at the same time, without an awareness of or control over their damaging consequences” (L’Abate, 2009, p. 5). In conclusion, the counselor must always remember that they do not have to rescue their clients, but must try to empower their clients will go on to lead productive lives (Hoff et al.,

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