[Particulars of crisis intervention in seropositive persons or the existential crisis of HIV]

This article presents a vision of crisis intervention for seropositive persons following an approach inspired by existential psychology. Persons who intervene must view crisis intervention for HIV-positive persons as an exploration of the close relation that exists between life and death. They must investigate the interrelations with the dimensions who intervene must view crisis intervention for HIV-positive persons as an exploration of the close relation that exists between life and death. They must investigate the interrelations with the dimensions of time, space, world and body. They must also examine the characteristics of the seropositive experience that are specific to the different infected clienteles. The welcoming process, the urgency of the situation and the therapeutic complementarity must be considered as the main guidelines for this type of crisis intervention which, in addition, must take into account the various life experiences that are particular to each of the HIV-positive persons. This approach requires that the person who intervenes and plays a supporting role must put into question their own attitudes toward the phenomenon at hand. Finally, life with the infection can also bring certain intervenors and clients to discover and profit from a number of unsuspected benefits.