The crisis--identification and intervention

The characteristics of a crisis include a wide range of human behaviour, usually symptomatic of an inability to cope with specific life situations. Once the client is able to negotiate his crisis, the therapist should be accepting, warm and empathic. He should help the client to focus on the problems causing the crisis, and help should be reality-orientated. He should define his responsibilities and those of the client in the therapeutic contract and help the client to structure a realistic stepladder approach to recovery and even personality growth. Follow-up encounters may also be contracted. If the client suffers severe distress, medication with psychotropic agents or a brief spell of hospitalization may be required.