Crisis intervention following severe psychological trauma in late pregnancy

Following the violent death of a Lamaze group instructor, a team of three psychologists provided crisis intervention to the group members to help them deal with the sudden death. All of the women in the group were in the advanced stages of pregnancy at the time. The team constructed an environment of group and couple support, presented and encouraged specific cognitive discussion of the event, and helped develop a temporary safe community. During the intervention, group members were able to express their anger, fear, guilt, and anxieties caused by the death. Comments by group members and the new group leader over the following weeks indicate the intervention was successful.