Crisis Intervention

Synonyms

Emotional de-escalation; Suicide intervention

Short Description or Definition

A crisis occurs during the clinical encounter in neuropsychology when a patient’s stressors outweigh his or her assets, which include coping strategies, personal strengths, and resources. In this situation, the clinician is called upon to intervene.

Current Knowledge

Because stressors can be infinite and assets are finite, everyone is vulnerable to encountering a state of crisis at various points in one’s life, perhaps particularly so in the context of the development of a neurological condition. Common crisis behavioral responses in patients include altered sleeping and eating patterns, altered activity levels, and emotional lability. The basics of crisis intervention in the context of neuropsychology involve two overlapping components: empathy and assessment/referral.

To show empathy, the clinician must communicate understanding through both listening and paraphrasing what the patient is presenting...