Are you a people pleaser? Do you go above and beyond to do the best you can to try to make someone else happy? As long as you’re not pleasing people to the detriment of yourself and who you are, then good for you. (try our cpi training online or our crisis intervention certificate) That’s what it’s all about in crisis intervention.
In the moment of crisis, a person is struggling. They need assistance. What can you do to try and help? I don’t know about you, but I’m going to do the best job I can. What’s important to remember about crisis intervention, though, is that it’s not just on the job. After you go through crisis intervention training in your facility, how often do you actually get the opportunity to practice the techniques you’ve learned?
Most of us will practice them during those eight or sixteen hours that we’re actually in the course at the facility. Then, as the year goes on, it turns out that it was the only time that you used it—in the course during role- play, assuming you had scenario based training, that is. You did it then, that one time during the year. Now, because of the way licensure requires, you only have to recieive this training once a year, maybe once every few years. No so great. Unfortunately, most people don’t practice either. So, the only time they actually have to utilize and try to practice these theories and techniques they’ve been taught is in the moment, during an actual crisis. That doesn’t allow you much room to make mistakes.
We all encounter conflict of some type outside our workplace. We have conflict at home, with family, with kids, maybe even with friends. Do your best to try to utilize some of the techniques you’ve learned outside and away from your job. Any opportunity to build your crisis intervention skills is only going to benefit you. It is important to utilize your crisis intervention skills on the job as well as off the job. Consider opportunities you may have in your community or in the environment.
For example, you might attend a local Board of Supervisors or Homeowners Association meetings and listen to how people communicate. Watch how people argue with the board. You might attend a school board meeting and watch the body language, watch the interactions, and mentally take notes. You may not be scribbling it down, but mentally watch and observe how people are communicating. Look for the messages that are being sent without people saying anything. No matter what, it will be a learning opportunity, to help you grow your arsenal of crisis intervention techniques.