Trauma-Informed Crisis Intervention

ABSTRACT

Preparing counselors to address a client’s needs in crisis and work from a trauma-informed lens is no longer an option. The United States is amid a pandemic and health care crisis; racial injustice and police brutality crisis; and an economic crisis. Counselors must work from a trauma-informed lens during crisis assessment, intervention, and stabilization to decrease re-traumatizing clients. The Seven-Stage Crisis Intervention Model (SSCIM) guides counselors to assess and stabilize clients in crisis. By infusing trauma-informed principles into this framework, counselors will have the tools they need to minimize the chances of re-traumatization.

KEYWORDS:

• Trauma-informed care
• crisis
• seven-stage crisis intervention model

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Charmayne R. Adams

Charmayne R. Adams is a counselor educator, supervisor, and Professional Counselor in Nebraska. She is an Assistant Professor and Coodindator of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling concentration for the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She has worked in a variety of crisis settings including in-patient hospitals, residential treatment facilities, and correctional facilities. Additionally, many of her clients have histories of trauma.

Jillian M. Blueford

Jillian M. Blueford is a counselor educator and Professional Counselor in the state of Colorado. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor for the University of Denver. She specializes in grief counseling and as worked in a variety of settings including an inpatient psychiatric hospital and for a Hospice Bereavement Center.

Joel F. Diambra

Joel F. Diambra is a counselor educator and a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Mental Health Services Provider designation for the state of Tennessee. He is an Assosicate Professor at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Additionally, he is a highly skilled supervisor for both counselors in training and counselors persuring licensure.