A Guide to Crisis Intervention [with MindTap Counseling 1-Term Code]

by Kristi Kanel

A GUIDE TO CRISIS INTERVENTION, 5th Edition covers the fundamentals of situational and developmental crises, how they occur, and how you can manage them. Providing practical nuts-and-bolts information, Kanel discusses traditional counseling models as they relate to crisis intervention, and shows how they have been incorporated into her model, the ABC Model of Crisis Intervention. You can use the ABC Model in any mental health setting with anyone in a crisis situation. Examples help you develop an understanding of the psychological and behavioral dynamics associated with the many types of crisis situations. Case studies and scripts help you learn exactly what to say to clients undergoing a crisis, whether the crisis is developmental; related to trauma, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, loss, illness, or disabilities; or arises from personal victimization. Tables guide you in conducting suicide assessments and mental status exams. Although the author focuses on what clinicians do rather than on a review of research and literature, she provides more than enough information to help you educate clients about the nature of their crisis.

Genres: Psychology, Counselling, Textbooks, Nonfiction, School, Mental Health, Social Work

283 pages, Unbound

Published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Miss Ginny Tea · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is not good for educational purposes. The way it discusses Black and Latine cultures, people with substance-use disorder, abortion, teen pregnancy, and so much more is judgemental, wrong, and harmful. Also, why are all the examples of substance use gone wrong using people of colour? Do not recommend.

[Rebecca (booksandbreggs) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for one of my classes. It was very informative.

[Carter · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a professional who has worked in the field of crisis response as a Crisis Interventionist with a Fire Department for several years and in an outpatient mental health clinic providing trauma counseling services I do not recommend this book. If you work in the field as a Crisis Interventionist or with a mobile team then just disregard this book now. The content is designed for outpatient one to one counseling services. If you already have your Master's Degree or professional licensure, then this book will provide little if any new insight as the information is introductory/rudimentary. If you are currently pursuing a career in crisis intervention, look elsewhere for guidance because most of the content in this book is outdated or incorrect. In fact, there were a few suggestions in this book that I cringed at because they are no longer best practice and considering the copyright is only 2015 I was surprised to see these practices being reiterated when there is substantial evidence to discredit those interventions (i.e. "safety contracts" with suicidal clients).

[Kari · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author does not do a particularly good job of keeping her biases out of this book. In addition, some sources Kanel uses are questionable at best, and despite being printed in 2019, many are from the 80's and 90's and really reflect some antiquated views on certain topics. This desperately needs an update.

[Rebekah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book covers a lot of topics, but does so fairly superficially. In addition, there are many grammatical and other editorial errors throughout the book. I was hoping for better.

[Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

An overview of the history, ethics, theory, practice, several different intervention strategies and example scenarios of how they are to be implemented. A good introductory and easy to reference guide that is complemented by more specialized and technical documents like those published by SAMHSA, volumes about specific interventions in relation to particular diagnoses and/or theoretical models, and more situation-heavy texts like Grace Under Fire by Amdur which is better for role playing drills.
This was originally a 4 for me but I deducted an additional star for the tone deaf chapter on transgender individuals which contains a number of errors regarding language of inclusivity: referring to them as 'transgenders', misgendering almost every individual referred to in the chapter,
and the assumption that every trans person is in the process of getting or wants to get gender confirmation (Not reassignment) surgery. Just needs to be updated to reflect contemporary person first language norms.

[ella! · Rating 3 out of 5]

This textbook was so vague like genuinely I absorbed nothing. I, unfortunately, did not have the best experience in the CLASS covering this textbook either. All around 2 star experience. I’m just putting three because I feel guilty

[Wendy Lu · Rating 3 out of 5]

a little bit out of date, but still had some useful bits!

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author offered great knowledge in this book! Easy and informative read.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great overview of crisis intervention strategies and history in North America.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides good overviews of different areas of crisis intervention. It's an excellent reference resource.

[Israel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid base book.

[Brook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this as part of a Crisis Counseling class I took from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School extension in Madison, WI. It was one of two texts we used. The other was Norman Wright’s Crisis and Trauma Counseling.

Faced with using either Kristi Kanel’s text or that of H. N. Wright, I would choose Kanel’s book and would recommend it as the better to those interested and those uninterested in how spirituality and counseling connect. In this text, the positive side of crises is given much more of a central role, as is seen starting on page 3 with the Chinese definition of crisis as danger and opportunity. Another excellent example of this is on page 176, “…The crisis worker can be most effective when the person is truly in crisis. A crisis condition is needed to confront clients successfully about the negative impact the drug is having on their functioning.” On the book’s discussion of battering, it is shown how the painful time after the explosive stage in the battering cycle can provide the momentary clarity need for the abused to see their situation for the what it is – unjust and inhumane. While the possibility of good coming from crisis is broached in Crisis & Trauma Counseling (p. 130), this is the only time Wright really considers the concept. For these reasons, I find Kanel’s writing in this area more conducive to the idea that God can use situations of pain and suffering to his ultimate glory than I do Wright’s (who sometimes seems more comfortable avoiding suffering or pain and its effects rather than facing them).

Other positive aspects of this text are:
· The varying forms the text takes: case studies, time-lines, role-playing exercises, and informational quizzes (I just wish we could have done the role-playing as an in-class activity).
· Recognizing the groundwork that psychology has laid for crisis counseling (p. 18-25).
· Accepting that there are varying perspectives on key issues in crisis counseling, for example, “Is de-institutionalization working or not? (p. 130)”

The book does have its faults as well. For one, it may attempt to cover too much with too little room. Some of the issues dealt with, like cross-cultural counseling, are vital, yet may fit better with a text that is not centered upon crisis counseling. Also, even considering the fact that this is a secular text, it seems as though spirituality was not given the time and space it should have. Kanel spent a chapter on death and dying yet did not link person’s worries on this topic to differing conceptions of what happens to someone after death, or how different religions mourn or celebrate death for those that are still living.

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a lot of valuable information and techniques for crisis intervention. However, I did think some of the research and statistics should be updated. I also think the author should find a new editor. Although I was able to turn it into a fun game with my colleagues, it was a little frustrating when we were competing to see who could find the most errors per chapter.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good, introductory guide to helping clients move through a crisis and find healing. It provides basic information that allows new crisis workers or students to make informed decisions when it comes to client referrals and understanding ancillary risks. This book was used as a textbook in my undergrad crisis management course, and it felt perfect for that purpose.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very easy to read and understand. The examples that they give of certain cases were very helpful in understanding the reading material.
I had rented this book for a class, but it was so well written that I might have to look into purchasing it in the future for refreshers.

[Dr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well researched and presented book. While some of the stats are now over 15 years old, the material and approach is still solid. For anyone dealing in Crisis Intervention I recommend this book as a reference and refresher on the topic.

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that gives a fairly good overview of crisis. Reads well and is easy to understand in how to apply to therapy practices.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this was a good book. It contained a lot of practical information for counselors.

[Amy Numedahl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic, good information. However I probably won't keep it in my professional library.

[Rose Boyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great information on interventions in crisis situations.