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Caroljean Kores Rodesch, MS, CICSW
Family Service Association
Green Bay, WI 54301
(920) 436-6800
Crisis intervention has goals marshaling resources to handle the current crisis, restoring the individual to his pre-crisis state of coping and (hopefully) teaching the individual new skills which will leave him stronger and more able to cope with future crises (Caplan). It is this third task of crisis intervention that teaches a better way of living, a philosophy of coping. Recent books, The Resilient Self (Wolin, 1994), What Is, Is (Losonscy, 1997), Playing a Poor Hand Well (Katz, 1997) are reflective of older therapies such as RET, Reality Therapy and 12 step programs. The common theme of such modalities is accepting what one has been given, exploring what one can do with the circumstances and acting in a responsible way in order to influence a more positive outcome.
Rational emotive therapy is based on the premise that the individual is not a victim of circumstance but plays an active role in consequences by his rational or irrational beliefs. An assessment and adjustment or acceptance of these beliefs becomes away of life with improved coping skills. Victimhood is unacceptable.
Resiliency therapy examines strengths of those who have risen above circumstances to become whole and healthy. The seven resilience identified are: insight (forewarned is forearmed), independence (a delicate negotiation), relationships (search for love), initiative (pleasure in problem solving), creativity (turning nothing into something), humor (turning something into nothing), and morality (holiness in an unholy world). Armed with one or more of these strengths, the individual rises above circumstances and is healthy.
Reality therapy demands that the client accept the past, not use it as an excuse for current irresponsible behavior but begin immediately to behave in a responsible manner. Without that acceptance on the part of the individual there can be no therapy or change of behavior. Reality seeks to teach clients better ways of living that will allow them to fulfill their basic psychological needs.
The 12 step program, used originally by Alcoholics Anonymous, is self therapy that teaches a way of living one day at a time. The framework of this program is based upon the acceptance that the individual cannot control all aspects of life, that only by turning will over to some higher power can the individual accept what cannot be changed, have courage to change what can be changed and have the wisdom to know the difference. This is a way of life.
The thread connecting all of these modalities is: responsibility for behavior, acceptance, becoming resilient, using common sense, kindness and a belief that crisis plays a part in making the individual stronger, more capable of fulfilling psychological needs.
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