ANA VERONICA M.

CONCEPCION Master in Psychology

INSIGHT PAPER ON SIX STAGE MODEL OF CRISIS INTERVENTION

Gilliland’s Six-Step Model, which includes three listening and three action steps,

is a useful crisis intervention model. Attending, observing, understanding, and

responding with empathy, genuineness, respect, acceptance, nonjudgment, and caring

are important elements of listening. Action steps are carried out in a nondirective and

collaborative manner, which attends to the assessed needs of clients as well as the

environmental supports available to them.

This model of crisis intervention is from James (2008) who has adapted it from

Gilliland (1982). These steps form the foundation of intervening with an individual to

help give them a sense of control and help to restore basic coping skills. The different

stages include the following:

The first step is to determine exactly what the problem is. This part of the

process helps establish a connection between yourself and the client. The active

listening process is important here: open-ended questions and the core factors

of empathy, genuineness and positive regard.

The second step is to ensure the safety of the client. This involves suicide risk

assessment, as well as checking homicide risk. Removing access to lethal means of

suicide as well as other items that can be used to hurt yourself and the client are

important. For instance, in an average office, scissors, paper cutters, staplers and three-

hole punches can all be used to injure self or others.

After the client is physically safe and the problem has been adequately defined,

the third step is for the crisis worker to accept the client as a person of value and
communicate that they care about them. This can involve simply talking to the client

about what’s going on in their life, taking care of basic needs such as food and shelter.

Once the client has their basic needs met, the next part of providing support is

ensuring the client has enough information to understand their available options for

dealing with their situation.

Step four is where the client is encouraged to explore potential solutions to what

they’re dealing with. A client whose coping skills are suspended will have difficulty

coming up with options and this is where the crisis worker comes in.

James identifies three categories of potential alternatives named: situational

supports, coping mechanisms, and positive and constructive thinking patterns.

Situational supports refer to individuals around the client who might care about what

happens to the client. Coping mechanisms on the other hand refer to actions, behaviors

or environmental resources where the client can draw on to help get through their

situation. Assessing coping skills is a key part of telephone crisis intervention, which

should explore what they did in the past, present, and then future. And lastly, positive

and constructive thinking patterns refer to new ways of thinking about the client’s

situation that can help them reframe.

Now that the client trusts the crisis worker, they have provided immediate safety

and met basic needs, explored alternatives, it’s time for the fifth step which is to make

a plan. The goal of this step is to focus on concrete steps that can help restore control in

the client’s life, and identify other referral resources that can help provide the client

additional support.
 Making sure the plans are realistic and not overwhelming is a key part of step 5.

Clients must feel empowered by the plan in order for them to proceed with it, therefore

working collaboratively is extremely important. Many clients have been disempowered

or oppressed before seeking (or being forced into) treatment, and continuing this pattern

will lead to poor outcomes.

The final step of the process, is obtaining commitment. If you’ve worked

together with your client, obtaining commitment should be easy. You may need to write

down the plan for the particularly overwhelmed client to keep track of it, and follow up

with them to ensure that they have followed through with the plan.