LIFE SPACE

CRISIS
INTERVENTIO
N: LSCI
A review of the training institute attended June 2010

Given By: Valin Jordan, Yvonne Esquillin, & Emily Patterson

 AGENDA
 Overview/History/ Philosophy

 Conflict Cycle

 6 Stages of a Life Space Crisis Intervention

 Role Play

 Q&A
OVERVIEW: WHAT IS LSCI
 Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) is a nationally
recognized, professional training and certification program
sponsored by the Life Space Crisis Intervention Institute of
Hagerstown, Maryland.
 LSCI is an advanced, interactive therapeutic strategy for
turning crisis situations into learning opportunities for
children and youth with chronic patterns of self-defeating
behaviors. LSCI views problems or stressful incidents as
opportunities for learning, growth, insight, and change. This
non-physical intervention program uses a multi-theoretical
approach to behavior management and problem solving. LSCI
provides staff a roadmap through conflict to desired outcomes
using crisis as an opportunity to teach and create positive
relationships with youth.
HISTORY
 Life Space Crisis Intervention grew from the creative contributions of Redl and Wineman's theory of Life
Space Interviewing (LSI) developed for treatment of delinquent youth in the 1950s. They were the first to
document using crisis as a core therapeutic component of treatment. To accomplish this goal, they trained
the staff who spent the most time with the youths to use LSI during a crisis and to become central
professional members of the treatment team. The interest in LSI grew, gaining key contributors who
shaped the concepts for broad applications across a variety of settings.
 William Morse and Nicholas Long brought LSI into the schools where the skills are essential as students
increasingly bring intense emotions into the classroom. Mary Wood integrated LSI into Developmental
Therapy-Teaching and with Nicholas Long, authored the first textbook, Life Space Intervention in 1992.
In the same year, Nicholas Long and Frank Fecser took the next step and developed a certified program in
LSCI, creating the professional structure and standards for future training.
 This training program also involved making some refinements and modifications to LSI theory to
facilitate teaching this model: the name was changed from "Life Space Interviewing," which was too
restrictive a term to "Life Space Crisis Intervention," which was more inclusive of other therapeutic
methods now incorporated with the psycho-educational model.
 In 1996, Long and Fecser produced a video series, Life Space Crisis Intervention which shows the
concepts being used in real-life crisis situations. A second edition of the textbook, Life Space Crisis
Intervention; Talking With Students in Conflict, authored in 2001 by Long, Wood, and Fecser, brings
LSCI into the new millennium.
 Today, more than 30,000 professionals working with troubled and troubling children and youth have been
trained and certified in LSCI by the Life Space Crisis Intervention Institute. Seminars are conducted
throughout the United States and in Canada, Germany, Scotland, Belgium, Norway, New Zealand,
Portugal, South Africa, and Australia.
PHILOSOPHY
 To provide skills for special educators, counselors,
psychologists, juvenile justice staff, child care workers
and others who work with troubled and troubling
children and youth to enable them to prevent and resolve
crises, to build good relationships with challenging
youth, and to help them learn to change repetitive
patterns of self-defeating behavior.
CONFLICT CYCLE
CONFLICT CYCLE: EXAMPLE
 Jamie is a 16 year old resident of a group home who seems like he is always
angry about something. Staff who know him best understand that he was
neglected as a child and realize that he takes being overlooked by adults or
rejected by peers very personally.
 Today, Mr. Johnson is handing out Pizza Hut gift certificates for students who
earned their points this week. “Oops! Looks like I’m one short, Jamie,” Mr.
Johnson says when he finally comes to him. “Don’t worry, though. I’ll swing by
the restaurant tonight and bring yours in tomorrow, How’s that?”
 Jamie is hurt and scowls, “@#&% it Johnson. Don’t do me any favors, you
know? It’s not like I need your damned pizza anyway.”
 Johnson is stunned, especially since he’s paying for this out of his own pocket.
He lashes out, “if that’s the way you feel about it, fine! I'll eat it myself.”
 Jamie’s pain turn to infuriation. “Yeah, whatever, you fat piece of @#&%.” EH
gets up to leave, shoving a chair, but Johnson doesn’t want hime to have the last
word. “Smart @$$. See how you feel when you miss tonight's movie for that
comment.” The two engage in a power struggle, neither one willing to let the
other get the last word…
CONFLICT CYCLE
 An incident occurs (frustration, failure, etc.) that ACTIVATES a troubled
student’s irrational beliefs (e.g., “Nothing good ever happens to me,” “Adults are
unfair!”), which in turn defines it as a stressful incident
 These negative beliefs and thoughts determine and TRIGGER the intensity of
the student’s feelings.
 These intense feelings – not the student’s rational forces – DRIVE his or her
inappropriate behaviors.
 The inappropriate behaviors (yelling, threatening, sarcasm, refusing to speak)
INCITE adults.
 Adults not only pick up the student’s feelings, but also they frequently MIRROR
the student’s behaviors (yell back, threaten, etc.).
 These negative adult REACTIONS increase the student’s level of stress,
escalating the conflict into a self-defeating crisis.
 Although the student may lose this battle (i.e., he or she is punished), the student
wins the war! His or her SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY (irrational belief
about adults) is REINFORCED. Therefore, the student has no motivation to
change or alter the irrational beliefs or the inappropriate behaviors.
CONFLICT CYCLE

Clip - The Breakfast Club_0001.wmv

 When finished, list various reasons that teachers

sometimes have a “short fuse” (become irritated) on
certain days or in certain situations with certain kids.
What things influence our perceptions and reactions?
CONFLICT CYCLE
 Given that “no nonsense” teachers tend to view defiant
students as the enemy, let us for the moment, talk in their
terms.

 If one is “fighting” an enemy, it is best to gather

information about them in order to increase one’s
chances of success.
LSCI AND THE 6 STAGES
LSCI AND THE 6 STAGES: STAGE 1
 Drain-off or De-escalation
 Here you let the child fully calm down.
LSCI AND THE 6 STAGES: STAGE 2
 Timeline
 This is most likely THE MOST IMPORTANT PART of a
LSCI.
 This is where you are the fact finder and gather all of the
information that may have impacted the student and caused
their negative behavior.
LSCI AND THE 6 STAGES: STAGE 3
 Central Issue
 All of the problems children have can be identified into one
of 6 central issues.
CENTRAL ISSUES
LSCI AND THE 6 STAGES: STAGE 4
 Insight
 As the educator you will help the child understand what
happened and encourage them to gain insight of what they
did and ways they could have handled their emotions in a
more positive way.
LSCI AND THE 6 STAGES: STAGE 5
 New Skills
 This is where you help the child practice the new plan you
have developed for reacting in a more positive way.
LSCI AND THE 6 STAGES: STAGE 6
 Transfer of Training
 As the teacher you will discuss how the child will re-enter the
room and share the new plan with other staff to ensure
success.
Q&A