After being in a high school for 3 years I decided to go back to school and get a degree in Mental Health Counseling. So many students were coming in to my office at that time with mental health issues that I felt that I needed more tools in my pocket.
Staying calm was number 1 giving students a five min break where they can sit, a five min walk, and five min of listening to music, reading or watching an appropriate video. This re sets your brain a bit at least enough to listen to perspective and move forward. Processing events can only happen when everyone is available so helping a student in the midst of a crisis to calm in the storm seems to work relatively well.
Some interventions to apply during a mental health crisis include
Verbal de-escalation
Reality re-orientation
Offer change of environment/quiet time
Proper application of Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) - Nonviolent Crisis intervention
Keep calm and show support. Use open ended responses to engage the person in conversation which allows the individual to express themselves. Lastly, offer some community services to ensure the individual continues to get the help that they need.
When working inpatient, the unit on which I was working as the evening nurse, had a “ mini” riot. The staff and I recognized early the rising tension and the increasing whispers among the adolescent pt.’s, and we were able, for the most part, to contain and confine the incident.
We employed the skills of
Observation
Recognized non-verbals cues
Remaining calm and being assertively directive
Positively rewarded those that didn’t escalate and get involved.
Debriefed after the incident using active listening skills,
Talk calmly and provide a quiet space for them to express themselves. Remove any sharp objects
Explore what causes the crisis , you may start from there ,Follow the ITP if there’s any that have been noted that were effective, verbal communications somewhat essential , I usually use low tone of voice,asking client how can we help him/ her solve the crisis
Try dimming the lights foe miu.
5
Soft voice, distraction, positive talk
Know what your school laws are. Check out your states Dept of Education website to see what information and resources they provide.Take a CPI class. And most importantly have the student see the school counselor or psychologist.
https://www.crisisprevention.com/Industries/Education-Profess...
School staff should be trained on the school’s emergency and crisis prevention procedures, deescalation to help avoid crises, and debriefing procedures. School staff should receive training and demonstrate competence in the following areas: the early warning signs of mental illness and effective crisis intervention for students with mental illnesses; positive behavioral supports and interventions; communicative intent of behaviors; relationship building; alternatives to restrictive procedures; identifying events and environmental factors that may escalate behavior; de-escalation methods; obtaining emergency medical assistance; the physiological and psychological impact of restraints and seclusion; and the skills that students need to better regulate and manage their behaviors.
