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ABC Model of Crises Intervention
Linda S Dallas
Kaplan University
Prof: Patricia Grace
HN220-01: Prevention and Crises Intervention

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Although not everyone that comes across a stressor in life will experience a crisis, some are unable to cope with the stressor in a healthy manner and eventually succumb to a crisis. If this person does not receive the adequate crisis intervention during this state, he or she is likely to be unable to function at the level he or she had been functioning before the crisis. This will inevitably lead to additional crisis scenarios for every stressor they must face in life. “This pattern can go on for many years until the person’s ego is completely drained of its capacity to deal with reality; often such people commit suicide, kill someone, or have a psychotic breakdown.” (Kanel, K. 2007).
In order to be able to help the client to the best of the counselor’s abilities, the ABC Model of Crisis Intervention provides a useful guideline to learn about crisis intervention. In our textbook, Kanel states that “The three aspects of a crisis are (1) A precipitating event occurs; (2) the perception of this event leads to subjective distress; and (3) usual coping methods fail, leading the person experiencing the event to function psychologically, emotionally, or behaviorally at a lower level than before the precipitating event occurred.” In order to successfully help a client cope with a crisis, these three components must be recognized so that the counselor can help the client identify and overcome the crisis. The perception of the event is by far the most crucial to identify, as this is the one that can help the counselor select the best treatment for the client.
In order to be a successful crisis intervention counselor, the most important skills needed are listening to the client with a compassionate and empathetic ear. According