Non Violent Crisis Prevention

“The care, welfare, safety, and security of others.”

Pre-Test

Discussion

Behavior LevelsCrisis Development Staff Attitude

Anxiety

A noticeable increase or change in behavior, e.g. pacing, finger drumming ,wringing of hands, starring.

Supportive

An empathic, nonjudgmental approach attempting to alleviate anxiety.

Behavior LevelsCrisis Development Staff Attitude

Defensive

Defensive: The beginning stage of loss of rationality. At this point an individual often becomes belligerent and challenges authority.

Directive

Directive: An approach in which a staff member takes control of a potentially escalating situation by setting limits.

Discuss some examples

Behavior LevelsCrisis Development Staff Attitude

Acting Out Person

Acting Out Person: The total loss of control which often results in in a physical acting out episode.

Nonviolent Physical Crisis Intervention

Intervention: Allow venting and remove from the area if possible.

Behavior LevelsCrisis Development Staff Attitude

Tension Reduction

Tension Reduction: Decrease in physical and emotional energy which occurs after a person has acted out, characterized by the regaining of rationality.

Therapeutic Rapport

Therapeutic Rapport: An attempt to reestablish communication with an individual who is in the tension reduction stage.

Break

Demonstration

Proxemics & Kinesics

Proxemics (Personal Space)Personal space varies depending on who is

approaching and what the context of the situation happens to be. On average, an individuals personal space is 1 ½ to 3 feet.

Discussion: What other factors may apply?

Kinesics (Body posture &motion)

Includes facial expressions, posture, and movements.

Discuss nonverbal signs of anxiety observed during exercise

Staff kinesics behavior can serve to either escalate or deescalate a given situation

A face-to-face or challenging position is another way of increasing anxiety when approaching an individual

Supportive StanceBenefits:Communication of respect by honoring personal

spaceIs nonthreatening, non-challenging, & offers an

escape routeContributes to staff’s personal safety if attacked

Paraverbal Communication

Role Play

Para-verbal Communication

Component

Tone

Volume

Cadence

Suggested Approach

Try to avoid inflections of impatience, condescension, inattention, etc

Keep the volume appropriate for the distance & situation

Deliver your message using an even rate & rhythm

Verbal Escalation Continuum

Role Play

Verbal Escalation Continuum

1. Questioning

Verbal Escalation Continuum

Role Play 2

Verbal Escalation Continuum

Refusal

Verbal Escalation Continuum

Role Play 3

Verbal Escalation Continuum

Release

Role Play 4

Verbal Escalation Continuum

Intimidation

Verbal Escalation Continuum

Tension Reduction

Verbal Escalation Continuum

Questioning Interventions

Information seeking: a rational question seeking a rational response

Challenging: questioning authority or being evasive

Give a rational response

Stay on topic (redirect), set limits if individual persists

Verbal Escalation Continuum

Refusal Intervention

Noncompliance, slight loss of rationalization

Set Limits

Verbal Escalation Continuum

Release Intervention

Acting out, emotional outburst, loss of rationalization. Venting, screaming, swearing. High energy output.

Allow venting, if possible. Remove audience or acting out individual from the area. When individual begins to quit down, state directives that are nonthreatening. Use an understanding, reasonable approach. Be prepared to enforce any limits you set.

Verbal Escalation Continuum

Intimidation Intervention

Individual is verbally and / or nonverbally threatening staff in some manner. Hands on approach at this time may trigger physical acting out behavior.

Seek assistance and wait for team to intervene, if possible. Try to avoid individual intervention.

Verbal Escalation Continuum

Tension Reduction Intervention

Drop of energy which occurs after every crisis situation, whether it is after low level defensive behaviors or after intimidation.

Establish Therapeutic Rapport- reestablish communication with the individual. This stage will be discussed in greater detail later in the course.

Verbal Escalation Continuum

Limit SettingSetting limits comes out of a recognition that you cannot force

individuals to act appropriately. When you set limits, you are offering a person choices, as well as stating consequences of those choices.

Limits usually are better received when the positive choice and consequences are stated first. Starting with negative consequences may be perceived as a challenge or an ultimatum, and the individual may not even hear the positive choice.

Limit SettingLimits will be most effective when they are:

SIMPLEREASONABLEENFORCEABLE

Verbal Intervention TipsDO DON’T

Remain calmIsolate the situationEnforce Limits– Give

OptionsListenBe aware of non-verbal'sBe consistentHave a plan

OverreactGet in a power struggleMake false promisesFake attentionBe threateningUse jargon (tends to confuse

& frustrate)

Empathic ListeningEmpathic Listening is an active process to discern

what a person is saying.Key Elements:Be non-judgmentalGive undivided attention – Don’t fake it!Listen carefully to what the person is really

saying(focus on feelings, not just facts). – Underlying message.

Allow silence for reflectionUse restatement to clarify messages

Precipitating FactorsInternal or external cause of an acting out behavior

which staff member has little or no control.

Examples:

Loss of personal power – need to show that one is still in control and can still act as an individual

Need to Maintain Self-Esteem - trying to save face in a crisis because of peer pressure.

Precipitating FactorsFear – not knowing what is happening or knowing

the results of an action will cause an unpleasant response.

Failure – not being able to complete a task or falling short of a goal

Attention Seeking – reinforcement of a response or wanting attention from staff and others

Precipitating FactorsDisplaced Anger - outside factors which trigger

acting out behavior toward staff.

Psychological / Physiological Causes – including drug induced behavior states, hunger, pain, insomnia, and psychological disorders.

Group examples?

Understanding Factors Helps Staff:

Prevent acting out behavior by being proactive.

Depersonalize crisis situations by recognizing that we are seldom the cause of the acting out behavior.

Avoid becoming a precipitating factor ourselves! If we are not able to rationally detach from a potential crisis situation, we become a part of the problem and may actually precipitate acting out behavior from a student.

Rational Detachment

Definition: Ability to stay in control of one’s own behavior and not take acting out behavior personally!

Key Points

1. Staff may not be able to control precipitating factors, but they can control their own response to the acting out behaviors which result.

2. A professional attitude must be maintained so that we may control the situation without overreacting or acting inappropriately.

Key Points

3. Staff needs to find positive outlets for the negative energy absorbed from acting out individuals

4. Group thoughts on ways to remain rationally detached:

Integrated Experience

Definition: The concept that behaviors and attitudes of staff impact on behaviors and attitudes of students and vice versa.

Integrated ExperienceStudent Behavior Staff Attitude

Anxiety (-) Defensive (-)Acting Out Person (-)Tension Reduction (-)

Supportive (+)Directive (+)Nonviolent Intervention (+)Therapeutic Rapport (+)

QuotePeople will change either when they hurt enough

they have to, or they have learned enough that they want to, and received enough they are able to.

John Maxwell