Crisis Intervention for Suicidal Patients and Survivors: ABC Model and Edmonton Resources

This article discusses crisis intervention for suicidal patients and survivors. It explains the ABC model and the essential steps for assisting them. It also mentions the resources available in Edmonton for reference to a suicidal patient or a grieving client.

Running head: CRISIS INTERVENTION
CRISIS INTERVENTION
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

2CRISIS INTERVENTION
1
a)
I have been a community service worker (CSW) in a community drop in center that deals with
the patients suffering from depression and mental and psychological issues. I believe suicide is
one of the most complex phenomenons that tends to emerge out of the dynamic interactions that
encircles around the psychological, biological, cultural and the spiritual factors. According to my
personal insight, the tendency of suicide is often the cause of profound pain, despair and
hopelessness that objectify the triumph of the fear, pain and loss over the hope of individual.
While meeting with Angela Simartan's husband, he initiated a discussion regarding suicides.
While initiating communication with Angela’s husband I tried to emphasize on the significant
factors that might affect the mental health condition of him. I tried to find out whether Mr.
Simartan is suffering from any kind of depression and anxiety disorders that may contribute to
the increasing suicidality of him.
While analyzing the steps that I require to take for assisting him using the module and the
structure of the course identified some of the essential factors that are necessary symptoms for
dealing with the suicidal patients like Angela's husband. The comprehensive approach towards
the management of the individual who have high risk of tendency includes some of the essential
stages (Linehan, 2018).
When the targeted client is in the middle of the thought or the crisis related to suicide, the
steps and the intervention must firstly target on the immediate safety and the stabilization of the
client. In the category and instances of imminent or high risk, the context of stabilization might

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take the form of impatient hospitalization. This particular stage will furthermore involve the
development and implication of the safety plan.
Further effective and appropriate management of the context of suicide requires simple
delineation of the factors contributing to the increased risk of the ongoing management and the
active problem solving (Behere & Sharma, 2017).
In this particular context, ABC model of psychology can be illustrated in the context of
Angela’s husband's conversation regarding suicide. In the year 1980s, the Alberta Model was
firstly designed by an entire team of sociologists regarding the spike or the increase in the rate of
suicide caused in the society or economy. ABC Model of Crisis Intervention illustrates the
emotional and the psychological aspects that are generally used for the establishment of the
connection with the suicidal person targeted (Reeves, 2017). The three stages of the model
include Achieving Rapport, Boiling Down the problem and Contradicting for Action.
Achieving Rapport - illustrates the emotion and the psychological aspects for the establishment
of the connection that includes the ensuring of the obstacles among the community service
workers and the suicidal person. It furthermore includes solid eye contact, orientation with the
body towards someone and keeping the arms uncrossed and legs open.
Boiling down the problem - it is the next step of the model of the crisis intervention that involves
a careful mix of the open and the close ended questions for the full understanding of the suicidal
tendency of the patient (Miloseva et al., 2015).
Contracting for Action - The next or the final step of the crisis intervention model includes
effective understanding of the problem or the issue of the suicidal person and the importance or
the essentiality onwards working with them for the implementation of some of the long term

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changes. This particular step will help in assessing and analyzing the level or the degree of the
suicide intervention of Angela's husband.
b)
The Edmonton Suicide Prevention Advisory Committee (ESPAC) targets towards the
development of the strategy that is mostly grounded in the context of the research and in the
insights shared in the process of the engagement. Two of the major resource that can be
identified in Edmonton for reference to a suicidal patient like Angela’s husband includes the
following.
Counseling session with health professionals - While the prevention from the risk of the suicide
requires some of the collaborative approaches, the counseling sessions with the health
professionals are essential for the prevention of the mental health problems and the wellbeing of
the clients together with the reduced access to the means of suicide.
Social support, cohesiveness and healthy relationships – These are some of the important factors
of resources in Edmonton for effective clinical care for the substance use of disorders, for
positive coping skills, for the promotion of reduced stigmas related to the mental illness and
suicide and improvement of the cultural and the religious belief which helps in discouraging the
factor of suicide and promote support for the self-preservations.
2
a)

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In the second scenario, when Angela came to the community service organization to have a talk
regarding the sudden suicide of her husband after they have spent so many beautiful years
together ,being a community service worker I outlines some of the steps for assisting her.
There has been one of the common estimates that the action or the instances of the
suicide leaves behind the survivors and the loved ones who are most affected by the sudden
death. These survivors are themselves at the increased risk towards degrading mental conditions
and suicide in their near future (Sanford, Cerel & Frey, 2018). A practice of suicide postventions
is thus necessary for the survivors like Angela. Some of the factors include being present,
deflecting the feelings of blame, dictating the detailed of the share and helping them towards the
embracing of their grief.
Regardless of science supporting a neurobiological reason for dysfunctional behavior,
suicide is still covered by shame. A significant part of the overall population trusts that demise
by suicide is disgraceful and corrupt. Others think of it as a "decision that was made" and accuse
relatives for its result. And afterward there are individuals who are uncertain how to connect and
provide support to the individuals who have lost a friend or family member to suicide, and just
dodge the circumstance out of obliviousness (Sanford, 2016). Whatever the reason, it is
important to take a note of the fact that the fundamental structure of distress for survivor of
suicide loss is unpredictably muddled.
As per the ABC model the crisis intervention, the scenario of Angela can be described as
follows:
Achieving Rapport - illustrates the emotion and the psychological aspects towards the
establishment of the connection that includes the ensuring of the obstacles among the community

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service workers and the survivor of suicide (Peterson, 2018). These steps of the model includes
proper counselling sessions ensuring mental and psychological support to the survivor so that
they do not loos faith on them and their extended part of their family.
Boiling down the problem – This step includes an interview cu, analysis that helps the
community service workers to analyze and detect the emotional turmoil the survivors are facing
in absence of their partners.
Contracting for Action - The next or the final step of the crisis intervention model includes
effective understanding of the problem or the issue that led the person commit suicide. The step
furthermore enables support to the survivor so that there remains no chances of their future
suicidal tendencies.
b)
The Edmonton Suicide Prevention Advisory Committee (ESPAC) illustrates towards the
identification and the implementation of the strategy that is mostly used in the context of the
research and in the insights shared in the process of the engagement. Two of the major resource
that can be identified in Edmonton for reference to a grieving client to and explain why you think
these would be appropriate is illustrated below.
Listening to the feelings of the survivors - It is one of the most essential factors to list to the
expression of the feelings and the thoughts of the survivors of suicide since these helps them to
find some of the ways to let their feelings out and feel comfortable to have people around them
who can at least listen to their stories and console them (Bhise & Behere, 2016). This helps in
giving mental peace to the survivors in their state of mental dilemma.

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Initiating participation in activities - Another important factor since engagement in participation
and activities will help in decreasing and diminishing the depression, the emotional turmoil.
Continuing to participate in any actions that the survivors previously enjoyed will give a change
in the scene and help them to connect, socialize and try to lead a normal life.
Reference
Behere, P. B., & Sharma, A. (2017). Suicide from a global perspective. Indian Journal of
Psychiatry, 59(2), 256.
Bhise, M. C., & Behere, P. B. (2016). A case–control study of psychological distress in survivors
of farmers' suicides in Wardha District in central India. Indian journal of
psychiatry, 58(2), 147.
Life After Suicide: Full Documentary. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=xkusweeNM-8
Linehan, M. M. (2018). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder.
Guilford Publications.
Miloseva, L., Cuijeprs, P., Stojcev, S., Niklewski, G., & Richter, K. (2015). Clinically relevant
risk factors for suicide: Comparison between clinical group with passive suicidal
ideation, active suicidal ideation and without suicidal ideation.
Peterson, E. J. (2018). SUICIDE PREVENTION AND RESPONSE IN THE COLLEGE
SETTING.
Reeves, A. (2017). Suicide and self harm. Sage Publications.

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Sanford, R. L. (2016). An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Survivor of Suicide Support Group
Facilitator Scale: Identifying Meaningful Factors for Group Facilitation and Outcomes.
Sanford, R. L., Cerel, J., & Frey, L. M. (2018). Survivor of Suicide Loss Support Group
Facilitators: Do Peers and Professionals Differ?. Social Work with Groups, 41(4), 306-
322.