Characteristics of Effective Crisis Counselors

            According to James and Gilliland (2013), the characteristics of a good crisis worker include life experiences, personal characteristics such as poise, creativity and flexibility, energy and resiliency, quick mental reflexes, and assertiveness.  Other valuable characteristics include tenacity, courage, optimism and others.  While most people can be taught the techniques of crisis counseling, personal experiences are invaluable.  A counselor who has become a whole person through the experiences of his or her life can often relate to others who are experiencing similar crises (James & Gilliland, 2013).  Life experiences that are still debilitating to the counselor, however, would not be beneficial.  A counselor who is still carrying emotional baggage into a crisis event may be less effective than the helper who has little to no life experience in the area.  A recovering alcoholic or drug addict can be most effective working in a substance abuse treatment center if they are practicing a program of recovery themselves (James & Gilliland, 2013).

            I have been fortunate, so to speak, in the area of crisis counseling.  In 2011, I retired after serving as a police officer for 20 years in a large metropolitan city in Florida.  This experience, as well as numerous training courses, have taught me valuable skill sets in many areas of crisis counseling.  Police officers are subjected to a variety of situations, and many of them involve crises that are in progress or those that have recently occurred.  Particularly involving violent crimes such as robberies, shootings, and stabbings, to the “routine” traffic crash.  In the latter years of my career, I served as Sex Crimes Detective and I had the privilege of serving adult and child victims of this violent crime.  These victims are particularly vulnerable in that they frequently and unjustly blame themselves or accept some responsibility for their part in the incident.

            The personal characteristic of poise was particularly helpful as a Sex Crimes Detective.  Many times these victims had to provide shocking details of their crime.  Maintaining a sense professionalism that displays poise does not mean that the helper isn’t frightened, anxious, or unsure of themselves.  It does mean the helper can demonstrate calm assuredness and a degree of transparency that will help the crisis victim through the incident (James & Gilliland, 2013).  I am currently working as a Substance Abuse Counselor at a treatment center serving male inmates of the Florida Department of Corrections.  This has allowed me to practice personal characteristics such as energy, resiliency, quick mental reflexes, and assertiveness.  As an alcoholic with several years of sobriety, I can use these characteristics to relate to the clients in a way some of our other counselors cannot.  I frequently have to set limits with the clients when I see they may be becoming more dependent on me than they are on themselves.

Break free of your addictions!  If you or someone you know are ready to seek help, contact Coastal Wellness Counseling now for a free consultation.  Addiction is progressive - so is recovery!!

Reference

James, R. K., & Gilliland, B. E. (2013). Crisis intervention strategies (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cenage Learning.