Crisis counseling, as defined by the American Counseling Association, is a therapeutic approach designed primarily to help individuals regain their sense of control and restore their normal functioning after undergoing a crisis. A crisis, in this context, refers to any situation that disrupts an individual's balance. Typically, crisis counseling adopts a more immediate, solution-oriented, and brief duration style of therapy. It is particularly helpful when individuals are emotionally overwhelmed and struggling with their problem-solving abilities and coping mechanisms.
The fundamental goal of crisis counseling is for the counselor to provide emotional aid and support to the individual facing a crisis. As Verywell Mind suggests, the focus of crisis intervention is on mitigating the stress associated with the event, providing emotional reassurance, and enhancing the individual's coping strategies. Unlike more extended therapeutic interventions, crisis counseling is more immediate and centered on offering solutions that first address the crisis at hand.
Long-term counseling, on the other hand, provides more enduring solutions and outlines steps to restore balance over an extended period. Just like most therapeutic approaches, crisis counseling will offer specific objectives, assessments, and treatment. However, these will be tailored more explicitly to the crisis at hand. Research has indicated that counseling can lead to substantial improvements in a person's psychological state, reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.