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What is Critical Incident Stress Debriefing?
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) is a response effort to support
individuals or employees who have been impacted by a shared acute
traumatic or emergency event or loss, which typically leaves people feel out
of control and experiencing a form of critical incident stress. Critical Incident
Stress can prevent employees from performing their normal duties within
their home, social and work environments. CISD is aimed at reducing that
stress from an early onset by providing immediate, often on site, CISD group
debriefings.
During CISD sessions, our experienced facilitators guide participants through a variety of steps. All aimed to regain a sense of control over their personal circumstance
How a CISD Session Works
What Kind of Critical Incidents Could Require Debriefing?
Critical incidents are unexpected events that challenge our ability to
understand and cope. These can involve facing the possibility of death or
feeling out of control. Examples can include natural disasters such as wild
fires, damaging storm etc or personal incidents:
o Vehicle accident
o Death of staff, clients or another
o Witnessing others' traumatic events
o Robbery
o Observing violence
o Encountering suicide or murder
o Physical assault
o Acts of terrorism
o Severe illness
How Can CISD Help?
CISD is best accessed within 1-5 days following an incident. Our experienced
facilitators provide a safe and non-judgmental space for individuals to
process and cope with traumatic or stressful events, typically through group
sessions both small and large groups that may occur more than once. It can
also be offered in the form of individual drop-in counselling, having a grief
room and other individual options. Sometimes it may be offered as a group
which then provides space for individual one on ones to support processing the incident. Our team works with employers, agencies and groups to customize CISD that works for your current needs and addresses the challenges their teams are experiencing.
What are the goals of CISD?
- Help individuals comprehend and begin to process what occurred.
- Connect one another in their shared experience
- Assist individuals in their natural healing processes.
- Identify those who require extra support.
- Work through any misinformation.
- Inform about typical responses to critical incidents and distinguish between healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms.
Research
Research on critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) suggests several positive impacts:
- Reduction of Psychological Symptoms: CISD has been linked to reduced symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological distress.
- Promotion of Coping Strategies: Participants often report improved coping strategies and a better understanding of their reactions to critical incidents, which can aid in resilience-building.
- Normalization of Reactions: By discussing common reactions to critical incidents in a supportive group setting, CISD helps individuals realize that their responses are normal and shared by others, reducing feelings of isolation.
- Prevention of Long-term Issues: Early intervention through CISD may prevent long-term psychological issues and promote quicker recovery from the immediate impact of traumatic events.
- Enhancement of Social Support: CISD sessions can strengthen social support networks by fostering connections among participants who have experienced similar events.
- Improvement in Organizational Response: Organizations that implement CISD programs may experience improved morale, decreased absenteeism, and better overall mental health outcomes.
Benefits
Some of the benefits clients can experience after CISD:
- Normalization (learning that intense reactions are shared and not unique to them).
- Some benefit from recognizing that someone took the time to help.
- Education (understanding reactions and coping strategies is typically helpful).
- Reduces rumors and increases factual understanding.
- Offers opportunities for informal assessment and additional counselling
- Direct availability of additional resources and counselling supports
- The incident is formally acknowledged which is a major part of recovery
Why Choose
OK Clinical?
With a diverse team of clinicians, flexible appointments, and sliding fee scales, we’re helping to pave the way for more accessible, affordable counselling services for all.
Flexible
Appointments
Online & Group Counselling Available
Sliding Fee
Scale
Our CISD Team
Our art therapists are dedicated to guiding you in healing through creative expression and open communication in sessions.
Best Fit Form
Looking for the right counsellor? Fill out our ‘Find The Right Counsellor’ form, and our team will connect you with the perfect fit for your mental health needs. Get started on your journey to wellness today!
Is CISD Right for You?
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing is an essential service as it helps individuals comprehend and process intense reactions after a major incident. If left unprocessed, it can lead to longer-term mental illness in the future. CISD provides valuable education on coping strategies while identifying those in need of extra support. It also ensures accurate information dissemination while acknowledging the impact of the incident. CISD encourages a supportive environment where individuals can recognize shared experiences, receive timely assistance, and access resources crucial for recovery and resilience.
If you would like more information or wish to book an appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact us. You can reach us at 250-718-9291 or email us at info@okclinical.com. We are here to support you on your journey toward healing and well-being.