Introduction
It is important to note that trauma has a strong impact and implications among children and adolescents, who can be categorized as vulnerable groups. Schools and other educational facilities can be the prime platform on which major traumatic experiences take place, ranging from individual bullying to mass school shootings. Thus, one should be aware that crisis interventions should focus on multifactorial aspects of the issue.
Main body
The first key takeaway from the reading is that cognitive therapy, or CT, needs to be based on ten major principles. In other words, CT must be formulated in cognitive terms, form a therapeutic alliance, emphasize collaboration, be goal-oriented, focus on the present, be educative, be time-limited, be structured, evaluate dysfunctions, and alter behaviors, moods, and thinking (Yeager & Roberts, 2015). The second major takeaway is the fact that action plans need to be precise and clearly formulated, which means the objectives must be measurable, specific, and concrete (Yeager & Roberts, 2015).
It is stated that “providing a mechanism for the client to actively direct treatment goal setting can provide a model for subsequent self-empowerment activity” (Yeager & Roberts, 2015, p. 442). I think the model was effective for Thomas since it is substantiated by the fact that “his state of agitation was calmed significantly” (Yeager & Roberts, 2015, p. 402). In other words, the model helped Thomas with his traumatic experiences, but a major part of the effect is due to Thomas’s proactivity and willingness to cooperate.
Conclusion
In conclusion, crisis intervention among children and adolescents is an intricate process which requires a structured and specific approach focused on concrete objectives and timely results. In addition, one should be aware that crisis events can be highly individual-based or encompass the entire school, such as shootings. Therefore, the intervention measures need to be adjusted according to the nature of the traumatic experience.
Reference
Yeager, K., & Roberts, A. (2015). Crisis intervention handbook: Assessment, treatment, and research (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.