Crisis Management

We really want to be of help but cannot be available 24 hours a day. We do realize you might come across this site at any time and you might be in a crisis. If you cannot wait for us to call you back and schedule a regular appointment because you are in crisis consider the following:

Contact the Crisis Text Line Right Now.   

Crisis Text Line serves anyone, in any type of crisis, providing access to free, 24/7 support and information via the medium people already use and trust: text. Here’s how it works:

1. Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the USA, anytime, about any type of crisis.
2. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds quickly.
3. The volunteer Crisis Counselor will help you move from a hot moment to a cool moment

Afterward reflect and consider how to prevent a crisis from arising in the 1st place.  The best way to handle a crisis or emergency is to work to prevent it in the first place.

Prevention might include:

• Following your individual treatment plan that you and your counselor talked about.
• Learning stress-management and problem-solving skills that work for you
• Planning ahead for stressful events you know are coming.
• Maintaining a balanced, healthy lifestyle.
• Going to your doctor or mental health professional as soon as you notice a change in the way you feel. Getting an outside view of yourself can be helpful.

Unfortunately, working to prevent your symptoms from getting worse or coming back doesn’t guarantee that you’ll never feel unwell. So it’s important to think about what you want to do if you start to feel unwell again. Then you can take action right away and help control the crisis or emergency. Your action plan also tells others what to do if you can’t express your needs and wishes to them.

An action plan might be a formal agreement you sign with your health care provider, or it might be an informal plan between you and your loved ones. It might include:

• Signs that show you aren’t feeling well
• At what point you want outside help: As soon as you notice warning signs? When you can no longer manage symptoms on your own?
• Where to go for help or who to contact in an emergency situation
• What treatments you’d prefer
• A list of your current medications and any other treatments (including alternative treatments)
• Contact information for your health professional, the nearest emergency room, and contact information for the loved ones you want to be notified.
• An action plan may also include steps your loved ones agree to take. For example, a loved one may contact your doctor or mental health provider, inform your employer that you aren’t well and help keep everything in order (such as rent or bill payments) if you need to stay in the hospital. Whether your action plan is a formal agreement or an informal plan among loved ones, it’s best to put everything in writing so everyone knows what they need to do.

You might not want to think about feeling unwell when you’re feeling well, but planning ahead may actually help you feel better. Many people who are in recovery from a trauma or mental health issue worry about what will happen if their symptoms come back (a relapse) or become worse. An action plan may reduce some of the worry because you know that you have a back-up plan if you need it.

If your plan or agreement involves the care of your children or access to your financial information, it’s best to talk with a lawyer about your options.

Take Action

If you are having a mental health crisis or emergency, don’t wait for things to get worse. Call the numbers below or wait and schedule an appointment. If you have an action plan, follow the steps in the plan. If you don’t have an action plan, follow the steps below:

Reach out to a friend or family member. If you aren’t sure that you need help or aren’t comfortable talking to a professional about the signs you’ve noticed, talk to a loved one. If you trust them, ask them to make the call for outside help. Friends and family are often the first to notice when you’re not feeling well. They can help you connect with mental health services, let your doctor or mental health provider know what changes they’ve noticed and help you navigate the mental health system. They can help you feel hopeful, able and confident, which are all important in recovery.

Contact your doctor or mental health provider. If you’re experiencing a lot of warning signs and feel like you’re nearing a crisis, or if you’re already experiencing a crisis, contact your doctor or mental health provider. They will know what to do to get you the help you need.

Contact your local crisis center. They are trained to help people experiencing a crisis and can connect you with local services, including emergency mental health services.

In Seattle, Call: 866-4CRISIS (427-4747) Local: 206-461-3222 

http://crisisclinic.org 

The 24-Hour Crisis Line provides immediate help to individuals, families, and friends of people in emotional crisis. They are a primary source for linking Seattle- King County residents to emergency mental health services.  You can talk to someone without a wait or busy signal. They’re available 24 hours a day.

If you are seeing frightening visions that you cannot stop go to the nearest emergency room or call 911. If you are afraid of hurting yourself or someone else, or if no other options are available, go to the nearest emergency room or call 911.

National  Recovery and Prevention Organizations

PODS (Positive Outcomes for Dissociative Survivors)
For survivors, they run a helpline and support service, provide a ‘find-a-therapist’ service, offer free screening assessments, and run an online peer-support forum. Thier website contains a wealth of information and articles about trauma and dissociation. In addition, they have published a large number of resources, including books, booklets, leaflets, posters, and grounding resources such as mantra cards. They also actively promote knowledge about dissociative disorders within the NHS and elsewhere by sending out Information Leaflets for Professionals and other materials.

End Ritual Abuse
This site provides articles references resources and support for people who believe they have been a part of either religious or government ritual abuse.

Darkness to Light
A nonprofit group dedicated to confronting childhood sexual abuse with courage to diminish the incidence and impact through education and public awareness.

Malesurvivor.org
Provides resources and support for men who were sexually victimized as children, adolescents, or adults. This organization also provides weekend healing retreats.

National Sexual Violence Resource Center
A comprehensive collection and distribution center for information, research and emerging policy on sexual-violence intervention and prevention, including an extensive online library and customized technical assistance. The NSVRC works to address the causes and impact of sexual violence through collaboration, prevention efforts, and the distribution of resources.

Prevent Child Abuse America
Since 1972, Prevent Child Abuse America has led the way in building awareness, providing education and inspiring hope to everyone involved in the effort to prevent the abuse and neglect of our nation’s children.

Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN)
The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network is the nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline and carries out programs to prevent sexual assault, help victims and ensure that rapists are brought to justice.

SNAP: Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
The nation’s largest, oldest and most active support group for women and men wounded by religious authority figures (priests, ministers, bishops, deacons, nuns and others).

The Safer Society Foundation
Providing resources to help create safer communities through prevention and effective public policy.

Stop The Silence
A nonprofit organization working with others toward the prevention and treatment of child sexual abuse.

STOP IT NOW!
Stop It Now believes that all adults must accept the responsibility to recognize, acknowledge and confront the behaviors that lead to the sexual abuse of children. Offers adults tools they can use to prevent sexual abuse. Their national toll-free Helpline is 1.888.PREVENT.