While each event is unique in its characteristics, they often engender similar reactions among the employees of the organization. As the employees in the circle of impact nearest the critical incident might have the most intense reactions, while those in circles further removed might have less intense reactions, it is likely that the reactions/issues are similar. Being able to anticipate some of the most common reactions allows us to be prepared to provide the right handouts and teaching points for the employees. My experience has taught me that no matter what the event was, there are three reactions that are universal.
Three Universal Reactions:
- Guilt is usually connected to thoughts the employee(s) are having about what they should/could/would have done differently to alter or prevent the event. These are usually the result of “Monday Morning Quarterbacking” in which the person is reinterpreting their actions knowing the outcome. This is particularly true after a suicide or death of a colleague. It is very destructive and usually inaccurate. A teaching point might be talking about the fact that people are in pain around the event and certainly “wish” it had not happened. Understanding that there is no guarantee that had they done anything differently, it could have altered the outcome is sometimes helpful.
- Anger is usually connected to wanting to blame someone or something for the event. If the anger is at the perpetrator, it is probably pretty healthy. The leadership or company is often blamed for not preventing this incident. Anger at God or their spiritual traditions are most commonly referred back to their spiritual leadership for answers. It is outside our role as critical incident consultants to directly address spiritual issues, except to validate them and state that they are common reactions. A teaching point here is to direct back to their spiritual leadership for information.
- Grief after the loss of someone they care about is certainly easy to understand. Critical incidents trigger a variety of much more intangible losses. One that is most common is the loss of sense of personal safety. This can be an understanding that if this type of event can happen to the deceased, it can happen to me, or my family, or my friends etc. Critical incidents happen because we have no control over them. This temporary feeling of the loss of our illusions of control and safety can be profound. The teaching points here are helping people to understand their multiple losses, and that grief is a process that they will be moving through over the next few days or even longer. Providing information on understanding that they are grieving and things they can do to move through the grieving process is often helpful.
When we are aware of these universal reactions, when provide some teaching points for them, we are able to help employees better understand their reactions, and to tap into their natural resiliency and to move toward recovery. This is the crux of helping the employees return to work and return to life.
What suggestions do you give to people to help them return to pre-incident functioning?
About the Author: Dennis Potter is a licensed social worker, certified addiction counselor and a Fellow, by the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. Dennis helped to form one of the first community based Crisis Response Teams in the country, and was a founding member of the Mid-West Michigan CISM Team and the Michigan Crisis Response Association. Since 1989, Dennis has helped to train many of the CISM teams in Michigan and in 24 other states.
Dennis has conducted or consulted on all manner of traumatic events for communities, businesses, schools, police, fire and emergency services personnel, the U S Post Office, and community mental health agencies. He is frequently called upon for consultation after particularly difficult events. In addition to his trauma response experience he has received training and supervision in Cognitive Therapy from the Beck Institute in Philadelphia, PA and participated in train the trainer courses in Motivational Interviewing. He is a national and international presenter and trainer. He has presented at the last 10 International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) World Congresses and was awarded the ICISF Excellence in Training and Educations Award at the ICISF 2011 World Congress. He has provided motivational training to a variety of mental health, substance abuse agencies and businesses. In addition, he has provided training in both Latvia and Denmark.
