Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Services
Holman's Critical Incident Stress Management Program is a special group counseling program designed to help clients deal with excessive distress caused by incidents which are particularly traumatic, such as robberies, deaths in the workplace or natural disasters. The counseling can be facilitated on-site or online.
We schedule the CISM within two, but not more than 72, hours following an incident. The goal is to provide quick intervention in order to lessen the impact of the traumatic event and to accelerate recovery before harmful stress reactions have a chance to cause serious, long term effects.
Our program includes:
- On-site demobilizations - used when a major incident has occurred and the staff needs to continue working to contain the disaster. Counselors are present to provide needed support
- On or off site debriefings - A Debriefing is a group process which consists of three distinct phases:
- Initial ventilation of feelings by the emergency service personnel and an assessment by a facilitator of the intensity of stress response
- A more detailed discussion of the signs and symptoms of the stress response and provides an opportunity to educate, support and reassurance
- Closure phase of the CISM is where information is provided and plans for further action are developed or a referral is made
- On or off site defusing - informal debriefings are particularly useful when one, two or three employees are affected by an incident. Defusings can be individual sessions or small groups
- Post debriefing follow-up - Follows the debriefing; an Account Manager will talk with the debriefing counselor and they will determine if any follow-up is needed. Any recommendations will be made to our contact person at your organization
- Pre-incident stress recognition and management - Our training programs are aimed at recognition and management so, should a trauma occur, your employees will be equipped