“Pick up any newspaper or watch a newscast on any given day, in any city or town in the
United States, and you will read or hear of people in the midst of crisis” (Cavaiola & Colford,
2006, p. 2). Everybody goes through crisis and trauma, and everybody needs help sometimes.
The Bible commands people to encourage, comfort, edify, and support each other through the
troubles of life. “In any type of Christian counseling, knowledge of the biblical approach is
essential. One way to develop a biblical approach is to study the life of Jesus and His
relationships with others. The way He ministered to others is a model for all of us who seek to
help others” (Wright, 2011, p. 17). There are many models and techniques that can be used to
help people, but the main focus is to make sessions practical to the counselee’s needs. The main
goal is help the counselee move forward with their life.
The LAPC model is an effective way to help any individual going through a crisis.
Known as the LAPC model, its steps are as follows: Listen: What is the victim saying?
What is she not saying? Assess: What is the victim feeling? How is he or she acting?
What is he or she thinking? Plan: What plans can the victim make now? Are the plans
reasonable? Can they be carried out? Commit: Has the victim agreed to follow the plan?
What other resources will be needed to see the plan through? (Cavaiola & Colford, 2006,
p. 32).
Each of these stages offers different techniques that can be used to help a crisis victim. Going
through this model with a victim can allow them to retake control of their life and their
experiences. This model will lead the counselee through problem identification, goal options,
actions to accomplish goals, and the implementation process. With this model and a biblical
approach it will offer a great outline model for crisis intervention, because when looking for an
effective way to approach crisis intervention with a biblical focus, Jesus is the key model to
know what to do.
“The first step of the LAPC model accomplishes one of the goals of effective crisis
intervention by communicating three important messages to victims of crisis: that they are safe,
they are heard, and they are in control” (Cavaiola & Colford, 2006, p. 32). Listening is a very
important technique in building a healthy, trusting counselor-counselee relationship. It is in this
stage that the counselor tries to determine what is going on and what the problems are. By
showing warmth, genuineness, empathy, and acceptance, a counselor has the ability to listen
confidently to what the counselee is sharing. Part of this step is learning what to say and when to
say it. “One problem we all suffer from – probably more than any other – is not knowing when to
listen and when to keep quiet” (Wright, 2011, p. 29). Silence can also be a helpful skill in this
stage by allowing counselees to fill space themselves and collect their thoughts. Nevertheless,
this idea of listening can be translated into bearing one’s burdens. James 5:16 says, “Therefore
confess your sins to each other…” (NIV). Counselees will come to the sessions and hopefully
open themselves up, and the counselor needs to be accepting and patient. James 1:19 says, “My
dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to
become angry…” (NIV). Counselors need to learn to sit and listen, and attend to the counselee.
Listening is part of bearing someone else’s burdens as the listener learns what exactly those
burdens are. If the counselor does not listen, they will not be able to figure out what the
counselee is dealing with.
“The second step of the LAPC model involves an assessment by the crisis counselor of
all the verbal and nonverbal communication received from the client during the listening stage”
(Cavaiola & Colford, 2006, p. 42). It is during this step that body language becomes very
important to discovering the truth behind the counselee. It is in this stage that counselors need to
develop sensitivity more than ever, and determine which approach best fits the need in the
moment. It is also in this stage that the counselor needs to dig deep into the circumstances of the
counselee with aspects such as emotions, behaviour, thoughts, and their support system. “Crisis
intervention is a process used to interrupt and/or positively impact a person’s immediate crisis
reactions. Sometimes called ‘emotional first aid,’ crisis intervention involved the use of verbal
and nonverbal communication to encourage, empower, and build confidence in those who
experience a crisis” (Wright, 2011, pp. 129-130). In all of this, timing and readiness is important.
It is when the counselee begins to hear what the counselor has to say, and they are cooperative,
responsible, and desiring to move forward, that the next stage can begin. Proverbs 3:5-6 says,
“Trust in the Lord will all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways
acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (NIV). In this stage, the counselee
begins to think what would make them happier, and what they want their life to look like. God
will make the paths straight by guiding and leading the process.
The ultimate goal in crisis intervention is actually two-fold: first, assist the client in
recovering from the emotional impact in the immediate aftermath of the crisis, then
impart to the client via a plan a sense of hope and empowerment. This two-part approach
includes a return to some state of equilibrium and a plan to help maintain the balance
long after the crisis has passed (Cavaiola & Colford, 2006, p. 43).
Once the problem has been discovered, a plan of action can be made. It is during this stage that
the counselor begins to understand what the counselee’s preferred reality is. It is important
during this step that the counselee knows that they are in control of their circumstances and plan
of action. When the counselee becomes more involved in determining the next step, there is a
greater chance that they will actually move forward and reach the plan’s potential. It is in this
stage that the counselee can truly begin to be helped and find growth. However, for the counselor
it may be difficult to determine when this course of action should take place, and that could very
well change from person to person as each problem is different. It is God’s involvement in this
stage that will make action happen. “Another reason Jesus’ ministry was effective was that He
lived a life of faith and, therefore, was able to put things in proper perspective, seeing through
God’s eyes” (Wright, 2011, p. 24). In Mark 5:36 Jesus said, “‘Don’t be afraid, just believe’”
(NIV). It is in this section of Mark that Jesus addresses Jarius’ crisis and speaks into his crisis.
Looking at a problem from Jesus’ point of view and plan, an individual just needs to have faith
because God is in control. It is at this step that faith in Jesus can lead the counselee to begin this
journey of hope and empowerment. “‘His eyes are on the ways of men; he sees their every step’”
(Job 34:21, NIV).
“In this final step in LAPC, the client, either through the facilitative or directive stance of
the counselor, agrees to commit to a plan of action to help alleviate the strains of crisis and to
regain some level of equilibrium” (Cavaiola & Colford, 2006, p. 44). It is during this stage that
the planning and goal setting begins to be implemented. To be most effective with this step, a
counselor should do a follow-up with the counselee to keep them accountable to the steps being
taken. “With each and every loss comes the potential for change, growth, new insights,
understanding and refinement – all positive descriptions and words of hope. However, they are
often in the future, and we fail to see that far ahead when we’re in the midst of our grief”
(Wright, 2011, p. 61). Counseling with a biblical approach enables the counselees to reach their
fullest potential to grow as disciples of Jesus. Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the Lord whatever
you do, and your plans will succeed” (NIV). Committing to a plan of action can enable the
counselee to grow and refine who they are as an individual and as a child of God.
John 16:33 says, “‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this
world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world’” (NIV). Troubles are
inevitable in this life, and the Bible calls followers of Christ to come along side one another.
Counseling in one of the ways to do that, and God will use His people to help others grow and
change. “In meeting the immediate needs of people, Jesus did not use the same approach with
everyone” (Wright, 2011, p. 19). Adapting to new and different situations is an important
essential for counseling. Each counselee will have different situations and different techniques
that work better for them and their personalities. By being the counselor, there needs to be the
ability to adapt to such changes between humanity. There is no perfect model to use other than
the Word of God and the leading of the Spirit. “We as Christians need constantly to be on the
lookout for those in need. We need to live life extending grace and aid through God’s strength
and not on our own” (Wright, 2011, p. 125).
References
Cavaiola, A. A., & Colford, E. J. (2006). A Practical Guide to Crisis Intervention. Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Wright, N. H. (2011). The Complete Guide to Crisis & Trauma Counseling: What to Do When It
Matters Most! (Updated & Expanded. ed.). Ventura, CA: Regal From Gospel Light.