Crisis Intervention

One of the most common things we hear survivors says is, “Am I going crazy?” What you are experiencing may not feel normal to you, but feeling crazy is a very common response when something traumatic has happened. 

Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands provides crisis intervention to survivors of sexual assault and abuse age 12 and older, and usually lasts between 3-5 sessions.

Our Approach

Crisis intervention is brief, addresses your safety and immediate needs, and helps to build coping skills to help you get back to your level of functioning before the crisis. Crisis intervention helps with issues related to safety, trouble sleeping, alcohol or drug abuse, irritability or anger, and returning to normal activities of daily living. If you are in crisis intervention to help a friend, sessions will help you create a plan to support your loved one and to take care of yourself as people often neglect themselves when a loved one is hurting.

What To Expect

  • Appointments last between 45 and 60 minutes.
  • You don’t have to bring anyone with you to your appointment unless you are under age 16. If you are under age 16, a parent or guardian needs to accompany you to your appointment. The parent or guardian will wait in the lobby during the your session. The parent or guardian can also schedule an appointment during your session.
  • You will complete paperwork at your first appointment with basic information about yourself and the symptoms you are experiencing after the assault. This helps your counselor know exactly how to best help you start your healing journey.
  • You will sign a consent form that tells you about our services and confidentiality policy.
  • After you complete your paperwork, you will meet with your crisis interventionist to go over any questions you may have and work on symptoms that are upsetting your daily life. Common symptoms include not sleeping well or anxiety.
  • Your crisis interventionist will meet with you for 3-5 sessions to work on reducing the impact of the trauma in your life. Your crisis interventionist can also help you connect to other resources that may help with your recovery process.
  • After you complete your crisis intervention sessions, you have the option to continue counseling with a licensed counselor. If you are not ready to continue counseling, you can always come back when you are ready even if it has been years since your assault.