Youth in pain often show self-defeating and destructive patterns of behavior which should be seen as calls for help and positive support. Instead, deep-seated brain programs and cultural beliefs about discipline can trigger angry or avoidant behavior by adults who deal with these young people. This brief introduction to the Conflict Cycle…

Children have innate brain programs for building personal strengths and social bonds, but conflict and trauma can jeopardize their growth potentials. Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) provides specific tools to turn problems into potentials. Life Space Crisis Intervention provides advanced therapeutic strategies for building strengths in…

Therapists, physicians, police officers, and emergency staff often are the messengers of bad news. They have to tell a patient, a parent, or a loved one about a death, an accident, a school shooting, a life-threatening diagnosis, a terrorist attack, or a suicide. Usually the messenger bears a heavy responsibility but has little training and seeks…

How do otherwise competent helpers "lose it" in work with certain troubled children and youth? Drawing on extensive research and practice expertise, this article identifies four causes of these predictable professional "meltdowns"--(1) Caught in the Conflict Cycle; (2) Violation of cherished values and beliefs; (3) Tap-in issues; and (4) Carry-in…

This paper highlights the scientific rationale and research base for Life Space Crisis Intervention, a psychoeducational model used with aggressive children. The model draws from a broad theory base to meet the diverse needs of troubled children. The method necessitates forming an alliance with youth and sees problems as opportunities for teaching…

A youth blames himself for his mother's abandonment and sabotages relationships through self-defeating behavior. This interview identifies the precursor of his problems and helps him cope with the current reality without self derogation. (Author)

The Life Space Crisis Intervention has developed a comprehensive school-wide strategy for building positive learning climates for all students and providing effective interventions for students presenting challenging problems. This model contains three levels of prevention and intervention: all staff are trained, teachers receive more in-depth…

Effective prevention and intervention requires a variety of complementary methods. But arbitrary mixing of methods can lead to confusion and inconsistency. Life Space Crisis Intervention uses strategies drawn from several theories of re-education that meet the twin standards of scientific validity and positive values. LSCI offers a roadmap for…

Schools are confronted with students who present serious behavior problems that were once only seen in secure settings. In order to be effective with these students, staff members need to acquire skills for managing crises. Article suggests that staff members put students first; use many tools for cultivating strengths; and learn from young…

Article describes "Reality Rub" Life Space Crisis Intervention that was used to untangle a problem caused when a youth attributed hostile intentions to innocuous comments by a peer. This incident helps explain the taxonomy of processes that can lead students to distort social perception and cognition. This abuse of reality is seen when a student…

Addresses the problem of students who want to do well but cannot manage the effects of failure or wrong actions. They have a conscience and experience guilt when they err, but rather than using mistakes as opportunities to rectify their behavior, they are overwhelmed by their inadequacy, which leads to self-defeating patterns of behavior.…

Describes complex issues involved in helping impulsive-aggressive youth who are devoid of emotional intelligence. Reviews anatomy of impulsivity and the irrational beliefs used as defense mechanisms by impulsive-aggressive students. Discusses two alternative intervention strategies, Life Space Crisis Intervention techniques and the Self Control…

Discusses a student who carries problems from home to school and initiates a confrontation with staff members at a day treatment program for youth with serious emotional disturbances. Presents instructional life space crisis intervention (LSCI) from the viewpoint of a youth telling about the incident that led up to his explosive behavior. Details…

The first part of the article describes how a teacher utilized an abbreviated life-space crisis intervention (LSCI) with a 12-year-old developmentally delayed female. The second part of the article comments on how the intervention helps to highlight concepts concerning LSCI that have been minimized or neglected in the literature. (MKA)

Describes how a Red Flag Carry-Over Reclaiming Intervention is used with a 16-year-old mainstreamed male student. Removing the student from the situation, allowing him silent "drain-off" time, and helping him learn to identify his self-defeating behavior helped him to avoid an overwhelming life experience. (MKA)