The Crisis Cycle

The crisis cycle is a pattern of behaviours people experience when faced with a level of stress beyond their capacity for coping (enough stess to initiate a crisis). There are many models used to illustrate the cycle, including that found on CBE behaviour plans as well as that taught by the MANDT system.

A Note on Pressure

As educators, we are under ENORMOUS pressure
- - It is very natural to want to keep a child quiet or calm them down quickly

Remember that a child who is dysregulated CAN NOT learn.
- - It is more than okay to take time to help the students in your care feel calm and safe
  - Check out the next page on the brain to learn more about learning and emotions

Our Goals

When supporting a student having an emotional response, our goal is not to suppress, stop or lesson their emotions. Our goals are to:

Empower students to affirm their feelings
Keep ourselves, the child and those around them safe
Teach students to choose new beaviours

Common Misconception

Although the diagram above appears sequential, it is important to note that a student experiencing a trigger/stressor does NOT necessarily have to escalate to a crisis. Our goal is to avoid the peak of the curve if possible. Students may also bounce up and down the cycle. A student that appears to be escalating may calm down, and a sudent who appears to be de-escalating may also head back up into crisis.

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