It can be started with a fast yet thorough bio-psychosocial assessment which will help the wingmen identify the potential support & stressors , any medical issues, medications, any current substance use, and coping strategies & resources.  If there are concerns about the youth being suicidal, start by identifying what the thoughts are, if there is intent & the strength of the intent, whether there is a plan & if the plan is potentially lethal, any history of past attempts, and other specific risk factors (substance abuse, social  isolation, losses such as divorce or employment) which could be potential causes.

Rapport building – In a crisis, one must do this quickly & it will ideally happen as part of the assessment.  Here are the 3 behaviours that will go a long way in developing rapport with the youth in crisis.

1. Warmth 

2. Genuineness, and 

3. Empathy.

Find out from the mentee why things have come to a head.  There is usually a so-called last straw, but there is also a need to find out what other problems the  mentee could potentially be concerned about.  It can also be useful to prioritize the problems in terms of which problems the mentee could be most worried about.

Let the youth share or vent about their feelings about the crisis. 

Understanding emotions during a crisis :

• Crisis emotions are immediate -  We experience crisis emotions in ways that guarantee that we pay attention to them and heed their warning.

• Crisis emotions are deep intense - They are visceral, deep rooted nervous responses, meaning we feel them in every cell of our physical being. They are overwhelming because our bodies want to ensure that our minds don't miss or confuse the messages it is sending us.

• Crisis emotions are always negative - Positive emotions aren't in a hurry; there is no need to feel joy or love or pride immediately. But there is a definite urgency to negative emotions; they are communicating to us that we are in danger and we need to know now. If we don't get negative emotions fast, we're dead (or so some primitive part of the brain believes)!

This is where the aftercare team/wingmen come up with a plan.  wingman and the youth (ideally) begin to come up with options that will help improve the current situation.  A round of brainstorming about possibilities or ask about what has been helpful in the past as ways to get the youth’s input.

This is where a shift needs to happen from a crisis to a resolution. The wingman and the youth will begin to take the steps negotiated in the previous stage.  This is also where the youth will begin to make meaning of and contextualize the crisis event.

The follow up can be of various forms. A post-crisis evaluation may look at the youth’s current functioning and assess the youth’s progress and satisfaction with the support.  It can also involve phone or in person interaction. This can also be done in the regular Self Support Group meets as well.

Threat :

The threat reaction is the one that has been wired into us for millennia whose sole purpose is to ensure our survival. The fundamental motivation behind the threat reaction is to protect yourself from the danger. Emotions, including fear, frustration, and anger, are visceral and dramatic. The body is mobilized by the threat response with powerful physiological changes that would help you to fight or flee. Your focus narrows to guarantee that you pay attention solely to the presenting threat. One's confidence takes a hit and thoughts turn negative because this powerful reaction sends the message that one isn't capable of overcoming the threat. 

This reaction served humans well in primitive times when the crises we faced were obvious and immediate. However, due to the amorphous nature of crisis today, this defensive posture will more likely decrease the chances of survival (whether holding onto a job, protecting your retirement portfolio, or keeping your marriage intact).

Challenge :

The challenge reaction involves resisting the most basic instincts for self-protection. The fundamental motivation behind the challenge response is to engage the crisis head on, figure out a way to overcome the crisis, and to thrive, not just survive, in the difficult environment that the crisis has created. This challenge mindset creates a physical and psychological state that enables you to direct all resources to removing the threat that the crisis presents. When seen as a challenge, crises are experiences that can be viewed as opportunities to be embraced rather disasters to be recoiled from. This "can do" mindset, which acts as the foundation for a positive reaction to crises, creates a positive "lens" through which one would look at the crisis and also gives confidence in the ability to overcome the hurdles that the crisis presents to anyone.

The challenge reaction also prompts in you a vastly different emotional response to the crisis. Instead of the negative emotions that are part of the threat response, such as fear, frustration, anger, and despair (all unpleasant and unhelpful feelings, to be sure), challenge emotions, such as hope, pride, and inspiration (much more pleasant and productive emotions), propel you toward overcoming the crisis you face.These emotions, in turn, activate a physiological state that better prepares you for reacting positively to the complex nature of crises today. Unlike the intense and uncomfortable emotions associated with the threat reaction, you feel relaxed, but energised, perhaps even fired up to take on the crisis.

How you respond emotionally to a crisis starts with how you look at it -

 It’s been found that a simple distinction lies at the heart of whether you react positively or negatively: Do you perceive the crisis as a threat or a challenge? Whether you view crises as a threat or a challenge sets into motion a diametrically opposed cascade of emotions, thoughts, and behaviour that result in either a constructive or harmful response to crisis.