Abstract:

Aim of the research:
To study the crisis phenomenon and to determine the crisis intervention possibilities in social work practice remotely.

Research objectives:
1. To determine the factors and aspects that create the crisis phenomenon.
2. To study socio-psychological aspects of crisis management possibilities in the context of personality self-realization.

Research methods: socio-psychological, study of social work literature, interview, survey.
Crisis creates an opportunity for personality growth and development, for recognizing and forming a genuine attitude towards life, teaching to take responsibility for one’s own decisions, choices and life as such. Unwanted and unexpected events can cause emotional stress situations when in a short period of time a person must significantly change the perception of him/herself and the world. In such moments some people will experience a personal catastrophe, but some people will discover within themselves new opportunities for development. The crisis situation asks us to answer two essential questions – What should be done? How should we live?

The crisis can be described as a period of extreme danger and disaster and a state of social, political or economic instability, which implies threats of sudden and decisive changes; it is "a decisive moment, a turning point in a particular situation", which can be linked to the danger, loss or on the contrary – can promote development. In such situations the timely crisis intervention plays an important role.

In this article the crisis intervention will be viewed as a specific method for work in acute crisis situations, emphasizing psychological defence mechanisms such as rationalization, denial, resignation, scapegoating, compensation, isolation, projection, which help to maintain human dignity and to cope with the life difficulties. Crisis intervention method can be applied not only during face-to-face consultation, but also remotely via phone or Skype. It is practically the only work method, which is just as effective as a face-to-face conversation. This type of conversation cannot be considered as psychotherapy or in-depth psychological counselling, as the aim of the intervention is not focussed on understanding of what has caused the difficulties, but on unloading the emotions caused by crisis and on finding possibilities of solving the problem situation at the same time activating the needed resources. This article is raising awareness about crisis management possibilities in the social work practice.

Keywords:

Crisis, crisis intervention, psychological defence, emotional reaction, crisis management.