Crisis
Everyone faces difficult moments, but sometimes life throws us into situations that feel too overwhelming to handle on our own.
Whether it is a personal loss, a mental health breakdown, or a sudden life change, these moments can leave us feeling stuck, unsafe, or out of control. That is what we call a crisis.
What Is A Crisis?
A crisis is a turning point, a period of intense emotional distress that overwhelms your usual coping mechanisms. It can be triggered by a single event (like the loss of a loved one) or an accumulation of stressors that become too much to bear. In a crisis, you may feel hopeless, unsafe or unable to function in your day-to-day life.
Common Types Of Crisis
Some common types of crisis include:
- Mental Health Crisis: Suicidal thoughts, panic attacks, or severe depressive episodes
- Relationship Crisis: Breakups, family conflict or betrayal
- Traumatic Events: Accidents, assaults, natural disasters
- Occupational/ Educational Crisis: Job loss, academic failure, burnout
- Developmental Crisis: Life transitions like graduating, retirement or becoming a parent
- Existential Crisis: Questioning the purpose or meaning of life
Why Do Crises Happen
Crises often occur when:
- A person lacks access to adequate coping resources or support
- Stressors accumulate over time (e.g. financial problems, work stress, isolation)
- Unexpected events or trauma disrupt your sense of stability and control
- Mental health conditions increase vulnerability
Signs You May Be In Crisis
Some common signs include:
- Feeling unable to cope or make decisions
- Intense anxiety or panic
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
- Emotional numbness or detachment
- Sudden withdrawal from others
- Loss of interest in basic self-care
- Increased use of alcohol or drugs to escape
- Anger or despair, especially if it is out of character
- Social withdrawal
Crises look different for everyone. What feels manageable to one person may feel completely overwhelming to another.
When To Seek Help?
Seek help immediately if:
- You or someone you know is thinking about suicide or self-harm
- You feel emotionally unsafe or unable to care for yourself
- You are overwhelmed and unsure how to move forward
- You are experiencing grief or trauma, when you cannot stop reliving an event and have flashbacks
How Can Us Help You?
Therapy provides a safe, confidential space to:
- De-escalate emotional distress
- Make sense of what is happening
- Identify resources and support systems
- Rebuild confidence and coping skills
- Explore personal growth and healing
With support, many people not only recover from a crisis but grow stronger in the process, a concept known as post-traumatic growth.
Experienced Therapists
Our processes and quality assurance is led by Dr.Emma Waddington, a UK-trained senior clinician psychologist and Founder of Us Therapy, with over 20+ years of experience in helping individuals in Singapore.
Holistic & Personalised Approach
Our clinicians draw from various therapeutic models to create a holistic approach. At Us, we have seen hundreds of clients and we recognise that each individual is unique. Our approach is tailored to you but always includes customised treatment plans and integrative techniques.
Thorough Assessment
At Us, we pride ourselves on our comprehensive assessment processes. We will undergo a thorough assessment process with you in your first sessions before we come up with a plan for your therapy.
Therapy Approaches
Crisis intervention focuses on three main goals: ensuring safety, providing emotional support, and restoring a sense of stability and control. The immediate aim is not deep analysis, but helping you gain functional coping and decision-making capacity during a period of acute distress.
Longer-term therapy can follow after the crisis to address underlying issues and support emotional recovery. Below are some commonly used, effective therapy approaches:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT is highly effective in the aftermath of a crisis, particularly if the event has triggered distorted thinking, overwhelming emotions, or avoidance behaviours. CBT helps you reframe catastrophic thoughts (e.g. “I’ll never recover from this”), regulate your emotions, and engage in adaptive coping strategies.
Narrative Therapy
In times of crisis, individuals often feel like their lives have been “shattered” or thrown off course. Narrative Therapy provides a structured space to make meaning of the crisis, separate identity from the problem, and re-author a sense of personal agency. It is especially effective for clients struggling with loss, trauma, or existential upheaval.
Crisis Counselling or Brief Intervention Therapy
This is a short-term support to help clients navigate immediate distress. It often includes assessing risk, validating emotions, exploring coping strategies, and identifying immediate resources or supports. The therapist helps the individual solve problems and develop an action plan for the next steps.
Safety Planning
When there is a risk of suicide, self-harm, or harm to others, creating a collaborative safety plan is essential. This includes identifying warning signs, coping strategies, people to contact for support, and steps to reduce access to lethal means.
Mindfulness and Grounding Techniques
Crises often trigger emotional overwhelm, flashbacks, or dissociation. Grounding techniques (e.g. deep breathing, 5-4-3-2-1 sensory awareness, body scans) help bring the person back to the present moment. Mindfulness practices increase emotional regulation, self-awareness, and non-judgmental acceptance of distress.
What To Expect
Initial Consultation – A Space to Be Heard
The first session is all about getting to know you. It is a conversation—one where you can share what is been on your mind, what has been feeling difficult, and what you would like support with. Your therapist will ask questions about your background, experiences, and goals, but there is no pressure to answer any questions—just a safe space to begin.
Questionnaires & Onboarding Surveys – Understanding the Full Picture
To help tailor therapy to your needs, you may be asked to fill out some brief questionnaires before or after your first session. These can give insight into things like mood, stress levels, relationship patterns, or coping strategies. They are not tests—just tools to help your therapist understand how best to support you.
Individual Therapy Sessions – Your Journey at Your Own Pace
Each session is a step forward in your journey. Therapy is not just about talking—it is about discovering new ways to navigate life’s challenges, make sense of emotions, and feel like you are getting the most out of your life. Depending on your needs, sessions may focus on:
- Exploring patterns of thought and behavior
- Understanding past experiences and their impact on the present
- Developing practical coping tools
- Strengthening emotional resilience
Feedback Sessions – Reflecting and Adjusting
After the first few sessions (or after assessments), a feedback session provides space to reflect on how therapy is going. This is a chance to talk about what has been helpful, what you would like more of, and how therapy can continue to best serve you.
Intervention – The Heart of Therapy
Intervention is where meaningful change happens. Every therapy journey is unique, and the approach will be shaped around what works best for you. Some common approaches include:
🌱 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – Helping to identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns, reduce anxiety, and develop healthier ways to cope and new patterns of behaviour.
🧠 Schema Therapy – Deep, transformational work to uncover long-standing patterns that might be keeping you stuck, often rooted in early life experiences.
💙 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – Learning to handle difficult emotions with self-compassion and move towards what truly matters in life.
🌊 Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) – A powerful approach for healing trauma and distressing memories, helping the brain reprocess them in a way that feels less overwhelming.
🧘 Mindfulness-Based Approaches – Building self-awareness, grounding techniques, and ways to manage stress and emotions with greater ease.
Fees
Individual Counselling Rates
Clinician type
Fees
Clinic Founder
$310
Principal Psychologist
$290
Senior Clinical Psychologist
$262
Educational Psychologist
$262
Clinical Psychologist
$236
Counsellor
$170
Expressive Arts Therapist
$170
Associate Psychologist
$130
Phone calls / Emails
Clinicians rate pro-rata (10 Mins)
Frequently Asked Questions About Crisis
How do I know the difference between a crisis and a bad day?
Everyone has tough days, but a crisis tends to feel unmanageable. If your distress is interfering with your ability to function, make decisions, or feel safe, it may be more than just a bad day.
What do I do if I think someone I love is in a crisis?
Stay calm, listen without judgment, and encourage them to seek professional help. If there is a risk of harm, do not leave them alone and contact emergency services or a crisis line immediately.
Are panic attacks considered a crisis?
A single panic attack may not be a crisis, but frequent, severe panic attacks that impact daily life or cause you to feel unsafe can be part of a mental health crisis and should be taken seriously.
Can a crisis lead to growth?
Yes. Although painful, crises can prompt reflection, resilience, and transformation. Many individuals report positive psychological changes after surviving difficult experiences—a process called post-traumatic growth.