Intervene ASAP by making quick contact, at least by phone.

• Offer reassurance and encouragement.  
• Stop the person from acting self-destructively.  
• Pray with the person and bring God into the picture.   
• Link the person with someone who may be better if the person is open to that.

Take strong, direct action to prevent the situation from getting worse.  

• Move the person towards action that achieves meaning and makes progress.   
• Right from the start, help the person to sense that something is being done for them and by them.   
• Help the person understand the crisis by having them share what happened and their true feelings about them: who, what, why, when, where, etc.   
• Sort out what needs to be addressed immediately and what can wait.   
• If necessary, help work out a safe, peaceful environment for processing away from people who may be dangerous, confusing, or even curious.  
• Take more directive action if the person is a threat to the safety of himself or others.   
• Move the person towards taking personal responsibility as soon as possible.

Restore balance and accurate perspective.  

• Ask questions that draw out the facts apart from emotion driven imagination.   
• Ask questions that help paint a true whole picture as opposed to a distorted one.   
• Get to the root problem.  
• Look at possible courses of action and their consequences together.   
• Help the person choose a best course of action.  
• Provide hope and faith until they can replenish theirs.

Provide support.   

• Pray for and make contact regularly (at least by phone) with the person.   
• Allow for margins in time where the person has to make the effort to pray and process without your help.  
• Enlarge the circle of support by linking the person to a small group.   
• Gradually withdraw crisis support as the person is able to stand. Do nothing for the person that they can do for themselves.   
• Link the person to a mentor who may be a better fit to take them further.  
• Refer the person to other community agencies if necessary.