Being alive means people face problems which need resolution, but sometimes problems are so overwhelming that people are unable to solve them. A crisis is beyond the family’s coping ability, overwhelming, where internal and external support systems fail, a sudden and unexpected situation that the victims face or ongoing abuse and assault. A crisis can further be characterised as creating unrest in the victims and increasing tension because the problems can not be solved, resulting in the inability to properly function. Psychologically, the crisis is a hazardous situation causing disequilibrium because the problem is too significant to be solved by the victim’s normal coping mechanisms. From a psychological perspective, the crisis is not the event, but how a person reacts to it. The Pastoral counsellor can play a role when problem-solving fails, and when safe-making and stabilisation are needed to help victims to heal and return to normal functioning.
