Module 3: Interventions

Let's begin Module 3: Interventions. At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

Identify empathy and compassion techniques to reduce the likelihood an event will escalate into an active shooter incident
Identify situations where professional help could be used to prevent an incident escalating into a violent situation

Interventions Transcript

As mentioned earlier, the ability to recognize indicators is an important tool in our toolbox. Now we will discuss how to apply the other tools to intervene – specifically,

Providing support with empathy and compassion to reduce the likelihood that things will escalate, and
Engaging professional help to intervene if needed.

Click the right arrow to get started.

Providing Support Transcript

Providing support with empathy and compassion is an important tool in reducing the likelihood that things will escalate to violence. Regardless of the indicator – whether the person seems to be dealing with a grievance, depression, or even suggests an intent to do harm to themselves or others – reaching out to the person can make an enormous difference. Offering support and really listening to the person can help the person feel less alone and sometimes go a long way towards helping the situation. It can also help you learn more about the severity of the situation and inform next steps.

Watch this short video about empathy, and then we will discuss how to apply it in this context.

So what is empathy, and why is it very different than sympathy? Empathy fuels connection. Sympathy drives disconnection. Empathy, it’s very interesting. Teresa Wiseman is a nursing scholar who studied professions – very diverse professions – where empathy is relevant and came up with four qualities of empathy – perspective taking, the ability to take the perspective of another person or recognize their perspective as their truth, staying out of judgement – not easy when you enjoy it as much as most of us do – recognizing emotion in other people, and then communicating that.

Empathy is feeling with people. And to me, I always think of empathy as this kind of sacred space when someone is kind of in a deep hole, and they shout out from the bottom and they say, I’m stuck. It’s dark. I’m overwhelmed. And then we look and we say, hey, I’m down. I know what it’s like down here, and you’re not alone.

Sympathy is, oh, it’s bad, uh-huh. No. Do you want a sandwich? Empathy is a choice, and it’s a vulnerable choice. Because in order to connect with you, I have to connect with something in myself that knows that feeling. Rarely, if ever, does an empathic response begin with ‘at least’. I had a – yeah. And we do it all the time. Because you know what? Someone just shared something with us that’s incredibly painful, and we’re trying to silver lining it. I don’t think that’s a verb, but I’m using it as one. We’re trying to put the silver lining around it. So I had a miscarriage. Oh, at least you know you can get pregnant. I think my marriage is falling apart. At least you have a marriage, John’s getting kicked out of school. At least Sarah is an A student. But one of the things we do sometimes in the face of very difficult conversations is we try to make things better.

If I share something you that’s very difficult, I’d rather you say I don’t even know what to say right now. I’m just so glad you told me. Because the truth is rarely can a response make something better. What makes something better is connection.

As the video showed, when connecting with empathy, it is essential to:

Be able to see the other person’s perspective
Be non-judgmental
Understand and recognize the other person’s feelings, and
Communicate that you understand their feelings

It is important to avoid minimizing the other person’s perspective, lessening their experience, or trying to point out the silver lining. For example, saying things like “Everything happens for a reason,” “This too shall pass,” and “Just look on the bright side…” rarely do much to help the other person feel better. So, when you see someone exhibiting one of the common indicators, provide support with empathy and compassion. Reach out, listen, and empathize. Here are some tips for how to engage someone that may be exhibiting one of the common indicators, or even just some other form of stress. These techniques may also help develop stronger relationships and build trust.

Pick a quiet and private place to talk.
Ask open-ended questions, like “How are you feeling?” or “I noticed a disagreement between you and John. Can you tell me about it?”
Questions should seek perspective rather than judge them or suggest solutions. Avoid “Why” questions, as they may easily be interpreted as accusatory.
If someone is exhibiting signs of depression or suicidal ideation, ask the question, “Are you thinking about suicide?” While this may feel uncomfortable, asking this question communicates that you’re open to speaking about suicide in a non-judgmental way. For more information specifically on suicide prevention, visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
Focus on listening, rather than talking, and takes steps to show that you’re really listening. For example, paraphrase and reflect back what you hear by saying things like “What I am hearing you say is…”
Respond with care and respect. Say things like "Thank you for telling me this" or "I am here for you" or “I’m not really sure what to say right now, but I’m so happy you told me.” Always remain respectful in your response. If things get heated or challenging, let them know you care about them, and suggest you need some time. If you do this, be certain to keep your word and return.
And that gets to our final point. Stay connected. Don’t have one conversation and then move on. Follow-up and check in with the person.

The simple action of providing support with empathy and compassion by reaching out, listening, and empathizing with the person, can make an enormous difference. However, you may find through your discussion that additional support is needed.

Click the right arrow to learn about the third tool in our toolbox – engaging professional help.

Engage Professional Help Transcript

Depending on the situation, you may find that the person needs to engage additional help, such as from a supervisor, human resources, or counselor. Offering to assist them in that process can help them feel more supported and increase the likelihood of them following through to get the help needed, before things escalate to a violent situation. For example:

If the person seems to have depression or anxiety, you may want to encourage them to try talking with a counselor and offer to help them find one.

If the person feels they are being bullied or harassed by other coworkers or leadership, or feels they have been targeted with an unjust or discriminatory action, help them understand that they are not the source of the problem and go with them to report the situation to an organizational leader or human resources professional for assistance.

If the person indicates they are overwhelmed or overly stressed at work, encourage them to go talk with their supervisor, human resources, or a counselor.

You may be reluctant to bring these issues up to a coworker or to a supervisor out of fear of negative blowback. However, approaching these conversations from a place of care and concern can help build a positive work environment; it might also save lives.

Finally, if you see someone exhibiting multiple indicators or if the situation seems extreme, is escalating, or may be dangerous, you should reach out to engage professional help to intervene. This may include reporting your concern to supervisors, human resources, security, or law enforcement. If someone is exhibiting signs of suicidal ideation, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for assistance.

For example, communicating a threat should not be taken lightly; it is completely unacceptable. When behaviors are of concern, when providing support doesn’t make progress, or you are worried that the person might harm themselves or someone else, say something. Even if you feel something is wrong and just can’t explain what it is, it is critical that you report it. For example, contact Human Resources so they can provide support directly. Often times you can remain anonymous, but check your organizational policies if that is of concern. Of course, if the behavior seems particularly concerning or violent, be sure to contact law enforcement immediately so they can investigate and intervene if needed.

While you may be hesitant to report concerns to others, particularly law enforcement, out of fear of how they may respond, it is important to remember that they are professionals that are trained to appropriately handle these situations, and that NOT reporting a concern may have deadly consequences. As mentioned earlier, more than half of the active shooters in the FBI study leaked their intent to commit violence, but no bystanders reported the leakage to law enforcement prior to the attack. Voicing your concern and accessing professional support is critical if you witness a person leaking their intent to commit violence. It is critical that we lower our internal threshold for reporting, even when things seem ambiguous, to avoid tragedy.

Click the right arrow to continue.

Module 3: Interventions Summary

You have reached the end of Module 3: Interventions. You should now be able to:

Identify empathy and compassion techniques to reduce the likelihood an event will escalate into an active shooter incident
Identify situations where professional help could be used to prevent an incident escalating into a violent situation