DEBRIEFING
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
INTRODUCTION PHASE
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Introduces team members
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Sets expectations
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Describes “ground rules”
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Address confidentiality
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Participation in discussion is voluntary, not investigative. Informed consent.
FACT PHASE
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“Please tell who you are and what happened from your perspective.”
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“Or with multiple experiences: “Tell us about your experiences.”
THOUGHT PHASE
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“As you think about the incident, what are your most prominent thoughts?”
REACTION PHASE
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“What was the WORST PART of the incident for you?”
SYMPTOM PHASE
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“What has life been like for you since the event?”
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Or, “What signals of distress have you noticed in yourself since this happened?”
TEACHING PHASE
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Normalize experiences and / or reactions
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Teach key stress management skills
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Emphasize taking care of self
RE-ENTRY PHASE
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Summarize "key points", “lessons learned”
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Offer cognitive reframe if useful to facilitate closure, reconstruction
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Foster group cohesion.”