Calm. A state of being and a word so influential that simply repeating it will bring a moment of peace. Try saying it with your eyes closed and a deep breath. Calm. While the world is spinning around you, busy with noise, commotion, and responsibility, in this moment, you are calm. And when the moment has passed, you are refreshed and capable, like you have just given your mind a power nap.
Why does a quick moment make such a difference? According to Harvard Health, common challenges and day-to-day events like financial woes, traffic, relationships, and work are enough to keep the body in a constant fight-or-flight state. Inviting a deep breath into the lungs allows oxygen to flow more freely into the body and omits carbon dioxide steadily. The heartbeat slows, and blood pressure is lowered, returning the nervous system to a regulated state. For a moment, you are disengaged from distracting thoughts. The best part? You can practice breathing for yourself anywhere.
Regulation refers to the body’s ability to adjust to change while maintaining emotional balance. When the nervous system naturally turns to fight-or-flight, breathing can help self-regulate and neutralize the feeling of stress or panic. Sometimes, stressful feelings are experienced individually, but other times, the anxiety comes in the form of another person’s dysregulation. By using the same skills to self-regulate, it is possible to co-regulate. During co-regulation, one person can adjust and provide calmness to the other, neutralizing their nervous system while remaining calm and maintaining composure.
Due to the staggering number of people struggling with mental health (1 in 5 adults, 1 in 6 youths), there very well could be a time when a person in crisis enters your workplace in need of de-escalation, direction to community resources, or the help of a crisis team. In this stressful situation, it is essential to respond compassionately rather than react impulsively because how you respond could determine the trajectory of the circumstances. In the moment, it may feel scary or intimidating to engage with someone in crisis, but with a bit of practice, co-regulation and de-escalation will begin to come naturally. Just remain calm.
In response to the growing need for de-escalation response in the workplace, NAMI of Southwest Washington developed C.A.L.M. This presentation includes person-centered de-escalation techniques, self-care tips, and community resources. Consider the easy-to-remember and all-around pleasant acronym:
C
Communicate
Gather information, speak slowly.
A
Assess
Look for basic needs, be aware of your team’s plan.
L
Listen
Validate feelings and pay attention to body language.
M
Mediate
Respond with empathy and agree on a solution.
By having a plan in place and remembering a few steps, what can feel like unfamiliar territory can become navigable. The steps are not linear, but sometimes, just knowing steps exist can alleviate a bit of unexpected anxiety for the person in crisis and yourself. And as always, your safety is the number one priority.
For more information on how to incorporate C.A.L.M. de-escalation techniques in your business, please contact Gretchen Hoyt: [email protected]
