Cool Smart Alive
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Building Better Relationships
BBB believes the HOME is the first and most effective place to learn the lessons of life. This includes self control, the value of education, and the purpose and privilege of life.
10 De-escalating techniques to teach your kids today:
1. Be Empathic and Nonjudgmental
Do not judge or be dismissive of the feelings of the person in distress. Remember that the person’s feelings are real, whether or not you think those feelings are justified. Respect those feelings, keeping in mind that whatever the person is going through could be the most important event in their life at the moment.
2. Respect Personal Space
Be aware of your position, posture, and proximity when interacting with a person in distress. Allowing personal space shows respect, keeps you safer, and tends to decrease a person’s anxiety. If you must enter someone’s personal space to provide care, explain what you’re doing so the person feels less confused and frightened.
3. Use Nonthreatening Nonverbals
The more a person is in distress, the less they hear your words—and the more they react to your nonverbal communication. Be mindful of your gestures, facial expressions, movements, and tone of voice. Keeping your tone and body language neutral will go a long way toward defusing a situation.
4. Keep Your Emotional Brain in Check
Remain calm, rational, and professional. While you can’t control the person’s behavior, how you respond to their behavior will have a direct effect on whether the situation escalates or defuses. Positive thoughts like “I can handle this” and “I know what to do” will help you maintain your own rationality and calm the person down.
5. Focus on Feelings
Facts are important, but how a person feels is the heart of the matter. Yet some people have trouble identifying how they feel about what’s happening to them. Watch and listen carefully for the person’s real message. Try saying something like “That must be scary.” Supportive words like these will let the person know that you understand what’s happening—and you may get a positive response.
6. Ignore Challenging Questions
Engaging with people who ask challenging questions is rarely productive. When a person challenges your authority, redirect their attention to the issue at hand. Ignore the challenge, but not the person. Bring their focus back to how you can work together to solve the problem.
7. Set Limits
As a person progresses through a crisis, give them respectful, simple, and reasonable limits. Offer concise and respectful choices and consequences. A person who’s upset may not be able to focus on everything you say. Be clear, speak simply, and offer the positive choice first.
8. Choose Wisely What You Insist Upon
It’s important to be thoughtful in deciding which rules are negotiable and which are not. For example, if a person doesn’t want to shower in the morning, can you allow them to choose the time of day that feels best for them? If you can offer a person options and flexibility, you may be able to avoid unnecessary altercations.
9. Allow Silence for Reflection
We’ve all experienced awkward silences. While it may seem counterintuitive to let moments of silence occur, sometimes it’s the best choice. It can give a person a chance to reflect on what’s happening, and how they need to proceed. Silence can be a powerful communication tool.
10. Allow Time for Decisions
When a person is upset, they may not be able to think clearly. Give them a few moments to think through what you’ve said. A person’s stress rises when they feel rushed. Allowing time brings calm.
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Explorer Programs
What Police officers do daily.
Benefits of Being an Explorer:
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Build self-confidence and self-discipline
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Develop leadership qualities
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Develop maturity
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Learn emergency response procedure
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Learn the functions of the Orange Police Department and the duties of its officers
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To learn more about how to become an Explorer please call (714) 744-7373
Citizens' Police Academy
Your turn to ask questions
Are you interested in having an extensive look inside your local police department? Do you live or work in the City of Orange? Apply for the Orange Police Department Citizen Academy! Citizen Academy is a free, interactive course in which you will have the opportunity to learn from our K-9, Narcotics, Crime Scene Investigations, Detectives and many more! You may also call the Citizen Academy line for prerecorded information at (714) 744-7354. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis..
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Turning a New Page
Often times our clients have everything they need to succeed, they just require the resources and support to make a strategic jump. We worked on this project for several months and the end result was truly spectacular. By ensuring consistent and transparent communication, our client was able to progress by leaps and bounds.