Abstract:

Crises are usually considered in a negative context – as undesirable phenomena that disrupt the normal functioning of an individual or social groups. According to one of the classic definitions of a crisis, formulated by Gerard Caplan, a crisis constitutes a reaction of a previously healthy person to a difficult situation, in which such a person is unable use already possessed problem-solving skills, as they become insufficient^[1]. Crises are accompanied by a sense of suffering and disorganization, which on the one hand can lead to disorders and pathologies, but on the other hand can become an opportunity for development. A crisis is thus a bi-faceted phenomenon – it carries both a risk of destruction as well as chance to implement a constructive change in the life of an individual or the community.

[1] Czabała, J.Cz., Kluczyńska, S. (eds.), Interwencja kryzysowa. Wybrane zagadnienia, Wyd. APS, Warsaw 2021.