The wife of a client who tends to dissociate under stress asks if there is anything she can do to help him. The psychiatric technician's best response is:

• A. You need to get him out around more people so he is not so isolated.
• B. When he starts feeling anxious, you could talk with him and have him focus on you.
• C. If you will ignore this, he will eventually stop with no reinforcement.
• D. I would suggest that you leave this up to his doctor.

Answer: (B)

When someone dissociates under stress, the goal is to keep them grounded and connected to the present moment. A calm, reassuring presence helps reorient them and reduces the dissociative response. By talking with him and having him focus on you, his wife provides a concrete anchor: she validates that she is with him, uses simple, direct communication, and guides his attention to a safe, familiar person. This can help him feel seen and less overwhelmed, making it easier for him to re-engage with the here and now.

In practice, she should speak in a slow, calm voice, use brief phrases, and offer grounding reminders like, “I’m here with you,” “You’re safe,” and “Look at me and take a slow breath with me.” This approach is appropriate for family support and complements professional treatment, rather than pushing him into more stimulation, ignoring the episode, or deferring all responsibility to the doctor.