Crisis response training, between the trainings

Practice the hard conversations before they happen.

Rehearse real crisis conversations with Carl, then get a structured debrief grounded in proven principles of Psychological First Aid and 30 years of field practice.

  1. 1Describe a scenario
  2. 2Work it through
  3. 3Get a debrief
Start practicingWatch how it works

Suggestions only. Not a crisis hotline or clinical advice.

Carl the capybara holding his clipboard
Your scenario
My partner just came off a hard call and says they're fine. I'm not sure they are.
Carl's debrief
  • Checked in without pressing
  • Named what you noticed
  • Next: agree a follow-up
Built for11 sectors, one practice
  • First responders
  • Search and rescue
  • Mining
  • First Nations
  • Mental health providers
  • Healthcare practitioners
  • Education
  • Victims services
  • Correctional services
  • Shelter providers
  • Retail

The approach

Three steps. Repeat as often as you need.

Formal training happens once or twice a year. The moments that test you don't wait. CR Companion fills the gap between sessions.

  1. Describe a scenario

    Any real situation: workplace trauma, a peer support encounter, an acute stress event. Plain language is enough.

  2. Work it through

    Respond in real time. CR Companion evaluates your approach against established intervention practice.

  3. Get a debrief

    A structured read-out of strengths and gaps, plus quizzes on the topics you keep tripping on.

Then back to 01 with a new scenario. Each debrief points you at what to practice next.

Why practice pays off

What regular practice does for your work.

Most crisis training is a short course with little hands-on practice and no follow-up. Research shows what regular practice and feedback can change. Source

You feel ready to help
18 studies

Across nearly 6,000 people, mental health first aid training made people more confident to help, and a little more likely to step in.

Morgan, Ross & Reavley, PLOS ONE, 2018

These studies looked at training in general, not at CR Companion.

See it in action

Practice that keeps you ready, in about a minute

A scenario, Carl's debrief and the research on why regular practice works. No sound needed.

The research in the video looked at training in general, not at CR Companion.

Read the video as text
  1. A colleague is shaking. A caller says they're fine. A crew is back from a bad call. Will you know what to say?
  2. Skills fade between trainings. Most crisis training happens once or twice a year. Left unused, procedural skills lose about half their trained accuracy in about 6.5 months. In a suicide prevention gatekeeper study, 56% of trainees met a strict skills standard right after training, and 41% three months later.
  3. CR Companion. Practice the hard conversations before they happen.
  4. Describe a scenario: "A coworker just saw a serious accident. They're shaking and keep saying 'I can't do this.' Where do I start?" Carl replies: "Start with Stabilize. Move somewhere quieter, keep your voice low and steady, and offer one simple choice: 'Want to sit down, or step outside for some air?'"
  5. Work it through, then get a debrief. Carl's debrief: stayed close and calm, moved somewhere quieter, offered one simple choice. Next: acknowledge what you see.
  6. Why regular practice works. Students who practiced recall remembered 61% a week later, against 40% for students who reread. 58% of nurses still did excellent CPR after a year of brief monthly practice, against 15% with yearly practice. Peer supporters given real-time AI feedback wrote 19.6% more empathic replies.
  7. Better for your team: an estimated £9.98 return for every £1 spent on a 4-hour mental health training for fire service managers, from less sick leave. Better for the people you help: callers had 1.74 times the odds of ending the call less suicidal when their counselor had suicide intervention training.
  8. Keep the workshop. Add the practice. 24/7, on demand. Any situation you describe. Grounded in SAFER-R and Psychological First Aid. Private to your account.
  9. Your next critical conversation deserves preparation. Start practicing at crcompanion.com. Suggestions only. Not a crisis hotline or clinical advice.

Who built this

Built on 30 years of field experience.

CR Companion is made by CounterStress Solutions Inc., a team with three decades of crisis response work across emergency services, peer support and disaster operations. The training reflects real situations, not textbook simplifications.

Steve Horner
Steve Horner
Founder, CounterStress Solutions Inc.
Carl sitting on a bench beside a colleague
“I specialize in training and program development in psychological first aid, peer support, and suicide intervention. My work empowers individuals and organizations to navigate unexpected crises and manage the ongoing challenges of workplace and personal stress.”
  • Psychological first aid
  • Peer support
  • Suicide intervention
  • Workplace stress

For organizations

Give your whole team a place to practice.

Team licences put CR Companion in the hands of every employee who might be first on scene when a colleague is struggling.

Bring your own training

Organizations can upload their own training documents to CR Companion. Contact us for more details.

  • Ready when it counts

    Staff rehearse the hard conversations before they face one at work.

  • Training that sticks

    Short, regular practice keeps workshop learning fresh all year.

  • One shared approach

    Everyone learns the same steps, grounded in SAFER-R and Psychological First Aid.

  • Private for each person

    Practice sessions stay private to each employee’s account.

Compared with workshops

Keep the workshop. Add the practice.

CR Companion supplements in-person crisis response training and certification. It does not replace them.

Availability
CR Companion24/7, on-demand
Traditional trainingScheduled dates only
Cost
CR CompanionFrom CA$260/year
Traditional training$200–500+ per session
Practice frequency
CR CompanionAs often as you need
Traditional trainingOnce or twice a year
Scenario variety
CR CompanionAny situation you describe
Traditional trainingWorkshop curriculum only
Feedback
CR CompanionImmediate, structured debrief
Traditional trainingDelayed or informal

Pricing

One plan at a time. Pick your capacity.

Select the training capacity that matches your practice. Monthly or annual, switch any time from the billing portal.

Basic

Recommended for trainees

For individual practitioners.

CA$260/year
3 months free · 14-day trial
  • 1 practice scenario
  • 500 monthly Training Credits
  • Saved training sessions
  • Monthly reset

Pro

For high-volume practitioners and teams.

CA$600/year
4 months free
  • Everything in Basic
  • All practice scenarios
  • 1,500 monthly Training Credits
  • Priority email support

Scenario access is included in your plan. AI practice uses Training Credits.

Need more this month?

Purchased credits never expire.

CA$30
500 credits
CA$80
1,500 credits

Top-ups are available on paid plans. Prices in CAD. Customers in the US are billed in USD at checkout.

Questions

Straight answers.

On training alignment, privacy and what CR Companion is not.

No. CR Companion is a training simulation and on-the-job reference tool. It is not a crisis hotline or clinical service. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911 or your local emergency services. For crisis support, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US) or your local crisis hotline. CR Companion is a companion resource and offers suggestions only.

Your next critical conversation deserves preparation.

Start practicingView plans

Contact us

Let’s talk about your team.

Questions about team licences, pricing or how CR Companion fits your training program. Send a note and we’ll get back to you.

I’m asking about
We only use your details to reply.