A growing number of high-performing professionals in Australia are seeking private, short-term support to manage acute stress and emotional exhaustion, a crisis intervention specialist said.
Gary Fahey, a former federal police chief-of-staff who now works with executives, politicians, and elite professionals, says demand for crisis intervention is rising among leaders facing mounting pressure behind the scenes.
While not a replacement for therapy or traditional coaching, crisis intervention focuses on stabilising performance and wellbeing in the midst of high-stakes stress.
“Crisis intervention is what happens when a leader realises they are not just tired, they are one bad decision away from serious personal or professional fallout,” Fahey said.
The service is largely confidential and rarely discussed in public, with no marketing, public endorsements, or visible footprint. Yet, behind the scenes, it is becoming an increasingly sought-after lifeline for high performers nearing burnout.
Crisis intervention typically deals with performance breakdown, emotional exhaustion, decision paralysis, and disconnection — not over the long term, but in intense, high-stakes moments. Fahey’s client list includes senior executives, elite athletes and elected officials, although details are closely guarded.
“These are not people who lack ambition or intelligence. They are smart, driven and successful but success has brought pressure and pressure without the right support leads to collapse,” he said.
Common issues prompting intervention include emotional reactivity, poor impulse control, reduced decision-making capacity, and burnout — often misread as overproductivity.
“They are working longer hours but achieving less. People experiencing this are physically present but mentally and emotionally exhausted,” Fahey said.
He also points to isolation and fraying team dynamics as red flags and said that in some cases, unaddressed stress manifests physically with disrupted sleep, chronic fatigue and mood swings.
Despite the risks, many leaders are reluctant to seek visible support. Fahey suggests this is partly due to stigma and a deeply ingrained belief in maintaining composure at all costs.
“Many leaders feel they cannot afford to show vulnerability. They believe they have to hold it together for the team, the board or the business. So, they suffer in silence and when the pressure becomes too much, they come to someone like me,” he said.
For some, the tipping point comes only after a major error, a personal breakdown, or a sudden realisation that things are no longer manageable.
“They realise they are not thinking straight. They are reacting, not leading and they are no longer the person they set out to be. This realisation becomes the circuit breaker.”
While proponents see crisis intervention as a vital tool for stabilising leaders in distress, it is not without its limits. It is not therapy, nor a long-term mental health strategy. Critics might argue it is a band-aid solution that doesn’t address root causes. Fahey himself clarifies the scope.
“It is not about fixing childhood trauma or running personality assessments, it is about helping the leader reset, regain control and lead from a grounded, stable place,” Fahey said.
The broader takeaway, he adds, is that reaching out for help in times of crisis should not be viewed as failure, but as a form of resilience.
“Leaders are realising that resilience is not about pushing through, it is about knowing when to pause, reset and get help. The strongest leaders I work with are the ones who know when to reach for support,” he said.