Gary Fahey: What is crisis intervention — and why are so many people quietly getting help?
Announcement posted by Invigorate PR 19 May 2025
Gary Fahey lifts the lid on the rising demand for private performance intervention at the highest levels of leadership.
Behind closed doors, Australia's top executives, business owners and high-performance individuals are seeking help, but it is not through therapy or coaching programs, it is through something far more urgent and focused: crisis intervention.
Gary Fahey, one of Australia's leading crisis intervention specialists and performance experts, explained that demand for executive-level crisis support is rising as more leaders find themselves overwhelmed, reactive and on the edge of breakdown, despite appearing composed from the outside.
"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.
So, what is crisis intervention and who is it for?
Crisis intervention is a specialised form of executive support focused on navigating acute stress, decision paralysis, emotional exhaustion and performance breakdown. Unlike therapy or business coaching, it is short term, discreet and action oriented.
Fahey's clients include founders, CEOs, board directors, politicians, elite athletes and high-performing professionals who are hitting a psychological wall.
"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.
Why leaders are seeking help in silence
Fahey said most of his work is done confidentially. There are no press releases, no testimonials and no branding, just results.
"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.
What does a performance crisis look like?
Fahey explains the most common symptoms that prompt a leader to seek intervention.
Impaired decision making
"Leaders start rushing decisions, overcommitting or reacting emotionally instead of thinking clearly," Fahey said.
"Often is starts with bad decisions about small things until the size and severity of the issues and decisions start to escalate."
Burnout masked as productivity
"Burnout masked as productivity is common. They are working longer hours but achieving less. People experiencing this are physically present but mentally and emotionally exhausted," Fahey said.
Disconnection from team and purpose
"Burnout impacts leadership and affects relationships. Communication breaks down, trust weakens and the leader begins isolating themselves, even when surrounded by people," he said.
Poor impulse control
"Poor impulse control is a key sign of burnout and often shows itself in a variety of ways: short tempers, micromanaging, impulsive hires or sudden strategic changes made without full alignment or clarity," Fahey added.
Physical and emotional warning signs
"People experiencing acute stress usually experience sleep disruption, chronic fatigue, mood swings, self-doubt, or sudden swings in motivation and focus," Fahey said.
"These are not leadership flaws, they are typical stress symptoms. If left unaddressed, they can derail careers and damage companies."
The turning point comes when performance drops or the pressure becomes personal. Fahey added that many leaders reach out after one of three things happens: a major mistake, a private breakdown, or a moment of clarity that something is deeply off.
"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," he said.
Why crisis intervention works
Crisis intervention brings rapid clarity, triage-style support and tailored strategies to restore executive performance and emotional stability.
"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.
Fahey emphasised that the rise in demand for crisis intervention is a sign of progress, not weakness.
"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.
About Gary Fahey
Gary Fahey is a former high-ranking officer with the Australian Federal Police, now one of the country's most in-demand crisis intervention specialists and workplace performance experts. After experiencing his own highly publicised breakdown, he founded a highly respected consultancy to help individuals and organisations navigate stress, high performance and personal resilience.
Today, he works with leaders across a broad range of industries to prevent burnout and restore performance and life balance. His clients include CEOs, athletes, first responders, entrepreneurs and everyday Australians committed to taking back control of their lives.
