I think humor and "Help me out here, John, would you. . .?" could help. For me, the interaction with the other person, the one with authority over me is the big thing and I respond best when they "help" me or go along with me, etc. If you want them to do something, modelling what you want them to do, doing it "with" them while talking to them personally might help? If things get a bit too tense, a little distraction/misdirection while you turn down the volume of the TV ("Wouldn't it be nice if we had a set of earphones for the TV so it wouldn't disturb others? Why don't you suggest that to Suzie Counselor on Monday when she comes in") where there is a tie-in to others and the person's relationship with others may work? If it is not an action, but a principle, reminding the person of their responsibilities and relationships ("It's lights out every night at 10:00, John, you know that, don't you?. . .") and stating it in a matter-of-fact way with a pause while they hear/look at you, or even waiting afterwards for a response/acknowledgement from them that it is so, that takes any personal issue out of it; it is not you trying to be authoritative but just "the rules" that everyone, even you know and accept.

I've only worked with the developmentally disabled (and know what I like for myself :-) so don't know if these would work in a crisis center, especially if there is anger, fear, acting out of any sort. I was helping teach group/individual courses the students were taking because they chose to.

Another thing that really helped me is paying attention when you see/hear other counselors interacting with clients, see what they say/do and how they handle things if you can. I use to eavesdrop on my coworker talking on the phone to her elderly mother because I admired her so "copied" what she did/said with my own. Good listening skills and repetition of what I was saying/wanted when she didn't "get it" or got distracted helped there.