Critical life events are part of the experience horizon of almost all people. It is important to specify what qualifies events as critical and what role they play in life and in memories of life. Such events often lead to profound disruptions in one's self-image and worldview, creating chaos in the mind and threatening to plunge those affected into a deep emotional crisis. The extent to which individuals emerge strengthened from these experiences or are sustainably impaired in their ability to act largely depends on their coping behavior. This is comprehensively examined as both a mental and socially interactive process. Finally, it is illustrated how support in the context of critical events, particularly crisis intervention, can be structured. With a commentary on the second edition.