(ABC 6 News) – Tuesday night, Saint Marys Emergency Department experienced a rather harrowing situation. Police said am individual walked into the lobby, held a knife to their throat and threated their own life, and others. When someone threatens to hurt themselves and others, what’s the right response?

Doctors and psychologists at the Resilience Center in Rochester say it’s all about staying calm and being patient.

“Calm the person, the calmer you can be around that person, the more that you are likely to bring them down also to a calmer place, where they can slow down and maybe think a bit more rationally or logically,” explained Dr. Brandy Brown, a psychologist at the Resilience Center.

— Related: Saint Marys emergency department shuts down briefly during alleged knife threat —

Brown says that’s the best you can do. Like Tuesday night when 24-year-old Siara Pries walked into Saint Marys threatening her own life and that of others.

“This was, you know, a situation, we have hospital resource officers that are assigned to Saint Marys, to the emergency rooms specifically,” said Lt. Jennifer Hodgman with the Rochester Police Department.

Pries was tackled by officers and was medically cleared.

While high anxiety and adrenaline can take over in a time like this, Brown says leave it to professionals.

“We might not be making the most rational or logical decisions in that moment, so we don’t want to be putting ourselves in that state that might be inadvertently make the situation worse.”

In situations like these, let the person know you’re there for them if they want to talk and you can help.

“‘Do you need anybody to talk to?’ Really focusing on the moment for that person and really just being present. ‘You don’t want to talk, that’s fine. But I’ll sit here with you and be present,'” added Brown.

Pries is facing recommended charges of terroristic threats and assault against hospital security.

If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.