Crises are part of living, not only as painful stress but also as growth, challenge and drama. Crises may be heavily weighted to the interpersonal or to the intrapsychic or to the cultural. However, generally all these aspects are involved in some proportion. Actually a less obvious aspect may be the well-spring for the most promising focus for therapy. This essay discusses the core characteristics of crises, developmental transitions as crises, and the role of culture in life’s crises. (33 pp.)