152: Suicide Therapies That Work

Suicide is on the rise in the United States, having gone up 24% between 1994 and 2014. It is the most common psychiatric emergency that therapists will encounter. Recent research has identified suicide-specific therapies that are effective in treating both suicidal ideation and behavior. The problem is that most therapists are not aware of them and have not been trained in them, so most suicidal clients do not receive these potentially lifesaving treatments. This intermediate workshop provides a valuable opportunity for therapists to be introduced to these empirically validated, evidence-based treatments for suicide that are fast becoming the standard of care.

1. Recognize warning signs of immediate risk versus long-term risk factors.
2. Describe the core dynamics operating in clients at risk for suicide.
3. Recognize clients’ negative thought patterns and attitudes that influence self-destructive and suicidal behavior.
4. Assess the level of suicide risk through clinical and objective approaches.
5. Implement state-of-the-art crisis intervention for suicidal patients.
6. Identify a number of empirically validated treatments for suicide that target suicide directly.
7. Apply the legal and ethical standards of care in the management of suicidal patients.

Lisa A. Firestone, PhD, Glendon Association, Santa Barbara, CA