Suicide Awareness: Prevention, Intervention, & Postvention with Jack R. Jordan, Ph.D., FT
The issue of suicide is disorienting and disturbing to almost everyone, including many mental health professionals.
A leading cause of death in the United States, suicide has remained a taboo in our society and a neglected topic in the training of many clinicians. Fortunately, this is changing. In the last decade, suicide has been recognized as a public health problem, and great strides have been made in developing suicide prevention programs, increasing our knowledge of the causes of and treatments for suicidality, and providing services for those survivors who grieve the loss of someone to suicide.
This practical workshop will provide an overview of contemporary suicidology. We will begin with a brief review of the epidemiology of suicide in the United States, with a focus on what this tells us about who is at long-term risk for suicide. Then we will focus on issues of clinical work with suicidal individuals addressing questions around the assessment of imminent risk for suicide and general principles for intervention with suicidal individuals.
Lastly, our attention will turn to the impact of suicide on survivors: individuals, families, and clinicians who are involved with the deceased. Case examples, recent research, and interactive small group discussion will be used to illustrate relevant issues and interventions. |
