Tips for therapist survivors

CrossCurrents

The Clinician Survivor Task Force of the American Association of Suicidology offers the following suggestions to help clinicians cope with client suicide:

If you are new to the profession and have not yet had training in suicide risk assessment and management, seek out such training and provide yourself with the best knowledge base you can find.

If you are still in training, seek out a professor or instructor and request specific training in suicide risk assessment and management.

Routinely inquire about suicide with every client you see.

Seek supervision or consultation when you are serving someone at risk for suicide.

If you have lost a client to suicide, seek resources, connections to others, support and help.