Suicide Bereavement Clinician Training

The suicide of a loved one can have a profound and sometimes devastating impact on those left behind, called suicide survivors. Bereavement after suicide may entail high levels of disorientation, guilt, regret, anger, shame, and trauma. Survivors sometimes also find their relationships with other people changed, as they struggle with the social stigma often placed on suicide, and the altered family relationships that have been changed by the feelings of guilt, blame, and failure that suicide may engender. Survivors may also be at risk for elevated rates of complicated grief and future suicidality themselves. All of this makes surviving the suicide of a loved one a potentially life-transforming ordeal that requires a level of support that goes beyond traditional grief counseling. Yet very few mental health training programs devote any time to training clinicians about the challenging work of suicide postvention – helping survivors cope with the tragic loss.

This workshop will provide a focused overview of the impact of suicide on survivors, and the clinical and support responses that are needed after a suicide occurs. The workshop will include didactic presentation, group discussion, case examples from the presenter’s practice, and video clips from grief therapy sessions. These research-based techniques will help you gain confidence in working with survivors of suicide loss. You must attend the full day of training to receive a CE certificate.

6 CE units come with this Suicide Bereavement Clinician Training 

Topics will include:

• The psychological impact of suicide on survivors and common themes in the bereavement of survivors
• The impact of suicide on family functioning
• What research with survivors tells us is needed
• The tasks of loss integration and recovery for survivors
• Postvention options for survivors
• Principles of postvention after client suicide
• Principles of longer term clinical work with survivors
• Examples of specific clinical techniques that can be of use in grief therapy with survivors

Continuing Education Hours through NASW* and NBCC are available.

Questions? Contact bpuszkiewicz@afsp.org

*NASW CEs are not accepted in NC, NY, MI, WV and NJ.

***The Zoom Link for the event will be sent out to all registered participants 1-2 days prior to the event.***