Clinical Topics & Methods Category

When a Client Commits Suicide - What Happens to the Therapist?

1.5 CE Hour
7 members have taken this course
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About the Course

It is fairly well known, and documented, that clients with complex PTSD and Dissociation have a high level of suicide risk. The presence of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), suicide attempts (SA), and suicidal ideation (SI) in these clients is a constant challenge to both clients and therapists. Although the suicide of a client has been describes as “the most traumatic termination of all” (Davis, 2008), the therapist is often left with few, if any, safe ways to process the shock, grief, and complicated feelings following a client suicide.

This workshop will focus on the impact of client suicide on the therapist.

This course is based on the recorded webinar, When a Client Commits Suicide - What Happens to the Therapist? created by Lynette Danylchuk, PhD in 2020.

Publication Details

Publication Date: May 2020

Course Material Author

Lynette Danylchuk, PhD

Lynette Danylchuk, PhD, has been working in the trauma field since mid-80, starting with Vietnam Vets and people with DID. She served 12 years on the original Board of Directors of Survivorship, and then worked for the Board of the Star Foundation for several more years. She had her private practice in San Mateo, California, where, in addition to working with clients, she did (and continues to do) periodic consultation and teaching where she sees a need, including a local graduate school, juvenile hall, or the county trauma-informed services conference. Lynette has been adjunct faculty to graduate schools in the San Francisco area where she has taught, and been a dissertation chairperson. She has given keynote speeches and workshops across the state and at annual conferences of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD).

Lynette Danylchuk, PhD authored the material only, and was not involved in creating this CE course. They are identified here for your own evaluation of the relevancy of the material this course is based on.

Target Audience

Counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychologists and social workers. This course is appropriate for intermediate levels of knowledge.

Learning Objectives

After taking this activity, you should be able to:

  1. 1 Recognize and assess for potential suicide
  2. 2 Identify local supportive resources, for the therapist, in preparation for the possibility of a client committing suicide
  3. 3 Identify the common reactions, cognitive and emotional, that challenge therapists after a client has died by suicide
  4. 4 Identify ways to transform the loss into a legacy that will honor the life of the client and the work of the therapist

Disclosure to Learners

CE Learning Systems adheres to the ACCME's Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity – including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others ― are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (formerly known as commercial interests).

The following relevant financial relationships have been disclosed by this activity's planners, faculty, and the reviewer:

Planners and Reviewers

The planners of this activity have reported that they have no relevant financial relationships.

Material Authors

There are no known relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Commercial support

There is no commercial support for this distance-learning course.

Use our CE Approvals tool to look up your state requirements and how can help you meet them, or log in to your member account to show approvals relevant to your licensure.

Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling (FL CSW, MFT, MHC)

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New York Education Department Board of Marriage and Family Therapy

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Eligible until May 30th, 2027
CE Learning Systems, LLC (d/b/a impactce.com) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0045.
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Course Material

This material is available to purchase for $45.00.

This course material is published by ISSTD. For your convenience, has partnered with ISSTD to make it available for purchase right here.

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