SAN ANGELO, TEXAS / 2 Day, 12 hour workshop

Dr. Christine Padesky will conduct a 2-day workshop focused on assessment, safety-planning, and treatment of suicide using CBT. This training is for licensed mental health providers and space will be limited.

Follow this link for complete workshop description, learning objectives, and workshop schedule.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION: Registration may be limited and individually determined. It may be necessary to prioritize attendees based on locality, frequency of working with suicidal clients, and preexisting partnerships with community Zero Suicide initiative.

For details, please contact Tiffany Talley , Director of Development & Community Relations, San Angelo Counselling

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Participants learn to:

1. Use a structured interview to assess suicide risk
2. Identify and strengthen reasons for living
3. Collaboratively construct individualized safety plans
4. Incorporate client strengths into treatment
5. Guide clients in the creation of coping cards
6. Build hope using a “hope kit”
7. Identify and “spoil” suicidal imagery
8. Develop positive future imagery
9. Implement a suicide relapse management plan

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
Therapists report greater anxiety about client suicide than any other clinical challenge. Unfortunately, anxiety tends to foster avoidance. Therefore, many therapists avoid asking in-depth questions about suicidal intent and do not learn how to effectively implement the detailed inquiries and interventions that are shown to decrease suicide risk. This workshop is designed to increase therapist confidence and ability to successfully address suicide in clinical practice. Many past participants have commented that this workshop helped save lives because they no longer feared interactions with suicidal clients and actually looked forward to practicing what they learned with their suicidal clients.

All therapists need to have a high level of skill in assessment of suicide risk. Participants in this workshop will be able to apply evidence-based methods for suicide assessment and implement interventions that can lower suicide risk, reduce suicide attempts, and increase client safety. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) methods taught include use of Jobes’ structured Suicide Status Form interview and a variety of creative cognitive and behavioral suicide interventions derived from the work of Aaron T. Beck’s suicide prevention team: identifying and strengthening reasons for living, development of safety plans, use of coping cards, construction of a “hope kit,” and methods for working with suicidal imagery.

To enhance learning, participants observe skillful live demonstrations by Dr. Padesky and then try out best practice methods in role plays and guided exercises. Detailed handouts include key forms to help sustain learning post-workshop. While suicide is a serious topic, this workshop is designed to be engaging and uplifting. It provides an evidence-based foundation for therapist practice so you can honestly communicate positive therapy expectations to your suicidal clients.

It is encouraging that each decade brings fresh knowledge and new findings to advance the successful treatment of suicide. Although “best practices” always include some familiar practices, this workshop is designed for therapists at all experience levels. It emphasizes strategies to manage common obstacles encountered by therapists working with suicidal clients and teaches nuanced applications of interventions to improve therapy outcomes even for the most experienced therapists. Join us for this state of the art workshop that reveals a wealth of “Best Practices in CBT for Suicide.”