Assessing, Understanding, Managing, and Treating Chronic Suicidality

Assessing, Understanding, Managing, and Treating Chronic Suicidality

Presented by Anna Lieber, LCMHC

DATE: Friday, May 31, 2024

9:00 am until 4:00 pm PST

6 hours Continuing Education Credit

Location: Central Oregon Community College

Middleton Science Center Room 190

2600 NW College Way, Bend, OR 97703

Lunch and snacks will be provided with a one hour lunch break

This workshop will be capped at 80 participants

Parking is free on College Way or in the Barber Library parking lot (right next door to Willis Hall)

Workshop Overview:  

Chronic suicidal ideation, intent, and planning are risk factors for suicide attempts and death by suicide. Those with chronic suicidality who go to therapy, emergency rooms, and crisis centers struggle with a persistent suicidal state and may not respond well to typical crisis management strategies. Suicidal behavior can be challenging for professionals to manage as it often produces intense feelings of fear and uncertainty in the clinician. This training aims to improve the ability of clinicians to work with individuals with chronic suicidality by increasing the clinician’s ability to provide treatment at the correct level of care, improving therapeutic relationships, and aiding clinical progress. Understanding the purpose behind the constant suicidal wish and being able to empathize while instilling hope can save lives. Identifying the unique challenges of safety planning with chronic suicidality and learning creative alternatives to hospitalization; will increase the ability to provide treatment at the correct level of care. An understanding the major theories of suicidal behavior, the unique challenges of working with clients with chronic suicidality, and evidence-based best clinical practices for managing and treating chronic suicidality and implementing effective treatment plans will improve therapeutic relationships and aid clinical progress. A focus throughout the course will be developing the ability to identify the clinician’s emotions and biases while gaining the skills needed to increase the ability to tolerate risk when working with individuals who want to die. Risk management strategies will be provided, including clinical documentation and consultation recommendations. Real-world clinical examples and the most up-to-date research on suicide and suicidality will also be presented.

Learning Objectives: By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

1. Identify 2 ways to empathize with the suicidal wish while simultaneously instilling hope for change.
2. Practice empathizing with the suicidal wish during role play.
3. Improve assessment of chronic suicidal risk (inpatient, PHP/IOP, & outpatient).
4. List 3 or more clinical skills needed to successfully treat chronic suicidal behavior and develop a plan to gain those skills.
5. Identify 2 alternatives to hospitalization and how to identify when hospitalization is necessary.
6. Discuss 3 ways to manage emotional reactions to suicidal behavior.
7. Recognize 3 skills needed to tolerate the suicidal wish.
8. Identify 3 risk management strategies that should be used when working with clients with suicidality.

About the Presenter: 

Anna Lieber (she/hers) has over 25 years of experience in behavioral health in direct client care, program development, and administration. Prior to starting at Westminster University, Anna was the Chief Clinical Officer of a 118-bed free-standing psychiatric hospital, where she oversaw all inpatient and outpatient clinical programming. Anna has worked in numerous treatment settings throughout Utah and Florida. Anna is passionate about behavioral health and the mental health counseling field and uses her drive to enhance the mental health profession by giving back through service. Anna is the Past-President of the Utah Mental Health Counselors Association, a Utah Crime Victim Reparations and Assistance Board member, and provides numerous training to therapists and medical providers. Anna is a Nationally Certified Counselor and member of the NBCC, American Association of Suicidology, ACA, ACEs, AMHCA, and the LGBTQ+ Affirmative Therapist Guild of Utah. Anna has extensive experience in treatment and program development for many disorders and populations, including developmental trauma, military issues, dual-diagnosis, addiction, psychosis, PTSD/trauma, anxiety, mood, personality, LGBTQIA+. Anna’s clinical interests include chronic suicidal behaviors, personality disorders, trauma/PTSD, obsessive-compulsive disorders, suicide prevention/postvention, and clinical supervision. Outside of work, Anna loves to read all genres, play/listen to music, and enjoy time outdoors. Anna spends most of her time working, reading, cooking, and camping (when it’s not winter). Her spouse and dogs enjoy camping and cooking but misses her when she works too much.

Costs:

COAP uses an online registration process that accepts credit and debit cards. The lowest registration rates are associated with early registration, we encourage you to sign up early to make sure you have a spot. This workshop is limited to the first 95 participants who register.

Registered by 5/17/2024

COAP Member: $ 130

Non COAP Member: $ 140

Registered after 5/17/2024

COAP Member: $ 140

Non COAP Member: $ 150

Student Rate $ 65

*Membership in COAP is limited to Central Oregon based active and retired psychologists, residents, and psychologist associates. You must be current with COAP dues to register at the membership rate. Yearly COAP dues are $25 and are collected in September via Cheddar Up website (a small fee will be charged by cheddar up). Please use this link to pay dues: https://my.cheddarup.com/c/coap-membership-2023-24

We welcome all allied mental health practitioners to our workshops (at non-member registration rates); receiving Continuing Education credits from various Licensing Boards has not been problematic, assuming the topic meets your Board’s criteria.

**A $35 cancellation fee will be assessed for all cancellations. Registration fee will not be refunded for dissatisfaction with the training or for no-shows.

Students are invited to attend for $65. Please be prepared to submit a copy of your student identification card as proof of your student status.

Questions can be directed to info@coapworkshops.org

Check out the COAP website for additional information https://www.coapworkshops.org