January 27, 2020

Preventing Client Suicide

39 minutes

An interview with Norine Vander Hooven, LCSW about assessing suicide appropriately for our clients from the beginning of treatment. Curt and Katie talk with Norine about what therapists often miss with their clients and how to treat suicidality when it comes up.

It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. We are human beings who can now present ourselves as whole people, with authenticity, purpose, and connection. Especially now, when therapists must develop a personal brand to market their practices.

To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.

Interview with Norine Vander Hooven, LCSW

Norine Vander Hooven is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has been in practice for 32 years. She specializes in trauma, anxiety, suicide prevention, and life transitions. Norine is also certified in EMDR therapy, and is in training to be an EMDR therapy consultant. She uses this to work with people with PTSD, anxiety, and traumatic life events. Norine provides clinical consultation for therapists, as well as she works with young adults and adults in her private practice. Learn more at norinevanderhooven.com

In this episode we talk about:

Norine’s story and how she entered into suicidology

How to appropriately assess for Suicide Risk from the beginning of treatment

What needs to be asked in your intake

The fear that therapists have in deeply looking at suicide with clients

The importance of exploring traumas from birth for clients

Why “die by suicide” is so much better than “committed” suicide

What #notsix means (how many people are actually affected by a single suicide)

Risk factors for suicidality: lack of belonging, feeling of being a burden, capability

What therapists often miss when assessing for suicide

The need to understand the client’s perception of the level of crisis around suicidality

Old school assessments and safety contracts that are not useful, and what to use instead

Who is most at risk for suicidal thoughts

What to consider in assessing for suicidality with clients who don’t appear to be at risk

Different types of suicidal thoughts

Searching for hope and forward thinking in life

Types of treatment modalities to address all types of suicidal thoughts

How to successfully assess, safety plan, and address suicide head on

...more

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By Curt Widhalm, LMFT and Katie Vernoy, LMFT

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