Dr. Nancy K. Farber – Suicide Prevention: Creative Skills and Tools to Move Clients Toward Hope, Purpose and Connection

Outline

Suicidology and the Human Condition

• The four ultimate concerns
• Suicidal thoughts are NORMAL – exploration of myths about suicidal ideation
• A sense of belonging: what decreases suicidal ideation and hopelessness?

Therapeutic Factors that Leads to Reconnection to Humanity, Hope and Self

• Universality – you’re not alone
• Catharsis – release emotions and feelings and learn from them
• Imitative behaviors – modeling what others use to cope
• Altruism – help others, help yourself
• Corrective recapitulation of family experiences – change internal voices
• Instillation of hope – I got through this; you can too

Interactive Psychodrama: Experience and Learn from a Suicidal Journey

• Practitioner as the vessel
• Come along my journey – presenter’s experience “on the other side”
• Illustration of themes of isolation and disconnectedness
• Modeling effective therapeutic factors and non-effective professional strategies
• Participant involvement in psychodrama with feedback in critical moments

Hands-on, Experiential Exercises to Develop Our Skills and Confidence

• Explore fears and experiences with suicidality
• Experiences and fears as they relate to clients
• Discussion Groups: What worked, what didn’t

Role Playing and Practicing New Techniques in a Safe Supportive Atmosphere

• Help clients re-connect to self and humanity
• Gestalt two-chair and empty chair: unresolved past conflicts
• Music as a means of human connection
• Narrative therapy techniques
• Helping professional as vessel: effective use of self-disclosure – how, when, why
• Group therapy: how, why, myths about groups

Application and In-The-Moment Practice

• Facilitated, supported role-plays
• Applied spirituality
• Use creativity and intuition