THERAPISTS AS SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE: Earlier Open Letters

NOTICE: If you would like to be involved in the efforts of the Task Force, please contact the Task Force co-chairs, Dr. Nina J. Gutin (ngutin@earthlink.net) and Dr. Vanessa L. McGann (VLMcGann@aol.com). Other communications about the website may be directed to: John L. McIntosh, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Indiana University South Bend, PO Box 7111, South Bend, IN 46634-7111. Email communications can be sent to jmcintos@iusb.edu.

Basic Information About the Task Force Efforts: An Open Letter to Therapist Survivors (original version March 2000)

Dear Colleague,

Losing a client to suicide is hard. Your personal/professional boundaries have been violated by your client/patient. You have extra work to do. You have heard about lawsuits and you feel the fear. You may feel angry that this client/patient violated agreements you made with them. And you have many feelings beyond that.

If you have lost a client/patient or if you want to be prepared for the possibility, the American Association of Suicidology wants to assist you. It has formed the Clinician Survivor Task Force. The committee and its members will put you in touch with its nation-wide support network, give you a list of clinicians to call for help, and share articles that others have found helpful.

Losing a client/patient to suicide is an occupational hazard for professional clinicians. Concerns about this risk are a source of stress for all of us. Between 5,000 and 10,000 will have this experience each year. Many of these colleagues have reported increasing their focus on clues related to suicide potential, increased collegial consultation, increased attention to legal-forensic matters, becoming more conservative in managing clients/patients, charting and record keeping, and have become increasingly concerned with issues of death and dying. Some report major disruptions in their professional and personal lives, including post-trauma symptoms (similar to other trauma).

Rather than walk alone with this in your personal and professional life, contact the Clinician Survivor Task Force through the American Association of Suicidology office. Phone (202) 237-2280; E-Mail: ajkulp@suicidology.org or use the web site: www.suicidology.org.

>3/2000< JudyMeade

moved to this location 7/10/02 [ American Association of Suicidology ]

[ Clinician Survivor Main Page ] [ Basic Information ] [ Bibliography ] [ Personal Accounts ] [ Clinician Contacts ] [ Annotated References ] [ Postvention ]


updated 9 apr 2008	updated 5 aug 2008	updated 31 aug 2009	updated 10 jul 2001	updated 22 sep 2009	updated 14 jun 2000	updated 21 sep 2009

Basic Information About the Task Force Efforts: An Open Letter to Therapist Survivors (original version March 2000)
Dear Colleague, Losing a client to suicide is hard. Your personal/professional boundaries have been violated by your client/patient. You have extra work to do. You have heard about lawsuits and you feel the fear. You may feel angry that this client/patient violated agreements you made with them. And you have many feelings beyond that. If you have lost a client/patient or if you want to be prepared for the possibility, the American Association of Suicidology wants to assist you. It has formed the Clinician Survivor Task Force. The committee and its members will put you in touch with its nation-wide support network, give you a list of clinicians to call for help, and share articles that others have found helpful. Losing a client/patient to suicide is an occupational hazard for professional clinicians. Concerns about this risk are a source of stress for all of us. Between 5,000 and 10,000 will have this experience each year. Many of these colleagues have reported increasing their focus on clues related to suicide potential, increased collegial consultation, increased attention to legal-forensic matters, becoming more conservative in managing clients/patients, charting and record keeping, and have become increasingly concerned with issues of death and dying. Some report major disruptions in their professional and personal lives, including post-trauma symptoms (similar to other trauma). Rather than walk alone with this in your personal and professional life, contact the Clinician Survivor Task Force through the American Association of Suicidology office. Phone (202) 237-2280; E-Mail: ajkulp@suicidology.org or use the web site: www.suicidology.org. >3/2000< JudyMeade