Grief After Suicide: Therapy for Suicide Survivors

Presented by John R. Jordan, PhD on 08-14-2015 at 9 a.m. Pacific to 11 a.m. Pacific (2 p.m. Eastern)

People who have lost a loved one to suicide are known as suicide survivors. Losing someone to suicide presents unique challenges not only for the survivor, but also for the people who help them. The recovery process for survivors is complex, and mourners struggle with their profound confusion about something that may make no sense. They wrestle with their own feelings of responsibility and whether the death might have been prevented, with the shock and horror at the manner of death, and with feelings of betrayal and abandonment by the deceased.

Survivors may also need to cope with the impact the suicide has on family dynamics, since family relationships may also be significantly changed by the feelings of guilt, blame, and failure that suicide may engender. Likewise, suicide also frequently creates social isolation in response to the stigma and social ambiguity that may follow a suicide fatality. All of this can make the process of grief counseling for suicide survivors a more complex and prolonged journey than after most other types of losses.

This web conference will provide an overview of the impact of suicide on people bereaved by suicide. Tasks of psychological recovery will be discussed, as will interventions that may be of help to survivors.

This intermediate instructional level web conference is designed to help clinicians:

  1. Identify four themes in bereavement for the suicide survivor.
  2. Describe psychological recovery tasks.
  3. Identify postvention choices for the bereaved.
  4. Identify broad clinical guidelines for work with mourners after a suicide.

If you have any questions or concerns about this web conference, or would like more information, please contact us here.

Event Reviews from Members

I thought the emphasis on integrating rather than resolving loss was extremely useful. - Cory Fehlberg, MA, LMFT

The tools and information discussed in this presentation were extremely useful, along with the resources for clinical survivors. - Patti Boro, MS, LMFT​

I now have an excellent source to refer to in doing this work with my clients. - John Hochhalter, MA, LCPC

Continuing Education (CE) Information

Two CE credits will be provided by GoodTherapy.org for attending this web conference in its entirety.

GoodTherapy.org is also an Approved Education Provider by NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals (provider #135463). Of the eight counselor skill groups ascribed to by NAADAC, this course is classified within counseling services.

GoodTherapy.org is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEPTM) and may offer NBCC-approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements.

GoodTherapy.org is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

GoodTherapy.org, SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #0395.

To receive CE credit hours for an archived event, you will need to complete a survey as well as a 12 or 15-question exam, verifying that you listened to or watched the event in its entirety. Archived CE events generally are considered "homestudy" by licensing boards.

Registration Information

Premium and Pro Membership with GoodTherapy includes access to this web conference at no additional cost, as well as other member benefits such as a profile listing in GoodTherapy's Therapist Directory. Not yet a member? Sign up for a Premium or Pro Membership, here.

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Mental health professionals who are not members can attend this live web conference for $30.95 or access the homestudy recording for $15.50. Sign up here to purchase this CE course and earn a CE certificate.

If the event is canceled by GoodTherapy, registrants who purchased the event will be notified and the charge for the event will be refunded

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Meet the Presenter

John R. Jordan, PhD

John R. Jordan, PhD

John R. (Jack) Jordan, PhD is a licensed psychologist in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where he operates a private practice. His specialty has been helping suicide survivors and other people with traumatic loss for over 35 years. He is currently a Clinical Consultant for Grief Support Services and a Professional Advisor for the Survivor Council of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). He is also helping draft new guidelines for suicide postvention for the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, for whom he serves as co-chair of the Survivors of Suicide Loss Task Force.

Jack has offered healing workshops for suicide survivors around the world, as well as trainings for mental health professionals to assist the bereaved in attaining a peaceful state of mind. Jack is the published author of a variety of articles and chapters on the subject of bereavement and suicide loss, and has co-authored several books: Grief After Suicide: Coping with the Consequences and Caring for the Survivors, After Suicide Loss: Coping with Your Grief, and Devastating Losses: How Parents Cope With the Death of a Child to Suicide or Drugs. His most recent book, Attachment Informed Grief Therapy, is available for pre-order. For more information about Jack and his work, please visit www.johnjordanphd.com.

Continuing Education Provider Approvals

  • aceGoodTherapy.org is Approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
  • Logo GoodTherapy.org has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6380. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. GoodTherapy.org is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
  • GoodTherapy.org, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0395.
  • GoodTherapy.org, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0022 and for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0031.

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