In this presentation Helen and Barbara explain how supporting people who are bereaved, who discuss suicide and are feeling suicidal requires a range of skills from a counsellor.
They define the term suicidal ideation and looks at the client's potential spectrum of emotions, which can range from a statement of wanting to die to actively making plans to end life.
Presenter profile
About Helen Butlin
Helen Butlin is the Helpline Manager for the Cruse Bereavement Care National Helpline. She manages the telephone and email support service available for bereaved people. Before this she worked for Leeds Survivor Led Crisis Service supporting people in crisis around suicide and self-harm.
About Barbara Rosenthal
Barbara Rosenthal currently works as a counsellor, supervisor and trainer in private practice. Through her work with the national training team for Cruse Bereavement Care she develops workshops for professional, voluntary and healthcare organisations and the MOD. She works as a panel member for Professional Advisors for SOFT UK (Support Organisation for Trisomy) and is a member of BACP.
Check your understanding
You'll find a summary of the issues discussed in Helen and Barbara's presentation and references for further reading in the check your understanding video. You may play, pause and scroll backwards if you need to view sections of the video again. You can also view in full screen mode by using the tools on the video toolbar.
Further information
CPD Certificate
Download your CPD certificate for suicidal ideation (pdf format).
We don't print hours on our CPD certificates. We use an outcomes based approach to CPD, and each element of the CPD resource is reflective. You can reflect on the outcomes, what you've learned and how this will help you develop as a practitioner, and record this on your CPD log accordingly.
Presentation slides
Suicidal ideation (ppt 645 KB)
Suicidal ideation (pdf 34.9 KB)
Related articles
You may like to search for articles from our journals concerning bereavement.
Further resources in this series
Applying theories of grief to practice
John Wilson draws on his experience to relate theory to evidence-based practice, supported by case studies. CPD hub video resource.
Talking with bereaved people
Dodie Graves presents the approach she has been using for many years in a hospice bereavement service. CPD hub video resource.
Self care in bereavement work
Alison Phillips looks at how we can care for ourselves when working with loss and grief. CPD hub video resource.