WELCOME TO THE COALITION OF CLINICIAN SURVIVORS

Whether your suicide loss has been of a patient/client, loved one, student, and/or colleague, we know that the impact of this traumatic loss can be profoundly painful, that it often extends into our professional work and identities. In addition, due to the unfortunate stigma (both around suicide and professional vulnerability) that exists with our field, we know that there are very few “places” to even acknowledge this loss or its impact. We want to welcome you to join the CCS, and hope that this is a site where you can find understanding, validation and support, and to know that you are not alone.

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

The Coalition of Clinician Survivors exists to provide support, education, resources and consultation  to mental health professionals and other professional caregivers who have experienced suicide losses in personal and/or professional contexts. We recognize that, regardless of whether the loss was of a loved one, a client/patient or a student, the repercussions are profound and are likely to impact a clinician both personally and professionally.

For Clinicians who have lost clients/patients:

Note: We recognize that there continues to be significant gaps in clinical training around assessment and intervention with suicidal individuals, and we advocate for trainings that moves beyond simple risk assessment and the medical model. The best trainings incorporate the latest research around suicidal states and their fluctuation, the many variants of “drivers” at different levels of suicide intensity, including psycho-social factors, as well as the crucial importance of the relational factors at play in clinical encounters with potentially suicidal individuals. 

However, experts in the field of Suicidology now recognize that there is no foolproof way to predict suicide.  Many issues, including the fluctuation of suicidal states, as well as the many factors underlying clients’ reluctance to honestly disclose the existence or level of suicidal intensity, can thwart a clinician’s ability to accurately predict risk of attempts and/or death, both during the assessment and subsequently. Thus we know that even the best trained clinicians can do everything “right” (meeting to the highest level of clinical standards) with clients/patients, and still lose them to suicide.

BECOME A MEMBER

Becoming a member helps us ensure that we can help as many people as possible. Click the button below to become a member and join our list serve. We respect your privacy.