WORKING WITH 'SUICIDAL CLIENTS': Psychiatric Perspectives

A one-day workshop to be led by Dr Rachel Freeth

Saturday 8 October 2011

9.30 am - 5.00 pm

Fee: £65.00

About the workshop:

How confident are you deciding whether and how to intervene on behalf of a suicidal client, or seek help from other professionals, perhaps against a client's wishes?

This workshop aims to help counsellors and psychotherapists --

- assess the mental functioning of clients who are harbouring suicidal ideas,

- consider issues of risk,

- learn about mental capacity in relation to suicidal ideation,

- explore relevant ethical perspectives, in particular the concept of 'autonomy'.

As well as the presentation of theoretical material and the use of clinical vignettes, this workshop will also offer opportunities for discussion and for participants to explore their own thoughts, feelings and concerns when working with suicidal clients.
 

About Rachel Freeth:

Rachel is a psychiatrist working in a Community Mental Health Team in Herefordshire.  In 1998 she completed a diploma in counselling in the person-centred approach and has since sought to bring the values, philosophy and attitudes of the approach into mental health settings.  She has written about the challenges of this in her book 'Humanising Psychiatry and Mental Health Care. The challenge of the person-centred approach' (Radcliffe, 2007). 

Rachel writes: "I have always been interested in bridging the worlds of psychiatry and counselling and the contrasting worlds of psychiatry and the person-centred approach.  Much of this has been through writing and giving workshops.  I would describe myself as a philosophically and socially orientated psychiatrist, keen to bring humanistic and spiritual values into mental health settings.  I have a professional interest in ethics, particularly applied to psychiatry and the education of mental health professionals.  One of my aims is to help counsellors and psychotherapists develop greater understanding and confidence regarding psychiatric issues".