Making Sense of Suicide: Safety Planning: Part 3

by DrKatieBrazaitis | Feb 4, 2025 | Clinical Interventions, Enhancing Competency, Suicide

Part one of this sub-series introduced suicide safety planning. I reviewed the rationale for using them and key elements to consider. In part two, I started describing in detail the different sections of the safety plan. I covered Warning Signs and Coping Strategies:...

Making Sense of Suicide: Safety Planning, Part 2

by DrKatieBrazaitis | Jan 20, 2025 | Clinical Interventions, Enhancing Competency, Suicide

Back in November, I introduced Suicide Safety Planning. I reviewed the research and tips for making a high quality plan. Namely, I explained that all elements on a safety plan should be specific, accessible, feasible, and safe. In this post, I’ll start going...

Words to Heal By

by DrKatieBrazaitis | Jan 7, 2025 | Clinical Interventions, Clinician Wellness, Expanding Self-Care

As therapists, we use our words to mirror, to validate, to make sense, to clarify, to challenge. We offer words to heal by.  We are trained extensively to be selective and intentional in our words.  To guide them to land, and be ready to amend when they...

A DEAR MAN Holiday

by DrKatieBrazaitis | Dec 10, 2024 | Clinical Interventions, Enhancing Competency

The holiday season is not always merry and bright. It can be ripe with painful memories, unfilled hopes and expectations, and challenging interactions with loved ones. Today’s post is going to focus on the latter. How do we navigate setting limits and asking for...

Validation: Part 2: How

by DrKatieBrazaitis | Nov 18, 2024 | Clinical Interventions, Enhancing Competency

In a previous post, I Introduced validation. I reviewed what validation is and is not, and why it is an important therapeutic skill. This week I’ll be going over the “hows” of validation. Specifically, therapy basics of paying attention and using...

Making Sense of Suicide: Safety Planning

by DrKatieBrazaitis | Nov 5, 2024 | Clinical Interventions, Enhancing Competency, Suicide

In this Making Sense of Suicide installment, I’ll be talking about safety planning. As usual, there is too much to cover in one post. First I’ll describe what safety planning is, provide a quick review of the research, and discuss key elements for ensuring...