Overview

Content advisory note

This educational activity contains content on self-harm, suicide, trauma, and more. These subjects can be distressing and may evoke strong emotional responses. Please take care of your wellbeing and we encourage you to take breaks and/or seek support if needed. Please consider your environment when undertaking this activity, and ensure privacy at a level appropriate for the subject matter, be mindful when others may be in view of, or hearing distance from the webinar (e.g. family, co-workers, in public), and lock your screen when unattended.

Building on current knowledge about how to respond to suicidality, this series will explore more complex situations relating to suicidality, including responding to clients in crisis or risk of imminent harm, clients experiencing chronic suicidality and supporting clients after suicide attempts.

The role of safety and crisis planning will be revisited in light of these situations as well as ways to consider the development of a team of support around the client.

The sessions will be interactive with discussions and small group work to explore issues and complete activities with colleagues. 

Day 1: Responding effectively to suicidal crisis: Thursday 14 May 2026

Understanding suicidality when it escalates to crisis requires the psychologist to balance the needs and wishes of the client and respond in a way that meets their own ethical guidelines. The importance of the therapeutic alliance will be explored as an important feature of crisis response planning. Identifying factors related to crisis and recognising when a crisis response is warranted will also be considered. Research based on lived experience will be explored to assist in exploring what will be most helpful at these times. 

Day 2: Responding effectively to chronic suicidality: Thursday 21 May 2026

Sometimes clients present with ongoing thoughts about suicide which may ebb and flow, increasing at certain times such as conflict and stress, and reducing at other times. Exploring this with clients and determining appropriate actions can be challenging for clients. This workshop will consider factors which may suggest increased needs or emerging imminent risk and approaches in sessions with clients which will be helpful in having open and transparent conversations about suicidality and collaboratively working on safety planning.

Day 3: Responding effectively to clients following a suicide attempt: Thursday 28 May 2026

Clients may present to psychologists following a suicide attempt or may have a suicide attempt while the psychologist is working with them. This workshop will explore ways of engaging in discussions about the suicide attempt as well as reflect on the experiences of the psychologist in hearing about the attempt and managing their own reactions. Creating opportunities to explore the learnings from the attempt, to review safety planning and to work collaboratively with others will also be explored in the workshop. 

Level of Learning

Intermediate. This activity is targeted to those who have some previous learning on the topic.

Duration of access

These webinars will be recorded and made available only to participants of the live event for 12 months. The recording is not intended to replace live participation.

Places are limited and registration will not be available after the webinar has taken place.

APS CPD Approved

This activity has been assessed against the APS Standards for CPD activities and approved for its education quality. Learn more about the APS CPD Approval process.

CPD Frequently Asked Questions

Refer to the APS CPD Frequently Asked Questions for general and technical information when undertaking APS Professional development activities.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of these webinars, participants should be able to:

• outline contemporary models, ethical obligations and latest research related to suicidal crisis responses,

• identify key factors which may lead to suicidal crisis,

• outline effective ways to respond to suicidal crisis, including crisis response plans,

•  identify key factors related to chronic suicidality and changes,

• outline the key areas included in a safety plan for chronic suicidality,

• describe steps to engaging collaboratively with the client to increase the effectiveness of the safety plan,

• identify key considerations when working with a client following a suicide attempt

• outline ways that this work may impact on the psychologist, particularly if the client is a current client, and how self-care is beneficial, and

•  identify resources and further supports.

Presenter(s)

Dr Lyn O'Grady

About the presenter(s)

Dr Lyn O'Grady is a Community Psychologist based in Melbourne. She currently works in private practice, is a Board approved supervisor, trainer and author. She has worked with children, young people and their families in various roles over three decades, including community, education and health sectors. This included working as a school psychologist and managing the KidsMatter Mental Health promotion, prevention and early intervention initiative for the Australian Psychological Society. She also has an interest in suicide prevention, having completed her Masters of Suicidology in 2017. She is the published author of two books, Keeping our Kids Alive, Parenting a Suicidal young person and Keeping our Kids Hopeful, parenting children during times of uncertainty and is currently working on a third book for parents about children's safety.