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.

Early career psychologists often find themselves working with people who are suicidal and can feel unsupported by a lack of training and at times inadequate policy and procedures within their organisation. Working with people who are suicidal raises a range of professional, ethical, and legal concerns as well as triggering emotional responses. Psychologists often worry about not doing enough, particularly when recognising the suicide risk is not easily predicted. Psychologists need to be ready and prepared to respond appropriately to clients who present with any aspect of suicidality and those supporting them. These sessions will provide early career psychologists with the opportunity to explore their current understandings about their role, clarify what current best practice looks like and to develop their own plan for preparing for this aspect of their role.

Webinar 1: Having a conversation with a client about suicidality: Wed, 28 Jan 2026

Knowing when and how to have a conversation with a client about their suicidality can be confronting. Psychologists can be concerned that raising the idea of suicide can be triggering or uncomfortable for their client. They may also feel uncomfortable themselves in hearing a client's story and knowing how to respond. Identifying when and how to ask questions about suicidality is a key starting point for this. Knowing what to do when a client shares their concerns about suicidality will help the psychologist feel more confident to open up a discussion about this topic.

Webinar 2: Safety planning as suicide prevention intervention: Wed, 4 Feb 2026

Safety planning continues to be seen as best practice for psychologists working with people who have suicidal thoughts or behaviours so it's critical that psychologists are familiar with the content of a safety plan and how to collaboratively develop the plan so that the client feels empowered and confident in its use. Each component of the safety plan is important to include in order to increase its effectiveness.

Webinar 3: Self-care when working with suicidal clients: Wed, 11 Feb 2026

Working with clients who are suicidal requires psychologists to be open and alert to the needs of the clients, including hearing stories of distress and being able to feel confident in their role of identifying and responding effectively to the level of need. This includes facing the risk of a client dying by suicide which can be confronting. Having effective self-care mechanisms and support is therefore essential to ensure the wellbeing of the psychologist and to maintain their ability to respond effectively.

Level of Learning

Foundational. This activity is targeted to those new to the topic.

Duration of access

This webinar will be recorded. Access to the recording and presenter slides is for 12 months from the date of confirmed registration.

You may also be interested in

• Exploring complex situations and best practice responses with suicidal clients. Intermediate level, 3-part webinar workshop. 14, 21 & 28 May 2026 

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:

• describe factors which determine that a conversation about suicide is required,

• outline questions that can help clients to share their experiences of suicidality,

• describe effective ways to respond to suicidality,

• outline the key areas included in a safety plan,

• describe the benefits of a safety plan for people in distress and experiencing suicidality,

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

• describe factors which impact on psychologists who working with suicidal clients,

• identify mechanisms which support the psychologist when identifying client need and effective responses, and

• outline self care models which can be useful for psychologists.

Presenter(s)

Dr Lyn O'Grady MAPS

About the presenter(s)

Dr Lyn O'Grady MAPS 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.