Recent Posts

Support Groups Play an Important Role in Suicide Prevention

Supoort groups help suicide survivors learn that they're not alone.

Supoort groups help suicide survivors learn that they're not alone.

Moral Injury: The Hidden Wound Driving Suicide and Despair

Moral injury is a silent crisis affecting frontline workers worldwide. Learn how it leads to guilt, shame, and suicide risk—and what can be done to heal and prevent it.

Moral injury is a silent crisis affecting frontline workers worldwide. Learn how it leads to guilt, shame, and suicide risk—and what can be done to heal and prevent it.

A New Online Threat to Teens

Predatory online groups exploit teens’ need for belonging, grooming them into self-harm. Without real initiation rites, adolescents may seek meaning in dangerous places.

Predatory online groups exploit teens’ need for belonging, grooming them into self-harm. Without real initiation rites, adolescents may seek meaning in dangerous places.

One Hundred Murders Staged as Suicides

A murder staged as a suicide is the second most common staging scene and one that can easily be missed. Here are some lessons I've learned after researching over 100 of them.

A murder staged as a suicide is the second most common staging scene and one that can easily be missed. Here are some lessons I've learned after researching over 100 of them.

Gathering Information for a Suicide Assessment

A clear framework for suicide risk assessment helps the clinician ask important questions and listen calmly while gathering information to guide treatment and devise a safety plan.

A clear framework for suicide risk assessment helps the clinician ask important questions and listen calmly while gathering information to guide treatment and devise a safety plan.

Train Suicides Reduced by Blue Lighting

Soothing color can have a positive effect in preventing suicides.

Soothing color can have a positive effect in preventing suicides.

The Psychology of a Life Worth Living

A Personal Perspective: The psychology of what makes life worth living is a fascinating and compelling consideration for old and young people alike.

A Personal Perspective: The psychology of what makes life worth living is a fascinating and compelling consideration for old and young people alike.

You Are Me

Personal Perspective: I didn’t know you were going to be you. I only knew you were not going to be me.

Personal Perspective: I didn’t know you were going to be you. I only knew you were not going to be me.

Why Most Doctors Don’t Order Addiction Meds

Only a tiny percentage of people addicted to alcohol or drugs take medication for it. Why not? It's complicated, but the approved medications are not blockbusters for alcohol use disorder.

Only a tiny percentage of people addicted to alcohol or drugs take medication for it. Why not? It's complicated, but the approved medications are not blockbusters for alcohol use disorder.

Being and Nothingness: How I Overcame My Death Anxiety

Personal Perspective: Nothing makes you question your own mortality more than the death of your child.

Personal Perspective: Nothing makes you question your own mortality more than the death of your child.

Suicide Assessment in Private Practice

Addressing suicide risk in practice can be stressful. This practical framework can guide your assessment and help you understand your client's risk as you work to establish safety.

Addressing suicide risk in practice can be stressful. This practical framework can guide your assessment and help you understand your client's risk as you work to establish safety.

With Suicide, Studying How Can Be as Important as Why

Knowing how someone dies by suicide can be as important as why.

Knowing how someone dies by suicide can be as important as why.

Our Grief Fits Us Like a Glove

A Personal Perspective: When it comes to grief, there’s no "one size fits all." No two people grieve the same way.

A Personal Perspective: When it comes to grief, there’s no "one size fits all." No two people grieve the same way.

A Gun in the House Increases the Risk of Suicide

Sometimes safe storage of a gun isn't enough.

Sometimes safe storage of a gun isn't enough.

The Year of Magical EMDR Thinking

Personal Perspective: EMDR supposedly provides a way for the brain to rewire your emotions...either that or it's total nonsense in which nothing really happens.

Personal Perspective: EMDR supposedly provides a way for the brain to rewire your emotions...either that or it's total nonsense in which nothing really happens.

Hopeful Trends in College Mental Health

As the stigma surrounding mental illness decreases, college students with depressive or anxiety symptoms have increasingly accessed therapy and psychiatric services.

As the stigma surrounding mental illness decreases, college students with depressive or anxiety symptoms have increasingly accessed therapy and psychiatric services.

The Soul Knows When It's Time to Go

"We’ll never know what he was thinking in that horrible moment."

"We’ll never know what he was thinking in that horrible moment."

Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Autistic People

New research shows that dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can be helpful for autistic adults, at least if it's neuroaffirmative DBT.

New research shows that dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can be helpful for autistic adults, at least if it's neuroaffirmative DBT.

Are You Concerned That Someone You Know May Be Suicidal?

When someone looks preoccupied, depressed, and withdrawn: The royal road to prevent suicide is connection.

When someone looks preoccupied, depressed, and withdrawn: The royal road to prevent suicide is connection.

When AI Connects the Wrong Dots, Chatbots Can Fuel Tragedy

Tweets, posts, and chatbot responses are cognitive "dots" in a chaotic puzzle, and the brain, driven by Gestalt principles fills in the gaps. The results can be catastrophic.

Tweets, posts, and chatbot responses are cognitive "dots" in a chaotic puzzle, and the brain, driven by Gestalt principles fills in the gaps. The results can be catastrophic.

The High-Risk State of Bipolar Depression

The wish to die is usually transient, or at least time-limited and reversible. Having a support system with an explicit plan for handling suicidal thinking is critical.

The wish to die is usually transient, or at least time-limited and reversible. Having a support system with an explicit plan for handling suicidal thinking is critical.

The Correlation Between Suicide and the Seasons

When it comes to suicide, winter isn't the darkest time.

When it comes to suicide, winter isn't the darkest time.

What Happens to the Mind After Midnight

Night owls face risks when they're up between midnight and 5 a.m.

Night owls face risks when they're up between midnight and 5 a.m.

Suicidal Ideation and Tinnitus

Can specific conditions predispose individuals to suicidal ideation through the key brain networks they affect? Tinnitus offers an intriguing test case for this idea.

Can specific conditions predispose individuals to suicidal ideation through the key brain networks they affect? Tinnitus offers an intriguing test case for this idea.

Most Suicidal People Have a Plan

Most suicidal people think about how, when, and where they want to die.

Most suicidal people think about how, when, and where they want to die.

4 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a DBT Therapist

Dialectical Behavior Therapy can be life-saving, when done well. Consider these 4 questions to ask a therapist to ensure they have the skills you need.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy can be life-saving, when done well. Consider these 4 questions to ask a therapist to ensure they have the skills you need.

Beyond Suicide Bereavement: A Postcard From the Other Side

Personal Perspective: Online support for suicide bereavement can be a lifesaver. But people stop posting when they're no longer defined by pain, so what's "the other side" like?

Personal Perspective: Online support for suicide bereavement can be a lifesaver. But people stop posting when they're no longer defined by pain, so what's "the other side" like?

When Free Will Fails People With Opioid Use Disorders

People addicted to alcohol and drugs sometimes need to be involuntarily admitted to treatment. Experts say this harm reduction intervention may save their lives.

People addicted to alcohol and drugs sometimes need to be involuntarily admitted to treatment. Experts say this harm reduction intervention may save their lives.

Do's and Dont's for Reporting on Suicide

There are ways to talk and write about suicide in a sensitive and responsible manner.

There are ways to talk and write about suicide in a sensitive and responsible manner.

Forever Trying to Rescue You

Personal Perspective: There was a whole lot of “the worst” those last few years. Ending with the worst of the worst.

Personal Perspective: There was a whole lot of “the worst” those last few years. Ending with the worst of the worst.