Light Up The Couch The Silent Weight of Client Suicide: On Grief, Ethics, and Clinical Realities, Ep. 236
Mar 19, 2025
Khara Croswaite Brindle, a licensed professional counselor and expert in suicide assessment training, delves into the silent grief clinicians endure after a client's suicide. She introduces the concept of 'confidential grief,' emphasizing the stigma around these feelings. The conversation touches on the impulsivity of unpreventable suicides, ethical dilemmas in communication with bereaved families, and strategies for clinician self-care using the LEAN framework. Through personal reflections, they advocate for open dialogue and compassion in navigating these profound losses.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Called Into Professional Mode Immediately
- Khara received a voicemail from someone she'd interacted with who informed her the client had died, forcing her into professional mode immediately.
- She held space for the caller and only processed her own grief later.
Loss Shatters Clinical Confidence
- Clinicians commonly experience intense hits to competence and confidence after a client suicide, increasing burnout risk.
- The field's reaction can push clinicians toward leaving the profession.
Grief First — Delay Immediate File Audits
- Do not prioritize immediate file-audits or paperwork as the first response; let the clinician have space to grieve first.
- Offer emotional support before forensic review to avoid retraumatizing them.
