Grief and Suicide Prevention

This special emphasis area has the opportunity to focus on grief and loss, suicide prevention, or a combination of both. Interns will work with the Grief and Suicide Prevention Coordinator to create a special emphasis plan based on the opportunities listed below, tailoring the experience to their interests and training needs. In most cases, the special emphasis would involve receiving training and supervision, providing direct grief counseling services, and completing outreach. Depending on an intern’s prior training and experience, opportunities during the semester could include:

Grief and Loss Opportunities

  • Maintain at least two individual clients with grief and loss concerns on your caseload throughout the semester. Consultation will be provided by the emphasis supervisor.
  • Depending on availability, co-lead the grief group with the Grief and Suicide Prevention Coordinator.
  • Assist in facilitating campus debriefings after a student death.
  • Complete and discuss reading assignments with the Grief and Suicide Prevention supervisor.
    • Topics may include: Traumatic grief, complicated grief, anticipatory grief, ambiguous loss, and grief reactions within a cultural context.
    • Readings may include: Understanding your grief: Ten essential touchstones; Techniques of Grief Therapy; Grief Counseling: A handbook for Mental Health Professionals; Treatment of Complicated Mourning.
  • Present in a practicum class, SCS staff training, or to another department on campus on a grief and loss topic (i.e. providing counseling for bereaved college students, how to support grieving college students, etc).

Suicide Prevention Opportunities

  • Develop and present suicide prevention outreach programming to students, staff, and faculty.
  • Participate on the Suicide Prevention Team with Student Wellness.
  • Attend SAFET or CIRT meetings.
  • Assist in creating and updating the Suicide Prevention section of the SCS website.
  • Co-present a RESPOND: Partnering For Campus Mental Health training.
  • Complete and discuss reading assignments with Grief and Suicide Prevention Coordinator.

 

At a minimum, the intern will meet individually with the area supervisor on a monthly basis to discuss issues related to the Special Emphasis Area.

Area Supervisor: Kristen Sievert, Ph.D.