A Phenomenological Analysis of Mental Health Providers’ Experience of Client Suicide

Abstract

Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S. It is estimated that one third of people who died by suicide received mental health services in the year preceding their death and one fifth had received services in the previous month. Given these statistics, many mental health professionals are very likely to work with a client who dies by suicide at some point in their career. This qualitative study aimed to investigate the experiences of therapists after a client suicide and to identify those supports and responses the therapist found helpful in the aftermath. The nine participants were licensed mental health providers. Each had a client die by suicide at least 2 years prior and was actively providing treatment or had been providing treatment in the 6 months prior to the client’s death. Findings revealed that a client’s death by suicide can have a profound impact on the provider, including sadness, anger and anxiety about litigation. Such reactions speak to the importance of intentional self care for individuals who work with high risk populations. Additionally, results indicated that discussing client suicide in advance helps prepare clinicians to be better able to cope and heal following the actual event. This study enhances our understanding of this experience and fosters the development of actionable postvention steps clinicians, supervisors, and mental health agencies can take to support providers after a client suicide.