Welcome to our community! In this section, you'll have access to resources such as:
- A guide on healthy eating habits
- Tips for improving productivity
- Strategies for enhancing mental well-being
Table of Content
Safety Plans for Clients At-Risk: A Guide for Practitioners
Supporting clients at risk of self-harm or suicidal ideation requires a structured approach to safety planning. This blog explores essential components of safety planning, effective coping strategies, the role of art therapy, and ethical considerations for practitioners working with at-risk clients.
Understanding Safety Planning
Safety planning is a proactive tool designed to help clients manage distress and reduce the risk of self-harm or suicide. A safety plan provides clients with a structured guide they can turn to during moments of crisis, offering a step-by-step process to navigate intense emotions.
Definition & Purpose: A safety plan is a personalised strategy developed with the client, focusing on recognising triggers, implementing coping strategies, and reaching out to supportive contacts.
The goal is to equip clients with resources that reduce immediate risks and foster a sense of control over their responses during a crisis (Stanley & Brown, 2012).
Core Components:
Effective safety plans include:
• Recognizing Triggers and Warning Signs: Helping clients identify specific behaviors or emotions that indicate a crisis is developing.
• Coping Strategies: Providing internal and external strategies that clients can use to manage distress.
• Support Networks: Encouraging clients to identify trusted individuals they can reach out to in times of need.
• Means Restriction: Collaborating with clients to limit access to potential methods of self-harm, such as securing medications or removing sharp objects (Bryan & Rudd, 2018).
Developing and Implementing Coping Strategies
Coping strategies are a fundamental part of safety planning, as they provide clients with tools to manage overwhelming emotions. Developing coping techniques that are personalized to each client’s needs ensures that the plan is practical and accessible.
Internal Strategies: These are self-soothing techniques that clients can use independently, such as mindfulness exercises, deep breathing, and grounding techniques. Internal strategies offer clients a way to regulate their emotions in the moment and are often used as first-line interventions during a crisis (Vivyan & Chellie, 2011).
External Support: Encouraging clients to reach out to supportive friends, family, or mentors provides a valuable external source of reassurance. External coping strategies serve as a reminder that clients don’t have to face distress alone and can benefit from safe, judgment-free conversations with people they trust.
Art Therapy as a Tool for Crisis Intervention
Art therapy is a valuable modality in supporting clients who engage in self-harm or experience suicidal ideation. Through creative expression, clients can explore intense emotions, gain insights into their behaviors, and develop healthier coping mechanisms.
Emotional Expression Through Art: Art therapy offers a non-verbal way for clients to express complex emotions that may be difficult to articulate. This is particularly effective for clients who struggle with traditional talk therapy or find it challenging to communicate feelings of despair. Art therapy provides a safe space for clients to externalize and examine their emotions, fostering self-awareness and resilience (Rothwell, 2008).
Visual Narrative Techniques: Techniques such as “road drawings” and creating visual representations of internal experiences allow clients to explore and organize their thoughts. For example, a client might create a drawing that represents a “safe space” or a roadmap of their emotional journey. These visuals can help clients gain clarity and perspective, offering a therapeutic outlet that promotes healing and insight (Hanes, 2008).
Ethical Considerations and Research Findings
Practitioners working with clients at risk of suicide or self-harm must prioritize ethical support and continually engage in self-reflection. Understanding power dynamics, maintaining boundaries, and staying informed on current research are critical to providing effective, ethical care.
Ethics in Practice: Power dynamics in therapeutic relationships can become intensified when working with vulnerable clients. Val Huet (2020) emphasizes that therapists must be vigilant in maintaining professional boundaries and must regularly reflect on their own biases and behaviors. Failing to do so may inadvertently cause harm, such as creating dependency or reinforcing unhealthy patterns (Springham & Huet, 2020). X
Research Insights:
Recent studies have shown the effectiveness of collaborative and structured safety planning approaches, such as the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS), in improving client outcomes. Evidence supports that involving clients actively in their safety planning enhances their sense of agency and reduces suicide risk (Jobes, 2023). Additional research indicates that 88.1% of safety plans involve identifying triggers, and 91.5% include professional support options, underscoring the importance of comprehensive, accessible safety strategies (O’Connor et al., 2024).
Professional Development
Academic Articles
Video clips - Professional Development
Client Resources
Client Handouts & Downloads
Video clips and further training
References
Alabi, A. A. (2022). Management of self-harm, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts. South African Family Practice.
Bronisch, T., & von Spreti, F. (2020). Art in suicide treatment and prevention. In J. L. Malchiodi (Ed.), The Art Therapy Sourcebook (pp. 241-256). Guilford Publications.
Bryan, C. J., & Rudd, M. D. (2018). Crisis response planning and means restriction with clients in crisis. In Cognitive behavioral therapy for suicide prevention (pp. 53-70). Guilford Publications.
Hanes, M. J. (2008). Signs of suicide: Using road drawings with inmates on suicide observation at a county jail. Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 25(3), 124-130.
Jobes, D. A. (2023). Managing suicidal risk: A collaborative approach (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
Michel, K., & Jobes, D. A. (2018). Building a therapeutic alliance with the suicidal patient: A collaborative approach. American Psychological Association.
O’Connor, M., Sutton, A., & Hennessy, E. (2024). The components and characteristics of safety management plans used to reduce the risk of self-harm: A PRISMA scoping review. Archives of Suicide Research.
Rothwell, K. (2008). Lost in translation: Art psychotherapy with patients presenting suicidal states. Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 25(4), 148-153.
Springham, N., & Huet, V. (2020). Facing our shadows: Understanding harm in the arts therapies. International Journal of Art Therapy, 25(2), 87-98.
Stanley, B., & Brown, G. K. (2012). Safety planning intervention: A brief intervention to mitigate suicide risk. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 19(2), 256-264.
Vivyan, C., & Chellie. (2011). Safety planning template. Get Self Help. Retrieved from www.getselfhelp.co.uk
World Health Organization. (2019). Suicide in the world: Global health estimates. WHO Press.
Comments