Year: 2007 Source: Pragmatic Case Studies in Psychotherapy, v.3, no.2, (May 2007), p.41-49 SIEC No: 20070842

Case studies provide important insight into the actual work within clinical settings. In Craig Bryan’s (2007) detailed description of outpatient treatment of a suicidal client, the author illustrates several important elements of a comprehensive treatment approach for such clients. One of these elements is an active approach that fosters the client’s collaboration in addressing his concerns. Also, the treatment is grounded in current conceptual and empirical bases. In addition, the treatment starts with a thorough assessment that yields a flexible range of specific treatment approaches which are responsive to the exigencies of the clinical situation. These treatment approaches involve connecting to the client through his pain, strategies for coping with anxiety and suicidal feelings, mobilization of supports, cognitive skills training, and increasing tolerance for suffering that at times cannot be avoided.