Understanding and Responding to Suicide Risk

Presented by AOTA in partnership with William James College, MindWise Innovations, and Riverside Trauma Center

Each year more than 700,000 people die by suicide worldwide. Many more struggle with suicidal thoughts or attempts. No matter your role or setting, you can gain the skills to recognize the signs and respond effectively.

Join a powerful learning experience designed to increase your confidence and capacity to help. This hybrid course combines self-paced modules with two live, online sessions over four weeks. You’ll deepen your understanding of suicide risk and intervention strategies through evidence-informed instruction and supportive peer interaction.

Space is limited to 100 participants to ensure a personalized, interactive experience. The course reached full capacity last year, so we encourage early registration to secure your spot.

Schedule

• Course dates: June 9-July 9
• Asynchronous models released weekly
• Live Zoom sessions:
  • June 18, 6:00–7:30 pm ET
  • June 25, 6:00–7:30 pm ET

Participants will be able to:

• Recognize suicide warning signs and risk/protective factors
• Use techniques to elicit ideation and assess risk
• Understand ambivalence as an opportunity for intervention
• Support clients who view suicide as a coping mechanism
• Explain the value of postvention and grief support for communities

Speakers:

Larry Berkowitz, EdD, is the Co-Founder and director of Riverside Trauma Center. His clinical areas of expertise include working with children, adolescents, adults, and families who are trauma survivors and/or suicide loss survivors. He serves on the Executive Committee of the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention and holds an appointment as an adjunct faculty member in the Clinical Psychology program at William James College.

Quinn Tyminski, OTD, OTR/L, BCMH, is an Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy and Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where she focuses on improving occupational participation and quality of life for minoritized populations in multiple settings.

Stephen Nawotniak, OTR/L, NYCPS, is a Psychiatric Rehabilitation Specialist at The Alliance for Rights and Recovery. He is the author of Handbook for Healthy Living with a Mood Disorder, Bipolar Life Hacks: Keys to Loving Life with a Bipolar Disorder, and the award winning Mubu the Morph children's book series.