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Leslie Baker, LMFT
Leslie W. Baker is the Owner and operator of Therapy2Thrive® Ruby Hill Marriage and Family Counseling Center, an outpatient clinic in California. Leslie has been a Certified Suicide Bereavement Clinician since 2017.
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Description:
Suicide is the 8th leading cause of death for children ages 5–11 (CDC, 2021). In 2021, 6,500 suicides occurred among youth ages 5–24 in the U.S. (California Dept. of Public Health & CDC WONDER Online Database). Although suicide is rare before age 10, nearly half of adolescents who experience suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) first show signs in early childhood (Whalen et al., 2022). This underscores the urgency of training clinicians, school-based professionals, parents, caregivers, and teachers to recognize warning signs, intervene early, and prevent self-harm.
Developing a better understanding of ethical and legal standards regarding confidentiality in the crisis management of suicide when working with youth will also be a key component of this workshop, ensuring that participants are equipped to respond appropriately within both clinical and legal frameworks.
This workshop is grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Expressive Therapies as evidence-based approaches for working with suicidal youth. CBT, adapted for young populations, applies structured, time-limited, and problem-focused interventions to address distorted thinking patterns and build coping skills (Knell, 1998). DBT, originally developed for chronically suicidal individuals, emphasizes the synthesis of acceptance and change through mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness—skills proven to reduce suicidal ideation and self-harming behaviors (Dimeff & Linehan, 2001; Stanley et al., 2007; DeCou et al., 2019). Expressive therapies draw from creative modalities such as dramatic and fantasy enactment, sandtray, art, and storytelling to help youth externalize and process difficult emotions, providing developmentally appropriate pathways to healing (Sweeney & Landreth, 2003).
Evidence supports the integration of these approaches in reducing depressive symptoms and alleviating psychological pain in youth (Burgin et al., 2022; Shelby & Campos, 2001; Knell & Dasari, 2015). This training will address cultural responsiveness by recognizing unique risk factors and warning signs across diverse and vulnerable populations.
Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to:
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