Get your Crisis Response & Trauma Care for Suicide Prevention Certificate Today!

Course Description

No word brings more alarm, fear, pain, or concern than suicide. The statistics surrounding suicide are alarming: Over 40,000 Americans die by suicide every year. These are hurting people who desperately need our help. The Suicide “PAIR” Certification Program, developed through Light University and the American Association of Christian Counselors, brings together some of the world’s foremost counseling experts. This innovative curriculum offers what you need to incorporate effective prevention and intervention strategies for your practice or ministry! Cutting-edge techniques include the SAFE-T method and are designed to help educate and equip you.

Course Lessons

SUI 101: The Dynamics of Suicide: What, Why, Who and How 

A spiritual battle takes place every day between light and dark, and suicide risk is a battleground. In this presentation, Jennifer Cisney Ellers describes factors that increase suicide risk, as well as common methods, risk factors, and ways to help. 

SUI 102: Choosing to Die: A Model of Understanding 

Jennifer Cisney Ellers reviews Dr. Thomas Joiner’s model of understanding how and why suicide occurs. It is important for caregivers to provide preventative support, education and training in these situations. 

SUI 103: A Theology of Suicide: Biblical Principles and a Christian Response 

Our Christian response to suicide needs to be one of confronting bad theology and thinking; encouraging people against using trite statements and, instead, urging good theology and practices; and practicing the ministry of presence. Ultimately, we can trust the Lord and know His love is powerful. 

SUI 104: Mental Illness and the Epidemiology of Suicide 

Suicide is a complex issue with multiple contributing genetic and environmental factors. Mental illness is a key factor in identifying someone as having a predisposition for suicide. Methods are discussed, along with common triggers and general warning signs. Protective factors and prevention strategies are important in dealing with people in suicidal crisis. 

SUI 105: The Digital World, Sociology and Suicide Risk 

Today’s culture is one of distraction. Technology is everywhere and impacts how we relate to the people around us. This extensive technology brings negative influences on our lives. More and more people are fitting into the category of languishing rather than flourishing and thriving. An epidemic of loneliness and isolation is leading to an increase in suicide. 

SUI 106: The Ethics of Suicide Intervention 

During ethical decision making, the mental health provider should identify the problem and potential issues involved, know and review all ethics codes, laws, regulations and policies, obtain consultation, consider all possible courses of action, choose what appears to be the best course and follow through, and document the process and outcomes. 

SUI 107: Suicide Prevention and Intervention with Adults 

This lecture is critical for anyone working with adults in a caregiving setting. Participants will discover risk factors for suicide. Key scripture and biblical examples of depression are reviewed. Definitions of prevention and intervention will be explored. Dr. Scalise and Jennifer Cisney Ellers will describe why prevention is the best intervention and outline protocol for suicide intervention, including the A.C.T. and S.T.O.P methods. 

SUI 108: Suicide Prevention and Intervention with Adolescents 

Suicidal behaviors, suicidal ideation, and non-suicidal self-mutilating behaviors (SMB) are issues surrounding today’s adolescents. Today’s youth may engage in SMB to stop bad feelings, feel something (even if it is pain), punish themselves, relieve feelings of numbness or emptiness, feel relaxed, or give themselves something to do when alone. 

SUI 109: Conducting a Suicide Assessment: Using the Safe-T Model (with role plays) 

In this session, Dr. Gary Sibcy reviews and unpacks the Safe-T 5 Step Evaluation & Triage System for Suicide Assessment developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the American Psychological Association (APA). Through three role plays, Dr. Sibcy demonstrates how to use this method with clients of varying suicide risk level. 

SUI 110: Families in Crisis: The First 48 Hours Following Suicide 

Discovering the body of someone who has committed suicide or receiving a death notification can be traumatic to the point that the chemistry of the brain changes in the immediate aftermath. Throughout this tumultuous time, caregivers can provide emotional and practical support that minimizes further secondary wounds to survivors. 

SUI 111: Grieving a Suicide: Long-term Support for Survivors and Loved Ones 

In this session, Jennifer Cisney Ellers and Dr. Eric Scalise will describe the complicated grief that follows a suicide and the experience of survivors. Strategies to facilitate healthy grieving and healing are outlined. Viewers will also learn what is unhelpful and how to avoid responses that cause further alienation and shame for survivors. 

SUI 112: Caregivers in Crisis: When Clients Take Their Lives 

Counselors who have lost a client to suicide often describe the event as one of the most profoundly difficult experiences of their professional careers. In this session, you will learn how to prepare or care for yourself in the event of a client’s suicide, and you will learn how to care for other clinicians who have experienced this devastating event

Course Description

Welcome to Suicide Prevention 201: Trauma & Suicide Prevention for Special Populations!

This course will outline suicide in special populations such as Teens, Military, and the Elderly. Suicide is the number one cause of death for people 15-49, and 22 veterans kill themselves every day–about 8,000 a year. This innovative curriculum offers what you need to incorporate effective prevention and intervention strategies for your practice or ministry!

COURSE LESSONS

SUI 201: The Changing Tide of Teen Suicide 

SUI 202: Teen Suicide and Self-injury 

SUI 203: Helping Teens in Crisis 

SUI 204: Combat Stress, PTSD, Reintegration and Suicide 

SUI 205: Military Suicide, Prevention and Intervention: What You Need to Know 

SUI 206: The Impact of Suicide on Military Marriages and Families 

SUI 207: The Neurobiology of Childhood Trauma, Grief and Loss — Part 1 

SUI 208: The Neurobiology of Childhood Trauma, Grief and Loss — Part 2 

SUI 209: Restoring the Shattered Self: Treatment of Complex Trauma 

SUI 210: Elderly Suicide and Homicide 

SUI 211: Passive Suicide and Self-Neglect 

SUI 212: Trauma-Related Suicide Risks for Older Veterans 

Trauma-informed coaches are knowledgeable about the tell-tale signs of trauma but are not qualified to treat trauma. In fact, tasking someone who is not a licensed professional with treating trauma could result in the re-traumatization of a client.  

Trauma-informed coaching is a skill that entails being able to recognize the signs of trauma, deftly bringing the client to a place of mental stability and referring the person to a licensed professional who is able to treat the trauma.

There are several differences between a coach and a therapist, though the most notable distinction is that therapists are licensed professionals while coaches are not. As such, the treatment strategies of therapists differ from those used by coaches.  

While therapists often seek to help their clients recover from mental illness. Areas of treatment for therapists include, but are not limited to: 

• Addictions 
• Anxiety 
• Bipolar disorder 

• Clinical depression 
• Trauma 

On the other hand, coaches do not seek to help their clients recover from mental illness. Instead, coaches focus more on the development of positive thinking patterns.

Though the coaching niche is unregulated, no certifications are needed to become a coach, proper training is strongly advised. Think about it – you wouldn’t want to learn baseball from someone who never played, would you? 

If you’d like to become a trauma-informed coach who can confidently identify signs of trauma and refer people to the correct licensed professional, Light’s online crisis response and trauma-informed care certification program is an excellent fit. With training that covers topics ranging from how children react to crises, anxiety and depression, and trauma attachment theory, our trauma-informed certification doesn’t just benefit you – it benefits those you serve.

Life coaches cannot, and should not try, to treat trauma. Coaches who attempt to treat trauma may re-traumatize their clients and further agitate deep emotional wounds. Trauma treatment is reserved for licensed mental health professionals alone.