THE SUICIDE COUNSELING SESSION - A METHODTO HELP HOSPITAL TEAMS AFTERA PATIENT SUICIDE

This is a report on the authors' experience over two years in developi ng a new way to deal with patient suicides in a District Psychiatric H ospital. The main aim of the Suicide Counselling Session is to help th e involved hospital ward teams to overcome the strain, doubt and psych ological burden often caused by the suicide of a patient. The authors describe the institutional conditions and setting in which a Suicide C onselling Session takes place. The method is characterised by a specia l attitude and the ideas of ''Reflecting Team'' to bring the involved stress factors into the open.