Internationally acclaimed suicide prevention innovator Shawn Shea MD returns to New Zealand to deliver training to
clinicians, counsellors and social workers working with patients with thoughts of suicide.
Dr Shea is the creator of the highly acclaimed interviewing strategy for uncovering suicidal ideation and intent – the
Chronological Assessment of Suicide Events (the CASE Approach) which has been described by David Jobes Ph.D., a former
President of the American Association of Suicidology, as follows:
“… moving the clinician almost imperceptibly into the secret internal workings of the mind and soul of the patient
tormented by suicidal ideation. I believe that the CASE Approach is a remarkable conceptual and clinical contribution to
the field of suicidology. It should be taught to any front-line clinician. It has the power to meaningfully save lives.”
In the course of the day, participants will experientially master the nuances of the CASE Approach using the highly acclaimed Scripted Group Role-Playing (SGRP) developed by
Dr. Shea over the course of 20 years. By the end of the day, each participant will have individually performed and
observed multiple role-plays to consolidate their use and be able to apply this in their practice immediately.
“We are very excited to host this training for practitioners in Auckland and Dunedin,” says GROW Director Shaun Lines,
“as I have seen first-hand how effective this training can be in Australia where clinicians report better engagement
with patients, better assessment outcomes and we have seen a significant reduction of deaths in care.”
“With our local statistics showing a rise of deaths by suicide for patients within our behavioural health system, not
only is this training timely but it is seen as an essential core skill in better understanding the needs of patients.”
In addition to the experiential trainings in the CASE Approach, Dr Shea will be presenting workshops on Transforming Complex Clinical Moments - Innovative Interviewing Techniques for Understanding the Pain Beneath the Diagnosis in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch for a wider mental health audience.
Dr Shea is author of the classic text, The Practical Art of Suicide Assessment, with his most recent book, Psychiatric Interviewing: The Art of Understanding, 3rd Edition selected by the British Medical Association as the 2017 Book of the Year in Psychiatry.
Details about all of Dr Shea’s workshops are available at www.grow.co.nz