April 1999
The Director - Features
Suicide Postvention
Caring and comforting those who have lost a loved one to suicide
Families coping with a death to suicide often blame themselves for what happened. Because of their misplaced guilt and the stigma often associated with this type of death, many families don't talk about their grief. There are, however, places they can turn to for help. Thanks to the recent attention suicide postvention has received from mental-health professionals, there are now many resources and support groups that focus on the specific needs of suicide "survivors."
Suicide Postvention—Caring and comforting those who have lost a loved one to suicide explains the principles of suicide postvention and how funeral directors can better serve the special needs of those coping with a death to suicide.
The article was written by Max Malikow, Ph.D., a graduate of Boston University who wrote his doctoral dissertation on suicide postvention counseling. He is an assistant professor of psychology at Cazenovia College and adjunct professor of education at Le Moyne College. Malikow is a practicing psychotherapist, specializing in the treatment of depression and suicide.
