
Treating Chronic Suicidality and Self-Harm in an Outpatient Setting
This presentation was originally reviewed on March 5, 2025, and live streamed online on March 7, 2025, from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm ET.
The views and opinions expressed by this presenter in this lecture are their own, and do not represent the views of Sheppard Pratt.
Chronic high-risk suicidality and self-harming behaviors present a great challenge in clinical practice. Often individuals find themselves frequently cycling through inpatient hospitalization as they are assessed as too high-risk to be treated in an outpatient setting. These hospitalizations can be lifesaving in emergent situations with a focus on means restriction and acute stabilization. At the same time, hospitalization may not be able to address the underlying cycles and longer-term psychological treatment needed to address and change future acts of suicide. Furthermore, hospitalization can inadvertently become a reinforcing factor in difficult to change behavior. In this talk we will use Dialectical Behavioral Therapy theory and strategies to identify how we can effectively treat individuals struggling with high-risk thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in an outpatient setting.
Target Audience
This activity is intended for physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, counselors and other mental health professionals.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this activity, attendees will be able to:
- Discuss the challenges that individuals struggling with suicide and self-harm pose in clinical practice
- Outline the BioSocial theory with application to the development of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
- Demonstrate the use of DBT strategies in assessing and treating suicidal behaviors.
This lecture was supported by Grant Number 6H79FG000999-01M001 from SAMHSA. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of SAMHSA.
About the speakers
Dr. Jeffrey LaPratt is the lead DBT psychologist at Sheppard Pratt, working on the teams at The Retreat by Sheppard Pratt and the Center for Excellence in Psilocybin Research, part of Sheppard Pratt’s Institute for Advanced Diagnostics and Therapeutics. Dr. LaPratt earned his PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Florida School of Professional Psychology, where his studies focused on forensic and clinical psychology.
In Dr. LaPratt’s role at Sheppard Pratt, he is responsible for conducting psychological assessments across care settings and delivering dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in individual and group settings. He also oversees provision of DBT trainings throughout the Sheppard Pratt system. Prior to joining Sheppard Pratt, Dr. LaPratt served as a psychologist within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, providing Comprehensive DBT treatment in an inpatient prison hospital setting, as well as psychodiagnostic assessments, violence, and suicide risk evaluations.
Disclosure Statements
Sheppard Pratt holds the standard that its continuing medical education programs should be free of commercial bias and conflict of interest. In accord with Sheppard Pratt's Disclosure Policy, as well as standards of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and the American Medical Association (AMA), all planners, reviewers, speakers and persons in control of content have been asked to disclose any relationship he /she has with any entity producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients, during the past 24 months. All planners, reviewers and speakers have also been asked to disclose any payments accepted for this lecture from any entity besides Sheppard Pratt, and if there will be discussion of any products, services, or off-label uses of product(s) during this presentation.
Jeffrey LaPratt, PsyD, reports that he has no relationships with any entity producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients, during the past 24 months. He will not discuss any products, services, or off-label uses in this presentation. All relationships have been mitigated through review.
Event Planners/Reviewers Disclosures: The following event planners and/or reviewers are reported as having no financial interest, arrangement or affiliation with any entity producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients, during the past 24 months: Todd Peters, MD, Elizabeth Ryznar, MD, MSc, Louis Marino, MD, Devi Bhuyan, PsyD, Faith Dickerson, PhD, Carrie Etheridge, LCSW-C, Tom Flis, LCPC, Alfredo Sagisi, DNP, MS, RN, FACHE, Lisa E. Seldon, DNP, MSA, RN, NEA-BC, Lisa Illum, MLIS, MEd, and Jennifer Tornabene.
Physician Statement: Sheppard Pratt is accredited by The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Sheppard Pratt takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CME activity. Sheppard Pratt designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Nurse Statement: Sheppard Pratt is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the Maryland Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Sheppard Pratt takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CME activity. This activity provides 1.5 contact hours for nurses.
Psychologist Statement: Sheppard Pratt is authorized by the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists as a sponsor of continuing education. Sheppard Pratt takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CE activity. Sheppard Pratt designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.5 contact hours for Psychologists.
Social Worker Statement: Sheppard Pratt is authorized by the Board of Social Work Examiners of Maryland to offer continuing education for Social Workers. Sheppard Pratt takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CE activity. This activity is approved for 1.5 contact hours in Category II credits for Social Workers.
Counselor Statement: Sheppard Pratt has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5098. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Sheppard Pratt is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. This activity is available for 1.5 NBCC clock hours.
Available Credit
- 1.50 ACEP NBCC clock hours
- 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- 1.50 Category II credits for Social Workers
- 1.50 Psychologists
- 1.50 MNA Contact Hours for Nurses
- 1.50 Participation
ON DEMAND WEBINAR: FOR BEST RESULTS WATCH USING GOOGLE CHROME
Treating Chronic Suicidality and Self-Harm in an Outpatient Setting
Jeffrey LaPratt, PsyD
Lead DBT Psychologist
The Retreat by Sheppard Pratt
Baltimore, MD
Originally reviewed March 5, 2025.
Originally broadcast live on March 7, 2025, from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm ET.
Enduring Activity Credit Expiration Date: April 5, 2027.
Activity Time: Ninety-minute recorded webinar lecture with a 15-minute evaluation process. Total Time: 1:45
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Required Hardware/software
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