October 25-27, 2024

Pennsylvania Counseling Association’s Annual Conference
Harrisburg, PA

Suicidality in the Perinatal Population: How PA Counselors Can Help Reduce Maternal Mortality.

Did you know that mental health issues including suicide and overdose/poisoning related to substance use is the leading underlying cause of maternal death within the first 12 months postpartum (Trost et al., 2022)? Do you wonder how Pennsylvania counselors can help reduce the maternal mortality rate by the services we provide? I invite you to join me as I present valuable information on suicidality within the perinatal population. Attendees will: 1) learn the basic clinical presentation of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, 2) identify the factors which contribute to increased suicide risk, 3) discover clinical tools and interviewing strategies for accurate suicide risk assessment, and 4) explore interventions to consider when working with perinatal clients with an increased suicide risk. It is my hope that Pennsylvania counselors (professionals, educators, and students) can recognize the impact we can make on reducing maternal mortality through thorough assessment and intervention in our work with clients during the perinatal period.