Despite dedicating their lives to others, mental health professionals often face unrecognized burdens. Khara Croswaite Brindle's powerful book sheds light on the unheard stories of clinician suicide survivors, offering solace, understanding, and hope through personal accounts and expert analysis. It tackles the stigma of client suicide, equips healthcare professionals with ALERT, an innovative assessment tool, and provides valuable insight and resources, making it a must-read for clinician loss survivors and those seeking to understand and support the challenges faced by these dedicated professionals who often struggle to remain in the field after a loss.
— Charlotte Tankersley, suicide awareness educator, mental health & LGBTQ advocate, and crisis counselor; founder and executive director, The Hope Group
This book covers an important yet rarely discussed topic. Combining case examples of clients and clinicians, clinical knowledge, and research, it sheds light on the complexities of working with suicidal clients. It discusses the challenges of suicide prevention, identifies modes of assessment, introduces safety planning, and describes the experiences of grief and post-traumatic growth for clinicians facing the loss of a client. Khara Croswaite Brindle's expertise, compassion, and love for supporting other therapists resonate throughout this book. This is an excellent resource for therapists at any stage of their career.
— Ashley Charbonneau, LCSW, LAC, ACS, SOMB full operating treatment provider, evaluator, and clinical supervisor
Too often, the mental health difficulties we experience as therapists are kept hidden, left unspoken. A therapist may fear that others will think they are 'a bad therapist' if a client dies by suicide, or even when a therapist is struggling to heal from it. This holds true for many of the difficulties we have, particularly those that have any level of shame or stigma attached to them. Moving from ALERT to Acceptance: Helping Clinicians Heal from Client Suicide is a raw and unfettered look at what happens in a therapist’s heart when a client dies by suicide, and it maps a journey towards healing after such a painful experience. As a clinician myself, I am grateful that Ms. Croswaite Brindle has the courage to share this experience; it is a relief to really know that others in our therapist community feel this, and that there is a way to move through the darker times in our work.
— Cathy Wilson, LPC, ACS, counselor and educator
Moving from ALERT to Acceptance: Helping Clinicians Heal from Client Suicide by Khara Croswaite Brindle proves indispensable for professionals in the field. The seamless integration of genuine narratives from both the author and fellow clinicians, alongside insightful educational content, creates a compelling narrative flow. Particularly commendable is the author's openness in sharing vulnerable experiences related to the loss of a client to suicide. Croswaite Brindle addresses a longstanding need with grace, making this book a beautifully executed and essential resource for clinicians.
— Amber Kosloske, MS, LPC, suicide and self-harm prevention counselor, consultant, and trainer
There’s a lot of good guidance in this book. While research-based, the book is written in a down-to-earth, accessible manner that will make it a valuable resource for suicide helpers at any level. Ms. Croswaite Brindle’s thorough and honest coverage of the emotional symptoms therapists might suffer after a client suicide are helpful to a clinician who finds themselves navigating those lonely waters. I will definitely be recommending this book in my own trainings on suicide prevention, intervention, and treatment.
— Gregg Elliott, PhD, LPC, ACS, Colorado Christian University; chair, Western Region of the American Counseling Association; treasurer and past-president, Colorado Counseling Association
I loved reading Moving from ALERT to Acceptance: Helping Clinicians Heal from Client Suicide. Khara Croswaite Brindle's book is a map for psychotherapists and other mental health workers to follow when working with this population. Throughout the book, I knew the clients' and therapists' pain, struggles, and experiences. Croswaite Brindle did a beautiful job describing therapists' and clients' pain, internal dialogue, and what-ifs. This book provides helpful and straightforward tips for therapists to know and follow, including definitions, questions, and acronyms.
— Liliana Baylon, LMFT-S, RPT-S, bilingual and bicultural psychotherapist and consultant