title: The use of consultation in the treatment of suicidal patients.
abstract: Consultation is acknowledged to be a useful aid in the treatment of the suicidal patient. Consultation is, however, a deviation from the therapeutic framework, and there are potential dangers. A case example is used to illustrate the various phases of the consultation process--from the decision to consult, the way the consultation is arranged, the type of consultation, and the results of the consultation on the patient-therapist relationship. A brief examination of the intrapsychic and interpersonal dynamics of the suicidal patient highlights the patient's vulnerability to seeing the deviation in technique as a disruption. A preferred form of consultation for these situations is suggested.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003379:Countertransference; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012649:Self Concept; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D000092864:Suicide Prevention