Presentation Information
[SY-60-01]Psychoanalytic assessment as postvention
*Nobuaki Eto (Fukuoka University(Japan))
Keywords:
Suicide survivor,postvention,psychoanalytic approach
When a member of an organisation committed suicide, it has a significant impact on both the organisation and individuals. A psychoanalytic approach is useful in such situations. Events and their effects are often absorbed into personal stories. The goal of intervention is to be able to distinguish between the two.
Case Ms.A
At a hospital, a staff member committed suicide. The next day, when he did not show up for work, his colleague A visited his home and found the man hanging in the bathroom. Immediately after the suicide, the hospital administrator contacted me and asked for advice on how to respond. I proposed holding regular after-work meetings with staff from relevant departments, and this was implemented. In addition to these meetings, individual support was continued for A. She was deeply traumatised, unable to sleep due to vivid images of the deceased man and parts of his body. Four days later, she was referred to a psychiatrist and decided to take a leave of absence from work. A became aware that the workplace itself was causing significant mental stress. I proposed four sessions (60 minutes each) of psychoanalytic psychotherapy assessment the following week, and she agreed.During these interviews, she reflected on the difficulties she had faced in her life since childhood. Her parents did not get along. Feeling suffocated within the family, A wanted to leave home as soon as possible. She got married, but divorced due to her husband's large debts and violence. At work, she had been promoted and often struggled with mentoring junior colleagues. Due to an ongoing organisational restructuring, she felt that the workplace had lost its former ‘homey atmosphere.’ After undergoing an assessment session, she decided to return to work.
Case Ms.A
At a hospital, a staff member committed suicide. The next day, when he did not show up for work, his colleague A visited his home and found the man hanging in the bathroom. Immediately after the suicide, the hospital administrator contacted me and asked for advice on how to respond. I proposed holding regular after-work meetings with staff from relevant departments, and this was implemented. In addition to these meetings, individual support was continued for A. She was deeply traumatised, unable to sleep due to vivid images of the deceased man and parts of his body. Four days later, she was referred to a psychiatrist and decided to take a leave of absence from work. A became aware that the workplace itself was causing significant mental stress. I proposed four sessions (60 minutes each) of psychoanalytic psychotherapy assessment the following week, and she agreed.During these interviews, she reflected on the difficulties she had faced in her life since childhood. Her parents did not get along. Feeling suffocated within the family, A wanted to leave home as soon as possible. She got married, but divorced due to her husband's large debts and violence. At work, she had been promoted and often struggled with mentoring junior colleagues. Due to an ongoing organisational restructuring, she felt that the workplace had lost its former ‘homey atmosphere.’ After undergoing an assessment session, she decided to return to work.