Glass Half Full: Transformative Narratives in the Wake of Client Suicide

Abstract

The death of a client by suicide is one of the most impactful experiences that a therapist can face. Whilst the majority of literature to date has focused on the negative effects that this can have upon both the professional and personal life of the therapist, little has been written about the positive transformations that can arise from such an event. Using a narrative approach to both data collection and analysis, in-depth audio-taped interviews were conducted with ten therapists in relation to the impact that their clients’' suicides had had upon them. This chapter will focus on the accounts shared by five of these therapists that capture the positive transformations experienced in the wake of their clients’' deaths. In light of these findings, suggestions with regard to the ways in which therapist training and clinical supervision might acknowledge the opportunities for growth that can arise from difficult life events such as client suicide will be offered.