Registration Now Open! | CASP Conference 2017: Art-Based Suicide Prevention, Intervention and Postvention, Sept. 11-12

The De-Psychiatrization of Suicide: Moving to a More Psycho-Social Model of Suicide
Although psychiatric diagnoses may be associated with over 90% of deaths by suicide, the association is correlational, not necessarily causal. I will propose and will provide empirical evidence supporting the suggestion that it is unbearable psychological pain, or what Edwin Shneidman termed “psychache”, that is the true cause of psychache and that other psychiatric / psychological associates of suicide only relate to suicide through psychache / mental pain. In demonstrating that mental pain / psychache mediates the association between other putative causes and suicide, this expands the domain of potential interventions or treatments for suicidal behaviour to non-traditional or non-psychiatric alternatives. In particular, based on Shneidman’s psychache theory of suicide, I will suggest a number of treatment alternatives most of which emphasize the importance of individualized intervention.

As a qualitative researcher specializing in the application and development of arts-based methods, I am interested in the ways in which these approaches generate new knowledge and promote greater understanding regarding a variety of health topics. These methods engage us not only in the midst of the research process, but also have important roles to play in the sharing of research findings. What kind of ‘work’ do the products of arts-based research projects do? What does ‘impact’ look like? I will argue that both research and interventions that incorporate the arts are intimately connected, and I will share some key learnings from projects that I have collaborated on locally, nationally and internationally.

Linda Monteith Gardiner will outline the circumstances leading to her decision to end her life in October of 2009 and how a chance conversation resulted in her referral to the Creative Works Studio, an arts-based program for people with mental illness and addiction. She will then describe how art, a totally new endeavour for her, affected her strongly held suicidal ideation and how this ultimately led to a positive outcome. She will further discuss how she is now fully involved in the arts as a photographer and filmmaker and how this allows her to keep the suicidality at bay.

Isabel Fryszberg will discuss the healing property of arts in intervention based on her 20 years of experience working in an arts-based occupational studio that she pioneered. She will demonstrate how new creative occupations and identities evolve when working in a real art studio space and place that provides and supports new identities and roles other than sickness. She will give examples of how new purpose coming from real art based projects such as making a film together, preparing an art exhibit, or recording a music album based on original songs written collaboratively as a songwriting group can be a rejuvenating elixir for providing new hope. It is in this space of of art-making where a new culture of health evolves to overcome lost identity and hopelessness. She will share a clip from their knowledge based documentary film, What’s Art Got To Do With It? that brings you inside this community, as well share an original song from a music track from a band called the Social Mystics that she spear headed that also evolved from the same community. She will also highlight some of the real evocative life affirming statements and quotes from some of the artist/members she had worked with who had been living with experiences of suicidality and how this new culture of art making had changed their lives.

‘Conversations’ in the midst of chaos.
This presentation draws on the premise that “It is in giving life to the pictures that dwell deep within us that we are relived of their burden and can move to integrate them into our conscious reality” (Battaglia, 2006). Utilising original client artwork of those bereaved by suicide loss, Nancy will show how the use of Art Therapy and Expressive Arts can inform client/therapist and the therapeutic environment. The Art will provide a foundation for discussion of directed vs. non-directed interventions as well as a brief overview of founding principles of Art Therapy.

For more information about the conference, please visit caspconference.ca or contact: Yvonne Bergmans ([email protected]) or Julie K Campbell ([email protected])

Looking forward to seeing you in Toronto September 11 and 12!