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Our Next Lecture

Therapeutic Risk Management with PTSD Part 2: Chain Analysis and Safety Planning

Lauren Borges, PhD and Sean Barnes, PhD

Wednesday, May 17 at 2:00pm ET 

About the Topic

Chain analysis is a critical strategy for therapeutic risk management of suicidal ideation and behavior. Despite its importance, chain analysis is not widely disseminated. This training will provide attendees critical tools for executing chain analysis, helping participants to build new strategies for intervening on suicidal ideation and behavior and improving the quality of safety plans. First, participants will learn how to identify the factors sustaining suicidal ideation and behavior, with positive and negative reinforcement investigated as pathways maintaining suicide risk. Next, participants will learn about the components of the behavioral chain. Then participants will learn how the chain can be used as an intervention strategy and inform more detailed and effective safety plans. The relevance of these strategies for Veterans reporting symptoms of PTSD will be discussed and illustrated with case examples.

About the Presenters

SEAN BARNES, PhD is a clinical psychologist and investigator at the Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC); a consultant with the VA Suicide Risk Management Consultation Program; and an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. His primary clinical and research interests include suicide risk management and prevention, and treatment of moral injury. Dr. Barnes’ research program includes projects aimed at improving suicide risk management and developing effective contextual behavioral interventions for helping patients build vital and meaningful lives.

Featured Article

Addressing the Stress and Trauma of Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence

Despite decades of foundational research on intimate partner violence (IPV) and its health effects, studies suggest that practitioners often don't know how to address IPV in ways that are consistent with the research findings—this is true across disciplines and services, including mental health. It is therefore important that clinicians, health care leaders and policy makers are knowledgeable about IPV, including its definition, prevalence, health consequences and best clinical practices for screening and intervention. This article summarizes the current knowledge to guide clinical care for individuals who experience IPV, as the need for effective dissemination and implementation is urgent for this population.

Read the full article

Free Resources

App Demonstration Videos

Our Tech into Care initiative offers two sets of videos to help providers use our mobile applications (apps).  

Learn About the Apps

Providers can watch brief demonstration videos to become more familiar with each app.  An orientation to the key features is provided as the app screen is shown in the video.  

Learn to Use the Apps in Treatment

A second set of videos demonstrates the clinical integration of the mobile apps and answers commonly asked questions about the process of introducing and using the apps during treatment.  Watch clinicians from our team use our apps with patients portrayed by actors.

Prepare Now

We have a variety of resources to help providers prepare for PTSD Awareness Month this June.

PTSD Awareness Month Calendar: For Providers
Health Care Provider version of our 30 ways to raise PTSD awareness calendar, one for every day during the month of June.

Outreach Ideas for Mental Health Providers
Additional ideas for Mental Health Providers to raise PTSD awareness.

Visit the PTSD Awareness Month page for more details and resources.

Are you treating U.S. Veterans?

Our team of expert clinicians is available to consult with any healthcare provider treating U.S. veterans in any setting.   We can discuss assessment, diagnosis, psychotherapy, medications, collaborating with VA care, patient and family education, continuing education, and just about anything else related to veterans and PTSD.  No question is too big or too small. Contact us at PTSDconsult@va.gov or 866-948-7880.