Recommendations for Family Interventions Following a Suicide.

Consistent with a culturally competent, developmentally informed, and gender-sensitive integrative model of family therapy, this article provides a framework for therapists working with families following the suicide of aloved one. Recommended clinical interventions are provided and organized around commonly encountered themes: addressing psychological distress and painful affects, understanding denial as a protective coping strategy, appreciating and managing concerns about family disintegration, helping families deal with stigmatization, and creating a suicide story. Clinical vignettes highlight common challenges faced by families in response to a loved one's suicide.