During skills training, how are suicidal communications best addressed?

• A. Ignore the suicidal thoughts
• B. Address by discussing only skills and not thoughts
• C. Help apply the skills to the thoughts and feelings; refer to the individual therapist for follow up
• D. Escalate to inpatient care

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is to connect what you’ve learned in skills training directly to the person’s current distress. When someone expresses suicidal thoughts, the goal isn’t to suppress or ignore those thoughts, nor to discuss only general skills in the abstract. Instead, you help them apply the skills to the thoughts and feelings they’re experiencing in the moment. This makes the coping strategies concrete and usable, so they can regulate emotions, reduce impulsive urges, and practice in real situations.

At the same time, you involve the individual therapist for follow-up and ongoing safety planning. This ensures there’s professional oversight of risk and continuity of care, which is essential for someone dealing with suicidality. Only escalate to inpatient care if there’s imminent danger that requires immediate, higher-level intervention; during skills training, the emphasis is on applying skills and coordinating care rather than automatically moving to hospital admission.

So, the best approach is to help apply the skills to the thoughts and feelings and coordinate with the therapist for follow-up.