MIRECC / CoE

Rocky Mountain Short Takes on Suicide Prevention:
Talking with Ted Bonar during the early days of COVID-19

11 August 2020

The pandemic catalyzed the great “tele-migration”, forcing an abrupt shift for patients, providers, and systems as they adapt to a new model of mental health care delivery from a distance. In this episode, Ted Bonar offers his expertise about providing effective and evidence-based care to patients at risk of suicide, including strategies for remote safety and crisis response planning, without sacrificing connection and collaboration. Ted reminds us about the importance of developing and reinforcing coping strategies that are meaningful to the person. He shares that it doesn’t “have to be that much different than doing it in person… these are the things that make those interventions effective: collaborative, it’s emotional, it has resonance, it’s specific, it’s detailed. So I don’t think that has to be sacrificed just because it’s over telehealth.” Ted emphasizes self-care and supporting each other as crucial elements of clinician wellbeing as we all navigate these challenging times.

Download the transcript

Resources

Ted Bonar - the website

Ted's Twitter account @TedBonar

Maintaining and Enhancing Your Mental Health and Well-Being During the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak

VA Telehealth Services

Evidence-Based Treatment: What Does It Mean

Treatment Works for Vets