Suicide risk is one the most pervasive and challenging clinical entities encountered by psychotherapists. Yet, for the enormity of the clinical impact, therapists often feel inadequately prepared to work through the entire cycle of 1) screening 2) assessment 3) management and 4) treatment of suicide risk. Training is particularly lacking in this vital 4th area of clinical work, suicide risk treatment. In this lecture and workshop Dr. Eli Merritt, San Francisco psychiatrist and author of Suicide Risk in the Bay Area: A Guide for Families, Physicians, Therapists, and Other Professionals, provides a comprehensive approach to suicide risk, empowering you to engage clients through the entire 4-step cycle by understanding the “Suicide Complex.” Free copies of the book will be provided at the presentation.  

“Suicide Risk in the Bay Area is critical reading for professionals, teachers, and parents. It’s possible to prevent suicide, and this book is an invaluable guide.”—David Sheff, author of Beautiful Boy and Clean

“This book deserves to be on the desks of every mental health professional who lives and works in the Bay Area.”—Renée Binder, M.D., President, American Psychiatric Association

“Two books in one, Suicide Risk is an excellent primer on suicide risk assessment and management and a wealth of resources at your fingertips to readily guide you.”—Eve R. Meyer, Executive Director, San Francisco Suicide Prevention

“A valuable and innovative tool for doctors, therapists, and parents, Suicide Risk in the Bay Area deserves to be recognized and replicated nationwide.”—Alan F. Schatzberg, M.D., Stanford, Past President, American Psychiatric Association

Eli Merritt, M.D.

Dr. Merritt is a psychiatrist who lectures and consults widely in the Bay Area on suicide risk in clinical settings and schools.

He completed undergraduate studies at Yale, a Masters in Ethics at Yale, and a residency in psychiatry at Stanford. He has served on the Clinical Faculty and the Ethics Committee at Stanford and for almost a decade as president of the San Francisco Psychiatric Society.

In 2014 he launched Merritt Mental Health, a consulting and care navigation practice that helps patients and family members across the spectrum of mental health care needs, including treatment planning; care navigation; individualized referrals to doctors, therapists, and residential and outpatient programs; and family counseling.

In 2015 he published a book entitled Suicide Risk in the Bay Area: A Guide for Families, Physicians, Therapists, and Other Professionals.

Dr. Merritt’s greatest passion of all in mental health is the family--helping the family not only with care navigation and referrals but also with the twin pillars of healthy communication and healthy decision-making.