Clinical Leader of Operations Emergency Mental Health and Addictions- IWK Children’s Hospital halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Body of Abstract: Who are you? This question lies at the heart of the Existential Network of Suicidal Identity (ENSI) framework, which explores suicidality through the lens of identity disintegration and the deconstructed self. Moving beyond generalized risk models, ENSI delves into how existential crises—triggered by threats to belonging, safety, and meaning—fracture the core of a person’s identity. By integrating psychodynamic, humanistic, and existential theories, ENSI emphasizes the individual’s lived experience, offering a compassionate, person-centered approach to understanding and addressing suicidality. Through this model, clinicians can help individuals restore coherence and rediscover meaning in their lives.
Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant should be able to identify the psychodynamic and existential processes that contribute to the disintegration of identity in individuals experiencing suicidal ideation.
Analyze how disruptions in core human needs, such as belonging and self-worth, lead to existential crises and fragmentation of meaning.
Apply therapeutic interventions that restore identity coherence and meaning by integrating psychodynamic, humanistic, and existential approaches to clinical practice.
