Earn 1.5 CEUS!*
Lyndsie Standerwick, LMFT, RPT (She/Her)
Lyndsie is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Registered Play Therapist. She has worked in crisis mental health for the last three and a half years. During the early parts of her career Lyndsie worked with people experiencing domestic and sexual violence. Lyndsie then moved on to inpatient mental health work, and then day treatment with children and adolescents. Throughout her career thus far, she has also provided individual and family therapy in an outpatient setting.
.jpg)
Mark Wilde, (He/Him) LMFT
Mark is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He is a board approved supervisor and also an AAMFt approved supervisor. He has worked in crisis mental health for the last two years. In addition to years of outpatient therapy, Mark has worked in ARHMS and CTSS programs and children’s day treatment.
Description
This presentation is designed to familiarize clinicians with the contemporary mental health crisis landscape and strengthen their confidence in responding effectively when clients present with acute distress. As the demand for crisis services continues to rise, clinicians across all settings—outpatient, community-based, medical, and educational—are increasingly called upon to make rapid, well‑informed decisions that balance client safety, autonomy, and therapeutic rapport. This training will explore core components of crisis assessment, risk stratification, protective factors, safety planning, and determining the most appropriate next steps in care.
A central focus of the presentation is the mental health safety assessment, a structured yet flexible process used to evaluate the immediacy and severity of risk. A safety assessment typically includes exploring suicidal ideation, intent, plan, means, past attempts, self‑harm behaviors, and other indicators of danger to self or others. It also involves assessing the client’s current mental status, substance use, trauma history, and environmental stressors. Effective safety assessments are not simply checklists; they require attunement, curiosity, and the ability to hold space for intense emotion while gathering essential information. Clinicians will learn how to differentiate between passive thoughts, active intent, and imminent risk, as well as how to document findings clearly and ethically.
In addition to evaluating risk, clinicians must also identify protective factors—conditions, strengths, and supports that reduce the likelihood of harm and promote resilience. Protective factors may include strong social connections, cultural or spiritual beliefs, a sense of responsibility to loved ones, engagement in treatment, problem‑solving skills, stable housing, or access to supportive community resources. Understanding protective factors helps clinicians contextualize risk and avoid overly restrictive interventions when a client’s strengths can be mobilized to support safety.
The presentation will also cover safety planning, an evidence‑based, collaborative intervention that empowers clients to recognize warning signs, use coping strategies, reach out to supportive individuals, and access crisis resources when needed. Unlike “no‑harm contracts,” safety plans are practical, personalized, and actionable. Clinicians will learn how to co‑create plans that are realistic, culturally responsive, and aligned with the client’s values.
Finally, the training will guide clinicians in determining next steps—whether that involves continued outpatient care, increased support, crisis stabilization, or emergency intervention. The goal is to equip clinicians with the knowledge and confidence to make thoughtful, ethically grounded decisions that prioritize both safety and dignity.
Objectives
1. Identify when clients are in crisis and learn assessment skills to determine risk level.
2. Identify protective factors and understand what services and supports exist for clients.
3. Identify the difference between crisis and emergency. Learn about safety planning and increasing protective factors.
* This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).
This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.
