Laboratory for the Treatment of Suicide-Related Ideation & Behavior

The Laboratory for the Treatment of Suicide-Related Ideation and Behavior at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, under the direction of Dr. Marjan G. Holloway, is dedicated to the study, development, and empirical evaluation of psychological interventions for suicidal individuals. The lab's primary emphasis is on secondary and tertiary prevention research which addresses the needs of high-risk groups and individuals. Since suicide remains a leading cause of mortality for military service members and Veterans, many of our studies are conducted with the goal of better understanding suicide in the context of unique military stressors such as posttraumatic stress disorder and deployment. We are currently adapting and empirically evaluating inpatient cognitive behavioral interventions for individuals hospitalized for suicide-related ideation and/or behavior.

The work conducted in this lab includes the following activities:

  • Maintenance of an up-to-date literature archive on psychosocial interventions for suicide-related ideation/behavior including cognitive behavior therapy
  • Development and implementation of research projects that advance our science of treatment for individuals with suicide-related ideation and/or behavior
  • Training in evidence-informed assessment, management, and treatment of suicide for military clinical psychology doctoral students and mental health providers serving military service members, Veterans, and their families
  • Providing opportunities for post-doctoral training in the areas of psychotherapy research, cognitive behavior therapy for the prevention of suicide, and clinical trials methodology
  • Collaboration and consultation with experts in the field of military mental health, suicidology, and psychotherapy outcome research in order to advance suicide prevention assessment and treatment services made available to patients

To learn more about our specific studies, please check the link for "Current Projects".