Yvonne Bergmans

Yvonne, a former special education teacher and guidance counselor, now works as a suicide interventionist at the Arthur Sommer Rotenberg Chair in Suicide and Depression Studies. After completing her MSW, she went on to obtain a PhD through Dublin City University, School of Nursing and Human Sciences. Her research focus was understanding and responding to recurrent suicide attempts. In conjunction with clients with a history of suicide attempts, she has led the evolving Skills for Safer Living group intervention; a psychosocial/psychoeducational intervention for people with recurrent suicide attempts (SfSL/PISA). Yvonne provides risk assessment, support and consultations for suicidality for the Mental Health and Addictions service at St. Michael’s hospital. She is active in working with communities to better understand suicide, how communities can become more aware of suicide and how to support people who are thinking of ending their lives. Currently she supports and supervises facilitation teams of the SfSL/PISA intervention at 4 sites in Ontario.

Research Synopsis

Yvonne works as the Suicide Intervention Consultant at the Suicide Studies Unit of the Arthur Sommer Rotenberg Chair in Suicide and Depression Studies. Her current research interests include: Psychotherapeutic group interventions for suicidal individuals, access to care, continuity of care.