HIMPower Magazine HimPower July 2018 | Page 29

Dr. Ridley: I might design something service—the entry point. More importantly, along the lines of “You have choices. You the relationships between the many service are not alone.” I would use your idea that we centers is not coordinated, seamless, and have choices within our limited choices. sometimes uncooperative with each other. Question: Suicide prevention is a hot Last week one of my student’s clients topic within our schools and families. What was suicidal. The client met the criteria of do Christians need to know to facilitate our emergency test, and I ordered hospi- local, state, and national efforts to reduce talization for observation and treatment. and/or prevent suicides? We called the police, which is our standard Dr. Ridley: Suicide is a solution—a protocol. They interviewed the client and self-destructive one. Nevertheless, it is a determined the he was not an eminent solution. It solves the danger to himself. Imagine. troublesome feeling of Two police officers would hopelessness. Suicide is not heed my clinical God’s Word is the the 10th leading cause judgment and that of our of death in the United foundation of my work. clinic director (both of States. We are all aware us are licensed psycholo- of the recent high profile gists). I had to make other cases. Suicide is a complex problem. For arrangements for the client’s transport to the instance, many suicide attempts are associ- hospital. ated with depression. Yet, many depressed Just as we have national conversations people never attempt suicide. Some suicidal about the funding of health care, we need people make an attempt only after they are similar conversations about the coordination coming out of a depression, not when they of care mental health care and its overall are in despair. This topic needs much more integration into the overall health care unpacking….there is not enough time for me system. Otherwise, we will continue to see to adequately address it in this interview. the fragmentation. Question: The media and politicians Question: Dr. Ridley, would you share continue to talk about a broken mental with the HimPower family a few insightful health system? In your opinion, what char- thin gs about who you are and what charac- acterizes the system? If it is indeed broken terizes your life as a Christian mental health where do we begin to fix it? professional. Dr. Ridley: The mental health system is Dr. Ridley: First, I would like to thank not broken because it simply does not exist. you for the opportunity to share with your What is broken is the fragmentation among readership. I have been a licensed psychol- the many types of service entities. Few ogist for over 30 years. I am a professor people really know the best place to seek of counseling psychology at Texas A & M www.himpowermagazine.com  29