HIPAA Compliant

Dr. Steven E. Bailley

Specialty Areas

Grief and Healing After Suicide:

On an annual basis, suicide consistently ranks as one of the top 10 causes of death in this country, and in fact, there are more suicides than homicides on a yearly basis (1998 data documented suicide as the 8th leading cause of death). Roughly 30,000 Americans die by suicide every yearly. Locally, vital statistics data document that there were 340 reported suicides in Harris County in 1996, representing 1.8% of all resident deaths. Individuals that die by suicide range in age from the young to the very old come from different ethnic backgrounds, and from all economic levels.

After the suicide of an important person in our lives, we feel shocked and shaken. Nothing in our past could have prepared us for this truly shattering event. How do we cope with this terrible tragedy? When it is true, when suicide touches our lives, we begin a grief process that many have described as torturous. Those who have lost a loved one to suicide are termed "survivors," and we are estimated to number 4.4 million, or 1 of every 62 Americans. Survivors struggle to try to make sense of this type of loss, and may experience feelings of responsibility, guilt, anger, shame, and perhaps even thoughts of ending their own lives as well. I too am a survivor of suicide, having lost my mother several years ago. Since that moment in my life, I have traveled on a road toward survival, assisted greatly in my course by the loving presence of some very special people. I have also become keenly interested in suicide prevention and in tending to the needs of those who have suffered a similar loss. In my current practice, I have a special interest in providing grief counseling and support to those similarly touched. As I have walked down the road, and witnessed the courage that others' have shown in the face of their losses, I know that this type of loss need not cripple us forever. The journey is hard, but not impossible. There may be times when the struggle of it all seems too much to bear, times when we doubt that we will ever make it. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to trudge onward, continually seeking to make sense of what is typically viewed as a senseless and wasteful loss of life. If you have been touched by suicide, know that you are not alone. You are a member of a large community indeed.

If you or someone you know is a "survivor," you need not feel alone in your grief. Locally, Crisis Intervention of Houston (713-527-9864) holds support group meetings where survivors come together to give and receive support. The National Resource Center for Suicide Prevention and Aftercare also has important resource materials available (404-256-9797; Doreen Schultz, Associate Director). Another very helpful resource is the American Association of Suicidology (AAS), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the understanding and prevention of suicide, including attention to the needs of survivors. AAS can be reached at (202) 237-2280.

Like many others, you may also find benefit in individual counseling as a means to assist you in coming to terms with your loss. Whether the death was very recent, or more distant in time, this type of loss will challenge you in ways you could have never imagined. Seeking assistance through individual counseling can be one of the most courageous, positive, and life-altering decisions that you can make. Should you decide to explore the idea of seeking professional assistance, at any time following your loss, I welcome you to contact me. Appointments and fee schedule are available upon request. Every person is unique and I will work to assist you in dealing with your specific needs.

If it is possible that I can be of help to you, please do not hesitate to contact me. In one way or another, this is a shared journey.

Psychological issues and coping with Multiple Sclerosis:

Dr. Bailley has a special interest in providing support and counseling to help individuals diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) to live as fully and healthily as possible. In addition, counseling can also help others who are close to a person with MS (e.g., family members, caregivers, and other significant persons) to more effectively deal with the issues that they may experience as the result of this illness. Although MS does not typically reduce the length of life, it is a chronic, unpredictable disease of the central nervous system that is believed to affect over 2.5 million people worldwide (including about 400,000 Americans). In addition to producing a variety of physical symptoms, significant emotional issues are often also experienced by persons with MS. One of the most severe and debilitating forms of emotional difficulty that may develop in some persons with MS is the experience of depression (i.e., depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure in previously enjoyed activities, significant changes in weight, sleep changes, fatigue, apathy, feelings of worthlessness, concentration difficulties, and thoughts of death or suicide). The rate of depression in person with MS is quite high, with estimates indicating that about 40% of persons with MS will suffer a depressive episode at some point in their lives. Also, suicide has been shown to occur at a rate 7.5 times greater among persons with MS as compared to the general population suicide rate. It is important to realize that the symptoms of depression can be treated successfully by psychotherapy. Other types of difficult or painful emotional experiences for persons with MS may include grief and loss-related issues, stress, fears, facing uncertainty, anxiety, moodiness, coping with cognitive changes (e.g., slowed ability to think, concentration and memory changes), issues relating to independence and disability, and quality of life issues, among others. Whether you are newly or recently diagnosed or if you have had MS for some time now, Dr. Bailley is available to assist you in effectively managing all of these issues (and more) through psychotherapy. Online, a quality resource for information on MS may be found at www.nmss.org.