Suicide Strategies and Interventions for Reduction and Prevention

All practitioners working in the caring and helping professions face many challenges and questions when dealing with suicidal clients: Is this client being serious? Can I do more? What should I do? Should I refer on? Should I break confidentiality? Have I assessed this client correctly? Both experienced practitioners and trainees wish to have more knowledge about assessing and dealing with suicidal clients. Suicide: Strategies and Interventions for Reduction and Prevention examines myths about suicide, explores facts and statistics at national and international levels, and uses client cases to uncover thoughts leading to suicidal behaviour. The editor offers an insight into what can be done in the community, and within therapeutic settings when working with this challenging client group. Contributions are divided into four parts, covering: suicide: statistics, research, theory and interventions personal experience of suicide three therapeutic approaches to prevent suicide group interventions. Featuring chapters from a range of experienced practitioners, this book provides a wealth of information on strategies and possible interventions. The addition of a self-harm management plan, assessment checklists, and list of useful organizations makes it essential reading for both mental health professionals, and those in training.

Palmer, Preface. Cooper, Foreword. Palmer, Introduction Suicide: Strategies and Interventions for Reduction and Prevention. PartI: Suicide: Statistics, Research, Theory and Interventions. Palmer, Suicide: definitions, statistics and interventions at the international level. Palmer, Suicide statistics for the UK and the national suicide prevention strategy. Stark, Suicide in Rural Areas. Sheehy, O’Connor, Cognitive style and suicidal Behaviour. Ruddell, Curwen, Understanding suicidal ideation and assessing for risk. PartII: Personal Experience of Suicide. Walen, It’s a Funny thing about suicide. Cooke, Suicide: A friend’s view. Kapoor, Client Suicide and its effect on the therapist. PartIII: Three Therapeutic Approaches to Prevent Suicide. Froggatt, Palmer, Cognitive-Behavioural and Rational Emotive Management of Suicide. Lees,Stimpson, A Psychodynamic Approach to Suicide. Sharry, Darmody, Madden, A Solution-focused Approach. PartIV: Group Interventions. Pietilä, Support groups. Séguin, Goulard, Bergmans,Links, Group interventions for adolescents and young adults with recurrent suicide attempts.Part V: Appendices. Appendix 1 Personal self-harm management plan. Appendix 2 Assessment checklist. Appendix 3 Useful organisations. Appendix 4 Useful books. Appendix 5 WHO document for health professionals. Palmer, Postscript.

Stephen Palmer is Director of the Centre for Stress Management, London. He is also an Honorary Professor of Psychology and Director of the Coaching Psychology Unit at City University, London. He is a member of the International Association for Suicide Prevention.