New edition of an acclaimed manual which uses the solution focused approach to take an empathetic and validating approach to working with individuals considering suicide.Offers invaluable guidance for suicide prevention by showing what works in treating those struggling with suicidal thoughtsProvides straightforward ways to deal frankly with the subject of suicide, along with a range of tools and techniques that are helpful to clientsIncludes actual dialogue between practitioners and clients to allow readers to gain a better understanding of how to work with suicidal clientsCompares and contrasts a ground-breaking approach to suicide prevention with more traditional approaches to risk assessment and managementFeatures numerous updates and revisions along with brand new sections dealing with the international landscape, blaming the suicided person, Dr Alys Cole-Kings Connecting with People,  and telephone work with the suicidal, Human Givens Therapy, and zero suicide

John Henden is Managing Director of the John Henden Consultancy and an internationally acclaimed trainer, author, therapist and performance coach. He has more than 40 years of experience working within mental health services as both a practitioner and manager.

About the author vii

Foreword ix

Acknowledgments xi

1 How to use this book 1

2 The books style and purpose 4

3 Defining suicide and selfinjury 24

4 Current service provision: risk assessment, management and medication 32

5 Other approaches to helping the suicidal 49

6 What is Solution Focused Brief Therapy? 70

7 Suicide encounters: the crucial first ten minutes 112

8 The solution focused approach in working with the suicidal 123

9 Case study: Reg and the demons calling from the deep 152

10 Some more case vignettes 175

11 Connecting with people by Alys Cole-King 185

12 Working on the phone with the suicidal person 199

13 Blaming those who took their lives 208

14 International solution focused applications to suicide prevention 215

15 Zero suicide: should this be our goal? 245

16 Where do we go from here? 253

Appendix 1: Flow diagram for an episode of treatment 264

Appendix 2: Specialist solution focused training workshops 268

Appendix 3: Evidence base for solutionfocused working 270

References 278

Index 314