All Posts Archives - Page 10 of 17

“Mightier than the Sword”: Healing from a Spiteful Suicide Note

May 20, 2014

75

“Mum, I could write to you for days, but I know nothing would actually make a difference to you,” the note begins. “You are much too ignorant and self concerned to even attempt to listen or understand, everyone knows that.” More hateful…

Coping Statements for Suicidal Thoughts

by Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

May 14, 2014

142

Many people desperately wish to stop their suicidal thoughts. Often, this is possible. You might be able to eliminate suicidal thoughts by healing the depression, stress, hopelessness, self-hatred or whatever forces underlie them. Yet it might take a while to stop thinking of suicide.…

“If Only”: Self-Blame After a Loved One’s Suicide

by Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

May 7, 2014

300

“I should have _________.” “If only I _____________.” “Why didn’t I ____________?” Different people may fill in the blanks with different words, but the sentiments are the same: I am to blame. I should have been able to stop my loved one…

Letter from a Therapist to a Suicidal Person

by Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

May 1, 2014

439

When you come to me for help, I want to help you. I hope you will let me. I cannot know your secrets without your words. I hope you will tell me. Tell me, please, your thoughts of suicide. You might feel scared to…

Unwritten Goodbyes: When There is No Suicide Note

by Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

April 23, 2014

325

Suicide causes so much devastation in the living – so many overwhelming feelings, so many should-have-done’s and could-have-been’s, so many questions. Amid such heartbreak, many survivors also agonize about why their loved one did not leave a suicide note. Melinda McDonald, a…

What is a Suicide Gesture?

by Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

April 16, 2014

8

Many clinicians and researchers advocate for abandoning the term “suicide gesture,” but its use still persists. Over the last few years, several definitions have been reported: “…A suicide gesture is like a one person play in which the actor creates a dramatic…