Helping People Overcome Suicidal Thoughts, Urges and Behaviour : Suicide-focused Intervention Skills for Health and Social Care Professionals

__Helping People Overcome Suicidal Thoughts, Urges and Behaviour__ draws together practical and effective approaches to help individuals at risk of suicide. The book provides a framework and outlines skills for anyone working with adults who present with suicidal thoughts or intent. Part 1 introduces a basic understanding of our knowledge about suicide and UK policy; Part 2 outlines the research into the treatment of suicidality and the general principles for working in the safest possible way. Part 3 outlines ten key psychological skills in the context of evidence-based best practice. The book also discusses the role of health and social care professionals in the prevention of suicide in the context of Covid-19. The book will be a valuable addition to the resources of professionals including psychotherapists, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, prison and probation officers, drug and alcohol workers, general practitioners and support staff in any health or social care context. This book provides a framework and outlines skills for anyone working with adults who present with suicidal thoughts or intent. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Dedication 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS 8 LIST OF FIGURES 11 LIST OF TABLES 12 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 13 PART 1 UNDERSTANDING SUICIDE AND RISK 14 1.1 SUICIDE STATISTICS AND UK POLICY 16 1.2 DEFINITIONS OF SUICIDE AND RELATED TERMS 19 1.3 STIGMA AND COMMON MYTHS ABOUT SUICIDE 22 1.4 FROM THOUGHT TO CONTEMPLATION TO PREPARATION TO ACTION 24 1.5 HELP-SEEKING AND BARRIERS TO HELP-SEEKING 27 1.6 SUICIDE AND MENTAL HEALTH 30 1.7 RISK ASSESSMENT 36 1.8 RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS 42 1.9 MODELS OF SUICIDE 55 1.10 INTERVENING TO HELP PEOPLE AT RISK OF SUICIDE – WHO, WHERE AND WHEN 60 PART 2 SAFETY AND TREATMENT PLANNING PRINCIPLES 75 2.1 SUICIDE-FOCUSED INTERVENTIONS (SFIS) AND PROTOCOLS 77 2.2 PROVIDING A SUICIDE-FOCUSED INTERVENTION ALONGSIDE OTHER LEVELS OF INTERVENTION FOR PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF RISK 100 2.3 COMING ALONGSIDE: CULTIVATING A TRUSTING RELATIONSHIP AND ENGAGING THE CLIENT 102 2.4 ASSESSING RISK 106 2.5 HOW MANY SESSIONS? 116 2.6 AGREEING A TREATMENT PLAN OR SFI 117 2.7 WORKING WITH FAMILIES AND PARTNERS 118 2.8 IDENTIFYING INDIRECT AND DIRECT DRIVERS 120 2.9 PLANNING AND PACING THE SFI 121 2.10 BUILDING SKILLS AND COPING STRATEGIES AND SHAPING EFFECTIVE HELP-SEEKING 123 2.11 ENDING THE INTERVENTION 127 2.12 TRAINING, SUPPORT AND SUPERVISION FOR STAFF 128 PART 3 KEY SUICIDE INTERVENTION SKILLS 141 3.1 VALIDATION 143 3.2 CHAIN OR FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF SUICIDAL BEHAVIOUR 146 3.3 SAFETY PLANNING AND PROMOTING ADHERENCE TO THE PLAN 151 3.4 REDUCING ACCESS TO MEANS AND ‘SHAPING’ SKILFUL BEHAVIOUR INCLUDING APPROPRIATE HELP-SEEKING 158 3.5 EXPLORING AMBIVALENCE, REASONS FOR LIVING AND REASONS FOR DYING 161 3.6 PROBLEM-SOLVING 170 3.7 BUILDING POSITIVE EXPERIENCES AND A LIFE WORTH LIVING: WORKING WITH NEEDS, VALUES AND GOALS 173 3.8 HOW TO MAKE AND USE A HOPE BOX 178 3.9 BUILDING MINDFULNESS AND MINDFULNESS-BASED SKILLS 180 3.10 TELEPHONE COACHING 192 APPENDICES 200 EXAMPLE SAFETY PLAN 200 EXAMPLE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE 204 MINDFULNESS HANDOUT 207 INDEX 212 Suicide-focused,interventions;,Suicide,statistics;,Help-seeking;,Risk,assessment;,Indirect,and,direct,drivers Suicide-focused interventions,Suicide statistics,Help-seeking,Risk assessment,Indirect and direct drivers Part 1 Understanding suicide and risk; 1.1 Suicide statistics and UK Policy; 1.2 Definitions; 1.3 Stigma and common myths about suicide; 1.4 From thought to contemplation to preparation to action; 1.5 Help seeking and barriers to help seeking; 1.6 Suicide and mental health; 1.8 Risk and protective factors; 1.9 Models of suicide; 1.10 Intervening to help people at risk of suicide -- who, where and when; Part 2 Safety and treatment planning principles; 2.1 Suicide-focussed interventions and protocols from research; 2.2 Providing a suicide focused intervention alongside other levels of intervention for people with different levels of risk; 2.3 Coming alongside: Cultivating a trusting relationship and engaging the client; 2.4 Assessing risk; 2.5 How many sessions?; 2.6 Agreeing a treatment plan or SFI; 2.7 Working with families and partners; 2.8 Identifying direct and indirect drivers; 2.9 Planning and pacing the SFI; 2.10 Building skills and coping strategies and shaping effective help-seeking; 2.11 Ending the intervention; 2.12 Training, support and supervision for staff; Part 3 Key suicide intervention skills; 3.1 Validation; 3.2 Chain or functional analysis of suicidal behaviour; 3.3 Safety planning: Promoting adherence to the plan; 3.4 Reducing access to means and 'shaping' skilful behaviour including appropriate help-seeking; 3.5 Exploring ambivalence, reasons for living and reasons for dying; 3.6 Problem solving; 3.7 Building positive experiences and a life worth living: Working with needs, values and goals; 3.8 How to make and use a hope box; 3.9 Building mindfulness and mindfulness-based skills; 3.10 Telephone coaching "Helping People Overcome Suicidal Thoughts, Urges and Behaviour draws together practical and effective approaches to help individuals at risk of suicide. The book provides a framework and outlines skills for anyone working with adults who present with suicidal thoughts or intent. Part 1 introduces a basic understanding of our knowledge about suicide and UK policy; Part 2 outlines the research into the treatment of suicidality and the general principles for working in the safest possible way. Part 3 outlines ten key psychological skills in the context of evidence-based best practice. The book also discusses the role of health and social care professionals in the prevention of suicide in the context of Covid-19. The book will be a valuable addition to the resources of professionals including psychotherapists, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, prison and probation officers, drug and alcohol workers, general practitioners and support staff in any health or social care context"-- Provided by publisher