E-raamat: Relating to Self-Harm and Suicide: Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Practice, Theory and Prevention

'Suicide is inevitably a relational experience it occurs in relation to ones own body, to internal objects, and external objects, including professionals who are attempting to help. A psychoanalytic perspective, with its inevitable focus on the relational field, allows for an understanding of suicide and self-harm in all its complexity, thus paving the way for more nuanced approaches to treatment and prevention. This scholarly collection of chapters contains psychoanalytic perspectives from an international and varied group of experts in the field. The editors have successfully updated the 2008 version to reflect the significant changes that have occurred in socio-cultural and institutional contexts, bringing in new chapters on high-risk groups such as gay men, transgender individuals and women in prison. Discussions on assisted dying and bereavement by suicide sit well alongside the expanded elucidation and elaboration of psychoanalytic theory to consider the dynamics of suicide and self-harm. This is a book that should be widely available to clinicians, educators, service managers and policy makers.'

Dr Joanne Stubley, consultant medical psychotherapist & psychoanalyst, Tavistock Trauma Service, Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust

'This important book brings together comprehensive trauma and psychoanalytic informed perspectives on suicide drawing together the voices and experience of leading clinical practitioners and researchers working in the field of suicide study. The book makes for essential reading for psychotherapists and counsellors, but also should be digested by all practitioners working in mental health settings who will inevitably come into contact with clients who have suicidal feelings. Thinking about suicide and talking about suicide is difficult we know, but this book makes that challenge a bit easier.'

Professor Gary Winship, Education, Trauma & Mental Health, University of Nottingham. Editor-in-Chief, British Journal of Psychotherapy.

'Relating to Self-harm and Suicide: Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Practice, Theory and Prevention offers a comprehensive approach to understanding the subject, written by leading psychoanalytic clinicians and writers. This book will be indispensable for all psychotherapists and clinicians working across the life span, and I would strongly recommend this to anybody working in the field of helping individuals with issues related to self-harm and suicidality.'

Dr Danny Goldberger, consultant child & adolescent psychotherapist, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Lambeth CAMHS

'Psychoanalytic ideas challenge processes of simplification and rationalisation which ultimately conceal very painful realities; we are all potentially vulnerable to suicidal states of mind and action, we may be bereaved by suicidal acts undertaken by those we love and attempt to help and we ultimately may not be able to prevent this happening despite our best efforts. The chapters within this book illuminate this profound and difficult reality and show how from a psychoanalytic frame we can look into some of the most violent acts, causing the deepest pain to others, with curiosity, intellectual commitment and emotional openness to provide ways to understand based upon humanity, intellectual rigour and courage.'

Dr J OReilly consultant psychiatrist in Medical Psychotherapy, chair medical psychotherapy faculty Royal College of Psychiatrists, member, British Psychoanalytic Society