Helpful Books For
Suicide Survivors
Suggested Reading
For Grief Recovery & Suicide Bereavement
A Broken Heart Still Beats After Your Child Dies
Edited by Anne McCracken & Mary Semel Pub. Date: Sep 2000, Publisher: Health Communications Inc
The resources here will guide you along a pathway of self-assessment, discovery, and fulfillment.
This remarkable compilation of poetry, fiction, and essays eloquently expresses a parent's pain, stages of grief, and the coping and healing that follow. Judith Guest and Dominick Dunne are among the contributors, many of whom are bereaved parents themselves.
A Parent's Guide for Suicidal and Depressed Teens
Kate Williams Publisher: Hazelden Educ Materials (04/01/1995)
The resources here will guide you along a pathway of self-assessment, discovery, and fulfillment.
Drawing from personal experience, the author helps parents recognize the signs of a child in crisis, find immediate and effective help, and deal with ongoing adolescent issues.
A Time To Grieve by Carol Staudacher
Publisher: Harper San Francisco (1994)
A collection of truly comforting, down-to-earth thoughts and meditations--including the authentic voices of survivors--for anyone grieving the loss of a loved one.
After Suicide
by John H. Hewett - Published by Westminster Press, Philadelphia, PA (1980)
For those struggling to cope in the aftermath of a suicide, this book presents the facts and demonstrates how to deal with feelings of guilt, anger, bewilderment, and shame. It shows how to live as survivors of suicide, how to explain the event to children, and how to reconcile the death with religious beliefs.
After Suicide: A Ray of Hope
by Eleanora "Betsy" Ross - Published by Lynn Publications, Iowa City, IA (1986)
Starting with stories about what it is like to be a survivor of the suicide of someone you love, it is a self-help guide to recovery for the survivor. A culmination of 25 years of personal experience as a suicide survivor, as leader of a grief support group, and as founder of Ray of Hope, Inc., in 1977. Besides covering the immediate aftermath of the suicide, the book helps to understand both the many aspects of the situation leading up to the suicide and the complicated process of recovery. It touches on such topics as addiction, abuse, neglect, and depression, as well as self-examination, spirituality and personal growth. It has many practical suggestions about what to do and not to do, what to say and not to say, how to help oneself, how to help children, etc.
After Suicide Loss: Coping with Your Grief
by Bob Baugher, Ph.D. and Jack Jordan, Ph.D. - Published by Sturbridge Group (2002)
This new book for people who have lost a loved one to suicide is written by two experienced grief counselors. Designed to provide support and information through the first year of grief, it is organized chronologically, with sections on the first few days, few weeks, few months, and beyond the first year.
After the Darkest Hour the Sun Will Shine Again: A Parent's Guide to Coping With the Loss of a Child
Author: Mehren, Elizabeth Introduction by: Kushner, Harold S. Pub. Date: Apr 1997, Publisher: Simon & Schuster
After the Darkest Hour is both a guide and a meditation. The author takes us through the process of grieving, from the effects of a child's death on the parents' marriage to what to say when someone asks, "Do you have children?" This book also offers valuable advice for the friends and relatives of bereaved parents.
An Unquiet Mind- A Memoir of Moods And Madness
by Kay Redfied Jamison Publisher: Vintage Books USA; (January 1, 1997)
A personal memoir which speaks from the perspective of the healer and the healed, about manic depressive illness ( Bi-Polar disorder) and suicidal thoughts, feelings and attempts.
Andrew, You Died Too Soon
by Corinne Chilstrom - Published by Augsburg Fortress (1993)
In the most simple, straightforward language, this mother tells the heart's story: the love for her son which had to continue without that son; the embrace of speechless grief and of a murmuring, speaking community; the deep, spiritual events that occurred for her and her family when one son took his life.
Bart Speaks Out About Suicide by Linda E. Goldman & Jonathan P. Goldman
Publisher: Western Psychological Services; (September 1998)
Bart Speaks Out gives a voice to the silence often surrounding by suicide. Here is Bart, a friendly shaggy haired dog. Bart gets questions voiced, answered and isn't afraid to talk about his fears and feelings. A very special interactive book.
Before Their Time: Adult Children's Experiences Of Parental Suicide
by Mary Stimming
Publisher: Temple Univ Press (1999)
Borne On Eagle's Wings
Agnes O'Neil Published by Pine Hill Press 1999
An invaluable resource for people who are struggling to cope with a family or friends' suicide. This story is full of hope and comfort.
Breaking the Silence
by Mariette Hartley - Published by Mass Market, NY (1991)
This sensitive and witty actress has written openly and honestly. After Mariette's father died by gunshot, she and her mother kept his suicide a secret for years. Once Mariette told her story she became "the spokesperson for suicide survivors" telling her poignant story over and over to help survivors and to promote the prevention of suicide.
Choosing to Live: How to Defeat Suicide Through Cognitive Therapy
Thomas E. Ellis, Cory F. Newman Publisher: New Harbinger Publications(November 1996)
Over 95% of those who commit suicide suffer from treatable psychiatric problems. This is a self-help guide for those considering suicide and their families. It uses cognitive therapy techniques to help readers control their suicidal moods, and suggests ways of replacing negative beliefs. The authors also provide assessment tools to help readers recognize their condition and decide whether, when and how to look for professional help.
Dead Reckoning: A Therapist Confronts His Own Grief
by David C. Treadway, Ph.D. - Published by Basic Books, NY (1996)
David's mother died by suicide and now David writes about his journey of grief after 27 years of avoidance. A profound and moving memoir revealing the many layers of pain and denial that can build up in a family after a suicide. The author finds the courage to face his ghosts, take off his protective layers and reconnect with his family.
Do They Have Bad Days in Heaven?
by Michelle Linn-Gust Pub. Date: Dec 2003, Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Michelle explains suicide, the grief process, and how sibling death impacts the brothers and sisters left behind. She adds practical advice for how sibling suicide survivors can help themselves.
This book is also wonderful for those who want to reach out to sibling survivors including parents, teacher, counselors, and friends. Reading Do They Have Bad Days in Heaven? assists them in understanding the grief process that the sibling survivor endures.
Don't Take My Grief Away From Me
by Doug Manning - Published by In-Sight Books (1979)
A warm, consoling, practical guidance to help the bereaved cope with emotions, confront decisions, and learn to live again. Gently, with warm, consoling, and practical guidance, Doug Manning addresses the painful, often disorientation aftermath of the death of a loved one, helping the bereaved cope with the emotions and confront the decisions that are an inevitable part of this time of radical life adjustment. He helps readers face up to grief, move through it, and learn to live again. The author provides thoughtful advice for rebuilding a grief-shattered life while taking to heart the valuable lessons death and mourning impart to everyone.
Forgive & Forget: Healing The Hurts We Don't Deserve
by Lewis B. Smedes - Published by Pocket Books (1984)
One of the most difficult struggles in managing conflict is practicing forgiveness. There are many well-written works on this subject, but few match the realism and sensitivity by Lewis Smedes. The work, "Forgive and Forget", is a classic on the subject. Mr. Smedes includes in his book: - The four stages of forgiving - Forgiving people who are hard to forgive - How people forgive - Why forgive? It is a thoughtful and insightful study of the only true medicine for our deepest wounds: Forgiveness. It appeals not only to the mind but also to the spirit. It is a wonderful companion for anyone who is suffering the loss of a cherished relationship, unable to reconcile the injustice or futility of such loss. It will give help as well as comfort to those who read it, and help to understand that forgiveness can be not only a possibility but a reality.
Grieving a Suicide - A Loved One's Search for Comfort, Answers, & Hope
by Albert Y. Hsu - Published by InterVarsity Press (1972)
After his father's death by suicide, Albert Hsu wrestled with the intense emotional and spiritual questions surrounding suicide. While acknowledging that there are no easy answers, Hsu draws on the resources of the Christian faith to point suicide survivors to the God who offers comfort in our grief and hope for the future. If you have lost a loved one to suicide or provide pastoral care to those left behind, this book is an essential companion for the journey toward healing.
Healing After The Suicide of a Loved One
by Ann Smolin & John Guinan - Published by Simon & Schuster (1993)
A very informative book that provides suicide survivors with insights into the emotional responses they may be experiencing. The authors are direct and honest as they offer support, hope, and permission to go on with life.
Helping Children Cope With Grief
by Alan Wolfelt - Published by Accelerated Development, Inc. (1983)
This book is written for parents, teachers, and counselors who have both a desire and a commitment to help children when they experience a death.
His Bright Light (The Story Of Nick Traina)
by Danielle Steel Publisher: Delta (2000)
Like Kurt Cobain, Nick Traina lived for punk rock (his bands made two CDs, Gift Before I Go and 17 Reasons), succumbed to heroin addiction, and died of suicide. His mom, Danielle Steel, takes us through her 19 twister-like years with Nick in a memoir more affecting than her potboiler novels. Like his AWOL addict father, Nick had good looks, bad behavior, and a yen for the feminine. Five days before he died, he phoned a woman he saw in a centerfold and had a new girlfriend by nightfall. But his fun was ever haunted by manic depression. At age 11, he was a bed wetter who ate all the Tylenol and Sudafed in the house. He first considered suicide at 13, as Steel learned by reading his diaries after his death.
There is tension in this story--one doctor told Steel if she could get Nick to live to 30, he'd probably live a normal life span. (For example, Nick's troubled dad resurfaced, sober, soon after his son's death.) And Steel conveys a sense of the intelligence Nick used to conceal his learning disability, and the irreverent charm that alternated with irrational rages. Oliver Sacks has urged us not to ask what neurological disease a person has, but what sort of person the disease has got hold of. Steel gives us a vivid sense of the costs of the disease to a family--and of the person who was Nick Traina. --Tim Appelo
How Do We Tell The Children?: A Step-By-Step Guide For Helping Children Two To Teens Cope by Christine Lyons & Dan Schaefer
Publisher: Newmarket Press; Updated edition (November 1993)
Review From Publishers Weekly
Books tend to generate multiple editions when they have something truly valuable to say. This title is no exception. Schaeffer, a psychologist and former funeral home director, and New York City-based journalist Lyons lucidly and straightforwardly explain how to inform children about the realities of death. They explain what most children can easily understand, what they might need help understanding, and the importance of being up-front. This third edition includes new information on dealing with traumatic death, and while that would seem like a timely addition, the section doesn't fit in too well with the rest of the child-directed content; it includes subsections such as "The Impact of Grief on Business and Management," so the book seems to shift its focus to adults. Still, this is recommended for public libraries because of the valuable basic information it contains.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
How To Go On Living When Someone You Love Dies
by Therese A. Rando - Published by Lexington Books (1988)
Mourning the death of a loved one is a process all of us will go through at one time or another. But wherever the death is sudden or anticipated, few of us are prepared for it or for the grief it brings. There is no right or wrong way to grieve, there is no way around the pain of loss, but there is a way through it. Each person's response to loss will be different. In this compassionate, comprehensive guide, your are lead gently through the painful but necessary process of grieving and helps you find the best way for yourself. It offers help to anyone who has survived the pain of this kind of loss and is trying to adjust to a new world without their loved one.
How To Survive The Loss Of A Love
by Colgrove, Bloomfield, McWilliams - Published by Prelude Press (1991)
One of the most directly helpful books on the subject of loss ever written, it helps one to cope up with life's worst encounters. It provides support for anyone who is experiencing grief related to a loss, including the death of a loved one and the breakup of a relationship. A nice thing about this book is its unique, easy-to-read format: the chapters are written in outline form, and each chapter is just 1-2 pages long and printed on the left-hand sides of the pages only. The right-hand side pages contain poems, quotes, and sayings offering comfort as well as inspiration. This book will help you to feel that you are not along as you begin to cope with your loss.
In The Wake Of Suicide: Stories Of The People Left Behind
by Victoria Alexandria Publisher: Jossey-Bass (1998)
After author Victoria Alexander s mother took her life, she spent the next ten years collecting stories from people, like herself, who have walked through one of life s most difficult journeys. The result is a beautifully written book of powerful, spellbinding stories told by those who were left behind parents, children, spouses, lovers, friends, and colleagues. In the Wake of Suicide offers survivors the understanding, compassion, and hope they need to guide them on their own path in the wake of this most painful loss.
Living Through Mourning
by Harriet Sarnoff Schiff Publisher: Viking (09/01/1986)
Covers grief after any death but includes good material on
suicide.
Living Through Personal Crisis
by Ann Kaiser Sterns - Published by Ballantine Books (1985)
A self-help book written for those who have to deal with loss and trauma, and their families. Explains what you may be feeling both physically and emotionally and ways to help yourself heal. In this invaluable book, a noted professor of psychology explains how grief, as agonizing as it may be, is a natural response to life's tragedies that helps us along through anger and isolation to a lasting healing process. Professional yet compassionate, drawn from actual case histories as well as the author's own experience of living through personal crisis, it provides comforting guidance and practical day-to-day advice for those who suffer--and loved ones and friends who care.
Light Beyond The Darkness
by Dore Deverell Publisher: Temple Lodge Pub (1996)
Doré Deverell's son Richard had a difficult life of physical and mental illness and depression. When he committed suicide at the age of thirty-six, Doré suffered the intense anguish of a mother's loss. But she was determined to find healing and reconciliation.
Men & Grief: A Guide For Men Surviving The Death Of A Loved One by Carol Staudacher
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications, Inc (1990)
This resource identifies the major characteristics of men's grief and discusses their orgins and contexts. It explores various ways in which men can facilitate the process of their own grief; it also serves as a resource for mental health professionals, caregivers and loved ones as they assist survivors. Very simply, the material presents the what, why and how of men's grief.
But Men and Grief is a book that begins the process of exploring and discussing male responses and reactions after the death of a loved one. In no way does the material presented in this book exhaust the entire range of men's grief experiences. Instead, this research starts at the base of men's grief experiences and works its way upward, exploring process and possibilitiy.
When a person deals with grief - probably the most profound and prolonged emotional state ever experienced by a human being - the survivor needs to get at grief's core, to make some sense of it and to trust it. Even though his mind and heart may be plagued by loss, the survivor must continue to believe in wholeness and repair.
So it is with these goals and intentions that Men and Grief is presented - to offer courage to men who have lost a loved one, with the hope that they may fully process the grief that must precede their healing. This book will aid survivors to achieve a sense of unity and comfort through identification with and exploration into other men's experiences and perspectives.
Equally as inportant, this work provides insights, coping strategies and nurturing techniques to caregivers and survivors. It is with deep respect, and the hope for a grieving process that transcends cultural dictates, that this material is offered to the grieving man and all those who care for and about him.
Mourning After Suicide
by Lois Bloom - Published by The Pilgrim Press (1987)
The author lost her son to suicide. This easy to read 24 page booklet is an excellant introduction for someone newly bereaved. It normalizes the grief and the reference to spirituality is gentle and non-invasive.
My Son, My Son: A Guide To Healing After A Suicide In The Family
by Iris Bolton - Published by Bolton Press, 1090 Crest Brook Lane, Roswell, GA 30075
Phone: 770-645-1886. (1983)
A therapist shares the story of the suicide of her son; a compelling, powerful and informative book about suicide, grief, survival, and hope that will profoundly touch the heart and provide new insights for every reader.
Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide
by Kay Redfield Jamison - Published by Knopf (1999)
After years of struggling with manic-depression, Dr. Jamison tried - at age twenty-eight - to kill herself. Now she brings all of her knowledge and research to bear on this devastating problem. This book helps us to understand the suicidal mind, to recognize and come to the aid of those at risk, and to comprehend the profound effects on those left behind.
No Time To Say Goodbye, Surviving the Suicide of a Loved One
by Carla Fine - Published by Doubleday (1997)
The author shares her own journey of grief following the suicide death of her physician husband and she also integrates the voices of others who have endured the desolation of a loved one's suicide.
Overcoming Depression
by Demitri Papolos & Janice Papolos
Put your thinking caps on for this book! It is filled with the latest information on depression and other depressive illnesses - describing several individuals' personal experiences with the illnesses, they cover diagnoses, possible causes of the disorder and various treatments, with an emphasis on getting good treatment. In an excellent chapter titled "Living with the Illnesses," the authors talk about the effects depressive illnesses have on families, with advice on hospitalization and the world of health insurance. They cover a little bit of everything in this book. It gets a bit technical at times, but the authors do their best to in trying to explain and educate by chosing words the layperson will understand. A useful book to add to your collection of books on depressive illnesses.
Questions & Answers About Depression & Its Treatment
by Ivan K. Goldberg, M.D.
Dr. Ivan Goldberg answers hundreds of the most frequently asked questions about depression and other mood disorders. A very informative book, in an easy-to-read format, that should be very helpful to a person who is uneducated about mental illness.
The book contains an introduction to depression and mood disorders, a detailed section on up-to-date treatments used, and lastly, a discussion of the "special aspects" of mood disorders, which includes children, the elderly, the grief process, suicide, and various other topics.
Roses In December
by Marilyn Willett Heavilin - published by Thomas Nelson (1993)
Written with deep compassion and empathy, the author reaches out to help those who are grieving find God's comfort. Having lost three sons, she knows the tremendous sorrows and struggles that come with the death of a loved one. Yet she shares how even in the winters of our lives God provided roses - special occasions, special people, and special memories - to give us strength to persevere and draw close to Him. This book will help you understand the grieving process, support family members, give insight into sibling grief during this difficult time. You'll discover there are roses in December.
Safe Passage
by Molly Fumia Publisher: Conari Press 01 March, 2003
A collection of brief meditations on death and grief, most by
the author. An excellent book for anyone but especially for newly-bereaved
who have trouble concentrating on longer material.
Sanity and Grace: A Journey of Suicide, Survival and Strength
by Judy Collins Pub. Date: Oct 2003, Publisher: Putnam Pub Group
Walking in This World picks up where Julia Cameron's bestselling book on the creative process, "The Artist's Way, left off to present readers with a second course--Part Two in an amazing journey toward discovering our human potential. Full of valuable new strategies and techniques for breaking through difficult creative ground, this is the "intermediate level" of the Artist's Way program. A profoundly inspired work by the leading authority on the subject of creativity, "Walking in This World is an invaluable tool for artists. "
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