Treating Suicidal Behavior: An Effective, Time-Limited Approach (Treatment Manuals for Practitioners)

Grounded in a comprehensive model of suicidality, this volume describes an empirically supported cognitive-behavioral treatment approach. The clinician is guided to assess suicidal behavior and implement interventions tailored to the severity, chronicity, and diagnostic complexity of the patient's symptoms. Provided are session-by-session guidelines and clear-cut strategies for defusing the initial crisis; reducing suicidal behavior; restructuring suicide-related beliefs; and building interpersonal assertiveness, distress tolerance, problem solving, and other key skills. A special chapter covers risk assessment. Enhancing the book's utility are tables, figures, and sample handouts and forms, some of which may be reproduced for professional use.

M. David Rudd, PhD, ABPP, is President Emeritus of the University of Memphis, where he is also Distinguished University Professor of Psychology. He is Co-Founder and Scientific Director of the National Center for Veterans Studies at the University of Utah. Dr. Rudd is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the International Academy of Suicide Research, and the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies, and has been elected a Distinguished Practitioner and Scholar of the National Academies of Practice in Psychology. He previously served as chair of the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, president of the Texas Psychological Association, president of the American Association of Suicidology, and a member of the American Psychological Association’s Council of Representatives. Dr. Rudd’s research focuses on the treatment of suicidal patients. He has published over 200 scientific articles and numerous books on the clinical care of suicidal individuals, and is considered an international leader in suicide prevention. 

Thomas E. Joiner, PhD, is Professor of Psychology and Director of the Psychology Clinic at Florida State University. He completed his doctoral training at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Joiner has authored over 100 articles and book chapters in the areas of depression, eating disorders, and suicidality.

M. Hasan Rajab, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Texas A&M Health Science Center. Dr. Rajab completed his doctoral training in biostatistics at Texas A&M University. He is the author of several articles addressing a range of issues in methodology and biostatistics.