Why Did My Loved One End Their Life?

There was nothing you could have done to stop it.

You lost someone to suicide, and the questions never stop. Why did they do it? Could you have saved them? The guilt, the confusion, the silence from people who don't know what to say, or worse, say the wrong thing. You carry a grief that others struggle to understand, and the world keeps moving as though nothing happened. Meanwhile, you are left searching for answers that feel impossible to find.

Why Did My Loved One End Their Life?: The Truth About Suicide is a compassionate, honest guide written by Dr. Dee Stern, a licensed clinical professional counselor, to help you understand the unbearable internal pain and loss of hope that led your loved one to seek freedom the only way they believed they could. This book also equips friends, colleagues, and professionals with the words that actually help the bereaved and reveals what you should never say. Its accessible, conversational style also makes it a valuable resource for university students studying psychology, counseling, or social work.

Inside, you will discover why internal pain and lost hope are at the heart of every suicide, the direct and indirect warning signs in youth and adults that are too often ignored, and what to say -- and what never to say -- to someone who has lost a loved one to suicide.

Dr. Dee Stern, L.C.P.C., Psy.D., is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, hospital chaplain, and parish/bereavement minister whose academic credentials include a Master's in Psychology, a Master's in Pastoral Studies, and a Doctorate in Psychology with an emphasis in Bereavement. She has taught death and dying courses at the college level and currently facilitates three grief support groups at HSHS St. John's Hospital: a weekly children's group for ages five to eighteen, a suicide bereavement group for families whose loved ones have ended their lives, and a weekly general grief group.Dr. Stern's writing journey has been shaped by her frontline work with the bereaved. She is the author of four previous books on grief, including Comforting the Bereaved through Listening and Positive Responding: What Are the Bereaved Trying to Tell US? Signs or Coincidences What Are the Deceased Trying to Tell US? OUR WORDS MATTER: Consequences of Our Words, and The Day Spot and Oliver Died Everyone Was Very Sad: A Guide for the Entire Family to Help Them with the Death of Their Pet. Her latest book, Why Did My Loved One End Their Life? The Truth About Suicide, was born from her conviction that families are too often blamed for a death they could not have prevented. She wrote the book to help readers understand the two forces, internal pain and a lack of hope, that converge before a suicide, and to teach others how to think before they speak to the bereaved.When she is not writing or counseling, Dr. Stern continues to dedicate her life to walking alongside grieving families and equipping communities with the knowledge and compassion needed to support those affected by suicide loss. Follow Dr. Dee Stern, L.C.P.C., Psy. D for updates on new releases.