Preventing Suicide - by Karen Mason (Paperback)

About the Book

Many pastors, chaplains and pastoral counselors play a vital role as agents of hope to people who are struggling, but most of them feel overwhelmed and unprepared to prevent suicides. Informed by her work as a psychologist, Karen Mason's guide tosuicide prevention is an essential resource for proactive pastors.

Book Synopsis

12th Annual Outreach Resource of the Year

What is the church's role in suicide prevention?

While we tend to view the work of suicide prevention as the task of professional therapists and doctors, the church can also play a vital role. Studies show that religious faith is an important factor reducing the risk of suicide. Yet many pastors, chaplains and pastoral counselors feel overwhelmed and unprepared to prevent suicides.

In this practical handbook, psychologist Karen Mason equips ministry professionals to work with suicidal individuals. Integrating theology and psychology, she shows how pastoral caregivers can be agents of hope, teaching the significance of life, monitoring those at risk and intervening when they need help. Because church leaders are often present in people's lives in seasons of trouble and times of crisis, they can provide comfort in the midst of suffering and offer guidance for the future.

When our church members struggle in the darkness, the darkness need not overcome them. Discover how you and your church can be proactive in caring for those at risk of self-harm.

Review Quotes

"[A] much-needed practical guide that equips pastors to counsel and help suicidal individuals."

--CBA Retailers + Resources, November 2014

"I am reluctant to offer superlatives on almost anything, and I tend to be skeptical of those who do. Yet, having said that, without reservation I highly recommend Dr. Karen Mason's book, Preventing Suicide, as a 'must read' for every pastor, missionary, chaplain and pastoral counselor. Plus, I suggest adding to that 'must read' list every psychologist, social worker, school counselor, family member of a suicide victim and seminary student. All of these will benefit from this book'swisdom and practicality. I believe Dr. Mason's book will become one of the classics in its field. It is not a dry, boring read of cold academic studies, statistics and case histories. Instead, Preventing Suicide is upbeat, and loaded with real-life interviews and role playing. It is well-researched, theologically sound, biblically accurate and gives a balanced historical overview of how suicide and its victims were thought of and treated. Above all, it offers practical, hands-on advicefor caregivers."

--Jim Stout, pastor, counselor and author of Bipolar Disorder: Rebuilding Your Life

"In this practical handbook, psychologist Karen Mason equips ministry professionals to work with suicidal individuals. Integrating theology and psychology, she shows how pastoral caregivers can be agents of hope, teaching the significance of life, monitoring those at risk and intervening when they need help."

--Light Magazine Canada, September 2014

"Mental illness exists inside and outside of the church community. Christians struggle with depression and even suicidal thoughts. It does not make you less of a Christian. Just like heart disease or cancer does not dilute our Christianity, neither does mental illness. Nevertheless, we must stand committed to 'creating space' and providing ministry to those who struggle with depression and other mental illnesses. In partnership with medical professionals, the church of Jesus Christ can bringattention to this silent illness with grace, compassion and love. Karen Mason's book provides such space. For at the end of day, suffering from mental illness is not a sin. Yet not addressing it may very well be."

--Samuel Rodriguez, president, Hispanic Evangelical Association

"This is a thorough and practical resource for pastoral caregivers regarding suicide. Every pastor, chaplain and pastoral counselor needs to read and study this book; then keep it on their shelves for future reference. Dr. Karen Mason has done an excellent and thorough job of providing a much needed handbook on suicide for those of us who are on the frontlines of America's mental health crisis. Suicide rates are at an all time high in the U.S., and research shows that more people first seek help from their pastor than people do from doctors or therapists combined. It is imperative that pastors and pastoral counselors have a resource such as this. Dr. Mason does a great job of shattering myths about suicide while educating the reader as to who dies by suicide and theories on suicide, while also clearly challenging the reader to address suicide with Christian theology. The majority of this handbook's chapters are very practical and extremely helpful to someone providing pastoral care, with topics including 'how to help someone in a suicide crisis' and 'how to help someone who has survived a suicide attempt.' This resource will literally save lives."

--Brad Hoefs, Outreach Magazine's Resources of the Year, March/April 2015

"Whether you are a Christian who works in the medical field or the faith community, this handbook will equip you to the degree you want to be equipped. It is a deep dive into a difficult subject and offers the kind of help we all would want to have when confronting this moment in our own lives or in the lives of people we pastor or care about."

--Paul Turner, YouthWorker Journal, November-December 2014

"Karen Mason's Preventing Suicide: A Handbook for Pastors, Chaplains and Pastoral Counselors is exactly what it claims, which means church offices or libraries without a copy should get one. . . . Mason writes well . . . and shatters numerous suicide myths. . . . Mason offers good specifics on how to help someone in a suicide crisis and help those who survive suicide attempts."

--Marvin Olasky, World Magazine, January 24, 2015

About the Author

Karen Mason (PhD, University of Denver) is associate professor of counseling and psychology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a psychologist working in the mental health field since 1990. She currently delivers direct care services at Northeast Behavioral Health in Ipswich, Massachusetts. A member of the American Psychological Association, Mason is the author of When the Pieces Don't Fit: Making Sense of Life's Puzzles.