The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook - by Kathryn Hope Gordon (Paperback)

About the Book

This important, evidence-based workbook helps those with suicidal thoughts create a crisis plan and establish a safe environment in the event that their thoughts become too much to bear. Readers will also find tools to reduce psychological pain and increase hope; strengthen social connections; take part in meaningful events to reduce suicidal thoughts and behavior; develop resiliency in the face of future suicidal thoughts or behavior; and foster a sense of safety, psychological strength, and mental health.

Book Synopsis

If you or someone you love is dealing with a crisis right now, please call 1-800-273-8255 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach a crisis counselor at the Crisis Text Line.

A compassionate guide to managing suicidal thoughts and finding hope

If you're struggling with suicidal thoughts, please know that you are not alone and that you are worthy of help. Your life and well-being matter. When you're suffering, life's challenges can feel overwhelming and even insurmountable. This workbook is here to help you find relief and solutions when suicidal thoughts take over.

Grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), this compassionate workbook offers practical tools to guide you toward a place of hope. It will help you identify your reasons for living, manage intense emotions and painful thoughts, and create a safe environment when you are in a crisis. You'll also find ways to strengthen social connections, foster self-compassion, and rediscover activities that bring joy and meaning to your life. This workbook is here to support you. However you are feeling at this moment, remember the following: You are worth it, you are loved, and you matter.

Review Quotes

"The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook is a true gem in a world where suicide vulnerability exists in the shadows of shame and fear. Kathryn Gordon brilliantly weaves her professional expertise as a therapist and researcher to deliver a comprehensive workbook that breaks down each layer of suicide complexity, from 'why suicidal thoughts occur' to specific strategies for developing personalized solutions. Most impressively, the workbook is genuinely empowering, offering hope to those who might otherwise feel hopeless."
--Rheeda Walker, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Houston, and author of The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health--Rheeda Walker, PhD

"I am tremendously grateful for the opportunity to endorse this helpful tool. Having survived suicide attempts, I can honestly say that I wish I had something like this that could have helped me better understand everything that I was dealing with on the inside. Kathryn Gordon, thank you for thinking about those of us who struggle every day with this invisible illness--we are forever grateful."
--Kevin Berthia, suicide survivor/advocate/speaker, and founder of the Kevin Berthia Foundation--Kevin Berthia

"Suicidal thoughts and feelings can sometimes end in death. And even if people don't act on them, suicidal thoughts are incredibly painful in the moment. The good news is that for many people, using the skills in this book can help them to cope with suicidal thoughts and intensely painful emotions. Studies show that most people who use skills like the ones in this book can significantly reduce their suffering and help them build a life worth living. It is possible to recover, and this book is a good place to start."
--April C. Foreman, PhD, LP, executive board member of the American Association of Suicidology--April C. Foreman, PhD, LP

"This book is outstanding--compassionate, packed with practical exercises, and based on research, theory, and clinical practice. It can help readers to suffer less, to stay safe, and to want to live. The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook stands alone just fine as a self-help book, and it also will be a good complement to psychotherapy."
--Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW, psychotherapist, associate professor of social work at the University of Denver, and author of Helping the Suicidal Person--Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW

"The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook has my highest recommendation. The content is informed by Kathryn Gordon's extensive clinical expertise and deep knowledge of the research literature. The writing is beautiful, clear, and accessible. Gordon has a gift for communicating with her readers, and making suicide risk understandable and surmountable."
--E. David Klonsky, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, and developer of the Three-Step Theory of Suicide--E. David Klonsky, PhD

"For anyone who's ever struggled with thoughts of suicide or who has a loved one who does, this workbook is a must-have. Kathryn Gordon is kind and practical in her approaches to managing suicidal thoughts, and in helping us find what we might have lost during the many years of struggle--hope."
--Janina Scarlet, PhD, award-winning author of Superhero Therapy--Janina Scarlet, PhD

"Immediately helpful, this outstanding workbook offers wisdom and big-impact strategies to give you hope--that you can cope with setbacks, work through painful thoughts and feelings, find greater meaning in life, address obstacles to success, and live with purpose. Written with a supportive, encouraging tone, Kathryn Gordon guides you through the challenge of addressing suicidal thoughts, feelings, and behaviors with insight, self-compassion, and action. For anyone overwhelmed by pain and hopelessness, this essential resource will help you take the necessary steps to get your life back."
--Joel Minden, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist, and author of Show Your Anxiety Who's Boss--Joel Minden, PhD

"Kathryn Gordon has translated our best theoretical and scientific understandings about why people are suicidal into an elegant, accessible, and easy-to-use workbook. Short chapters are full of practical and reproducible worksheets that walk the reader through hope and healing. She pairs her deep knowledge of the suicidal person with her expertise in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to create an invaluable resource for clients, their family and friends, and mental health professionals."
--Jonathan B. Singer, PhD, LCSW, president of the American Association of Suicidology, and coauthor of Suicide in Schools--Jonathan B. Singer, PhD, LCSW

"Kathryn Gordon's workbook helped me self-reflect when I didn't feel like I could handle my thoughts. When all feels lost, resources like this are exactly what we need: hopeful, analytical, educational, and practical. I will absolutely be recommending the book to others who might be feeling the same pain of suicidal ideation or hopelessness, as well as those who are looking to better understand and help their loved ones."
--Marie Shanley aka Mxiety, mental health advocate, live talk show host, and author of Well That Explains It--Marie Shanley aka Mxiety

About the Author

Kathryn Hope Gordon, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Prior to working as a therapist, Gordon was a professor for ten years. She is a mental health researcher who has published more than eighty scientific articles and book chapters on suicidal behavior, disordered eating, and related topics. Gordon cohosts the Psychodrama podcast, blogs for Psychology Today, and shares mental health information through her website: www.kathrynhgordon.com.

Foreword writer Thomas Ellis Joiner, Jr., PhD, is Bright-Burton professor of psychology, and director of the University Psychology Clinic at Florida State University. He has served as associate editor of the Journal of Behavior Therapy; and sits on ten editorial boards, including that of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.