The Pain of Suicide

Every suicide is an individual tragedy whose origins challenge our mental capacity. Suicide is a global phenomenon. Each year there are over 800,000 reported suicides worldwide and that is expected to increase to over 1.5 million by 2020. More people attempt suicide than die from suicide. Family-member survivors and communities are left with many unanswered questions, not understanding why the person chose to commit suicide. Persons responding to suicide and suicide attempts are very often not prepared for what they encounter and this exacerbates the problem. This book looks at the struggles of a high-risk people group and presents interventions and postventions proffered in a consultation forum.

Dr Jo-Ann Rowland is the Director and Founder of Goldoptions Counselling and Lifecoaching Services and of the Homeless Resource Centre in London, which she established in 2001 upon leaving a high-flying City job; the centre provides housing advice, counselling, skills training and support for people affected by homelessness in the capital. In 2015, she founded the Ephrathah Multipurpose Resource Centre in Guyana, South America. She has been involved in numerous international mission trips for over thirty years. Dr Rowland lives in the UK.