The Practical art of Suicide Assessment: a Guide for Mental Health Professionals and Substance Abuse Counselors

This book focuses on the art of eliciting information about suicide ideation from clients. An interview strategy, CASE, the Chronological Assessment of Suicide Events, is introduced. The book is divided into 3 parts: 1) the experience of suicide: etiology, phenomenology, & risk factors; 2) uncovering suicidal ideation: principles, techniques, & strategies; & 3) practical assessment of risk: flexible strategies & sound formulations. Sample questions, effective strategies, case histories, & excerpts from actual suicide assessments are used to illustrate this approach.