It is argued suicidality is essentially a relational phenomenon; the presence or absence of certain key relationships paradoxically can be both suicide causing & suicide preventive. The relational aspects of suicide are especially poignant in clinical work with suicidal patients. However, when suicidality is involved, there are a number of issues that can interfere with effective clinical practice. Fortunately, a new paradigm has begun to emerge in contemporary clinical suicidology, which objectifies suicidality & emphasizes the phenomenology of suicidal states. Moreover, from an increasingly empirical perspective, this approach is creating new & better ways to effectively assess & treat suicidal conditions. (37 refs.)