The Practical Art of Suicide Assessment covers all the critical elements of suicide assessment-from risk factor analysis to evaluating clients with borderline personality disorders or psychotic process. This highly acclaimed text provides mental health professionals with the tools they need to assess a client's suicide risk and assign appropriate levels of care using the highly acclaimed interview strategy for eliciting suicidal ideation-the Chronological Assessment of Suicide Events (the CASE Approach). Now available in paperback, the leading book on suicide assessment also contains three important new appendices: How to Document a Suicide Assessment
Safety Contracting Revisited: Pros, Cons, and Documentation
A Quick Guide to Suicide Prevention Web Sites Penned with a compelling elegance and charm, the "Practical Art of Suicide Assessment" is brimming with clinical wisdom, enlightening case illustrations and a vibrant sense of compassion. Viewed as one of the classics in the field of mental health, and acclaimed by both beginning students and experienced clinicians alike, it describes in a step-by-step fashion exactly how to make a sound suicide assessment. Dr. Shea explores the causes of suicidal ideation as well as the nuances of risk actors, protective factors, and the complexities of the clinical formulation of risk. He skillfully integrates all of this information for the reader by using real-life case examples and addressing daunting clinical challenges head-on such as assessing suicide risk with clients coping with borderline personality disorder or psychotic process. In addition Dr. Shea brings to life the highly acclaimed interview strategy for uncovering suicidal ideation, planning, behavior and intent the "Chronological Assessment of Suicide Events (CASE Approach)." Dr. Shea, the originator of the CASE Approach, shows exactly how to creatively and flexibly use its innovative interviewing techniques to match the unique needs of every client. The CASE Approach has been described by the noted suicidologist and past President of the American Association of Suicidology, David Jobes, Ph.D. as follows: "The CASE Approach moves the clinician almost imperceptibly into the secret internal workings of the mind and soul of the patient tormented by suicidal ideation. I believe that the CASE Approach is a remarkable conceptual and clinical contribution to the field of suicidology. It should be taught to any front-line clinician. It has the power to meaningfully save lives." Dr. Shea concludes the book with a no-nonsense approach to documenting a suicide risk assessment that can both help to save a client's life as well as keep the clinician out of court. Respected across the globe, the Practical Art of Suicide Assessment has been translated into languages as diverse as French and Japanese. Mental Health Presses is pleased to re-issue this classic in contemporary suicide prevention (originally published in 2002). Review Quotes:
"Shea's approach to suicide risk assessment is at once elegant in its simplicity and comprehensive in its scope and depth." ("Preventing Suicide", 3/1/2004) "This book is, to date, one of the most helpful and well-written works about the in-depth evaluation of suicidal patients." ("The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease", Volume 191, Number 10, October 2003) Jacket Description/Back:
Critical Acclaim for The Practical Art of Suicide Assessment "There is . . . no better guide for learning about and clinically assessing the phenomenology of suicidal states. Penned with a compelling elegance and charm, The Practical Art of Suicide Assessment is brimming with clinical wisdom, enlightening case illustrations, and a vibrant sense of compassion."-David A. Jobes, PhD, past president, American Association of Suicidology "If I were asked to recommend only one book to equip clinicians to conduct the best possible suicide risk assessments, The Practical Art of Suicide Assessment would be it."-Thomas E. Ellis, PsyD, ABPP, past director, Clinical Division of the American Association of Suicidology "A concise, carefully conceptualized, well-written book . . . highly recommended for all psychiatric residents and all other mental health students."-Journal of Clinical Psychiatry "This outstanding book is informative, interesting, and clinically useful."-American Journal of Psychiatry About the Author:
Shawn Christopher Shea is a nationally acclaimed workshop leader and innovator in the field of diagnostic interviewing. He is also Director of the Training Institute for Suicide Assessment and Clinical Interviewing and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, NH. | 
