Unfinished Conversation: Healing from Suicide and Loss

A Guided Journey

By Robert E. Lesoine and Marilynne Chöphel MFT

Readings to Support Your Journey to Healing
Readings to Support Your Journey to Healing:
For Survivors and for Professionals Who Support Them

Grieving and Healing from Suicide

Blair, Pamela and Brook Noel. 2008. I Wasn’t Ready to Say Goodbye: A Companion Workbook. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks.

Cobain, Beverly and Jean Larch. 2006. Dying to Be Free: A Healing Guide for Families after a Suicide. Center City, MN: Hazelden.

Heckler, Richard A. 1994. Waking Up Alive: The Descent, the Suicide Attempt, and the Return to Life. New York, NY: Ballantine Books.

Jamison, Kay Redfield. 1999. Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide. New York, NY: Random House.

Joiner, Thomas. 2010. Myths About Suicide. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Joiner, Thomas. 2005. Why People Die by Suicide. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Lesoine, Robert E. and Marilynne Chöphel, 2013. Unfinished Conversation: Grieving After Suicide and Loss – A Guided Journey. Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press.

Lukas, Christopher and Henry M. Seiden. 2007. Silent Grief: Living in the Wake of Suicide. Philadelphia, PA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Myers, Michael F. and Carla Fine. 2006. Touched by Suicide: Hope and Healing after Loss. New York, NY: Gotham Books.

Ostaseski, Frank. 2003. Being a Compassionate Companion. 3-CD audio set. San Francisco, CA: Zen Hospice Project.

Rando, Therese A. 1988. How To Go On Living When Someone You Love Dies. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.

Schwiebert, Pat and Chuck DeKlyen. 2006. Tear Soup: A Recipe for Healing after Loss. Portland, OR: Grief Watch.

Smolin, Ann and John Guinan. 1993. Healing after the Suicide of a Loved One. New York, NY: Simon & Shuster, Inc.

Sogyal Rinpoche. 1994. The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. San Fran- cisco, CA: HarperCollins.

Stillwater, Michael and Gary Remal Malkin. 2003. Graceful Passages: A Companion for Living and Dying. Book and 2-CD set. Novato, CA: New World Library.

Tatelbaum, Judy. 1980. The Courage to Grieve: Creative Living, Recovery, and Growth through Grief. New York, NY: Lippincott & Crowell, Publishers, Inc.

Helping Children and Teens

Dougy Center Collection. 2001. After a Suicide: A Workbook for Grieving Kids. Portland, OR: Dougy Center.

Requarth, Margo. 2006. After A Parent’s Suicide: Helping Children Heal. Sebastopol, CA: Healing Hearts Press.

Rubel, Barbara. But I Didn’t Say Goodbye: Helping Children and Families After a Suicide. 2009. Kendall Park, NJ: Griefwork Center, Inc.

Creating Wellbeing

Arrien, Angeles. 2007. The Second Half of Life: Opening the Eight Gates of Wisdom. Boulder, CO: Sounds True.

Baraz, James and Shoshana Alexander. 2010. Awakening Joy: 10 Steps That Will Put You on the Road to Real Happiness. New York, NY: Bantam Books.

Beckwith, Michael Bernard. 2008. Spiritual Liberation: Fulfilling Your Soul’s Potential. New York, NY: Atria Books.

Brach, Tara. 2004. Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha. New York: Bantam.

Brach, Tara. 2012. True Refuge: Finding Peace and Freedom in Your Own Awakened Heart. New York: Random House Publishing Group.

Bridges, William. 2004. Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes. New York, NY: Da Capo Press.

Chödrön, Pema. 2007. How to Meditate: A Practical Guide to Making Friends with Your Mind. CD audio set. Boulder, CO: Sounds True, Inc.

Chödrön, Pema. 2010. The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times. Boston, MA: Shambala.

Chödrön, Pema. 2006. Practicing Peace in Times of War. Boston, MA:Shambhala.

Chödrön, Pema. 1997. When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times. Boston, MA: Shambhala Publications.

Dalai Lama, His Holiness the. 1998. The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

Foster, Rick, and Greg Hicks. 1999. How We Choose to Be Happy: The 9 Choices of Extremely Happy People— Their Secrets, Their Stories. New York, NY: G. P. Putnam’s Sons.

Germer, Christopher K. 2009. The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Graham, Linda. 2013. Bouncing Back: Rewiring Your Brain for Maximum Resilience and Well-Being. Novato, CA: New World Library.

Hanson, Rick. 2009. Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

Johnson, Stephen J. 2013. The Sacred Path—The Way of the Spiritual Warrior: Journey to Mindful Manhood. Woodland Hills, CA: Sacred Path Press.

Kabat-Zinn, Jon. 2009. Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. New York, NY: Delta Trade Paperbacks.

Kabat-Zinn, Jon. 2012. Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment—and Your Life. Boulder, CO: Sounds True, Inc.

Kabat-Zinn, Jon. 1994. Wherever You Go, There You Are. New York, NY: Hyperion Books.

Kornfield, Jack. 2011. A Lamp in the Darkness: Illuminating the Path Through Difficult Times. Boulder, CO: Sounds True.

Luskin, Fred. 2002. Forgive for Good: A Proven Prescription for Health and Happiness. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Luskin, Fred. 2009. Forgive for Love: The Missing Ingredient for a Healthy and Lasting Relationship. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Meade, Michael. 2010. Fate and Destiny: The Two Agreements of the Soul. Seattle, WA: GreenFire Press.

Nhat Hanh, Thich. 1987. The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.

Nhat Hanh, Thich. 2011. Reconciliation: Healing the Inner Child. Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press.

Nhat Hanh, Thich. 2010. Understanding Our Mind. Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press.

Richmond, Lewis. 2012. Aging as a Spiritual Practice: A Contemplative Guide to Growing Older and Wiser. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

Siegel, Daniel J. 2007. The Mindful Brain: Reflection and Attunement in the Cultivation of Well-Being. New York, NY: Norton & Company, Inc.

Somé, Malidoma Patrice. 1999. The Healing Wisdom of Africa: Finding Life Purpose through Nature, Ritual, and Community. New York, NY: The Penguin Putnam, Inc.

Healing from Trauma

Collins, Judy. 2007. The Seven T’s: Finding Hope and Healing in the Wake of Tragedy. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

Cori, Jasmin Lee. 2007. Healing from Trauma: A Survivor’s Guide to Understanding Your Symptoms and Reclaiming Your Life. Cambridge, MA: Marlowe & Company.

Johnson, Susan. 2002. Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy with Trauma Survivors: Strengthening Attachment Bonds. New York, NY: Guilford Publications, Inc.

Levine, Peter. 2005. Healing Trauma: A Pioneering Program for Restoring the Wisdom of Your Body. Book and CD set. Boulder, CO: Sounds True, Inc.

Levine, Peter A. and Gabor Mate. 2010. In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.

Ogden, Pat, Kekuni Minton, and Clare Pain. 2006. Trauma and the Body: A Sensorimotor Approach to Psychotherapy. New York, NY: W. W. Nor- ton & Company.

Parnell, Laurel. 1997. Transforming Trauma: EMDR—The Revolutionary New Therapy for Freeing the Mind, Clearing the Body, and Opening the Heart. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company.

Schupp, Linda. 2004. Assessing and Treating Trauma and PTSD. Eau Claire, WI: Pesi Healthcare, LLC.

Shapiro, Francine. 2012. Getting Past Your Past: Take Control of Your Life with Self-Help Techniques from EMDR Therapy. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Books.

Siegel, Daniel J. and Marion Solomon. 2003. Healing Trauma: Attachment, Mind, Body and Brain. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Thomas, Claude Anshin. 2006. At Hell’s Gate: A Soldier’s Journey from War to Peace. Boston, MA: Shambhala Publications.

Williams, Mary Beth and Soili Poijula. 2002. The PTSD Workbook: Simple, Effective Techniques for Overcoming Traumatic Stress Symptoms. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.

An extensive list of books for healing from suicide loss is available through the following organizations that screen, review, and summarize the books listed:

American Association of Suicidology:
www.suicidology.org
Book List: http://www.suicidology.org/web/guest/books-surviving

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:
www.afsp.org
Book List: http://www.afsp.org/coping-with-suicide/where-do-i-begin/books-for-survivors