Therapist’s Overview

I WANT THINGS TO BE BETTER

GOALS OF THE EXERCISE

1. To reduce and eliminate thoughts and feelings about suicide or hurting oneself.

2. To instill a sense of hope in the person thinking about suicide.

3. To help the individual feeling/thinking this way to develop a better understanding as to how such thoughts and feelings develop.

4. To generate alternative plans to suicide or hurting oneself.

ADDITIONAL HOMEWORK THAT MAY BE APPLICABLE TO SUICIDE ATTEMPTS

• My Safe Place Page 19

• A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words (just pictures 1−3) Page 215

• What Am I Thinking When I Am Feeling Depressed? Page 115

• What Do Others Value about Me? Page 117

• Creating a Positive Outlook Page 227

ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS IN WHICH THIS EXERCISE MAY BE USEFUL

• Addictions • Depression

• Anxiety • Family Conflict ¹⁷

SUGGESTIONS FOR PROCESSING THIS EXERCISE WITH THE CLIENT

Many individuals thinking about suicide or wanting to hurt themselves feel that there is no hope of things changing. It is important to convey to these people that there are options and that things can get better. To do this, it is also important for such individuals to become more aware of the triggers to such thoughts and feelings. The following exercise is designed to do this and to generate a prevention plan.

EXERCISE XXXVI.A

I WANT THINGS TO BE BETTER

I am glad that you are taking the time to read this. That demonstrates that a part of you does want things to be better. Once you complete this exercise, you will have a plan of how you can take charge of making things better for you.

1. When you feel or think about suicide/hurting yourself, what has usually happened before you started thinking or feeling this way?

2. Describe the thoughts and feelings you experience during such times.

3. Where were you when you started to think/feel this way?

4. What did you do?

5. How did you feel after you did this?

6. In what way was your behavior, as well as the thoughts and feelings you had, helpful?

7. What is the negative side to such behavior, thoughts, and feelings?

8. When else have you felt or thought this way but did not try to hurt yourself?

9. What thoughts and/or behaviors stopped you from hurting yourself?

10. What other things (people, activities, thoughts) have helped you to reduce the thoughts and/or feelings of wanting to hurt yourself?

11. What else would help you to reduce such thoughts/feelings?

12. Make a list of all the things that would help you reduce and possibly eliminate such thoughts and feelings (e.g., reminding yourself that this feeling will not last forever, spending time with a supportive friend or family member).

13. Describe how you would feel and what thoughts you would have while doing the things you just listed in item 12.

Therapist’s Overview

CREATING A POSITIVE OUTLOOK

GOALS OF THE EXERCISE

1. To generate a sense of hope.

2. To identify the positives in one’s life (or reasons for living).

3. To recognize who the support people are in your life.

ADDITIONAL HOMEWORK THAT MAY BE APPLICABLE TO SUICIDE ATTEMPTS

• Staying Clean Page 8

• What Else Can I Do? Page 11

• My Safe Place Page 19

• A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words (just pictures 1−3) Page 215

• What Am I Thinking When I Am Feeling Depressed? Page 115

• What Do Others Value about Me? Page 117

ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS FOR WHICH THIS EXERCISE MAY BE USEFUL

• Depression

• Family Conflict ¹⁸

SUGGESTIONS FOR PROCESSING THIS EXERCISE WITH THE CLIENT

Individuals experiencing thoughts and feelings about suicide or a wish to harm oneself need to develop a sense of optimism and positiveness in their lives. They need to focus in on the things in their lives that are and have been good. These can involve memories of good times they’ve shared with others, times they accomplished something positive or worthwhile, or times when they received something they really wanted. Encouraging individuals to focus on identifying such thoughts and feelings gives credence to the belief that life can be good and has not been ALL bad.

EXERCISE XXXVI.B

CREATING A POSITIVE OUTLOOK

You are now on your way to making things better for yourself. After completing this exercise, you will have created a more positive outlook for yourself and your future.

1. Describe a time you laughed really hard.

2. Describe a time you completed something well (e.g., got a high mark on a test, scored a point in a game, received a compliment).

3. Identify and describe two or three people who make you feel good.

4. Identify and describe at least three things that you do that make you feel good.

5. In the next week, schedule a time when you will do at least two of the things that you listed in item 4.

	Time
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday

6. Describe a plan of how you will spend more time with the people you identified in item 3 and how you can do what you identified in item 5 more often.