Overview

Integrating Narrative Identity in Suicidology examines the pivotal role of stories in forming our identities and how, when those stories break down, suicidality can emerge. While addressing universal themes within suicidology, the book also draws on specific Canadian contributions. These insights reflect Canada's diverse socio-cultural landscape and its unique approach to mental health challenges. Canadian research and practices offer valuable perspectives that enhance our understanding of narrative identity’s role in mental health. By integrating these contributions, the book not only enriches the dialogue around suicidality but also illustrates how localized insights can have global relevance. Presented here is not merely an academic treatise but a practical guide for mental health professionals who are keen to apply principles of narrative identity and story reconstruction. It provides a method to help those adrift reconnect with their stories, offering a renewed sense of hope and a redefined identity, thereby restoring their place in the world.

Full Product Details

Author:   Matias Gay (IWK Health Centre, Nova Scotia, Canada)
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint:   Routledge
Weight:   0.690kg
ISBN:  

9781041073338

ISBN 10:   104107333
Pages:   260
Publication Date:   03 April 2026
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  College/higher education ,  Professional & Vocational ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Not yet available  
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Suicide and the Self: A Journey Through Time, Identity, and Meaning 1. 58 Years Later: Where Are We Now? 2. Who Am I, and Why Does It Matter? Suicide, Identity, and Meaning Part 2: Existence 3. Who Are You? An Existential Model for Understanding Suicidality 4. Mapping the Self: A Deep Dive into the ENSI Model and Its Clinical Applications 5. Navigating Suicidality: A Psychological Map for Identity Reconstruction 6. Rewriting the Broken Narrative: Meaning-Making and Suicide Prevention through Identity Reconstruction Part 3: Relations 7. The Family Factor 8. The Weight of a Generation: Cohort Effects on Suicide 9. Land, Identity, and Healing: Understanding Indigenous Suicide Part 4: Narratives 10. Stories That Shape Us: The Suicidal Narrative 11. Beyond Silence: Stories as Medicine in Indigenous Communities 12. Cultural Scripts of Suicide: Agency, Identity, and Obligation Part 5: Emotions 13. The Tension of Suicide: Ambivalence and the Fight Within 14. A Distance Between Us: The Quiet Ache of Isolation 15. Suicidal Countertransference: The Silent Conversation Part 6: Instinct 16. The Vulnerability Equation: How Innate Risk and Unbearable Life Events Shape a Path to Suicide 17. Inside a Suicidal Mind: The Anatomy of Acute Crisis

Reviews

""Integrating Narrative Identity in Suicidology is a rare and essential contribution to the field. Matias Gay brings extraordinary insight, compassion, and clinical depth to the urgent work of suicide prevention. Rooted in personal loss and professional wisdom, this beautifully written book reframes suicidality through the lens of narrative and identity, offering both a compelling theoretical framework and practical tools for healing. It is a meditation on the roles of narrative, identity, and human connection in the suicidal mind. Most importantly, the book offers guidance for both clinicians and laypeople to help those trapped in suicidal narratives rediscover purpose and reclaim a meaningful life story."" Igor Galynker, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, director, Mount Sinai Suicide Prevention Research Laboratory, and author of The Suicidal Crisis: Clinical Guide to the Assessment of Imminent Suicide Risk ""Integrating Narrative Identity in Suicidology is a landmark contribution that bridges empirical tradition with narrative insight. Both emerging and experienced clinicians will find new depth in chapters like “The Weight of a Generation,” which situates suicidality within a broader ecological and generational framework. Matias Gay brings the field to life not only through diverse voices, but also through his own candid and compelling narrative."" Antoon A. Leenaars, PhD, clinical and forensic psychologist and author of The Psychological Autopsy

Author Information

Matias Gay, RN, MScN(c), is a suicidologist, researcher, and clinical leader specializing in youth suicide prevention, narrative identity, and person-centered care across emergency and mental health systems.

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