An innovative and highly effective brief therapy for suicidal patients - a complete treatment
manual Attempted suicide is the main risk factor for suicide. The Attempted Suicide Short
Intervention Program (ASSIP) described in this manual is an innovative brief therapy that has
proven in published clinical trials to be highly effective in reducing the risk of further
attempts. ASSIP is the result of the authors' extensive practical experience in the treatment
of suicidal individuals. The emphasis is on the therapeutic alliance with the suicidal patient
based on an initial patient-oriented narrative interview. The four therapy sessions are
followed by continuing contact with patients by means of regular letters. This clearly
structured manual starts with an overview of suicide and suicide prevention followed by a
practical step-by-step description of this highly structured treatment. It includes numerous
checklists handouts and standardized letters for use by health professionals in various
clinical settings.
