Voices of Strength: Sons and Daughters of Suicide Speak Out by Judy Zionts Fox, Mia Roldan

Synopsis

Statistics show that there is one suicide every 16.1 minutes, and thus, six new survivors of that suicide every 16.1 minutes. In this deeply moving but also practical book, authors Judy Zoints Fox and Mia Roldan share the results of their survey of children of a parental suicide. Exploring the ways their lives have been affected and addressing the emotional, psychological, and physical effects, daughters and sons of all ages — from children to adolescents to adults — reveal their reactions. The authors link these responses to the insights of therapists, clergy, a criminal investigator, and others — friends, classmates, work colleagues, relatives — as they discuss what is helpful to suicide survivors and what is not. Voices of Strength helps survivors make sense of life's least understandable act and shows them how to heal by focusing on comfort, memories, recovery, and hopes for a productive future.

Antoinette Brinkman - Library Journal

Death is a painful experience for all who are left behind. Yet in the case of suicide, sorrow is often intensified by lingering stigma, guilt, resentment, and other conflicting emotions. Fox, a registered psychiatric nurse and social worker, and Roldan, a teacher and social work student, bring a special sensitivity to this work since both lost parents to suicide. Drawing on their personal experience and interviews with 57 other survivors, they analyze in Part 1 how such a loss affects different age groups. For example, adolescents tend to resist mourning and focus on a return to normalcy. The authors suggest which actions may be helpful or hurtful to survivors. Part 2 addresses practical issues and concerns from the need for help "cleaning up" after a suicide to how to find a therapist/support group. Finally, the authors discuss recovery issues, explaining the stages of the grieving process, the role of religion, forgiveness, and nonjudgmental reports of appearances and dream encounters with lost loved ones. The book ends on a hopeful note, showing that survivors' lives aren't automatically shattered by such a heartbreaking experience. A candid yet compassionate approach to a difficult topic, this book is strongly recommended for grief counseling collections.