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Marsha Linehan’s Reasons for Living Inventory was referenced in this article on suicide prevention.

Goondwindi Argus

Words from those who chose life

30 Jun 2017
Exerpt from article by John Malouff

Have you ever thought about killing yourself? I did once, briefly. I considered a permanent solution for what turned out to be a temporary problem.

Lots of people think about suiciding at some point. A survey showed that 4 per cent of adults thought about suicide in the prior 12 months. Australia averages about eight suicides a day, almost every one with friends and family left behind. Suicide does not so much end suffering as distribute it.

I have been involved recently in training volunteers for a new Lifeline face-to-face counselling program in Armidale.

I gave them a copy of the Reasons for Living Inventory they can use if they have a client with suicidal thoughts. Among the reasons for living: I still have many things left to do; I am curious about what will happen in the future; I have a responsibility to my family; I have the courage to face life.

Marsha Linehan created the Reasons for Living Inventory. Her interest grew from her own teen suicidal attempts. After surviving that difficult period, she became a psychologist famous for developing a treatment for borderline personality disorder: dialectical behaviour therapy.

Read the whole article here .