How we deal with ‘way out thoughts’: A living document … Ways of talking with young people about suicidal thoughts— David Newman

In this paper, I describe some of the ways that I use the written word, in the form of ‘living documents’, to enable the sharing of stories and know-how about the ways young people deal with suicidal thoughts, or what are also termed ‘way out thoughts’ or ‘die thoughts’. These explorations take place in my work with young people in a psychiatric unit. I share here an example of a one-to-one conversation and also describe how I collect and use stories in a group work or collective context. The young people I speak with have let me know that such conversations and shared documents are important to them.