Life After Suicide: Finding Courage, Comfort & Community After Unthinkable Loss - Paperback

by Jennifer Ashton (Author)

From the chief medical correspondent of ABC News, an eloquent, heartbreaking, yet hopeful memoir of surviving the suicide of a loved one, examining this dangerous epidemic and offering first-hand knowledge and advice to help family and friends find peace.

Jennifer Ashton, M.D., has witnessed firsthand the impact of a loved one's suicide. When her ex-husband killed himself soon after their divorce, her world--and that of her children--was shattered. Though she held a very public position with one of the world's largest media companies, she was hesitant to speak about the personal trauma that she and her family experienced following his death. A woman who addresses the public regularly on intimate health topics, she was uncertain of revealing her devastating loss--the most painful thing she'd ever experienced. But with the high-profile suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, Dr. Ashton recognized the importance of talking about her experience and the power of giving voice to her grief. She shared her story with her Good Morning America family on air--an honest, heartbreaking revelation that provided comfort and solace to others, like her and her family, who have been left behind.

In Life After Suicide, she opens up completely for the first time, hoping that her experience and words can inspire those faced with the unthinkable to persevere. Part memoir and part comforting guide that incorporates the latest insights from researchers and health professionals, Life After Suicide is both a call to arms against this dangerous, devastating epidemic, and an affecting story of personal grief and loss. In addition, Dr. Ashton includes stories from others who have survived the death of a loved one by their own hand, showing how they survived the unthinkable and demonstrating the vital roles that conversation and community play in recovering from the suicide of a loved one. The end result is a raw and revealing exploration of a subject that's been taboo for far too long, providing support, information, and comfort for those attempting to make sense of their loss and find a way to heal.

Front Jacket

From the outside, Jennifer Ashton, M.D., had it all together: two loving children, an amicable family-focused relationship with her recent ex-husband, Rob, and a flourishing career as a privately practicing Ob-Gyn and as ABC's Chief Medical Correspondent, a regular presence on Good Morning America. But after Rob's unexpected suicide, her life as she had known it was shattered.

Suicide is at once a deeply personal trauma, and a devastating public epidemic that affects millions, between the people who die by suicide, and those who are left behind. Despite her regular national reporting on intimate health issues, Dr. Ashton's own experience with loss felt too raw and even too frightening to speak of before the high-profile suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. It was then that she realized the importance and the timeliness of sharing her story, and confronting her own stigma and vulnerability to try to help others work through their grief as survivors.

In this affecting story of personal loss and of the indefinite process of recovery, Dr. Ashton utilizes community and conversation to elucidate the process of grieving and finding peace after suicide. Both a memoir and a practical guide to helping others through this tragedy, Life After Suicide offers support, advice, and hope to those whose wounds will always be raw, and bravely explores a subject that has been taboo for far too long. Combining the most current wisdom of experts and the heart-wrenching stories of other survivors (including her children), the end result is an eloquent look into suicide and a hopeful expression of what it means--and ultimately, what it takes--to heal, in a way that honors the spirit of those who have died, without allowing blame, anger, and resentment to take over. Life After Suicide is an honest and insightful look into surviving a loved one's suicide--and in finding the courage to continue after unimaginable loss. With the tragic likelihood being that many people will eventually know of someone who dies by suicide, Life After Suicide is a window into a world that we all truly need to start to understand, without shame, stigma, or bias.---- TALINDA BENNINGTON, mental health advocate and widow of Chester Bennington of Linkin Park

Back Jacket

From the outside, Jennifer Ashton, M.D., had it all together: two loving children, an amicable family-focused relationship with her recent ex-husband, Rob, and a flourishing career as a privately practicing Ob-Gyn and as ABC's Chief Medical Correspondent, a regular presence on Good Morning America. But after Rob's unexpected suicide, her life as she had known it was shattered.

Suicide is at once a deeply personal trauma, and a devastating public epidemic that affects millions, between the people who die by suicide, and those who are left behind. Despite her regular national reporting on intimate health issues, Dr. Ashton's own experience with loss felt too raw and even too frightening to speak of before the high-profile suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. It was then that she realized the importance and the timeliness of sharing her story, and confronting her own stigma and vulnerability to try to help others work through their grief as survivors.

In this affecting story of personal loss and of the indefinite process of recovery, Dr. Ashton utilizes community and conversation to elucidate the process of grieving and finding peace after suicide. Both a memoir and a practical guide to helping others through this tragedy, Life After Suicide offers support, advice, and hope to those whose wounds will always be raw, and bravely explores a subject that has been taboo for far too long. Combining the most current wisdom of experts and the heart-wrenching stories of other survivors (including her children), the end result is an eloquent look into suicide and a hopeful expression of what it means--and ultimately, what it takes--to heal, in a way that honors the spirit of those who have died, without allowing blame, anger, and resentment to take over. Life After Suicide is an honest and insightful look into surviving a loved one's suicide--and in finding the courage to continue after unimaginable loss. With the tragic likelihood being that many people will eventually know of someone who dies by suicide, Life After Suicide is a window into a world that we all truly need to start to understand, without shame, stigma, or bias.