Jan Sutton
Author, Counsellor, Trainer
Jan Sutton’s books include:
Healing the Hurt Within
Understand and relieve the suffering behind self-destructive behaviour
How To Books ~ New edition 2005
Paperback ~ 560 pages
ISBN: 1845280369
Available from major online bookstores, good bookshops or libraries.
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Famous people have admitted self-injuring, and the terms self-harm, self-injury, and self-mutilation may be familiar to some of you. Yet, this complex phenomenon remains baffling, perplexing, and socially unacceptable. Contrary to popular belief, self-injury is rarely attention seeking behaviour, nor is it a death wish, or failed suicide attempt. It is fundamentally a coping mechanism that enables people to function and stay alive in the face of overwhelming psychological pain. In this powerful and profoundly moving book, contributors reveal the truth about the traumatic experiences that lead them to seek solace in self-injury. It also highlights the struggles involved in breaking free from the addictive cycle of self-injury. Their words, courage, and honesty will offer comfort, hope, and encouragement to fellow self-injurers. They will also provide a deeper understanding of this poorly understood behaviour to those who have contact with self-injurers, whether on a personal or professional level. Guidance is given on what helps relieve the emotional suffering, and the book also addresses two frequent companions of self-injury—food and alcohol misuse.
Table of contents:- Exploring self-destructive behaviour
- Piecing together the puzzle of self-harm
- Getting to the heart of the matter
- How self-harm relieves the suffering within
- Examining negative attitudes
- Exploring positive strategies
- Developing self-help strategies
- Further insight into food and alcohol abuse
- Updates; appendix; resources; references and index
From the foreword by Marjorie Orr, Director
of Accuracy About Abuse
"This book is a giant leap forward in making self-harm understandable
to professionals and self-harmers alike. The damaging, often deliberate
ignorance of society at large about the consequences or childhood trauma
and abuse, whether sexual, physical or emotional is deep rooted. For
people already suffering to have to cope with hostile disbelief and judgemental
attitudes is a double injury.
Healing the Hurt Within focuses on the much misunderstood area
of self-harm, what one sufferer describes as ‘agony art’.
Very far from being attention-seeking and quite the opposite of a suicide
bid, it is only now becoming understood as a valuable, albeit destructive,
coping mechanism to withstand intolerable emotional pain. Another self-harmer
in the book says pointedly and poignantly – ‘I harm myself
to enable me to live’.
Jan Sutton has interwoven the most up-to-date clinical understanding
about the different varieties of self-harm – cutting, food, alcohol
and drug abuse with self-harmers’ personal childhood experiences,
their often unsympathetic experiences in treatment, and their poetry.
If the subject was not so sad, one might describe it as a treasure trove
of information, reading material, resources and, most importantly insightful
stories from extremely brave human beings struggling to resolve their
problems the best way they know how."
[Self-harm] ... "is a huge and, on the evidence, growing problem, of which medicine, psychiatry, and psychotherapy must rapidly gain deeper understanding in order to help those crying with their bodies instead of their tears. This wide-ranging book refuses to look for simple answers or put its subject in a strait jacket. It is a magnificently comprehensive and valuable effort."
Reviews
"A ground-breaking book, in the subject material and presentation. It’s easy to read, yet helps the reader understand the complex nature of self-harm. The life stories are incredibly moving. I was hooked from the start." William Stewart
Author of A-Z of Counselling: Theory and Practice, (Stanley Thornes), and numerous other counselling and self-development books.
"The thing I find unique about Jan’s writing is that it is ‘complete’, and that makes it very safe for the reader."
"I found this book a great source of comfort and support—it is the only true friend I have in the world."
"THANK YOU for an excellent book – I’ve been self harming for about 20 years and your book said all I could hope to say – I want to buy everyone I know a copy !!"
"The book is beautifully presented and, consequently, very easy to read. I found the exercises relating to the case studies very useful, as they helped to highlight points that would otherwise have been overlooked. I liked the diagrams; particularly the cycle of self-injury (fig. 8), which clearly illustrated how I feel and how those feelings get out of control. It will be an excellent book for both professionals and people with personal experience of self-harm."
"I was interested to read about dissociation. I often feel as if the self-harm is happening to someone else. Sometimes I feel pain, but usually not, and the cutting seems unreal, even though I can see the blood. It was interesting that so many others viewed self-harm as a compulsion."
"Mum read your book and said it was excellent ... it helped her understand more about self-harm."
"Absolutely excellent—very impressed. I think you have researched it very, very well, and covered everything in considerable depth, honestly and directly, but with incredible sensitivity. It is also a very readable book – vital to those who self-harm, with lots of hope & support offered throughout."
"Healing the Hurt Within is written from the heart and Jan Sutton has the gift of boldly taking a controversial and complex subject and rendering it interesting and easily understandable. At the same time this is no cold, clinical or judgemental work, but one written with warmth and compassion. It takes the reader on a fascinating journey into the lives and emotions of those who have experienced first hand the traumas that can lead to self-harm and the paths they are exploring in order to recover."
Thrive on Stress
Manage pressure and positively thrive on it!
How To Books ~ Published 2000 (2nd edition)
Paperback ~ 192 pages
ISBN: 1 85703 554 2
Available from major online bookstores, good bookshops or libraries.
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Synopsis
The pressure of modern life makes us all susceptible to stress. However, not all stress is bad. Managed effectively, you can positively thrive on it! This practical book offers you a step-by-step programme to eliminate negative stress and increase self-esteem and self-confidence. Supported by illustrations, activities and comprehensive case studies, this valuable book provides you with powerful strategies that can transform your life.
Table of contents:
- Defining stress
- Assessing your stress levels
- Learning the art of relaxation
- Eliminating negative mind-talk
- Expressing your feelings
- Communicating skilfully
- Raising your self-esteem
- Mastering the clock
- Setting and accomplishing your goals
- Glossary; useful contacts; further reading and index
Reviews of Thriving on Stress (1st edition)
Jan Sutton ... "outlines an excellent personal development plan which can be used to great affect with patients and also with oneself, for building self-esteem and developing a feeling of real confidence. ... This book gives us the tools to really transform the lives of our patients in a very positive way. ... Out of all the books I have read on stress, this has to be one of the most down-to-earth, readable and helpful books that I have read, and is rapidly becoming one of the most thumbed books in my library." The Hypnotherapist—June 1999
"Last month I was invited to give a short talk on Stress Management and Relaxation and found myself wondering how to condense the relevant material into one and a half hours. Fortunately, a friend lent me a gem of a book fresh off the press called ‘Thriving on Stress’. The material for my presentation was all there, in clear concise vocabulary that avoided jargon or heavy psychological content. ... This is an ideal book for those embarking on self-development. I found it an excellent reference book for the professional who is short of time and sometimes short of a new approach to familiar themes and facts. Written with positive, enthusiastic and professional drive, this book is a useful addition to those that sit on my desk at work; I hope my friend forgets to ask for it back." Hampshire Association for Counselling Newsletter—May 1998
"This book will be particularly helpful to people recovering from addictions." Doctor Jacqueline Chang, GP. Addiction Counselling World—May/June 1998.
"A very practical, down to earth approach which makes growth in self-awareness an enjoyable experience."
"Easy to understand. The diagrams especially are excellent and the advice is sensible and clearly written."
"A really useful self-help book in an easy to read format and style."
"Thriving on Stress has helped me to understand so much and I’m already feeling the benefits."
"I wish such a book had been available to me years ago, and before my heart attack. Now it’s for me to put the messages into practice in an attempt to avoid a second."
"An excellent, sensible and practical book which is helping immensely with my own group therapy work."
"I’d thoroughly recommend it to anyone. The white bits are the paper, the black the print and there are no hidden meanings."
"Refreshingly jargon free, sound, practical and with an easy to follow style."
"Definitely one for the group’s reference library. Provides a treasury of discussion topics with plenty of member participation."
"Jan Sutton’s experience and training shines through. A great little book."
Learning to Counsel (Jan Sutton and William Stewart) second edition
How to develop the skills to work effectively with others
How To Books ~ Published July 2002
Paperback ~ 207 pages
ISBN: 1 85703 796 0
Available from major online bookstores, good bookshops or libraries.
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Synopsis
Counselling skills are not only used by professional counsellors – they are relevant to a wide range of people as part of their work. They can also improve the quality of your relationships. This practical book presents the principles of counselling and the fundamental skills involved. It includes exercises to work through and case studies to follow.
Table of contents:
- Defining counselling
- Exploring essential counsellor qualities
- Helping the client feel safe
- Helping the client explore the problem
- Helping the client understand the problem
- Helping the client resolve the problem
- Terminating the counselling relationship
- Getting support
- Appendix 1 – Sample letters, forms, checklists and records
- Appendix 2 – Suggested responses to exercises
- Glossary; useful addresses; further reading and index
Review
"Learning to Counsel is concise, formal and concerned to transmit the essential received wisdom that you would expect on a good counselling skills course. ... I think of this as a counsellor’s pocketbook, with a lot of basic, essential information in a small space."
David Martyn - Mental Health Employment Development Worker, Haringey Social Services, London. (BAC Counselling – November 1998)
Visit Jan’s own site SIARI [Self-injury and Related
Issues]. Free information about self-injury, self-harm, self-mutilation
and related issues (dissociation, eating disorders, childhood trauma
and abuse, etc). Research based with extensive input from self-injurers. A
valuable online resource for self-injurers, their loved ones and friends,
for those who work with self-injurers, and for anyone interested in the
complex phenomenon of self-injury.
www.siari.co.uk