A narrative interview is conducted, in which patients are asked to tell their personal stories about how they had reached the point of harming themselves.

The aim of the narrative interview is to reach—in a biographical context—a patient-centered understanding of the individual mechanisms leading to psychological pain and suicidal behaviour, and to elicit specific needs and vulnerability factors in a biographical context, as well as the triggering experience.

All interviews are video-recorded, with the patients’ written consent.

Further reading: “The narrative interview with the suicidal patient” (PDF)

Session 1