Torment of the Soul

About the Book

This book explores the ways spirituality interacts with suicidal depression.  This is not a book of answers nor is it a research study; rather, this is a book of questions that looks at suicide with human eyes and spiritual insight.  Through the experiences and studies of the two authors, we explore the role that faith plays in the life of a depressed person who is considering suicide, as well as the cultural history and religious beliefs on suicide.  There is not a single way to deal with suicide and depression.   However, the unexplored areas of spirituality may provide additional insight for understanding and coping with the disease, as well as the emotional effect of such final act.  In the end, we hope this book will provide a better understanding of why some suicidal people are able to utilize faith to help them overcome the lowest points of depression, and why some people, no matter the spirituality they have, find death the only solution.

About the Author

Fr. Benedict Auer is a Benedictine monk of St. Martin’s Abbey in Lacey, Washington.  He is chaplain of St. Martin’s University and an adjunct professor of religious studies.  Fr. Benedict holds a Doctorate in Christian Spirituality from San Francisco Theological Seminary, a diploma in counseling and therapy from the Institute of St. Anselm in the UK, and is a certified guidance counselor in the State of Washington.  He is the author of Soulpoeting: Healing Through Poetry (London: St. Paul’s, 2000).  He has also written numerous articles dealing with various topics of religious formation and psychological development.