I have a lot of professional experience with homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse, PTSD and traumatic brain injury.
I have very little experience with the issue of suicide.
Personally, I am grateful for that fact.
Professionally, though, it is a gap.
For years, people have been asking me to do a training on the topic.
I have avoided it intentionally.
The idea of building a training on something I know so little about scares the living hell out of me (as it should!).
Even if our research team and I put months of work into understanding it, I will never have the firsthand professional experience that I have with other issues.
The stakes are simply too high if we get it wrong.
I have a friend, though, who understands it very intimately.
Stephanie Weber’s mother took her own life in 1979. In 1998, she founded Suicide Prevention Services of America. Stephanie has been its Executive Director ever since.
When you talk to Stephanie, you can tell she is different.
She listens more carefully than most…
She makes eye contact more comfortably…
She is more at ease in the silence that arises during important conversations…
You have probably met people like Stephanie, who are able and willing to share their soul with strangers.
(I believe that people who have looked over the abyss are changed by it.)
Anyhow, on Thursday, I am having a conversation with Stephanie on Zoom about Suicide for our monthly training series.
Normally, the monthly trainings are only available to organizational members and individuals who buy a seat.
That doesn’t feel right, though, for this topic.
We’re going to make this one available to anyone for free.
There’s a catch… My zoom account can only handle 3,000 people. When it fills up, it won’t allow anyone else to register.
Here is the link to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/9016991051241/WN_LbPedgJBTOS2l_GzvU_bDw
If Zoom says registration is full, you can sign up to receive the recording here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe1WLGxKPbAgMG2HGHOwdh3PnyMMjow4gAG6S6yGyn-YuuGkg/viewform?usp=sf_link
I would like to ask your help. I have a list of questions I would like to ask Stephanie, but I would also appreciate you emailing me your questions. We will have a little time at the end for audience questions, but this way I can make sure that some of the most important questions get answered.
Here are some of my questions:
- What are common myths?
- What are the warning signs of suicidal ideation?
- What do we do if we suspect suicidal ideation in a professional setting? Personal? What about confidentiality?
- How do mental illness, substance abuse and trauma change suicide or what we should do?
- Is it different for teenagers vs. adults?
- If anyone watching this is experiencing thoughts of suicide what would you tell them?
- What should our organization do after a suicide or an attempt?
See you on Thursday!
peace,
Ryan
p.s. You have my blessing to forward this email to ANYONE who might benefit from learning more about this important and difficult topic.
