CHANGING LIVES & SHARING HOPE ONE HUMAN EXPERIENCE AT A TIME

Living through a suicide attempt comes with many emotions, all of which are valid. Acknowledging the complex emotional landscape following an attempt, AND SO I LIVED is a healing-centered education program created for individuals with the experience of a survived suicide attempt. Designed to help learn to navigate a new compassionate, empowering journey, the program focuses on personal growth, strength development and skills for navigating future challenges as a way to move forward and embrace a life of living.      

Words are powerful and well intended conversations can often be more hurtful than helpful when discussing mental health, trauma, substance misuse and suicide. There is a safe and UNsafe way to have these discussions.  The first step in helping others is knowing how to speak responsibly, respectfully and safely while utilizing person-first language. Stigma tends to disqualify individuals from social acceptance and devalues the worth of the person as a human, discounting who they are.  BECAUSE WORDS MATTER, your words matter. When we use labels, harmful or outdated language, we defy the dignity and humanity  of a person.   When we know better, we do better; knowing better is critical in saving lives.

Help and Support after a tragedy or difficult life experience is important. Our HELP HOPE HEAL events are incredibly unique and designed specifically for those who've experience a death of despair such as suicide loss or overdose, and for those who've survived a suicide attempt. Our decades of postvention support and experience, with an onsite grief educator, provides survivors with an incredibly helpful and healing event to connect to others and move forward with their personal losses and lived experiences. Help Hope Heal events are beneficial to whole communities. 

Hope is often the last thing lost when our lives are in despair. It takes tremendous strength to survive a suicide attempt and emerge from active addiction or traumatic life circumstances.  Healing is possible and life is worth living when we can HELP HOPE LIVE. There are things we can do to promote recovery, enhance emotional regulation and strengthen the internal belief that our lives hold immeasurable value, significant meaning and intentional purpose.  We can all do better meeting people where they are - without leaving them there - and learn to help engage on a journey of lifelong compassionate growth, self-recovery and renewal. Distress fuels distress, but hope changes things. 

Suicide is preventable when we know what to do. Safety planning and discussions on access to lethal means is an evidence-based, practice based skills and conversation vital to preventing death and saving lives when the risk of suicide is present. KEEP THEM SAFE addresses the actions needed to increase safety when someone is at risk and when suicide is present. An environmental strategy of facilitating a life-saving discussion regarding access to lethal means during the crisis period can oftentimes be the difference between death and life.  (Additional Keep Them Safe safety planning trainings are available including but not limited to: Substance Use, Self-Harm, etc.)

Trauma has the power to change everything, often turning our lives upside down, inside out and sideways. Much science and research exists behind the physical and emotional impact on the body and the need to be able to heal from the inside out. Trauma is stored as pain in our body, it manifests physical and emotionally. There are things we can do to reset our mind, body and spirit; unlocking tissue memory promotes natural healing, and growth in the recovery process. LIFE IN RESET provides a greater level of understanding to help us help ourselves, and each other, after difficult life experiences.   

MEET THEM IN THE MIDDLE intervention training guides participants on critical components through the journey of intervening with suicide to help keep someone safe and alive. Suicide is preventable, but only when we know what to do. Trainees learn how to responsibly intervene, de-escalate and negotiate when suicide is present and life is danger to help the individual create a plan for safety. This highly interactive training allows for the understanding of personal experiences and follows a guided model rooted in evidence, best practices methods and evidence-based experiences. Training includes situational practices and requires self-reflection and skills demonstration. Knowing where we end and the next person begins is crucial when it comes to saving lives. Preventing suicide is the responsibility of everyone and intervening is within the capability of anyone. Understanding the elements of a verbal intervention and addressing the risk of loss of life can only happen when we meet people where they are and extend safety for immediate protections from this life and death situation. 

A comprehensive, developmentally appropriate Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum, MY LIFE IS A BIG DEAL is designed to foster growth and emotional intelligence while developing and strengthening coping skills to nurture a resilient mindset in youth K-5th grade. Aligned with CASEL's core competencies, youth are guided to explore and embody values of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making through an ongoing series of structured lessons. By nurturing character development and resilience, My Life is a Big Deal cultivates lifelong well-being, empathy driven connection and overall empowerment to be good humans to ourselves and others. (This program includes a stand-alone suicide prevention component developmentally appropriate for elementary aged youth.)  

Designed to teach individuals what to recognize when suicide may be present, the RECOGNIZE RESPOND REACH comprehensive suicide prevention program includes how to respond appropriately with care and concern and actively REACH for help for oneself or someone else. The program emphasizes the importance of having a safe, honest and meaningful conversation about suicide. By integrating education with action this program promotes early identification of suicide risk and protective factors, allows for intervention and provides for a connection between youth and parents/guardians with supportive services. This program introduces coping strategies and utilizes a specialized REACH Card for times when we may not have words, The card encourages help-seeking behaviors and includes actionable steps and accessible resources for others to help when needed. REACH also encourages identifying adult safety connections and includes a vital home component to empower families and communities to be able to Recognize Respond and REACH as well.  

RECOGNIZE RESPOND REACT pathfinder training is a foundational suicide prevention program designed for anyone and everyone regardless of role or background. REACT equips participants with the knowledge and tools to identify signs of suicide risk, determine if suicide is present and take supportive, potentially life-saving action. The program also builds a greater understanding of the complexity and contributing circumstances of suicide, breaking stigma and fostering a community of informed, prepared individuals who can serve as a first line of support for someone in crisis. This training meets you where you are and empowers you to be a pathfinder for hope, safety and connection whether you're a youth, educator, parent, peer, or community member. REACT allows for recognition of the warning signs and risk factors, teaches how to respond by asking clearly and directly in a compassionate and informed way and utilizes an actionable steps to increase immediate safety, promote help-seeking and ensure access to supportive resources.

Many unsung heroes respond to crises daily on the front lines without regard for themselves and their own needs. RESCUING THE RESCUER acknowledges the conditions of mental health with suicide prevention, intervention, postvention and supports for de-escalation. This training is for individuals serving as and for First Responders (of  any/every kind) as well as those who love and support them. Everyone has mental health, we owe it to ourselves and each other to know when we aren’t OK.  Learning to respond to the Rescuer's mental and emotional health is everyone's duty in honoring and supporting their selfless service; this is how we help save the lives the individuals who show up to save the lives of others daily. 

WHEN LIFE GOES postvention training is a best-practice approach model to respond to support and stabilize survivors after life has been lost. This course allows for a greater understanding of those experiencing the complex loss of suicide, traumatic deaths and deaths of despair while building skills on how to best support individuals with empathy, respect and coordinated care. Postvention is a responsible, organized and safe response crucial for those left behind. This program helps to promote a culture of compassion, connection and healing for those closely impacted.  Grounded in best practices and trauma-informed approaches, the training focuses on reducing the risk of further harm in acknowledging the depth and uniqueness of grief; fostering safe and supportive environments; guiding immediate and long-term response; mitigating potential negative impacts of suicide exposure and provides a framework for sustained healing.