We’re joining fellow members of the National Suicide Prevention Alliance (NSPA) and organisations and communities around the world to raise awareness of World Suicide Prevention Day.
World Suicide Prevention Day takes place on September 10 and this year the theme is Creating Hope Through Action.
Our members Katerina Georgiou, Andrew Kidd, Glenda Roberts and Naomi Watkins-Ligudzinska have been exploring the idea of hope in suicide prevention.
And we’ve also brought together a compilation of suicide-related presentations, articles and good practice resources. Access the resources for free.
Andrew, a BACP-accredited therapist with First Psychology in Glasgow, and Glenda, founder of Exploring U Counselling and JustTalk2019, based in Sudbury, Suffolk, have recorded a video each with some of their thoughts on hope.
Naomi, CEO and co-founder of Lincoln-based NW Counselling Hub, said: “The word hope to me means being able to see something positive, even in your darkest moments.
“Hope is the silver lining on a grey cloud. It's the peak of sunshine bursting through the dark clouds.
“When I'm having a dark moment and I feel I'm struggling, I remember all the people that we’re helping and why we're doing what we're doing.
“My husband supports me, he always gives me hope and positivity when I'm feeling low.
“To try and grow hope we talk about options, we talk about support networks, we try to use positive language daily, we encourage our staff to have extra breaks and support each other with kindness.”
Katerina, who is based in London and runs KG Counselling & Psychotherapy, said: “The word hope brings up for me the thought that there's a way through the fog for people in despair
“Hope looks like a future with options, where you're able to feel alive.
“When I’m not feeling hope I hold onto musical memories from my past, which trigger immense feelings of nostalgia which I channel to my future.
“How do you help build hope? Through giving people space to be themselves and staying humble.”
Suicide prevention resources
A compilation of suicide-related presentations, articles and good practice resources for members.
The importance of listening to people experiencing suicidal thoughts
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