Red candle: in honor and memory of loved ones who died by suicide
Purple candle: living with suicide grief
Blue candle: living with suicide thoughts, self-harm, attempts
Yellow candle: supporting suicidal loved ones
So many have more than one of those experiences.

At and since the April 2019 annual conference of the American Association of Suicidology, AAS members and others have had many “loud” conversations about the impact of language, culture, and environment on the high number of suicide attempts and deaths in the USA. We need all of us, representing all the experiences with suicide, at “the table” working together to help more people have more reasons to be glad to keep living, even though life will continue to include challenges.

My experience with suicide is both personal and professional, including 34 years as Director of Headquarters Counseling Center (in Lawrence, KS), and since December 2013, working privately with individuals and families in a very non profit way with high accessibility and low fees. I was told in 2015 that I do not fit in the Douglas County (KS) Suicide Prevention Coalition. I value collaboration, and finding and sharing information. I hope that by sharing information in quarterly or so emails (most recent of which I updated for this sharable note), and by some of you sharing information with me, we work together to provide more help to more people.

Support groups that help reduce suicide risk, based in Lawrence, KS:

NAMI Douglas County, KS hosts support groups each Wednesday from 6:00-7:30pm at Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vermont. The first Wednesday of the month is a one hour combined group for people living with mental illnesses as well as family-friend support people, plus a 30-minute educational presentation. Other Wednesdays, the two groups meet separately. NAMI Douglas County also provides the 12-session Family-To-Family program each spring. I serve on the Steering Committee and believe wholeheartedly in NAMI locally and in other communities across the country. More info about NAMI Douglas County is at: https://www.facebook.com/NAMI.Dg.Co.KS

And wait, there’s more!

1) For those of you who are mental health caregivers, who have experienced the suicide death of a colleague, a client, a friend or family member, the Clinician Survivor Task Force of the American Association of Suicidology is a resource for information and support http://cliniciansurvivor.org/

2) For those who are interested in some mental health resources by and for black youth and adults, I would send some information that I gathered for a family in NYC whose teen is suicidal.

3) For those who are interested in mental health resources for people with TBI and suicidal thoughts, I would send some information that I have gathered for an area family.

Douglas County (KS) Behavioral Health Prevention Summit
Thursday, June 25, 2019 at DoubleTree by Hilton, Lawrence, KS
Info, including how to register: http://www.dccca.org/2019-douglas-county-behavioral-health-prevention-summit/

2019 Regional Missouri Suicide Prevention Conferences:
Finding Help and Hope in the Intersections of Despair
July 23 in Kansas City, MO; July 24 in Columbia, MO; July 25 in Cape Girardeau, MO
http://www.cvent.com/events/2019-regional-suicide-prevention-conferences/event-summary-9d86cbdef93e48deac2b04b8ad730c6e.aspx

Building Partnerships to Address Suicide among Adolescents and Young Adults in Region 7 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska)
Thursday, August 8, 2019 in Kansas City, MO
http://event.capconcorp.com/wp/address-suicide/

USA’s National Suicide Prevention Week
Sunday, September 8 – Saturday, September 14, 2019.

World Suicide Prevention Day is always on September 10.

SASS-MoKan 16th Annual Remembrance Walk
Sunday, September 8, 2019, starting at 9:00am. at Loose Park, 5200 Wornall Rd., KC, MO. For people bereaved by suicide. $25 charge includes registration and shirt. More info from Bonnie at bonswade@gmail.com or http://www.sass-mokan.com/Sass-walk/

Words Save Lives 2019.09.10
Tuesday, September 10, 2019, our annualWorld Suicide Prevention Day event: performance night, to build connection and a sense of being valued for everyone at the mic and in the room. Lawrence, KS venue and more info to come from M.Epstein.LMSW@gmail.com and at https://www.facebook.com/events/399224907600627/

A Night To Remember
Friday, September 13, 2019 at Gage Park Amphitheater, Topeka, KS, “to celebrate our loved ones” who died by suicide. Contact Alicia Newberry at Alicia.Newberry@se2.com

7th Annual Shawnee County Suicide Prevention Coalition 5K Walk/Run
Saturday, September 14, 2019 at Crestview Shelter, Topeka, KS. For more info scspcoalition@gmail.com Registration athttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/7th-annual-5k-runwalk-tickets-59713659162

13th annual Freedom of Expression retreat
October 12-13, 2019 at The Light Center in southern Douglas County, KS, our 13th annual retreat for people with loved ones who have died by suicide. More info to come from M.Epstein.LMSW@gmail.com

SASS-MoKan Healing and Hope for the Holidays
Saturday, November 16, 2019 from 1:00-3:00 pm at Shawnee Mission Hospital, Rogers Conference Center, Shawnee Mission, KS More info from Bonnie at bonswade@gmail.com or http://www.sass-mokan.com/remembranceservices/

International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day community workshop
Saturday, November 23, 2019. Lawrence, KS venue and more info to come from M.Epstein.LMSW@gmail.com

53rd Annual Conference of the American Association of Suicidology
April 22-25, 2020 at the Marriott Downtown Waterfront, Portland, OR
Info will be available at https://www.suicidology.org/

During 2019,  (TLC) in southern Douglas County, KS will host a variety of healing workshops for grief, including grief after death by suicide. Our “Thriving While Living With Suicide” Team in 2019 is M.E.; Robin Goff, BSN, RN, MAV, TLC founder and leader, energy healer, bereavement specialist; healer and bereavement specialist, Donna Hanschu; and Shannon Musgrave, Intuitive Medium. Donna and Shannon will be offering a workshop on “Signs & Symbols of Our Loved Ones” with date and location to be announced. Learn about TLC events on Facebook, through their e-newsletter, and at https://lightcenter.info

Very best wishes,
Marcia

PS Love really IS the answer. Yet to those of us who have lost loved ones to suicide, I say: If love could have saved our loved ones, they would have lived forever.

Marcia Epstein, LMSW
Specialist in life changes, reducing suicide risk,
and suicide bereavement support
Steering Committee Member, NAMI Douglas County
Lawrence, Kansas, USA
M.Epstein.LMSW@gmail.com
https://MarciaEpstein.biz