When Suicide Comes to Church: Pastoral care approaches in working with suicidal people and those bereaved by suicide - Rotorua (WCC2025/05)

Discover how faith and spirituality can enhance mental wellbeing and provide vital support to those you minister.

Reflect on suicide from your faith perspective.

Enhance your pastoral care skills by learning effective approaches to mental illness, trauma, and suicidality. This is a valuable chance to make a real difference.

Empower your ministry with fresh insights. Learn valuable approaches that will help you connect and support your congregations and community more effectively.

Understand the profound effects of funeral rites on both suicide contagion and the grief experienced by those left behind. Gain insights to contribute effectively.

Churches are an under recognised setting for suicide prevention. Compassionate pastoral care responses to those in despair or bereaved by suicide, knowing about what are useful and not so useful messages in a funeral service can contribute to effective suicide prevention. Internationally suicide among clergy is on the increase. With early intervention we can ensure it is not the case here. Understanding why those who have experienced abuse by church personnel have higher rates of suicide should inform the pastoral care responses to the abuse

Don't miss this specialised workshop for those in pastoral ministry! Perfect for clergy, chaplains, lay preachers, youth ministers, and pastoral care workers to sharpen their skills and inspire change.

Workshop Programme
The training consists of a 1 day in-person workshop and two 3 hour online workshops.

Training Rationale

The impact of suicide on family and communities including faith communities can be devastating. So how do faith communities respond when suicide comes to church. This response is not only in providing pastoral care to those bereaved by suicide but also to those experiencing mental illness, psychological distress, trauma or suicidality. 

Studies reveal that while 85% of clergy understand their duty to support those in a suicide crisis, they often feel unprepared to provide effective help. Those in ministry who are equipped with deep insights into suicide and its impact, can offer enhanced pastoral care, prayer, and discernment to those affected. Pastoral counselling in ministry should include skills to identify and respond competently to suicide crises.

From a suicide prevention standpoint, faith communities can foster compassion and support for people who are experiencing hardship, and can use theological reflection to help people make meaning, especially the understanding of suffering and despair. 

Both here in Aotearoa-New Zealand and internationally we are now seeing a rise in suicide among clergy and pastors. Learnings from such suicides indicate that the pastoral response to congregations requires a very sensitive and nuance postvention response.

Faith leaders often serve as first responders in the aftermath of a suicide, influencing the family's healing process. Compassionate pastoral care can facilitate recovery, whereas insensitive handling can exacerbate feelings of shame and unresolved grief. The approach taken by faith leaders is pivotal in shaping the bereaved family's journey through grief.

Workshop Description

Focused on providing a comprehensive understanding of suicide, this workshop covers recent research and key considerations. It examines the thought process leading to suicide and the underlying causes. Participants will learn about risk and protective factors, and strategies for engaging and supporting suicidal individuals.

We will explore the distinctions between pastoral care and counselling approaches, and determine when it is appropriate to refer someone to a professional therapist or mental health clinician.

Theological and dogmatic teachings on suicide, both past and present, must be considered for their implications and impact. Suicide involves religious, moral, and ethical dimensions. Participants will reflect on these aspects and their personal values and beliefs regarding suicide throughout the day.

The sensitive issues of suicide in clergy as well as suicide among victims of institutional or clergy abuse and its impact of families and faith communities will also be covered.

The positive impact of faith and spirituality on personal wellbeing is notable, with faith communities playing a vital role in enhancing the wellbeing of their members. Introducing the 'well parish' concept emphasizes comprehensive ministry. Furthermore, the potential contributions of churches to community-based suicide prevention initiatives will be examined.

Topics covered:

• Overview of suicide and the “suicidal moment”
• Suicide risk and protective factors
• Suicide and religion: Risk or protective?
• Suicide by clergy and pastoral leaders
• Salvation or damnation: the implications of theological & dogmatic teachings about suicide on pastoral care approaches
• Common Language: the intersection of faith and wellbeing
• Institution and clergy abuse associated suicide
• Working with the suicidal person in a pastoral care context

Online Workshops

Workshop 1:  Supporting those bereaved by suicide      Monday 7 April 9.30am - 12.30pm

People bereaved by suicide experience higher levels of depression and trauma and there are  grief issues specific to suicide bereavement.  Ministry to those bereaved is enhanced from an in-depth- understanding of suicide grief and trauma and best practices in safe and effective support. Suicide can greatly strain or even shatter bereaved people’s faith and anger at God is not uncommon. Topics covered:

• Answering the question of why?
• Suicide related grief
• Ministry and support for those bereaved by suicide
• Impact of suicide on a faith community

Workshop 2: Honouring Not Glorifying   Monday 7 April 9.30am - 12.30pm
Webinar 2 addresses the complexities of conducting a funeral for someone who has died by suicide. Given the rising suicide rates, particularly among young people, it is crucial to avoid actions or statements that may inadvertently glorify suicide. This session will explore how to handle discussions about the deceased's suicide, balancing transparency with respect for privacy. Participants can bring their questions and dilemmas to discuss best practices for honoring the deceased without glorifying their death. Topics covered:

• The role of ritual in bereavement support
• Issues of concern in death by suicide funerals
• Mitigating the risk of suicide contagion
• Honouring Not Glorifying: Walking the fine line of difference 
• Role of tangihanga or funerals in community debriefing
• Helpful & unhelpful messages when speaking about suicide in funeral or tangihanga

Online Workshop Recordings:
Participants with pastoral ministry commitments who cannot attend live will be able to view a recording of the online workshops.

Who should attend:
Clergy     Chaplains     Church workers     Lay Preachers     Pastoral care workers       
Youth ministers     Theology students and lecturers

What Other Participants’ Have Said

"The whole team who attended were impressed with the depth and breadth of the well grounded research, real life stories, and professionalism in talking about suicide.  An added bonus is that you bring a solid understanding of theology and tradition that underpins your input around funerals and other rituals.We liked your interactive approach that harvested wisdom from participants.The team took away some significant learnings"    Diocesan Pastoral Care Coordinator

“His practical advice along with Barry's compassionate care and concern and his understanding of pastoral care, this workshop addresses this challenging pastoral concern. Would recommend as a must attend to anyone in ministry."     Pastoral Care Worker

"I feel far more informed and equipped to minister to those who are grieving and those who attend funerals at my church"     Church Pastor

"Barry's depth of understanding of faith and spirituality made this workshop not only relevant but deeply enriched my ministry."     Parish Priest

“An inspiring workshop which gave me many powerful insights into those who are in pain or are grieving”
Chaplain

HEAR FROM AWARD WINNING SUICIDOLOGIST BARRY TAYLOR

With 35 years of leadership at the local, national, and international scales, Barry has been instrument in assisting community to respond to suicide using strength-based approaches. His pioneering initiatives have enhanced well-being and prevented suicide

Barry's vast experience with those affected by suicide, his leadership in loss and grief, and his role as a funeral celebrant make him a trusted practitioner. His work in the ecumenical movement, inter-faith dialogues, and interest in faith's role in mental wellbeing position him uniquely to understand the complexities of suicide from a pastoral ministry perspective. Trust Barry to provide compassionate and insightful support.

He offers extensive international experience in lecturing and training across various cultural environments. He has often been invited to deliver lectures at theological colleges on supporting individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts, the role of rituals in the grieving process, and pastoral care for those bereaved by suicide.

With roles including State President of the National Association for Loss & Grief (Victoria) and convenor of the Victorian Loss & Grief Practitioners Accreditation Board, he has made notable contributions. He designed and delivered a national training program for the Australian funeral industry on loss and grief. His 26 years of experience as a funeral celebrant provide substantial expertise in conducting funerals for those who have died by suicide.

After a number of years overseas, Barry is living back in New Zealand, passionate about building the knowledge base, competence and capability to effectively respond to the unacceptably high rate of suicide in this country.

WORKSHOP DETAILS

WORKSHOP PLACES ARE LIMITED. REGISTER EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT

Places in each workshop are limited. If the workshop is full please register your name on the waitlist. 

Payment:  Payment is by either Visa or Mastercard.  

Organisations can request to pay by invoice. At the payment method part of the registration process click on Change and select Pay By Invoice

Terms for Payment By Invoice

By selecting Pay By Invoice the organisation agrees to the following conditions:

1.  Your place in the workshop is not confirmed until payment has been received. Payment of the invoice must be made within seven days of registering to avoid having your registration cancelled. Late payment fees apply.

2.  A Tax Invoice from TaylorMade Training and Consulting will be sent to you separately which will contain bank details for payment.  

3.  By registering for the workshop, you agree to the cancellation and policy. (refer below).  Organisations who cancel within seven days of the workshop and have not paid the invoice for the outstanding registration fee are still obligated to pay the outstanding debt.

Catering: This workshop is fully catered. Please indicate in the registration process if you have any particular dietary requirements.  If you register after the registration closing date, while every effort will be made, your dietary requirements may not be able to be catered.

Scholarships: There is a limited number of partial and full scholarships for those wishing to attend the workshop. Full scholarships are available for mental health consumers, carers and volunteers. Partial scholarships of either 25% or 50%  off the registration fee are available for full time tertiary students in health, social service and disability related courses. Further information and how to apply for a scholarship is available on the TaylorMade website.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

Workshops can fill quickly. If you are no longer able to attend the workshop please cancel your registration as soon as possible. The following refund policy is strictly adhered to.

Cancellation up to seven days prior to the commencement of the workshop:  Full Refund less $30 + GST admin fee

Cancellation within seven days prior to the commencement of the workshop: No refund but registration can be transferred to another person. To transfer your registration log on to your registration and update the name and contact details to the new person attending.

No show on the day of workshop:   No refund

Cancellation of Workshop by TaylorMade: TaylorMade Training and Consulting (TMTC) reserve the right to cancel the workshop if there are not the minimum number of registrations. If cancelled, participants will be offered a refund either by way of a credit to attend another TMTC workshop (within 12 months of the cancelled workshop) or full refund of their registration fee.  Refunds will made by electronic transfer into a bank account specified by the participant. TMTC accept no responsibility for any other costs incurred by participant as a result of a workshop cancellation. 

Disclaimer:  The information provided in the workshop handout notes and at the workshops are the views of the trainer, and do not necessarily reflect the views of TaylorMade Training and Consulting. The information and professional advice delivered in the workshop and the associated printed material is provided solely on the basis that before relying on this material, participants should obtain appropriate advice relevant to their particular circumstance to evaluate its accuracy, currency, completeness and relevance for their purposes. TaylorMade Training and Consulting will not be liable for any damages of any kind to any person or entity arising from the use of this information. Your attendance at this workshop reflects your acceptance of this statement.

Organiser Contact Details

Barry Taylor 

Principal Consultant |  TaylorMade Training and Consulting
Mobile:  022 397 9294
Email:  registration@4wellbeing.nz   Website:  www.4wellbeing.nz