[WORKSHOP HALF-DAY]: Holding Space for Suicide Distress

About the workshop:

In many spaces suicide distress is discussed through a risk-averse lens that centres organisational safety over human connection. Part of having a more human approach to supporting people starts with addressing common myths and misconceptions about suicide, as well as approaching the support in a way that upholds dignity, autonomy, and human rights. This workshop aims to build the skills of attendees, is built on the foundations of lived experience wisdom and is facilitated by people with lived experience of suicide distress.

Who this workshop is for:

This workshop is for lived experience community members that want to learn skills around more compassionately supporting people in distress who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts.

At LELAN we define lived experience as having been through mental health issues and/or distress, social issues, or injustice that is so significant we have to have to reimagine and redefine ourselves, our place in the world, and our future plans [Louise Byrne & Til Wykes, 2020].

Themes covered:

• common myths and misconceptions

• addressing who risk-averse approaches really protects

• the reality of harm caused by clinical approaches, police, and forced interventions

• what it really looks like when dignity, autonomy, and human rights are upheld in responses to suicide distress

• skills for connecting and supporting people in suicide distress that are centred in compassion

Structure of the day:

This is an interactive facilitated workshop that will include presentation of information by the facilitator(s), large and small group discussions and reflective exercises. The knowledge, skills and diverse experiences of participants will be drawn on to create an environment of dialogue, shared learning and community.

Workshop facilitator:

The lead facilitator for this workshop will be Emrys Temple-Heald (He/Him), Peer Training Coordinator. 

You can learn more about the LELAN team at www.lelan.org.au/our-people. 

*If you have not registered for the 'Sharing Stories Safely' online module, or have not completed this previously with LELAN, we encourage you to do so. 

The 'Sharing Stories Safely' content will encourage reflection on how we manage our own needs and boundaries but will also explore strategies for caring for others when sharing our stories. This will provide a foundation to work from leading into the workshop days. For more information or to register for this online please click here.