Embracing Uncomfortable Conversations
Scotty McCreery’s Season’s Change album and aptly titled hit, Five More Minutes is a riveting reminder of life’s seasons and a difference minutes could make. Our collective resilience is tested as we find ourselves at a pivotal moment—a moment to Change the Narrativesurrounding mental health and suicide prevention. Upstate professional, Lucila Beaton, a dedicated Licensed Social Worker (LISW), co-founders of Mending Hearts Initiative (MHI) and Life Transitions, LLC owner, Anisha Blanding remind us in their individual but collective efforts, that it’s time for our communities to become comfortable with having uncomfortable conversations. An MHI goal is to “raise awareness and have open (and hard) conversations about mental to help reduce the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health.” These conversations are essential, especially within communities where mental health and suicide impact lives profoundly.
Educate Yourself/ The Columbia Screener
Echoes of agreement are found among mental health professionals, such as, Shantell Cox (MHI) who encourage people to learn about mental health signs and symptoms. Know when professional help is necessary—“familiarize yourself with the Columbia Screener—an invaluable tool for suicide prevention and intervention. The Columbia Lighthouse Project believes that everyone, from families to friends, neighbors, and colleagues, plays a role in preventing suicide. The Columbia Protocol empowers anyone, anywhere, to identify suicide risk and save lives.” As such, support services, such as, Life Transitions, LLC, explores emotional disturbances that disrupts daily life functioning and aids in developing therapeutic approaches, tools, and techniques to manage and improve mental health. See link: https://cssrs.columbia.edu/the-columbia-scale-c-ssrs/cssrs-for-communities-and-healthcare/#filter=.healthcare.english
Be a Safe Space
Offer nonjudgmental support. Create an environment where they can share without fear. Spaces where conversations flow freely, unburdened by judgment or overreaction are needed. Pender (MHI) notes “the increase in suicidal ideations and suicidal behaviors, especially within the youth and young adult populations. As a profession, combating this stigma is crucial in the fight against suicide as it allows individuals to seek the help they need without fear of judgment or rejection, ultimately saving lives and fostering hope.”
Family Counseling
Its impact on suicide awareness is profound. In family counseling, teens find a safe haven to discuss mental health openly. See *Books, Some in Alzheimer’s article
Hope Through Action
Let’s Change the Narrative. Be the Change. Five More Minutes… Reach out. You are not alone.
**Resources: If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health-related distress or is worried about a loved one, you can reach out to the National Suicide Prevention | 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline:
Call or text 988: Confidential, free, and available 24/7/365
Chat at 988lifeline.org: Connect with a trained crisis counselor online
Life Transitions, LLC: https://www.lifeandtransitions.com/about-5 ; https://www.lifeandtransitions.com/faq
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