American Association of Suicidology

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Historical Trauma and Historical Healing: Interview with Abigail Echo Hawk | Episode 87

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Historical Trauma and Historical Healing: Interview with Abigail Echo Hawk | Episode 87

Historical trauma is often understood to be multigenerational wounding caused by the cumulative impact of major events inflicted upon a specific cultural, racial or ethnic group. When it comes to research about health and well-being, Western modalities of understanding human experience are limited and biased, further driving disparities and truncated views that can cause even more harm. By contrast, a strength-based, Indigenous framework of understanding resists the narrow view and on-going trauma of colonialism and focuses on restoration and healing. In this interview I speak with a “Storyteller of Health” and epidemiologist Abigail Echo Hawk about her vision of an anti-racist approach to data collection and recovery among tribal communities.

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The Gaming Community and Suicide Prevention: Interview with Fenway Jones | Episode 86

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The Gaming Community and Suicide Prevention: Interview with Fenway Jones | Episode 86

While many non-gamers might have only heard of some of the potential negative consequences of excessive (mostly video-based) gaming (e.g., desensitization, sleep deprivation, and neglect of other life priorities like academics, work and exercise), those inside the gaming community (especially board and role play-based games) have come to realize there are many well-being benefits:

  • Often radical acceptance and unconditional regard

  • A virtual community that is highly accessible and inclusive

  • A reprieve from the toxicity of bullying, harassment and discrimination

  • Opportunities to learn and excel in problem-solving and communication

  • A chance to envision and experiment with ideal versions of themselves

In this episode, I speak with the amazing Fenway Jones, a high school student who is changing the world. We talk about the psychological benefits of being a part of a positive gaming community. We also discuss how she has made meaning after losing two friends by engaging the gaming community in suicide prevention.

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Suicide Research to Practice -- Closing the Gap: Interview with Prof. Nav Kapur | Episode 85

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Suicide Research to Practice -- Closing the Gap: Interview with Prof. Nav Kapur | Episode 85

When it comes to the field of Suicidology, we often work in silos. The researchers, clinicians, public health practitioners, advocates, and crisis service stakeholders often focus primarily in their own communities, finding comfort and validation in joining with others who share similar culture, values and priorities. When it comes to groups implementing best practices, collaboration with researchers is essential. In this interview I speak with internationally renowned expert on suicide and self-harm, Prof. Nav Kapur from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom. We discuss some of the tensions and opportunities that we face as we bridge research to practice.

Suicide is the Untold Story of Gun Violence in the US -- Why Gun Safety is Suicide Prevention: Interview with Dr. Michael Anestis | Episode 82

Suicide is the Untold Story of Gun Violence in the US -- Why Gun Safety is Suicide Prevention: Interview with Dr. Michael Anestis | Episode 82

According to Everytown for Gun Safety, nearly 2/3 of all gun deaths in the US are suicide fatalities. A surge in firearm purchases during the last year have many in the suicide prevention field concerned about increasing suicide rates long term, because the research is clear — easy access to lethal means for suicide increases risk for people when suicidal intensity surges.

In this podcast, I speak with one of the worlds leading experts on guns and suicide. Dr. Mike Anestis shares concrete action steps we can take as we work toward a collaborative solution to keep our homes safer from suicide.

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Critical Suicidology -- Why Our Traditional Approaches in Suicide Prevention Have Failed: Interview with Jess Stohlmann-Rainey | Episode 72

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Critical Suicidology -- Why Our Traditional Approaches in Suicide Prevention Have Failed: Interview with Jess Stohlmann-Rainey | Episode 72

Critical suicidology is an emerging area of scholarship and advocacy that brings together expertise from diverse perspectives to re-examine all that we have believed to be “true” about suicide prevention. Critical suicidologists question the highly medicalized framework of understanding a suicidal person and see suicide in context by understanding how other frameworks — like social justice — expand our imagination on what is possible in prevention, intervention and postvention.

In this conversation with Jess Stohlmann-Rainey, we talk about the ways traditional efforts in suicide prevention have failed us including:

  • Forced treatment

  • Fear-based approaches of restraint and isolation

  • Trying to predict suicide risk

And instead explore alternative, creative and upstream approaches to suicide prevention such as transformative justice work, mutual aid peer support, and accountability in making reparations for histories of harm done to communities.

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Crisis Services & People of Color -- We Can Do Better: Interview with Vic Armstrong | Episode 71

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Crisis Services & People of Color -- We Can Do Better: Interview with Vic Armstrong | Episode 71

Centuries of discrimination and brutality have led to historical trauma impacting generations of people of color in the United States. Add to this significant current trauma of racially fueled violence the fact that communities of color experience disparities in access to qualified care, and it’s not surprising that we are seeing increased despair among BIPOC people. We are also seeing incredible resilience — at the individual and communal levels — and creativity as people of color find ways to cope. In this interview, Vic Armstrong and I talk about many hot topics:

  • Complex trauma in Black communities

  • Systematic racism and the treatment gaps in services

  • The trends in Black suicide rates

  • The shifting role of the Black church in suicide prevention

  • Distrust, crisis services and communities of color

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Building Bridges at the Crossroads of Suicide Prevention -- Leadership Call to Action: Interview with Dr. Jonathan Singer | Episode 68

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Building Bridges at the Crossroads of Suicide Prevention -- Leadership Call to Action: Interview with Dr. Jonathan Singer | Episode 68

Leadership is tested during times of crisis, controversy and social unrest. The best leaders rise to the occasion and can create opportunities for meaningful and lasting change. In the world of suicide prevention, voices of activists are challenging established ways of doing things, and in many ways the field is at a crossroads. Many are finding themselves re-examining the questions and methods of our research, the protocols of some of our “treatments” and crisis services, and the systemic racism and other social determinants of suicide that have not received enough attention.

In this interview, I have the honor of interviewing Dr. Jonathan Singer, the current President of the American Association of Suicidology, who has weathered many transitions and challenges during his leadership tenure with grace and significant impact. He shares his story of how he became the leader he is today and invites others to find their voices to change the field to be more inclusive and effective.

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Workplace Suicide Prevention Training: Interview with Gabriela Malafaia | Episode 65

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Workplace Suicide Prevention Training: Interview with Gabriela Malafaia | Episode 65

The workplace is arguably the most cross-cutting system in suicide prevention. Just about everyone who dies by suicide or attempts suicide was working, was recently working, or has a close friend or family member who is working. Thus, just like we promote CPR training at our job sites to save lives, we should also consider on-going, skill developing suicide prevention training programs. In this presentation I interview Gabriela Malafaia, a leader in People’s Management in the oil and gas industry. We discuss the many reasons why workplace suicide prevention training is the right thing to do and list several best practices to leverage a tiered approach. Sharing a number of case studies, we conclude that successful training initiatives not only improve the confidence and competence of a workforce dedicated to making suicide prevention a health and safety priority, impactful training actually helps drive a caring culture.

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Cutting through the Clutter — How to Effectively Get your Message of Suicide Prevention Heard: Interview with Dr. Bart Andrews | Episode 42

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Cutting through the Clutter — How to Effectively Get your Message of Suicide Prevention Heard: Interview with Dr. Bart Andrews | Episode 42

Recently, with major news coverage of the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why” and celebrity suicide deaths, we are having more conversations about suicide, but are we having the right conversations? Are we telling a more powerful tale? In this episode Dr. Bart Andrews shares his story of deciding to “come out” as a suicide attempt survivor, how he challenges “safe messaging guidelines,” and what he believes are most important suicide prevention messages need to be.

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Join the Social Movement of Suicide Prevention -- Welcoming the New and Needed Voices: Interview with Colleen Creighton | Episode 41

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Join the Social Movement of Suicide Prevention -- Welcoming the New and Needed Voices: Interview with Colleen Creighton | Episode 41

If you are thinking about getting involved in suicide prevention or suicide grief support, we need you. You have a place and your voice matters. Learn more in this interview about how to get involved in my interview with Colleen Creighton, Executive Director of the American Association of Suicidology.

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"Why Would God Do This?" -- Faith, Religion and Suicide: Interview with Dr. Melinda Moore | Episode 40

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"Why Would God Do This?" -- Faith, Religion and Suicide: Interview with Dr. Melinda Moore | Episode 40

Faith community leaders are often first responders after a suicide death. Sometimes, as in my family’s situation, faith leaders do an amazing job in supporting a highly traumatized and confused family through their grief journey and facilitate a memorial service that both honors the life that was lived without shying away from the tragedy of suicide. Other times families feel compounded shame and guilt and experience additional layers of loss because of how faith leaders address suicide. Faith beliefs are sometimes shattered in the aftermath of suicide, and anger at God is not uncommon….According to Dr. Melinda Moore, 85% of clergy know that helping people in a suicide crisis is part of their responsibility, but they don’t know what to do. In this interview with her, we explore some of the findings from a recently released guidelines from the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention called “Suicide Prevention Competencies for Faith Leaders: Supporting Life Before, During, and After a Suicidal Crisis.” We also discuss ways that faith communities can offer support through the National Weekend of Prayer and the resources offered through the “Faith-Hope-Life” campaign.

From Awareness to Action -- Best Practices in Training for Suicide Prevention: Interview with Dr. Paul Quinnett | Episode 15

From Awareness to Action -- Best Practices in Training for Suicide Prevention: Interview with Dr. Paul Quinnett | Episode 15

With high profile celebrity suicides dominating the headlines in June, the topic of suicide was on the mind of many. While we still have a ways to go to undo the misperceptions, prejudice and discrimination that surrounds suicide and suicidal intensity, we need move beyond just "raising awareness" in our efforts.

We need to take action. 

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Making Meaning after a Mental Health or Suicide Crisis: Interview with Dr. DeQuincy Lezine | Episode 7

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Making Meaning after a Mental Health or Suicide Crisis: Interview with Dr. DeQuincy Lezine | Episode 7

For people who are in the midst of a mental health or suicide crisis, the focus is often “how do we survive this?” How do we get through each day? Sometimes it’s an effort just to get by moment to moment. It’s hard to consider how to integrate these experiences into the narrative of our lives. In this episode, we hear a powerful story of a man who has been a role model for so many in showing us how this can be done. Listen in to learn more from the science, stories and strategies Dr. DeQuincy Lezine shares. Here you will find some practical tools on how to turn our wounds and darkest days into sources of power and inspiration as we move forward on our hero’s journey