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Suicide survivors to gather for day of healing

By Meghan Erkkinen

Tacoma Weekly
merkkinen@tacomaweekly.com
Published on: November 13, 2008

Suicide survivors will gather at more than 170 sites throughout the country and the world via teleconference for National Survivors of Suicide Day Nov. 22.

Survivors – those who have lost loved ones to suicide – will connect with others during the 90-minute broadcast, featuring a panel of mental health experts and survivors. At many of the sites, the discussion will continue with local panelists and breakout groups aimed at helping survivors heal. Locally, an event will be held at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU).

“It’s a day of healing, it’s a day of finding resources and sharing your experiences and finding answers,” said Catherine North, of Auburn Survivors of Suicide (SOS), which serves survivors in the area of Tacoma, Olympia and Auburn. “We’re just trying to do what we can to support those who have lost someone to suicide and ease the stigma.”

North expects about 75 people to participate in the event at PLU. Following the national teleconference, Auburn SOS is organizing a panel with five local mental health experts and survivors.

Locally, North and Auburn SOS hope to direct survivors to support groups and other resources they may need. Often, suicide survivors face a social stigma that makes friends and regular bereavement support groups unhelpful.

“The purpose is to bring people together that might not otherwise be able to get in touch with each other, people that don’t have any support,” North said. “There are a lot of new participants all the time, which in a way is too bad, but I’m glad they’re finding us.”

Auburn SOS has been around for more than 20 years, one of many SOS groups across the country. Three years ago, the local organization began participating in the national teleconference, put on annually by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Auburn SOS raises awareness locally for suicide prevention and suicide survivors. The group participates in health and wellness fairs and such events as Out of the Darkness Overnight, an event to raise awareness in Seattle and around the country.

“We’re trying to get out in the community and do what we can to raise awareness,” North said. “There is a problem and it needs to be talked about.”

She feels that although more work needs to be done, Auburn SOS and other organizations have made significant strides in recent years.

“There has been more awareness here in the Northwest, and we hope to bring in new people who have never been involved in anything like this before,” she said. “People need to be able to talk about it until they’re done talking about it, which is something they can do at a support group. They get an understanding there that they wouldn’t get from someone who hasn’t lost someone from suicide.”

The local Survivors of Suicide event will be held at PLU’s Ingram Hall, room 100, on Nov. 22. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the teleconference begins at 10 a.m. The event is open to anyone who has been touched by suicide. For more information, visit www.auburnsos.com or www.afsp.org.

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