7 Tips to Effectively Deal with an In-School Suicide

January 29, 2015 by Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker

7 Tips To Effectively Deal with an In-School Suicide

Imagine for a second you are dealt with an emergency situation in your building, where you have to react immediately to an in-school suicide. What do you do? Do you have measures in place for such an incident? With your emergency response plans, evacuation plans, and school lock down procedures, do you have a suicide action plan in place? Let’s revisit our procedures and know what to do when we are forced to react and don’t have the time to properly respond. I have given you an example of what should be done immediately. Please use this and share with other administrators and school leaders. This week, I had two phone calls from school communities that each had to deal with an in-school suicide. One was a suicide in the bathroom, and the other was a suicide in the main gym. Could you imagine if this was your school and you were the one that was looked to as the leader? Could you imagine this happening at 7:30 am while you are preparing for another great day with staff and students? What would you do at that very moment? Whether you are a teacher or administrator, what are you going to do . . . Right Now! Before writing this blog, I called some of my trusted friends in education, mental health, and law enforcement. I wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing by getting their feedback and support before I would put this out publicly. The response from each one was met with a pause and a quick jolt of reality as we’re not expecting to have to deal with this. My friends, this is reality and we have to deal with the possibilities. I hope my words and video can serve you in your leadership and gain the trust of your families and school community. Never were you given a certificate in your administrative training where you were taught how to deal with this type of crisis. It’s real life and as leaders we have to be prepared for real life. I have outlined my 7 Tips to Effectively Deal with an In-School Suicide here: The First Step –BREATHE (You are the leader and your students and staff members are looking to you for guidance, support, and leadership)

Clear the area immediately – This is now a Crime Scene

The Second Step – Go To School Lock Down Procedures immediately This includes:

Make the Phone Calls –
- Call 911
- Call Superintendent
- Call School Support Services
- Call Community Mental Health
- Call Grief Counselors
Nobody talks or alerts the media
Nobody puts anything out on social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
The situation needs to be given its respect and the parents/family needs to be notified
Alert System – Phase 1
- The school should be proactive and use their school-wide community communication and let people know there is a situation at the school
- Advise the parents that they can pick up their kids at a designated place and time

The Third Step – Evacuation Plan (This depends on where this may have taken place and what size school you are)

Clear the building of all teachers, staff members, and students
Clear the general area and keep the kids in classrooms

The Fourth Step – Grief Counselors for Staff and Students on hand The Fifth Step – Staff Meeting as soon as possible The Sixth Step – School Closed

This depends on the size of the school and the day of the week when we open school back up
This also depends (unfortunately . . . but it does) on the type or the popularity of the student

The Seventh Step – Alert System – Phase 2

Communication to the parents and the community
Let them know about the Grief Counselors and that they are available
Answer the general questions with respect to the family
Make yourself available

* Jeff Yalden is a suicide prevention specialist and youth motivational speaker. Jeff specializes in teen inspiration and embracing parents. For 23 years, Jeff Yalden has addressed high school and middle school audiences all over the world. His presentations are fun, interactive, and memorable. When asked to bring a student body back from a suicide, Jeff is the man. He cares and comes in and makes himself available answering the questions that may never be answered, ultimately giving teens, staff, and parents an understanding of today’s teens. Jeff brings the kids to understand that life is hard, but we must move on. Visit Jeff’s website www.JeffYalden.com and contact Jeff for your next high school assembly. You’ll be glad you did.

Depression – The Common Cold

January 22, 2015 by Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker

“If you only knew how I feel!” I know many people who suffer from depression echo these words every day. What is depression and how do we deal with it everyday? First, depression is a condition we deal with. It’s not who a person is. Depression is a flaw in the brains chemistry, not a person’s character. If you are suffering from depression you’ll understand this: “You wake up only to want to go back to bed. You think nobody understands your feelings and thoughts, or what you are going through. “Just do it!”, people say. As if it were that easy. You try and get ready, but your extremities feel like they’re weighted and moving is a chore. You are totally numb and anything you’ve once enjoyed, you seem to have lost total interest. You want to be alone. You want people to be with you, but you don’t. You want people to understand, but they can’t. How can they when YOU don’t even understand? You’re just numb! Numb to life. You’re emotionally not present. It’s like you are drowning yet you look around and everyone is breathing life. You avoid friends, you end up hurting relationships, make bad financial choices, and you see life speeding by, but you are left standing on the sideline. Depression is a constant feeling of being numb. Numb to emotions. Days aren’t really days when you are depressed; they are just annoying obstacles that need to be faced, but end up being avoided. How do you face each day? Through medication, through drinking, through smoking, through drugs, through cutting? When you are depressed, you grasp onto anything that can get you through the day. That is what depression is. It’s not sadness or tears; it’s the overwhelming sense of numbness and the desire for anything that can help you make it from one day to the next.” I am Jeff Yalden, and although this is how I feel much of the time, I am a professional in the mental health field working with teens, parents, and educators. I suffer from depression myself. Anxiety too! While I am sharing this with you, I’ll just let it all out. I am diagnosed with bipolar type 2 and PTSD. I am fully aware of who I am and the triggers that effect my mood swings. I regularly see a counselor and am close with my doctors and medication. Thank you! I am proud to have a platform where I can openly share who I am, not just what I do. I have a message for you: It doesn’t have to be like this. There is help and there is a better way to live with depression. Please read and if this is you, I encourage you to lose your ego and open your heart to a medical professional and get help immediately. Clinical depression is more than just the “blues,” being “down in the dumps,” or experiencing temporary feelings of sadness we all have from time to time. Depression is a serious condition that affects the mind and body. It impacts all aspects of everyday life including eating, sleeping, working, relationships, and how a person thinks of himself/herself. People who are clinically depressed can’t just “snap out of it.” If not treated by a professional the symptoms can continue for weeks, months, and even years. The good news is that there are very effective treatments to help those who are depressed. However, only about one third of those that are depressed actually receive treatment. This is very sad because reports say that upwards of 80-90% of those that seek treatment feel better within weeks. For a variety of reasons many people don’t seek treatment. Some believe that depression is the result of a personal weakness or character flaw. Like diabetes, heart disease, or any other medical condition, clinical depression is an illness that should be treated by a mental health professional or physician. Another reason why many people do not seek help for depression is that they simply do not recognize the signs or symptoms that something may be wrong. Depression, also known as “The Common Cold” of mental illness not only causes suffering to those who are depressed, but it also causes great pain for their family and friends who often do not know how to help. Types of Depression Major Depressive Disorder – This impairs a person’s ability to work, sleep, eat, and function as he or she normally would. It keeps people from enjoying activities that were once pleasurable, and causes them to think about themselves and the world in negative ways. Major depression is often disabling and may occur several times in a person’s life. Dysthmic Disorder – Pronounced (Dis-Thy-mia). This is a milder yet more enduring type of major depression. People with dysthymia may appear to be chronically mildly depressed to the point that is seems to be a part of their personality. When a person finally seeks treatment for dysthymia, it is not uncommon that he/she has struggled with this condition for a number of years. Bipolar Disorder – Also knows as manic-depression or manic-depressive disorder. This condition is characterized by mood that alternated between periods of depression and periods of elation and excitable behavior knows as mania. For people who have bipolar disorder, the depressions can be severe and the mania can seriously impair one’s normal judgement. When manic, a person is prone towards reckless and inapropriate behavior such as engaging in wild spending sprees or having promiscuous sex. He or she may not be able to realize the harm of his/her behavior and may even lose touch with reality. Cyclothymic Disorder – Milder yet more enduring type of bipolar disorder. A person’s mood alternates between a less severe mania (known as hypomania) and a less severe depression. Mood Disorder – General Medical Condition – Depression may be caused or precipitated by a known or unknown physical medical condition such as hypothyroidism. Substance – Induced Mood Disorder – Depression may be caused or precipitated by the use or abuse of substances such as drugs, alcohol, medications, or toxins. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – This condition affects people during specific times or seasons of the year. During winter months individuals feel depressed and lethargic, but during other months their moods may be normal. Postpartum Depression – A rare form of depression occurring in women within one week to six months after giving birth. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder – This is an uncommon type of depression affecting a small percentage of menstruating woman. It is a cyclical condition in which women may feel depressed and irritable for one or two weeks before their menstrual period each month. Adjustment Disorder – Another common type of depression has to do with life changes. Adjustment disorder causes depressed mood, and it can be the result of the death of a loved one, divorce, moving to a different town, or even changing schools. Symptoms of Depression People who are depressed or manic may not experience all of the following symptoms. Some will have many symptoms. Some will have just a few. The severity of symptoms will be different for each individuals and will vary over time. If you are experiencing some of these symptoms or if you have questions about whether you may be depressed or manic, you should consult with your physician or a qualified mental health professional. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, or has made plans to do so, you should seek the help of a mental health professional, call your physician, or call 911. There are several symptoms of depression. Among them are:

Withdrawing from family and friends
Losing interest in social and extracurricular activities
Lack of energy
Feeling tired most of the time
Anxiety
Irritability
Anger
Feelings of sadness for much of the time
Significant weight fluctuations
Sleep pattern changes
Physical pains and aches, or sickness, even though there is nothing physically wrong
Indifference about the future
Afraid of being a burden
Uncharacteristic pessimism
Guilty feelings
Lowering self-esteem
Suicidal thoughts

While these symptoms can be experienced by nearly everyone at some point in life, it is important to be able to tell depression apart from the normal roller coaster of life. ** A general rule of thumb for recognizing depression is that five or more symptoms will persist without break for more than two weeks. Treatment for Depression Depression can be treated. If you are self medicating through substance abuse, over the counter medications, alcohol, cutting or self harm, please speak to a medical professional as soon as possible. Getting help requires you to pick up the phone and make an appointment. Within a couple of weeks you will feel better and you’ll be thankful you made this decision. Everybody is different. For some, therapy alone works well, while for others, medication is needed. Most people respond favorably to a combination of therapy and medication. However, it is important to realize that medication can become habit forming, and that it should only be used while under a doctor’s care, and only as directed. ——————————————————————————- Jeff Yalden is a motivational speaker who speaks to nearly 250,000 people each year in high schools, middle schools, and parent / community presentations. Jeff specializes in teen depression, mental health, and talking to parents about teens and technology – cell phones and the use of social media. Jeff is an expert on the relationship between parents and teenagers and bridges the gap between the two. For more information on Jeff Yalden, please visit www.JeffYalden.com. There you will find out about Jeff’s TV Show coming up, his Radio Show, books, and Podcast. Also, visit Jeff Yalden on YouTube and watch his videos.

Texting Acronyms for Parents of Teens

January 2, 2015 by Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker

Warning: Can be shocking to some! Your kid has something to hide CD9: Short for “Code 9,” which means parents are around. KPC: Keeping Parents Clueless MOS: Mom Over Shoulder P911: Parent Alert PAL: Parents Are Listening PAW: Parents Are Watching PIR: Parent In Room POS: Parent Over Shoulder Your kid’s personal information or safety is at risk ASL: Age/Sex/Location F2F: Face to Face. Asking for a meeting or video chat LMIRL: Let’s Meet In Real Life NAZ: Name/Address/ZIP MOOS: Member of the Opposite Sex MOSS: Member of the Same Sex MORF or RUMORF: Male or Female, or Are Your Male or Female? RU/18: Are You Over 18? WUF: Where You From? WYCM: Will You Call Me? WYRN: What’s Your Real Name? Your kid shouldn’t be involved in this 143, 459 or ILU: I love you 1174: Invited to a wild party 420: Marijuana GNOC: Get Naked On Cam GYPO: Get Your Pants Off AMEZRU: I Am Easy, Are You? IWSN: I Want Sex Now KFY or K4Y: Kiss For You KOTL: Kiss On The Lips NIFOC: Nude In Front Of The Computer RUH: Are You Horny? TDTM: Talk Dirty To Me Not every acronym is bad BRB: Be Right Back CWYL: Chat With You Later CYT: See You Tomorrow IMHO: In My Humble Opinion IMNSHO: In My Not So Humble Opinion L8R: Later LMK: Let Me Know NM: Never Mind ROTFL: Rolling On The Floor Laughing SOHF: Sense Of Humor Failure If you’re curious about another acronym that you’ve stumbled across in your kids’ texts or chat, look it up on NetLingo. It has a continually updating list of online acronyms, along with their various meanings and origins. As any parent will tell you, dealing with teenagers and preteens is a fine balancing act. You want to give them freedom to explore, but you also need to keep tabs on what they’re doing. Click here for 5 dangerous apps you don’t know your kid is using. I recommend friending or following your kids on any sites they use. If they know you’re watching, they’re less likely to do something they shouldn’t. Plus, you can keep an eye to make sure they aren’t revealing information they shouldn’t or talking to people who aren’t safe. Of course, you never know what sites they might be using that you don’t know about. That’s where monitoring and tracking apps and software come in handy. You can keep tabs on everything they do online. Just be sure to communicate with your kids about why certain sites are bad so they can grow into responsible digital citizens. In fact, you should start before they’re teens with my 10 Commandments for Kids Online. It’s a contract between you and your child about the do’s and don’ts of our digital life. Jeff Yalden is a youth motivational speaker and celebrity teen and family life coach. Visit Jeff at www.JeffYalden.com.

My Death Needs To Mean Something

January 2, 2015 by Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker

“My Death Needs to Mean Something!” – Leelah Alcorn Five Facts You Need to Know – Leelah Alcorn

Suicide is never the answer! Her message could have been heard louder and longer had she been supported by her family with unconditional love and support. We could have used her voice, not her death by suicide. My name is Jeff Yalden. I am a Suicide Prevention Trainer and Celebrity Teen & Family Life Coach having worked with families and teens for 23 years. Teen Suicide touches my heart because I was there at 16 years old and 21 years old. Today, I suffer from depression and anxiety and I am diagnosed with Bi-Polar Type 2 and PTSD. This is my work and my passion. The point I want to make in this blog is about unconditional love and support in regards to Leelah and her needs not being met. I understand unconditional love. I also understand supporting your child under different circumstances. This particular issue is about how I feel when your child has emotional issues, is gay or lesbian, bisexual or transgender. In my professional opinion, the parents should have been open and understanding where their daughter needed their support and didn’t get it. Leelah needed the love and affection from her parents and family and if her parents and family chose their faith and their religious views over the needs of their daughter then they failed their daughter. That is the bottom line. I am saying “If”, because I don’t want to speculate any further about conversations within their walls of their home. In the end, this is very sad and unfortunate. Being a teenager is hard enough. Growing up in today’s world where we are on and worried about being judged by our peers is hard enough. Having to be accepted and fit in is an everyday challenge. Then, having to grow up and dealing with everyday teenager stuff and NOT having the support of our family is unfathomable and ultimately is the cause of Leelah’s decision to end her life. Her cries for help weren’t answered and they weren’t taken seriously. Read her posts . . . (Here). This is what Leelah says. In regards to her family all I am reading is that they are still referring to their daughter as “He”, “Him”, and I don’t think they are respecting her wishes. Read the latest article . . . (Here) – It’s more disturbing and speaks loudly about the challenges she faced. Again, I don’t know what the family knew or how deep her pain and needs for love and acceptance were. She was only 17 years old. Born Joshua Alcorn, a boy and at the age of four, he felt he was a girl trapped in a boy’s body. Her cries for help weren’t supported by her devout Christian parents who forced her to go to conversion therapy, which seeks to change sexual orientation through counseling. This practice has been banned in two states on grounds it is medically unfounded and puts children in danger. The argument on the internet now is whether or not the parents should be help responsible (Dan Savage) and charged. Could this suicide have been prevented if the parents were more open-minded? Sure, I think so! The message is greater than what will happen to the parents. The message needs to be heard by all parents and teens suffering emotionally and spiritually. Listen to your childs needs and desires. Open your heart to understanding that today’s teens and youth are different then when we as parents were growing up. Listen to them and understand them. Support them and embrace them in their journey. (** Again, I am referring to this particular issue. Whereas, if your child is struggling with addiction to drugs or alcohol then I have a whole different take and belief as to the role of a parent and supporting their child. You can love them unconditionally, but to support them is going to be different. I am more tough love in this case. Another blog post about the difference in circumstances and the role of a parent in supporting and unconditionally loving their children.) First and foremost, there is difference between unconditionally loving and supporting your child. To unconditionally love your child, but not support your child is not unconditionally loving your child. It is loving your child conditionally. To love your child unconditionally is to love and support your child, children, spouse, partner, or friend(s) for the person they are or choose to be. Think of it as how your dog loves you. Your dog doesn’t judge you. Your dog is always waiting to greet you. Your dog loves you more than your dog loves itself. You might not agree with the sexual orientation of your child or how they dress, but you support them unconditionally and lovingly accept them (period!) In my opinion, the parents didn’t do this and that is where I think they failed their daughter leading to her suicide. In Leelah’s case, she was convinced for many years she was a girl living in a boy’s body. That should have been addressed – Meet her needs first before getting her to understand the families morals and values. As Dr. Stephen Covey says in his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”

leelah-joshua-alcorn-suicide-note-1-copy

Suicide Note left by Leelah Alcorn

I don’t feel that scorning the parents is the answer. What does that do now? The parents are grieving and have to live with this the rest of their lives. Suicide may have freed Leelah from the pain, but now her pain is transferred to her parents and they have to live with their inner conscience of what they did right or did wrong as parents. They will pray and ask God for forgiveness as we should forgive them as quickly as society is judging them right now. This is a lesson for all parents in raising their children. Listen to the cries of your children. If you are not, you are failing your children. The parents wanted Leelah to be the Joshua they named him at birth. They wanted their child to be the perfect straight Christian little boy they had hoped he’d be. Well, at age four Leelah was conflicted. She was a girl living in a boy’s body, she says. Why wasn’t her feelings and emotions respected? Why wasn’t this supported through counseling and help? Conversion therapy isn’t the answer to a young lady at in her preteen years to 17 years old. The parents failed by not listening to the cries of their daughter. Parents fail their children everyday by not listening to the cries of their children. Using death to send a message is never the answer. The message is heard for a few weeks, but then life resumes and suddenly we will speak less and less about transgender and the loss of Leelah. There is help and there is hope. Suicide is preventable and doesn’t ever need to be the final decision. It takes courage and time. Things change over time. Everything changes over time – depression, people, things, places, life. Leelah needed love and support. She needed to be heard and not judged. Leelah needed acceptance and understanding, she needed love and support. She needed this from her family. Millions of teenagers struggle everyday in their walk through life with who they are and who they’re becoming. Society doesn’t make it easy for anyone. Everything is watched and talked about. Social media puts people on 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. In short, this suicide could have been prevented if:

The parents were open to who their daughter was and respected her emotions and feelings
Her parents supported her and learned more about why she felt this way
Leelah chose to get help with her own emotions and feelings by asking to see a professional therapist
The family chose to see a therapist together
Society wasn’t so judgemental
People would stop thinking it’s their way or no way
People would become more open-minded and accepting
We would judge less and forgive more
The right people had the courage to help Leelah speak to the right (professional) people
She felt loved and not judged

Where does God and our faith come in to this? Pope Francis has started to ease up on the Bible’s teachings. Here is just one article about Pope Francis . . . (Read). Many of people in the Churches pulpit are gay or lesbian and they’ve become accepted. So, who am I to judge? In the end, I personally have to answer to God when He calls my name. You are going to judge me here. I know and that is fine. I accept it. I work with youth and families. I stand strong on who I am as a man and my morals and values. I go to Church, I pray, and I am learning to read the bible. This is what I do and I don’t expect my neighbor to do the same, but I still love and respect my neighbor for who they are. My family has their beliefs and they all walk in their faith at their pace. Whom am I to change that? I can only inspire and influence by my actions and how I live. Understand, I am not perfect. Who is? When it comes to working with youth, teens, education, and families I have a completely different take on faith, religion, and spirituality. I try and teach young people to have courage through life’s battles and self respect to make good choices. My audience is usually teens searching for answers to life’s questions. I meet my audience at their level and where they are in life. I don’t expect my 16 year old daughter to love Jesus as I do. I can encourage the House of God, the Bible, and Prayer, but at 16 years old I know hormones and changes are more powerful than the mind wanting to know Jesus. You can disagree all you want, but I will not challenge you on how you raise your children. What works for you in your house is your business. What works for me within my four walls works for me and I am constantly open to learn and change. In time, I know my influence and how I live my life will speak volumes. The message will be received when the student is ready. Like leading a horse to water, right? To my kids, I will support them unconditionally. Circumstances will certainly play a role in how I support them and the support I show. Some things are completely unacceptable and my support will be “TOUGH LOVE.” I’ve been there and I’ll do it again. My children and your children may not understand “Tough Love”, but I promise, someday they will and they will “Thank You” for it. Our children make choices in life. This is the experience and the lessons they learn as they grow up. Personally, I want them to have a passion and enthusiasm everyday and to live life with morals and values as I try and teach them. I have my set of morals and values and my living them I hope will influence them as they figure out their own. I want them to do what is right. I will show them what is right. What is right for me doesn’t always make sense to a teen all the time. They don’t understand life yet. They’re figuring it out and I want to to figure it out through successes and failures, good times and bad times. My parents supported me and I know many times they were left shaking their heads. They loved me through tough times and supported me through many of the tough times, but they also left me to figure it out because they didn’t support a decision I was making. They gave me tough love at times and I am grateful they did. In the end, Leelah chose to end her life. This is what I am saddened about. It doesn’t ever have to end like this for anyone. There is help and people should have been more open to encouraging the help, rather than judging her for who she felt she was. Many people are at fault for the end result. Not just the parents. The ultimate responsibility lies on Leelah because she knew what she was doing. She could have gotten help rather than taking the cowardly way out leaving us all to pick up the pieces. RIP Leelah! The Video: “My Death Needs to Mean Something!”

Who is Jeff Yalden? Jeff Yalden is a Teen Suicide Prevention Trainer and Expert. For 23 years, Jeff has worked with teens and parents across the globe. As a Youth Motivational Speaker, Jeff specializes in high school assemblies, parent and community programs teaching teens about life and supporting parents in their understanding of today’s teens. Please visit Jeff Yalden at www.JeffYalden.com for more information. Also, follow Jeff on Social Media – @JeffYalden Mental Health Professionals, Schools, Parents, and Communities – Watch Jeff’s Message – 4 Tips To Prevent Teen Suicide

Suicide Prevention . . . There is HOPE!

December 5, 2014 by Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker

Suicide

Your Role in the Prevention of Suicides By Jeff Yalden, CSP, Suicide Prevention Expert Suicide is a a major concern that is invading schools and communities at an ever increasing rate and your school is not immune. Every day it is estimated that 85 individuals commit suicide in the United States alone and for every death by suicide there are 25 suicide attempts. Suicide has climbed to the third leading cause of death for youth ages 15-24 with ‘accidental deaths’ ranking second. I deal with suicide and mental health weekly. It’s surprising when I talk to students, parents, faculty, staff members, and administrators, to hear they are often surprised when they hear how vulnerable their community is to depression and other mental heath concerns. Suicide is taboo. Let’s not talk about it. 90% of suicides are a result of depression, a form of mental health. Suicide is preventable and there is HOPE. Online Training is Available . . . The truth is that we are in a national, regional and personal war against suicide with our focus on not only saving lives but on ending stigma toward suicide and other mental health concerns. How are we supposed to prevent suicides when a majority of well educated professionals in leadership roles do not recognize that this problem exists right under their leadership, in their communities, in their schools? Interpersonal research on suicidal communications among significant others has shown that one of the most common responses of friends and family members to a threat of suicide is no response even though, 90 percent of people thinking about taking their lives have communicated their intentions to others. If you suspected that a friend was suffering from pneumonia or a broken leg, you would most likely do something to intervene. Peoples’ response to a possible suicide crisis tends to be much more complicated, though it does not have to be. We have to stop being afraid to talk about the “S” word. Most people have not been educated on the warning signs and symptoms of suicide and there fore do not know what to look for when anticipating whether someone they know is at risk for suicide. Most people do not know how to talk to someone about suicide and most people struggle with how to get help for someone that they feel could be at risk. One common myth about suicide is the thinking that if I talk to the person about suicide, I might make him or her feel worse, or worse yet, I might put the idea in his or her head. This myth is simply not true. In fact, most individuals who attempt or complete suicide are ambivalent about the act of taking their own life up until the point that they attempt or complete suicide. Most individuals want desperately to be helped and saved from the pain, but in feeling trapped or stuck begin to think that suicide may be the only option. Most suicidal individuals enter that point in which they actually intend to take their own lives only briefly until the state of crisis is over. Suicide can be stopped with basic training in the a) warning signs, b) ways to talk to a suicidal individual, and c) places to refer him or her for immediate help. This is the training that I do in schools and communities. I am on the front lines of suicide prevention, but it is essential that you educate yourself about the ways that you can help. I am offering a certified suicide prevention training (Question, Persuade, Refer [QPR]), to all students, faculty, and staff members. This 90-minute to w hour training is designed to help provide the critical skills necessary for non-mental health professionals when faced with a possible person/student of concern. QPR training is engaging and informative to all faculty, staff, and students and includes information on: • The problem of suicide nationally, and locally • Common myths and facts associated with suicide • Warning signs of suicide • Tips for asking the suicide question • Methods for persuading suicidal individuals to get help • Ways of referring at risk people to local resources • AND time for Questions and Answers With medical costs costing an attempted suicide between $5,000 and $30,000 dollars, you have to address this issue now and take advantage of this important and very crucial training. Another reason why you need to address teen suicide is because each week I hear from educators, teachers, and communities about their schools having suffered through not just one suicide, but multiple suicides within days, weeks, months. How about six suicides in four weeks? How about nine teen suicides in one year? What are you doing? In doing so you will learn that individuals who are at risk for suicide are not that different from someone in physical pain; emotional pain can be harder to see if you’re not looking. For more information about QPR Training with Jeff Yalden, contact 800-948-9289 or email us today. We can also come to your facility and train your staff members. Sign up for an Online Suicide Prevention Training with Jeff Yalden.

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