The NSPA – National Suicide Prevention Alliance, is a group of individuals and organisations that have come together to bring both awareness and help to those affected by suicide. Their theme this year is, Working Together to Prevent Suicide. One of the key factors they highlight, is the importance of taking time to really listen to a friend or colleague who might be feeling low. Perhaps asking twice, since it’s a familiar trait for many of us to brush off our mental health needs and pretend everything’s fine.
The IASP, the International Association for Suicide Prevention, offers a beautiful ritual of lighting a candle in your window at 8pm, as a way of remembering a loved one or as a gesture of support. This reminds me of how important rituals are in helping us process grief and loss. Catholics light candles in their churches, Hindus burn incense. Taking time to find a ritual that feels right for you, can help bring us into the present moment, to be with our grief, and to find a gentle way of honouring it.
Lisa Snook - Art Psychotherapist 