On September 26, 2024, mental health advocate and suicide prevention expert Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas, Psy.D. MNM presented to IWIL members and friends a webinar on Understanding and Preventing Suicide and other Mental Health Emergencies. The program was very well-received by the IWIL community, and Dr. Spencer-Thomas’ message on suicide prevention continues to be timely and relevant. We are delighted to offer this additional resource to help leaders navigate the aftermath and effects of suicide when it affects their organizations.
Suicide prevention is understandably the focus for many organizations; however, when someone dies by suicide, they leave behind suicide loss survivors who must deal with the loss of their loved one, friend, and colleague.
The Survivors of Suicide Loss Task Force define postvention, a term often used in the suicide prevention field, as “an organized response in the aftermath of a suicide to accomplish any one or more of the following:
- To facilitate the healing of individuals from the grief and distress of suicide loss
- To mitigate other negative effects of exposure to suicide
- To prevent suicide among people who are at high risk after exposure to suicide
Postvention is best when it is organized, immediate, and includes short- and long-term responses in the aftermath of a suicide loss to make space for processing the loss, mitigate the adverse effects of exposure to suicide, and promote healing for suicide loss survivors.
All too often, suicide loss survivors in organizations are overlooked; however, the National Committee for Workplace Suicide Prevention and Postvention offers A Manager’s Guide to Suicide Postvention to help support organizations in navigating the need for a response and best practices in how to do so. The stigma of suicide often leads to stifled responses and complicated emotional and organizational impacts on suicide loss survivors. The guide provides actionable suggestions for organizations for the immediate aftermath of a loss, short-term strategies to support affected individuals, and longer-term approaches to acknowledging anniversaries and remembrances and supporting individuals in the workplace even long after the initial shock of a loss has subsided.
Resources:
Workplace Suicide Prevention, Mental Health Promotion & Worker Well-Being Program and Strategy Development (Quick Start Guide) – Based on the National Guidelines for Workplace Suicide Prevention