Suicide affects millions of people worldwide. In the United States in 2020, there were nearly 46,000 suicide deaths, equating to one death every 11 minutes. Additionally, 12.2 million people seriously thought about suicide, 3.2 million made a suicide plan and 1.2 million attempted suicides.
In addition to the person committing suicide, family and friends are also affected and left in the wake of their loss. Survivors of Suicide Loss Day, created by U.S. Sen. Harry Reid in 1999, is recognized each November on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
Parkwest Medical Center and Peninsula will host an event for Survivors of Suicide Loss on Nov. 19, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. intended for those affected by suicide to come together for healing and support. This event is free to attend; advanced registration is required; and it will be held at Parkwest Medical Center, 9352 Park West Boulevard, Knoxville, Tennessee.
Register: To learn more or register for the Nov. 19 Survivors of Suicide Loss Event, visit TreatedWell.com/Survivor or call 865-374-PARK (7275).
Resources: If you or someone you love is having suicidal thoughts, call or text the National Suicide Prevention at 988.
Peninsula, a division of Parkwest Medical Center, offers a free support group to help those grieving work through the pain.
ComPASS, or Communicating the Pain as Suicide Survivors, provides a safe place of support where members gain understanding and education during their grieving of the loss of a loved one. ComPASS currently meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 6-7:30 p.m. in person at Peninsula Lighthouse, 1451 Dowell Springs Blvd. in Knoxville, lower level, and is open to the public. A Zoom link is available for those wanting to join from another location. To learn more or to join the group, visit PeninsulaBehavioralHealth.org/Compass or call 865-374-7106.
Meet the keynote speaker
After losing her son to suicide, Denise Meine-Graham didn’t think she would ever do anything normal again.
Denise Meine-Graham
“I had an acquaintance from church come visit me a few days after it happened,” she recalls. “Her son had taken his life five years prior, and I remember being so surprised that she was capable of driving her car all by herself. Seeds of hope were planted that day.”
Meine-Graham attended the National LOSS Conference in 2013, where she learned about the active postvention model. She connected with other suicide postvention advocates and launched a LOSS team the following year. Since then, the team has launched several aftercare programs, including support groups and a one-on-one “companioning the bereaved” program. The services are based on a model of care developed by Alan Wolfelt Ph.D., who is recognized as a leading grief counselor, author and educator on topics related to death and mourning.
“We don’t all grieve the same, so we don’t all benefit from the same type of support,” says Meine-Graham. “I initially attended a support group that was not suicide-specific. While I had a positive experience, this is not the case for many loss survivors. Suicide deaths still carry a stigma, and loss survivors can sometimes feel judged, shamed and isolated. There’s just something indescribably special about connecting with fellow loss survivors.”
To Meine-Graham, having an official day to recognize survivors of suicide loss is an important step of validation. “The day says: We see you. We know there’s no getting over this. We want to recognize you and give you an opportunity to connect with fellow suicide loss survivors who are learning not just to survive, but to thrive after this life-changing loss.”
Meine-Graham has completed a death and grief studies certification program offered by Dr. Wolfelt. She is a psychological autopsy investigator and is trained in several suicide prevention programs. Meine-Graham has helped over 5,000 suicide loss survivors since 2014 and travels throughout the country supporting other communities.
Learn more or register for the free event here or call 865-374-PARK (7275).