CASP Hosts Virtual Event on International Day for People Impacted by Suicide Loss

PRESS RELEASE 

“The Power of Suicide Bereavement Support Groups” on November 18, 2023

Canmore, Alberta, Canada: International Day for People Impacted by Suicide Loss (IDPISL) is Saturday, November 18, 2023. On this day, events will take place in Canada and around the world, whereby those impacted by suicide loss can gather to find fellowship, to remember loved ones, and to share stories of loss, healing, and hope.  

To recognize this year’s IDPISL, the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP) will host an online event entitled, “The Power of Suicide Bereavement Support Groups”, on Saturday, November 18th, 2023, 1:00-2:30 PM EDT, featuring a diverse panel of speakers who will share about their experiences with suicide bereavement support groups. 

Panelist, Rebecca Sanford, has lived experience of suicide loss and attended a suicide bereavement support group early in her grief journey before becoming a group facilitator. She shares, “Suicide bereavement support groups offer an important opportunity for loss survivors to connect with others who understand and can relate to the uniqueness of the experience, thus reducing feelings of isolation and loneliness and supporting feelings of hope.” 

Joining Ms. Sanford on the panel are Jocelyne Ludgate and Shawna Salwach, both of whom have lived experiences of suicide loss and Sakina Rizvi, who works with individuals bereaved by suicide loss. Rounding out the panel is Mara Grunau, Executive Director of the Centre for Suicide Prevention (CSP).   

This day will also mark the launch of a new resource, Suicide Bereavement Support Groups: A Guide, which presents promising strategies and best practices for facilitating safe and effective suicide bereavement support groups for people impacted by suicide loss.  

While CASP and CSP partnered on the guide, the project was a huge collaboration, as CASP’s Executive Director, Sean Krausert, explains, “The launch of this Guide marks the culmination of several years of collaborative work among stakeholders, working groups and support group facilitators and we are all very proud to see this resource available to suicide bereavement support groups in Canada.” 

Coordinated by CASP’s People Impacted by Suicide Working Group, this year’s IDPISL event will include a traditional Indigenous opening and closing, virtual smudging, as well as time for reflection and community as we gather online to observe this special day. 

For more information about CASP’s IDPISL event, their Postvention Alliance, and Suicide Bereavement Support Groups: A Guide, please visit the organization’s website.