Wesley LifeForce

Our workshops are designed to teach people how to identify the signs that someone may be at risk of suicide and appropriate action to take. Effective interventions can make a real difference and save lives.

All Wesley LifeForce Facilitators are accredited trainers and have completed suicide intervention training. Many are also accredited counsellors.

Overall training goals:

• Identify people who may be at risk of suicide

• Communicate appropriately with a suicidal person

• Ask a person if they are considering suicide

• Conduct a suicide intervention

Training outcomes:

Session 1:

• Awareness of the requirements for classification of a death as suicide

• Understand that suicidal ideation and planning are not linear processes

• Knowledge of the occurrence and demographics of suicide in Australia

Session 2:

• List common barriers to helping a suicidal person including your own beliefs and attitudes

• Be able to identify risk and protective factors

• Differentiate between risk factors and warning signs

• Recognise the association between loss and suicidality

• Understand the cascade of events that can lead to thoughts of suicide

Session 3:

• Capability to be able to implement the SALT suicide intervention strategy

• Identify national and local suicide prevention resources

• Understand the importance of self-care and be able to implement self-care strategies

Patients with mental health issues often turn first to their general practitioners for help. GPs and practice nurses need to have the confidence and knowledge to undertake a suicide intervention when necessary. This comprehensive 6 hour workshop includes an easy to use strategy to identify patients at risk and to intervene and appropriately manage a patient with thoughts of suicide.

‘Mental illness accounts for a large percentage of the disease burden in Australia. GPs see approximately 80% of the population every year and a significant proportion of GP consultations are for mental health or are mental health related. While not all people with mental health issues are at risk of suicide, it is a risk factor. It is important that GPs are skilled in detecting not only the mental health issues of their patients, but also in assessing the person’s risk of suicide or self-harm.’ General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration (GPMHSC). Suicide prevention and first aid: a resource for GPs. East Melbourne, Vic: RACGP, 2016.

‘It is estimated that half of all aged care residents exhibit symptoms consistent with depression, and typically those who currently reside in aged care facilities have low mental health literacy, so identifying issues can be problematic. Unfortunately, this issue is often neglected as it is assumed that depression comes with old age.

More concerning is suicide among aged care residents. Researchers say that between the year 2000 and 2013, 140 residents took their own lives.’

For aged care providers, the safety and wellbeing of residents is paramount. Equipping your staff with the necessary knowledge and skills to recognise and appropriately care for someone at risk of suicide in your facility is vital. The Australian Bureau of Statistics identifies the elderly as a high-risk group.

This four hour workshop teaches aged care nurses how to identify that an aged care resident may be at risk of suicide. It demonstrates how to intervene and the appropriate actions to take to assist them.

This 1 hour workshop builds awareness of the signs that an aged care resident may be experiencing mental ill health or thoughts of suicide. The aim of the program is to assist staff to recognise the potential signs and develop skills to record and report concerns so that residents can get the support they need.

While counsellors already have an understanding of the risk factors of suicide, its prevalence in the community makes it important that they stay informed by current thinking. This comprehensive suicide prevention workshop is based on the latest data and research. It is designed to refresh skills and further develop simple intervention techniques and strategies. Upon completion, participants will be provided with a certificate to go towards annual CPD requirements.

This workshop is suitable for counsellors, social workers, family therapists, mediators, psychologists and any other professional whose role involves counselling.