Making Connections, Sharing Hope: The 31st Annual Healing After Suicide Loss Conference

Mar. 4, 2019 - When suicide loss survivors come together, there is a clear sense of community that occurs with the shared experience of losing someone to suicide. This experience is often new for a suicide loss survivor.  Until meeting others who have lost a loved one to suicide, they may not realize that their experiences are shared with others, who either have or are currently coping with the similar emotions and challenges associated with suicide loss.

With this need for community among loss survivors in mind, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is a proud co-sponsor of the 31^st Annual Healing After Suicide Loss Conference with the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) and Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).  The day-long conference, held Saturday, April 27 in Denver, is a time for suicide loss survivors to come together as a community for learning, sharing and remembering our loved ones lost to suicide.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Making Connections, Sharing Hope” – an apt description for this day of programming and what will be experienced by those who attend. The day includes a keynote from Dr. Jennifer Ashton, physician, author and television correspondent whose ex-husband died by suicide. There will be a panel discussion among loss survivors whose loss was years ago, about their process of connecting to others around this topic. The conference will also include several breakout sessions on creating a sense of meaning derived from their loss, and using writing as a tool to cope with grief.

If you are in need of connection with other suicide loss survivors, or would like to participate in a day focused on learning more about suicide loss, we hope you will join us.