People with Lived Experience
A history of suicide attempts is a major risk factor for suicide (see Risk and Protective Factors for Suicide page). Care coordination and continuity of care are important ways to reduce suicide risk among persons who have attempted suicide.
People with lived experience are individuals who have first-hand knowledge of suicidal thoughts and behaviors because they have lived through one or more suicidal experiences. When planning your suicide prevention efforts, be sure to solicit the unique perspectives of people with lived experience and engage them in prevention planning, treatment, and community education.
Learn More
- See the Recommended Resources below selected by SPRC personnel.
- See our page on Centering Lived Experience.
- See All Resources Related to Attempt Survivors and People with Lived Experience (below) for a full list of materials, programs, trainings, and other information available from SPRC. Use the filters on the left to narrow your results.
- For more on other groups and settings, see our Populations and Settings pages.
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Recommended Resources
A journey toward health and hope: Your handbook for recovery after a suicide attempt
Guides people through the first steps toward recovery and a hopeful future after a suicide attempt. Includes personal stories from survivors who share their experiences as well as strategies, such as reestablishing connections, finding a counselor to work with and creating a safety plan.
Engaging Suicide Attempt Survivors
In this four-minute video, attempt survivor and community mental health provider Barb Gay shares how survivors of suicide attempts can help us improve prevention, transform care, and save lives.
Overcoming Fear Together
Although the field of suicide prevention has made enormous strides in recognizing the contributions of people with lived experience, it has not totally overcome the fear of engaging suicide attempt survivors in their own recovery as well as in efforts to prevent suicide and improve the systems that help people recover. Attempt survivors are still […]
The Way Forward: Pathways to hope, recovery, and wellness with insights from lived experience
This guide offers information on how to create a sustainable program for survivors of suicide attempt.
A voice at the table
This documentary highlights the need for the voices of individuals with lived experience to inform suicide prevention planning, policy, and training.