Tackling Suicide: A Professional Perspective with Whitcomb Terpening

Suicide carries such a stigma around it that people, including
mental health professionals, feel afraid to bring it up, even
when someone around them may be struggling with the issue in some
way. As the number of suicides and suicide attempts continues to
rise every year, it is increasingly important to break down these
barriers and to engage in open conversations around the topic.
Today’s guest, Whitcomb Terpening, a licensed social clinical
worker, and suicide specialist, runs the only dedicated suicide
practice in the US. In this episode, Whitcomb shares more about
her journey and how it intersected with a professional passion
for treating suicide. We talk about why it was important for her
to establish a practice that was an alternative to in-patient
hospitalization. Suicide is a spectrum and as such, there needs
to be a variety of treatment options available. We also discuss
how to spot suicidal thoughts in people, particularly amid this
coronavirus crisis. Many of the usual signs are more difficult to
notice, so it's necessary to be alert to certain behavior. Along
with this, Whitcomb also illustrates the importance of just
asking someone if they’re struggling with suicidal thoughts.
People often believe that by mentioning it, they will put an idea
in someone’s head, but this could not be further from the truth.
Giving someone a safe place to talk is an incredibly comforting
experience. We also talk about how the community at large can
play its part in preventing suicide, the importance of reaching
out, and some training resources that non-professionals can
undergo to deal with the issue. Be sure to tune in today!


 


Key Points From This Episode:


•    Learn more about Whitcomb’s background, The
Semicolon Group, and the practice.


•    Find out about the personal experience that led
Whitcomb to work in suicide. 


•    Some of the statistics around suicide in the US
that Whitcomb has written about.


•    Coronavirus crisis specific suicidal related signs
to look out for and ways to reach out.


•    How to approach someone you feel may be suicidal
and what to do next.


•    When the right time would be to call for
additional professional help.


•    How to help people dealing with suicide-related
grief during this time and resources to use.


•    Training people can do to equip themselves with
skills around dealing with suicide issues.





Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode 


Whitcomb Terpening on LinkedIn 


The Semicolon Group


We tell suicidal people to go to therapy. So why are therapists
rarely trained in suicide?


How to find a therapist if you’re suicidal


Our Silence is Killing Us


QPR Institute


Texas Suicide Prevention


Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training


CALM: Counseling on Access to Lethal Means


National Suicide Prevention Lifeline


Crisis Text Line