Each year nearly 45,000 people die in the United States by suicide. This leaves over 1 million close relatives in the United States every year who have survived the suicide of a loved one. Survivors of a loss to suicide are often left with a unique grief full of questions, and conflicting feelings, guilt, and anger. In addition, society’s stigma about suicide often leaves people feeling very alone and misunderstood.
The Surviving After Suicide Class is designed to help survivors of suicide express and understand the troubling grief, stigma, sadness and pain they feel in a safe and supportive environment. The Helpline Center is pleased to offer this ten week education and support class for survivors of suicide. Each class focuses on a unique aspect of survivor grief and is followed by a support session allowing members to share their stories. The supportive mourning process is guided by a guidebook and journal which includes practical strategies for coping and healing.
Surviving After Suicide is a ten-week education and support class for adults who have lost a loved one to suicide. The class is designed to help survivors express and understand the powerful grief they experience, in a safe place with others who have also lost a loved one to suicide. The class is appropriate for those whose loss is recent and those who have been struggling with their grief for an extended time without support.
The Surviving After Suicide weekly support class is held each January, April, and September and there is no cost to participants. If you have any questions or you’d like to register, please contact Wendy Mamer at the Helpline Center by calling 211 or you can reach her through email at griefsupport@helplinecenter.org. The Surviving After Suicide class is sponsored by the Helpline Center, the only crisis line in South Dakota certified by the American Association of Suicidology.
