Suicide Prevention in Specific Populations

Preventing suicide in specific populations & settings

Addiction
Men
Assisted Dying
Older People
First Responders
Young People

FROM SAD BLOKES TO WELL MEN: Changing the focus in preventing male suicide

It's time for a serious rethink in how we prevent male suicide and to take suicide in men out of the too hard basket

Well men matter

  • It matters that men are able to optimise their wellbeing.
  • It matters that men are over-represented in poor mental health and suicide statistics.
  • Well men contribute to a well society. And equally unwell men affect the wellbeing of our society.
"Well men"
As a society we know the impact of unwell men. Across all all age and ethnic groups men are the major group who kill themselves every year. The devastating impact of these deaths on whānau cannot be under-estimated as we know see the next generation of younger men also suiciding. The impact of unwell men, especially Māori and Pacific Islander men, is not just in our suicide statistics. They are in our prisons and mental health facilities as well as being over-represented in numerous other statistics such as long-term unemployment, road fatalities, as perpetrators and victims of violence, offending, and addiction.
It matters that men are able to optimise their wellbeing. Well men contribute to well whānau, communities, workplaces, economy and society
Drawing on 35 years’ experience of working with suicidal men as well as epidemiological data and the latest international research findings, this workshop offers a conceptual framework from which to analyse the phenomenon of male suicide so as to inform the development of targeted and effective evidence-based prevention strategies rather than strategies that are opinion-based or ideologically informed. Barry also offers his personal insights as a man who has lived with depression for many years.
"Helping men and boys to transition from sad blokes to well men must be our focus."
Critical to effective suicide prevention initiatives is a critique the underlying assumptions that currently inform our understanding of male suicide and whether these reflect the lived reality of men in 2023. It calls for a fundamental shift in our approach with a greater emphasis on inviting men on a wellbeing journey. From suicidal blokes to well men. For men to be grounded in a positive understanding of their cultural and gender identities that is mana-enhancing, their lives enriched with a strong sense of purpose and meaning, committed to the wellbeing of themselves their whānau and equipped with strength-based strategies that assist in navigating through times of distress and crisis.
Applying both sociological and gender analysis to broaden our understanding of suicide in men, the workshop examines the cumulative impact that social, cultural and economic determinants, such as changes in gender roles and expectations; participation in the labour market, economic reforms, relationship status have had on men’s sense of identity and purpose and ultimately on their wellbeing and the rise in suicide. In assessing suicide risk in men social and cultural factors such as ethnicity, age and sexuality, social and economic disparities, colonisation and intergenerational trauma are just as critical as psychological factors.
Topics include:
  • Overview of suicide in men
  • The Suicidal Moment - Men's thoughts, emotions and behaviour in the "suicidal moment”
  • Masculinity for the 21st Century - Are traditional notions of masculinity meeting the needs of men in 20120? How the changes in men’s roles and identity contribute to suicide in men
  • Intergenerational suicide among men and its impact of whānau and hapū
  • A vision for men’s wellbeing: An holistic approach to conceptualising men’s wellbeing and key mental wellbeing messages for men
What others have said about the workshop
"This workshop should be compulsory for anyone working with men”
Male Family Violence Worker
"The incorporation of Te Ao Māori into the training was excellent and made it relevant to the men I work with”
Kaiwhakatere
"It was as if Barry was talking about every young man I see at school”
School Counsellor
"I have much better understanding about depressed and suicidal men. Going away with lots of ideas of how work with the men in my community”
Rural Support Worker
"Thanks for being inclusive of older men. They are so often forgotten”
Aged Care Worker
"Appreciated how inclusive the presenter was of different cultures and his analysis of how culture influences what it means to be a man”
Refugee Settlement Worker
Workshop Dates 2025
(Click on date for online registration)
Location
Date
Location
Date
Tāmaki Makaurau - Auckland
Ōtautahi - Christchurch
Ōtepoti - Dunedin
Waihōpai - Invercargill
Kaitāia
Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe - Rotorua
Whanganui-a-Tara - Wellington
Whanganui
Whangārei-te-rerenga-parāoa - Whangārei
Online

GREY NOT BLUE: Depression & suicide in older people

This workshop is specifically designed for those who work with older people in community or residential settings in the NZ context.
There are some suicide risk factors that are particular to older people yet rarely are included in suicide risk assessment tools nor covered in suicide prevention training.
Many general population suicide prevention and mental wellbeing campaigns do not or inadequately address the unique contributing factors to depression and suicide in older people.
Studies indicate that the aged care sector is underprepared, the workforce under skilled and there lacks leadership to champion effective prevention strategies and promoting wellbeing in older people.
It is critical that those working with older people are:
  • knowledgeable about the latest research and understanding of suicide in older people
  • confident and competent in responding to the depressed or suicidal older person
  • able to implement a suicide postvention response and provide support for those impacted by a suicide death
Suicide in those over 65 is more common than is generally thought. The provisional 2019/20 suicide statistics showed that suicide among the elderly is on the increase. Often under reported, depression and suicide is a major mental health issue for this age group. Primary health professionals, support workers, aged care workers, pastoral care workers & clergy are often best placed to identify those at risk and to provide support and interventions.
Emerging mental health issueAs the baby boomer generation age, many will enjoy reasonable physical health, however mental health issues, in particular depression, will be much more prevalent. This is not just an issue for those in primary care or aged care facilities but is one that needs serious consideration by management and workers in retirement villages. In a study of the locations of suicide in New Zealand, it was found that apart from private home, aged care facilities and retirement villages were the most common places where older people killed themselves. This has implications for family, staff and other residents.
Impact of COVID-19COVID-19 has had a significant impact on older people’s mental wellbeing. The over-representation of older people in COVID related deaths and the self-isolating and physical distancing has heightened feelings of loneliness and isolation, issues that already are major risk determinants of suicide in older people. COVID-19 related depression and anxiety in older people will be addressed in the workshop.
Suicide vs Assisted DyingIn November 2021 the End of Life Choice Act allowing assisted dying became law. The previous year's public referendum saw a robust public debate about whether people have the right to end their life at a time of their choosing and, if so, under what circumstances. It presented a combination of philosophical, moral, legal and ethical dilemmas. The public debate highlighted the common misconception that assisted dying equates suicide. Understanding the difference between the two is critical for those working with older people. While the narrative of a suicidal older person may be similar to someone wishing to take up the option of assisted dying when at the end stage of a terminal illness, they are quite different in meaning and require different responses and interventions. The workshop will cover the complex interrelationship of factors, the difference between suicidality in older people and assisted dying and the appropriate responses and interventions for each.
Topics covered:
  • Grey not blue - Overview of depression and life stressors in older person and the risk for suicide
  • The silent suffering – Social determinants of suicide in older people
  • Suicidal behaviour vs Assisted Dying
  • Identifying suicide ideation and behaviour in older person
  • Support strategies for older people who are suicidal
  • Dealing with the impact of a suicide of an older person and prevention of suicide contagion
What others have said about the workshop
“A must attend for anyone working with older people. Learnt heaps”
Aged CARE WORKER
"This is the first workshop I have attended that has provided such a comprehensive coverage of suicide in older people. Could see so many of the factors in the people I see”
ELDER ABUSE WORKER
“Thank you so much for sharing your knowlege and passion. I leave with a new determination in my work”
older person mental health nurse
“Absolutely fantastic. Best training I have been to in a long time. So much to take back to my staff”
DIRECTOR OF NURSING AGED CARE FACILITY
“This workshop is long overdue. For far too long the issues you raised have not been addressed”
OLDER PERSON ADVOCATE
"Appreciated the way you did not pathologise the aging process and provided a useful model to understand suicide and depression in an appropriate context"
GERIATRICIAN

HIGH & SUICIDAL: The compounding factor of addiction in suicidal people

A workshop especially designed for those working in the Addictions sector and for the Aotearoa-New Zealand context
Addiction and suicide are on the same continuum of ways to numb out the internal "psych pain" , often as part of a self destructive path.
The correlation between suicide and the use of alcohol just prior to the attempt has been long known. But this misuse does not necessarily indicate the suicidal person was living with addiction and the addiction was the "reason" for the suicide.
This workshop offers a comprehensive analysis of the association between addiction and suicidality. The analysis will look at how different substances (alcohol, cannabis and meth) contribute to suicide risk and influence the "suicidal moment" Explore in more detail how addiction compounds suicide risk and how this impacts on the way suicide risk is assessed. Understand why the narratives of people who are suicidal and those who live with addiction can often become intertwined and what happens when the narratives become one.
Become equipped to proactively engage with a suicidal narrative and be able to respond to the disclosure of suicide using a wellbeing framework as opposed to deficit remediation model - compassionate changemaking and being custodians of hope.
Become familiar with how suicide manifests itself in the recovery journey, Topics covered:
  • Psych pain, Addiction and Suicidality - Different but the same
  • What's the risk - Unpacking addiction as a compounding suicide risk factor
  • When someone mentions suicide - engaging with the suicidal client with the scope of practice of addiction workforce.
  • The acuteness of suicidality in the recovery journey - the reasons why
  • When a client suicides in therapeutic or residential settings - mitigating the risk for suicide contagion

Response: A whole of workplace response to suicide prevention and mental wellbeing in first responders

The mental health and wellbeing of staff and members must be a key priority for all first responder organisations. First responders are workers who first respond to emergency situations such as Fire, Police, Ambulance, Civil Defence and air rescue services. The work context and exposure to trauma can also be applied to other frontline workers such as Correction Officers and hospital emergency department staff
“First responder mental health is a state of well-being in which a worker realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life and work, can work productively and is able to continue to make a contribution to her or his community.”
Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy for First Responder Organisations in NSW
They are routinely exposed to a range of factors that can increase the risk of psychiological distress, including trauma, conflict, lack of control over their work or volunteer environment and unusual working hours. The cumulative trauma exposure experienced by first responders presents a unique challenge for organisations to manage. While regular exposure to traumatic events is an unavoidable consequence of the first responder job, thia exposure needs to be recognised and managed well to avoid it becoming a risk factor for a range of mental health problems. There has been an increase in the numbers of first responder staff with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) who are on extended sick leave or leaving their jobs due to occupation related permanent disability as well as first responders dying by suicide. There is a range of barriers that may prevent first responders asking for help when needed. These include stigma, embarrassment, lack of knowledge, uncertainty regarding treatment options or concerns regarding the impact seeking help may have on their career. Also identified as a significant barrier is lack of recognition by management and mpt having sufficient knowledge and skills to respond the Delays in seeking help can prolong suffering and make recovery more complicated.
This workshops will cover ways in which first responder organisations can seek to reduce barriers to help seeking, including stigma reduction initiatives, mental health education, peer support programs and management training. Managers, team leaders, chaplains and human resource staff all play a key role in assisting staff and members. The workshop provides an overview of how first responder organisations can be instrumental in reducing the risk of mental disorders and suicide as well as promoting wellbeing and resilience in their staff. It equips participants with an understanding of trauma related depression and suicide and how to recognise and respond to individuals experiencing mental health difficulties. Participants will examine the particular challenges of suicide in first responders and what the evidence suggests are best practice in supporting staff experiencing severe psychological distress. With the government identifying wellbeing and mental health as priorities, the workshop will outline the key determinants of staff wellbeing for first responders and the policies, programmes and systems the facilitate mentally well workplaces. Topics covered:
  • Overview of the phenomenon of suicide and the "suicide moment"
  • Applying a wellbeing framework to suicide prevention initiatives
  • Sad Misery and Depression - Identifying the difference
  • Being strong - Attitudes to mental health and help seeking in male dominant work cultures
  • Past childhood trauma and exposure to work related trauma
  • Creating supportive environment for staff
  • Support and debrieifing strategies when a staff member suicides

Suicide and Assisted Dying: The difference is more than just wording

While the narrative of a suicidal person may be similar to someone wishing to take up the option of assisted dying when at the end stage of a terminal illness, they are quite different in meaning and require different responses and interventions.
In November 2021 the End of Life Choice Act allowing assisted dying became law. The previous year's public referendum saw a robust public debate about whether people have the right to end their life at a time of their choosing and, if so, under what circumstances. It presented a combination of philosophical, moral, legal and ethical dilemmas. The public debate highlighted the common misconception that assisted dying equates suicide. The meaning of death for the suicidal person is also not singular, ranging from desire to escape intolerable ‘psych ache” through to the existential sense that life no longer has purpose or meaning. For those with chronic mental illness or non-terminal illnesses such as chronic pain, the lack of quality of life is seen by some as a justification for ending one’s life. This often poses a dilemma in making a distinction between assisted dying and suicide and can be challenging for counsellors and clinicians. Having these difficult conversations will be a focus of this workshop. Understanding the difference between assisted dying and suicidality is critical for those working with older people and those with a terminal illness. The workshop will cover the complex interrelationship of factors, the difference between suicidality and assisted dying and the appropriate responses and interventions for each.
The issues for those bereaved by suicide or assisted dying will also be covered as once again there are both differences and similarities in people’s responses to the deaths. Bereavement related suicidality will also be covered. Topics Include:
  • The phenomenon of suicide – its meaning and the narrative of despair
  • Assisted Dying - What it is and and why it is such a dilemma
  • Drawing the line – who we allow to voluntarily end their life and those we don’t
  • When does it stop being assisted dying and becomes suicidality?
  • Quality of life and the existential motivator for living
  • Depression and dying
  • SupporAng those bereaved by suicide and assisted dying
  • Bereavement related suicidality
The workshop draws on the presenter's experience supportng people dying of AIDS which quite ofen involved having discussions about their death and their desire to decide on when and how they died. It was these discussions that necessitated Barry to examine his own attitudes towards assisted dying, particularly in light of his work in suicide prevention. From his reflections, his reading of the research on assisted dying and listening to both suicidal people and those dying he has developed a conceptual model that helps to examine the similarities and the differences between suicidality and assisted dying.
Designed specifically for those working in settings such as aged care, hospice, palliative care, illness specific organisations (e.g. Cancer Society) and loss and grief support services, this workshop allows for those from these sectors to collectively examine assisted dying or suicide from the perspctive of legal and ethical issues such as duty care and the philosopy that informs palliative and hospice care. Rather than a presentation of definitive answers, the workshop is an opportunity for participants to explore the complexity and the tensions that arise in both suicide and assisted. There will be opportunity for open discussion and the raising of issues for group consideration.
Workshop Date 2025
(Click on date for online registration)
Auckland
Wellington
Mondays 20 & 27 March, 3 April 9.30am - 12.30pm
Online

Thriving Not Dying: Understanding suicide in young people and what we can do about it

Since the late 1980's suicide in young people in Aotearoa-New Zealand has consistently and persistently been on the rise. It is now the primary cause of death in young adults. Suicide contagion among young people has been a major concern and now there is evidence of inter-generational suicide. How do we explain this?
The suicide of a young person has a devastating impact on all those connected. Depsite numerous initiatives, we have seen in rercent an increase in the rates of suicide in young people, particularly Maori. The prevention of such deaths is challenging due to the complexity of the inter-relating factors that influence suicidal behaviour in the young people. This workshop will provide an overview of these factors and what has been shown to be effective prevention and intervention strategies.
Particpants will gain insights into:
In order to prevent suicide it is essential that we have sound understanding of the phenomenological, sociological, epidemiological and pyscho-social factors that collectively impact on the lives of young people and influence their decsion to end their lives - "the science of suicide". It is this science of suicide of suicide rather than the ideological that we should based our prevention, intervention and postvention startegies. A critique will be offered of some of the more common theories informing many suicide prevention initiatives will be offered.
  • The inculuration of suicidal thinking and behaviour in youth culture
  • To talk or not to talk about suicide - an overview of the different perspectives and the pro and cons of each perspective
  • Current and future trends of suicide in young people - the increase of suicide in young women, Pacific Island and why young Maori suicide is remain consistently and disproportionately high
  • The changing dynamics of suicidality in young people - making sense of their suicide narrative
  • The correlation between mood disorders and suicide
  • The rise of trauma related suicide
  • Changes in contagion - the rise of inter-generational suicide
Topics Include:
  • The phenomenon of suicide in young people – What is it and how is it explained
  • Not all the same: Gender and cultural differences
  • Self-Harm or Suicidal behaviour – What’s the Difference?
  • Risky behaviour – Addressing underlying risk factors in young people to mitigate the risk of suicide
  • Boozed and Sad – The influence of alcohol and depression in suicidal ideation and behaviour
The workshop draws on the presenter's 35 years experience of working with suicidal young people. Heading up this country's first national response to youth suicide in the late 1980's Barry has traced the epidemiological and sociological trends in youth suicides - age groupings, gender, ethnicity, sexuality and gender diversity and neurodiversity. He has examined the changing psycho-social factors presenting in suicidal young people as well as their suicide narrative and the underlying phenomenology that underpins their suicide.
  • Thriving in adversity - Enhancing protective factors to mitigate the risk of suicide
  • Stuffing up but not stuffing off: Compassion, forgiveness and problem solving for young people in crisis
  • To Talk or Not to Talk – Discussing suicide with young people
  • Understanding copycat suicide and suicide contagion in young people.

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