Challenging Stigma and Finding Hope: Exploring the Continuum of Suicide Bereavement

It was once suggested that each suicide impacts the lives of six individuals or "survivors" left to mourn their loved one. However, current data shows that half of people know someone in their lifetime who is exposed to suicide. Instead of talking just about survivors, the continuum of survivorship refers to the idea that many people are exposed while some become affected and others go on to become bereaved. This presentation will explore the continuum of suicide bereavement and the ways in which exposure to the suicide death can impact those left behind. Through exploration of this new paradigm, the hope is to break down the stigma associated with suicide. The presentation will also offer strategies for finding hope after exposure to suicide, with a discussion on specific resources at the various points on the continuum.