Tag: ending stigma

Circle of Hope Counseling Services, End the Stigma, Suicide Awareness and Prevention

Hope Beyond Awareness

Brandi Crum, MA, LMFT

Hope Beyond Awareness

Hope Beyond Awareness: Carrying Suicide Prevention Forward

Closing Out Suicide Awareness Month

As Suicide Awareness Month comes to a close, it’s natural to wonder: What now? For the past 30 days, we’ve shared stories, broken down stigma, learned to recognize warning signs, and created space for conversations that save lives. But suicide prevention is not just a September focus. Honestly, it’s a year-round commitment.

Looking Back

This month, we’ve…

  • Shined a light on risk factors and warning signs.

  • Talked honestly about the role of faith, therapy, and medication.

  • Shared tools like journaling prompts and conversation starters.

  • Advocated for compassion over judgment, awareness over silence.

Each post was written with one purpose: to remind you that life matters, your story matters, and hope is always possible.

Looking Ahead

Suicide awareness doesn’t end when the month does. As we step into tomorrow, let’s carry forward what we’ve learned:

  • Keep talking. Make conversations about mental health part of everyday life.

  • Keep noticing. Stay aware of the people around you. Remember that sometimes a check-in changes everything.

  • Keep supporting. Be the safe person someone can turn to without fear of shame or judgment.

  • Keep hoping. Even when the road feels heavy, remember that healing and light are still possible.

A Final Encouragement

Psalm 30:5 reminds us: “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” If this month has stirred your own pain, know that your night is not the end of your story. There is still morning ahead.

💛 Thank you for walking through this month of awareness and prevention. May it not be the end of the conversation, but the beginning of deeper compassion, stronger communities, and lasting hope.

If you or someone you love is struggling, please call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You are not alone.

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Circle of Hope Counseling Services, End the Stigma, Suicide Awareness and Prevention

What Do I Say to My Kids

Brandi Crum, MA, LMFT

What Do I Say to My Kids

What Do I Say When My Kid Asks, “Why Did They Die?”

One of the hardest moments as a parent comes when your child looks at you with wide, wondering eyes and asks about death, especially death by suicide. Their question is simple, but the weight behind it is not. As adults, we often wrestle with how much to say, how to protect their innocence, and how to speak truthfully without overwhelming them.

The truth is, children are remarkably perceptive. They sense when something is wrong, and they notice when adults avoid answering. Silence can create confusion, fear, or even shame. But honest, age-appropriate conversations build trust and help children feel safe to come to you with their big questions.

Age-Appropriate Responses

For young children (ages 4–7):
Use simple, clear words. You might say:

“They were very, very sad and their body stopped working. Sometimes people feel so hurt inside that they forget to ask for help.”

Keep it short, offer reassurance, and remind them they are safe and loved.

For school-age children (ages 8–12):
At this age, children can understand more but still need gentle explanations. Try something like:

“They died because they were hurting inside. Their pain felt too big, and they didn’t know what else to do. But there are always people who want to help when we feel that sad.”

Invite questions, and don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know, but we can talk about it together.”

For teens:
Teenagers are often ready for more direct honesty. You might say:

“They died by suicide. That means they made their body stop working because their pain felt unbearable. Suicide is never the answer, but it happens when someone feels hopeless. That’s why it’s so important to talk about how we’re feeling and to get help.”

Be open to deeper conversations, encourage dialogue, and listen without judgment.

Guiding Principles for Parents

  • Be honest, not graphic. Children deserve the truth, but details can be harmful. Stick to clear, compassionate explanations.

  • Use the word “suicide” when they’re old enough. Avoiding the word can make it feel more frightening or shameful.

  • Offer reassurance. Children often worry about their own safety or yours. Remind them that they are safe, loved, and never alone.

  • Invite questions. Let them set the pace. Answer what they ask, and pause if they seem overwhelmed.

  • Model openness. Show that it’s okay to talk about hard things and that feelings, no matter how big, are normal.

Why These Conversations Matter

When we talk to our children about suicide with honesty and compassion, we break the cycle of silence that has existed for generations. We give them language to express their feelings and permission to reach out when life feels heavy. Most importantly, we remind them that no pain is too big to share, and no question is too scary to ask.

💛 Call or text 988. You are not alone.

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Circle of Hope Counseling Services, End the Stigma, Suicide Awareness and Prevention

Breaking Generational Silence

Brandi Crum, MA, LMFT

Breaking Generational Silence

Suicide, Secrets, and the Stories We’re Finally Telling

For generations, suicide has been treated like a shadow. It is a whispered tragedy, hidden behind closed doors, wrapped in shame, and carried in silence. Families didn’t talk about it. Churches avoided it. Communities swept it under the rug. And so the pain grew heavier, passed down quietly from one generation to the next.

But silence is not the same as healing.

When we choose not to speak about suicide, we don’t protect our loved ones. We isolate them. We send the message that their pain is too much, too taboo, too dangerous to name. And yet, the truth is that suicide has touched far more families than we realize. It isn’t just a distant statistic; it is a reality that has impacted neighbors, classmates, colleagues, and maybe even our own families.

The Cost of Silence

Cultural and generational silence doesn’t just keep us from telling the truth about what happened. It also keeps us from telling the truth about how we’re hurting. People grow up believing that grief must be hidden. That questions must remain unanswered. That shame is more powerful than love. And in that silence, wounds go unhealed, and cycles of pain continue.

The Power of Breaking the Silence

Something shifts when we begin to speak. When families bravely say, “Yes, suicide has touched our lives,” not with shame, but with compassion, we create space for honesty. We give others permission to tell their stories. We begin to dismantle the stigma that keeps people suffering in the dark.

Sharing our stories doesn’t dishonor those we’ve lost. It honors them. It says their lives mattered enough to be remembered, and their struggles mattered enough to be named.

Why It’s Time to Speak Up

Our culture is beginning to recognize that silence has not protected us. It has hurt us. And the only way forward is through truth-telling, compassion, and connection. When we speak about suicide openly, we shine light into the places where shame once lived. We remind one another that none of us are truly alone in our struggles.

The stories we’re finally telling are not just about loss. They’re about love. About hope. About creating a future where talking about mental health is as natural as talking about physical health. A future where the next generation doesn’t inherit our silence, but instead inherits our courage to speak.

If you’re carrying a story that feels too heavy to share, know this: you don’t have to speak it all at once, and you don’t have to speak it alone. But your voice matters. Your story matters. And telling it just might be the key to breaking the silence for someone else.

Call or text 988. You are not alone.

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Circle of Hope Counseling Services, End the Stigma, Guest Blogger, Suicide Awareness and Prevention

Ending the Stigma of Mental Illness

Brandi C

Ending the Stigma of Mental Illness

Ending the Stigma of Mental Illness

In Ending the Stigma of Mental Illness, my guest blogger shares her thoughts on this subject. I have a mental disorder that can be crippling at times. When I say crippling, I mean I cannot get myself out of bed. I have thoughts on a continuous loop that should not be there: those days when I don’t call or text. Or even speak to people. Hell, I don’t even come out of my room. When I say I can’t get myself out of bed, I mean, I literally will stay in it for days. I will only leave to go to the bathroom or to eat.

The “Happy” Place

There are also days when I am “happy”; these are the days when I can get myself into trouble. When I talk ninety to nothing and spend all of my money in one place, I could get in the car and drive in one direction, not knowing where I am going, but going anywhere is better than where I am. These are the days when I bombard all my friends that I haven’t talked to in days that I want to do something. On these days, I don’t sleep, I could be up for days at a time, and it wouldn’t bother me. I make poor choices when I am like this.

This is Bipolar Disorder in a Nutshell, at Least in my Case.

I am tired of the stigma on mental illness or mental health. Everyone can tell if you have asthma by the physical complications you have. However, when it comes to mental illnesses, we dare not speak of them. They don’t exist for people who don’t have them or perceive them as unfavorable.

You don’t see people not talking to people with asthma, so why shouldn’t they for people with mental illness. Honestly, I should feel free to share that I have bipolar disorder without having people think that it means I’m crazy. Furthermore, I shouldn’t have to own that lie, but here I am, pretending it doesn’t exist or calling myself crazy.

I am Tired of Comparing Myself to “Normal” People

What does that mean anyway? To be “normal.” The definition of normal is conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected. So I see that everyone should be the same, act the same, and do the same things the same way? Maybe I’m looking at it negatively, but it sounds like normal people are nowhere to be seen. Because no one is the same, no one is conformed to the same standards.

So why do we make ourselves feel less than just because of a mental illness? Bipolar disorder is my regular just because it isn’t yours doesn’t mean that you have the right to tell me that I am wrong, not to be trusted, or dangerous because of it.

Thankful

Today, I am thankful for modern medicine. It has helped me look at life a bit more clearly. God is more significant than all, but He created man to create a treatment to help. Never feel weak because you need medication to help you even things out. You are not weak! Honestly, you are brave and strong.