The Power of Connection: How We are Better Together -- #ElevateTheConvo Twitter Chat

When: February 20, 2020

8:00PM ET/7:00PM CT

6:00PM MT/5:00PM PT

Where: Twitter #ElevateTheConvo

What: 1-hour conversation. Just follow the #ElevateTheConvo hashtag on Twitter and join in as our panelists share their perspectives on the power of connection in suicide prevention.

Feel free to join in the conversation. If you are new to participating in a Twitter Chat here is a brief   "how to" article. At the time of the chat just put the hashtag #ElevateTheConvo in the Twitter search field, then hit the "latest" tab and you will see the most recent posts. When you refresh the search tab new posts will emerge.

Who: All those interested in learning more or sharing about connection and emotional well-being.

Overview:

Deep, positive social relationships with others can buffer against suicidal intensity. When we feel a powerful sense of belonging, we often feel less lonely. Connection can come within families, workplaces, schools, faith communities, neighborhoods, and even wider systems like cultural groups. Given that connection is often a powerful antidote to suicide, we wonder, can connectedness ever be harmful? In this twitter chat we will explore the protective power and potential harm connectedness can bring.

Questions we will discuss include:

Q1: We often hear about the power of #connection or belonging or community as an important buffer against suicide. How do you define these terms? How do you understand them as protective factors? #ElevateTheConvo

Q2: Are there times when #connection, belonging or community is NOT protective or when it actually increases vulnerability for suicide? Can connection cause harm? What can be done to mitigate these risks? #ElevateTheConvo

Q3: How can we promote the benefits of healthy #connection as an "upstream strategy" (proactive) suicide prevention? Please give examples for individuals, friends/families and systems. #ElevateTheConvo

Q4: How can #connection help people in suicidal despair or after a suicide attempt or death? What can support people do (and what might they avoid) to bolster healthy connection after a suicide crisis? #ElevateTheConvo

About the Panelists

Danielle Glick

@DanielleGlick

Danielle Glick is a mental health professional currently working as a child and family therapist. With a Master’s in Applied Psychology, Danielle is currently completing certification as an alcohol and substance abuse counselor before heading for her doctorate in clinical psychology in 2021. Having participated in mental health and suicide prevention advocacy for years, Danielle is passionate about treating, educating, and supporting communities about the realities of co-occurring disorders. 

Dr. Doreen Marshall

@DoreenSMarshall

As a psychologist with experience that spans clinical, educational, and professional settings, Dr. Doreen Marshall has been engaged in local and national suicide prevention and postvention work for over 15 years.

Since joining AFSP in 2014, Dr. Marshall has expanded AFSP’s menu of programs and improved program delivery through AFSP’s nationwide network of chapters. Dr. Marshall oversees AFSP’s Prevention and Education and Loss and Healing Programs, which includes Community-based Suicide Prevention training, including AFSP’s Firearms and Suicide Prevention Program, Clinician training, and programs to support those following a suicide loss. Dr. Marshall works to foster organizational partnerships to bring AFSP’s suicide prevention messaging and education programs to new audiences.

Grace Durbin

@Grace_Durbin

"My voice is my heart."

Grace is a social media influencer in mental health advocacy and suicide prevention. https://gracedurbin.com/

Roshni Janakiraman

@roshnij18

Roshni Janakiraman is a second-year graduate student completing her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology under the mentorship of Dr. Thomas Joiner. Roshni's primary research interests focus on determining the cognitive and emotional mechanisms that drive suicidal ideation and behavior in at-risk minority groups. She is also interested in suicide prevention public policy.

?Anna S. Mueller, PhD

@procAnna

Anna S. Mueller, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Indiana University. Mueller’s research examines (1) the power of social ties to help or harm mental health; (2) the social roots of youth suicide; and (3) how organizational science can help improve suicide prevention in schools. Her research on youth suicide has won numerous awards for its contribution to knowledge, including the Eliot Friedson Outstanding Publication Award from the American Sociological Association. Her research can be read in the American Sociological Review, Social Science & Medicine, American Journal of Public Health, among others.

Now Matters Now

@NowMattersNow

The nonprofit resource  NowMattersNow.org is a website for people experiencing suicidal thoughts created by Dr. Ursula Whiteside. The intervention has been found to significantly reduce the intensity of negative emotions in under 10 minutes.