Is There a Need?
Throughout my life I’ve been involved in a number of organizations as an employee, consultant or volunteer. Many had a basic criteria that must be met before money is spent, a new program developed or action taken – Is There a Need?
So, the question related to this workbook and its companion workshop was, “Is there a need?”
Yes, there is. It boils down to the fact that millions of people are impacted by suicide every year. For some, it’s the loss of a loved one to suicide. For others, it’s the terrifying discovery that a loved one is contemplating suicide or has already made an attempt or several attempts.
“Will they make another attempt?” can linger in the dark recesses of our minds for a lifetime. And that’s fear personified.
We are blessed to have resources for loss survivors – those left behind by the death of a loved. We need much more. We are grateful that doors are being cracked open to recognize the value of the lived and learned experience and expertise of suicide attempt survivors. With that said, as you read this, there is next to nothing to help support friends and families of suicide attempt survivors to find their way free from the anxiety and stress, darkness and anger, frustration and a sense of helplessness…to find their way to the path of freedom from fear. That bothers me.
As a woman who survived brutal violence, I know their fear. The more I began to write this workbook and prepared to present the retreat workshop, the more I realized how much domestic violence victims have in common with friends and family of attempt survivors. And once I had that “light bulb” moment, the writing came swiftly but not easily. It meant taking an inward journey back to the nightmare, the pain and the suffering, things I’ve long since moved on from – but that’s the point: perhaps I can share a little bit about how I did that and just maybe help others find that precious inner peace we all seek or at least to begin the journey. Because during this writing journey, I had another “light bulb” moment – I am the friend and family of a suicide attempt survivor. Equally important, I have joined forces with many other families and friends because no family or friend with a loved one who has struggled with a suicidal crisis should have to walk this path alone.
Annemarie Matulis, Is This the Night: Finding Inner Peace
copyright (c) 2017 Annemarie Matulis All rights reserved.
Throughout my life I’ve been involved in a number of organizations as an employee, consultant or volunteer. Many had a basic criteria that must be met before money is spent, a new program developed or action taken – Is There a Need?
So, the question related to this workbook and its companion workshop was, “Is there a need?”
Yes, there is. It boils down to the fact that millions of people are impacted by suicide every year. For some, it’s the loss of a loved one to suicide. For others, it’s the terrifying discovery that a loved one is contemplating suicide or has already made an attempt or several attempts.
“Will they make another attempt?” can linger in the dark recesses of our minds for a lifetime. And that’s fear personified.
We are blessed to have resources for loss survivors – those left behind by the death of a loved. We need much more. We are grateful that doors are being cracked open to recognize the value of the lived and learned experience and expertise of suicide attempt survivors. With that said, as you read this, there is next to nothing to help support friends and families of suicide attempt survivors to find their way free from the anxiety and stress, darkness and anger, frustration and a sense of helplessness…to find their way to the path of freedom from fear. That bothers me.
As a woman who survived brutal violence, I know their fear. The more I began to write this workbook and prepared to present the retreat workshop, the more I realized how much domestic violence victims have in common with friends and family of attempt survivors. And once I had that “light bulb” moment, the writing came swiftly but not easily. It meant taking an inward journey back to the nightmare, the pain and the suffering, things I’ve long since moved on from – but that’s the point: perhaps I can share a little bit about how I did that and just maybe help others find that precious inner peace we all seek or at least to begin the journey. Because during this writing journey, I had another “light bulb” moment – I am the friend and family of a suicide attempt survivor. Equally important, I have joined forces with many other families and friends because no family or friend with a loved one who has struggled with a suicidal crisis should have to walk this path alone.
Annemarie Matulis, Is This the Night: Finding Inner Peace
copyright (c) 2017 Annemarie Matulis All rights reserved.
Is This the Night workshopsThere are several formats available. More details shortly
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Voices from the ShadowsMore details about how this companion documentary fits into the workshops will be posted at a later date.
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