Discussing Suicide for Peer Support (Core Competencies: 1.2; 1.4; 1.6; 2.6; 2.7; 3.3; 3.5; 3.7; 4.4; 4.5; 4.6; 4.14; 4.18; 4.19) Connecting • Avoid listening roadblocks such as sympathy, giving advice, offering reassurance, warning, persuading, or asking closed-ended, fact gathering, and assessment- oriented questions. • The goal is to understand the person’s experience. This requires making the decision to listen. Express empathy and offer many reflective listening statements. Listen for underlying meaning and emotion. Come alongside, reflect feeling, and reflect ambivalence with double-sided reflection. • Acknowledge internally where your own emotions are in the conversation, especially fear, as well as the risk and vulnerability shown by the peer discussing suicide. Exploring • Ask open questions to explore the person’s experience: o When you say you are feeling suicidal, what emotions are most present for you? o What has your experience with suicide been in the past? o What is happening in your life that is contributing to how you are feeling right now? • Explore ambivalence – what are the advantages and disadvantages of suicide? • Explore the possibilities of alternatives to suicide. Supporting • Identify your role; remind the peer that the peer relationship is important to you and that you are there to support them in their path forward. • Ask open questions: How can I best support you right now? What does your support system look like? What would you want a support system to look like? • Support the person in leading the conversation, do not pursue a personal agenda or assess for safety. Planning • Remind the peer that you are there to move alongside them at the pace and rhythm that makes sense for them. No decisions need to be rushed. • Explore together the advantages and disadvantages of potential support options or pathways forward.
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