Secondary Care

As both a practitioner and a person who has lost someone to suicide, I really valued the session on the language to use around suicide with Angela. I think mental health professionals can often struggle with discomfort and preconceptions when we talk about suicide. I felt the session really empowered me to be direct in the language I use, but also helped me to understand that this can be done in a sensitive way that opens up helpful discussions. I also felt it provided some really useful thinking around the importance of considering the implications of the language we use when talking about suicide in the media. I’m planning to feed back the session to my team and would recommend it to anyone working in a service where suicide is often discussed.

As a Mental Health First Aider/support worker i was inspired by the trainers knowledge and  research. Their first hand experience in supporting those affected personally and professionally, was expressed in the training and reconfirmed that this is an important area to develop my knowledge in . Highly recommend.

PABBS facilitators attended my workplace and delivered a workshop for our Family Liaison Practitioners.  The facilitators presented some information that was entirely new to me, enabled me to examine my approach to speaking to and listening to families and how to look after myself.  The presentation was more a conversation and that was appreciated by the whole group.  The subject was handled very sensitively, with passion and compassion.  The course contents were entirely relevant and the resources are of a very high standard.  I’m really pleased that I and the team undertook this training, and it would come with my recommendation.

The PABBS training session helped bring confidence and understanding amongst our team around the needs and wants of those who are bereaved by suicide, while also highlighting the importance of self-care for those who are supporting others affected. The course acts as a prompt to reconsider and re-evaluate our assumptions about who is and how people are impacted by suicide, as well as taking a more sustained and long-term approach to supporting those impacted. Yinka and Sharon put the team at ease immediately and were personable, knowledgeable and engaging hosts throughout, ensuring that a session focusing on a fairly sombre topic was enjoyable to be a part of.

I attended the course with some apprehension, it’s a very relaxed environment and humour and appreciation for one another story is very pertinent to your own understanding of suicide and bereavement. It was also purposeful to connect to others on the course who have a lived experience of suicide that may shape how you deal with or manage future families that you may support in your role or profession. It would be good for me as an NHS professional to understand the journey of grief after suicide and I hope this would be explored further on the day. But appreciating one day is a short window to experience or develop such skills or at least have confidence in your acquisition. The resources that were given were good and already embedded them in my own workstream to support families and shared these amongst other colleagues. How we look after ourselves is very pertinent to our own resilience and something I need to develop-That was one thing I took away as a personal task. 

‘Recently attended the one day ‘Postvention: Assisting those bereaved by suicide’ training with my colleague and found the content invaluable for providing appropriate support to those bereaved by suicide.  The course was thought-provoking, engaging and well delivered, and involved other partner agencies which added other relevant perspectives.  I would recommend the course to anyone involved in supporting those bereaved by suicide or designing and implementing services to support others impacted by these events.’

‘I found the training informative and appropriated the recommend reading as both have helped to fill any small gaps in my information or confidence and reassured me that what I have been doing is the right approach’. 

The PABBS training was fantastic. I was captivated by the trainers and the passion they had for their work. The course elements were very well structured, insightful and engaging.  It made me reflect on how I had responded to suicide and things that I could aspire to do differently going forward. The course material was comprehensive and full of information on bereavement and where to go for support.  The training gave me an excellent foundation to build on and links to resources I never knew existed.  A massive thank you.

The training was superb.

‘I found the PABBS Training to be very informative.  The trainers were excellent in their presentation of information throughout the day and there was plenty of opportunity for discussion. The training highlighted the impact of suicide on both those bereaved and the wider impact on others e.g. friends, work colleagues, health professions, emergency responders etc. I would certainly recommend this training to those working in mental health.  So much to take away and consider’.

PABBS training provides a safe environment for those attending to consider the wider impact suicide has on all those involved from immediate/extended family, friends and staff members involved in the care of the individual. The research and information given on the day was thought provoking and reminded me as a mental health professional that much more needs to be considered postvention as often we are more focused on risk assessments and professional worry regarding the care we provide.

As an addictions practitioner I was delighted to see the inclusion of substance use in the discussion as I am very much aware of the increasing risk associated with this and the impulsivity of individuals using during high risk times. I feel PABBS training promoted and highlighted how mental health and addiction services must work more closely together in order to respond better to those in need.

I really enjoyed the PABBS training event delivered by Angela and Sharon. The content was both thought provoking and informative. The training provided useful resources and workbooks that I am looking forward to sharing with my colleagues. Personally, I feel the training increased my confidence in engaging with individuals who have been bereaved by suicide. It has encouraged me to be mindful of the language often used in service provision and reinforced the importance of being a listening ear. “It’s okay not to have all the answers, we cannot solve but we CAN support”.

I really enjoyed the course for several reasons.  It was tailored specifically for Northern Ireland to ensure we had statistics and information specifically for our country which was very helpful as sometimes courses provide information for the UK which may not always be applicable to Northern Ireland. The trainers were exceptionally friendly and knowledgable and although dealing with a very serious subject they handled it with care and sensitivity.  It was also very impactful to have the training delivered by people who had personally been impacted by suicide, so they were able to share their own experiences when appropriate.  The time flew and it was a great balance between theory and time for reflection and discussions.  A highly recommendable course, which also sends you away with many new and helpful resources.

Fab training provided, very informative and knowledgeable has been able to enable me to share information with our liaison practitioners and gave me the information which I was able to put together for the practitioners which in turn enables them to support  individuals who are in need of support from bereavement by suicide and able to signpost them for further support so gaining this knowledge was massive and extremely helpful for our Liaison team.

The training also provided a safe space to discuss this very sensitive subject.

The day went to fast thank you

I really enjoyed the PABBS Training on Tuesday. I found it interesting -both the handouts and the delivery/content of the training were extremely informative. Both Sharon and Angela were very friendly and approachable and by sharing their own lived experiences it made the training feel a lot more personable than just learning about statistics etc. I have learnt skills and knowledge that will be invaluable to my role and would highly recommend this training for anyone working within the Mental Health Field.

‘My name is Lisa and I took part in the PABBS training on the 3^rd May. I have been a mental health professional for over 10 years now, working in adult acute care, and have been in my current role as a Street Triage Clinician for approx. 2 years. Throughout my career and personal life, I have been continuously exposed to people ending their life by suicide and also worked very closely with people who are struggling with bereavement from suicide.

I found the structure of the day very engaging and the resources will certainly be something I will take forward in my role, as signposting to appropriate services is a huge part of what I do now, as effective signposting is crucial.

I found the trainers amazing in their approach from the outset, and they managed to deliver what is a very difficult and emotive subject with passion. They were very open and engaging and supported everyone throughout the day.

I really think this training could make a huge difference in our field and would recommend it to anyone.’

Thank you for putting together such an amazing course with all of those involved

I found the training event incredibly beneficial.  It was thought provoking, informative and provided a safe space for colleagues to discuss openly and share experiences. The trainers were brilliant hosts and trainers; it was a privilege to hear their stories. The training provided a safe space for some very open and honest conversations, which were powerful in terms of getting people to think differently around the language we use about suicide and the whole assessment process.

Thank you very much 

“I am currently the new Family Liaison Officer for MPFT and recommended to join the PABBS training. Within my role I will be supporting bereaved families that have lost loved ones through suicide. The PABBS training course I attended was very informative and has given me the tools to feel more confident to support families through an extremely difficult time. The training gave a valuable insight into the lives of those affected by suicide and was driven by evidence based theories along with real life stories. The training was delivered brilliantly by Liz and Angela.”

I recently attended the PABBS training with Angela and Sharon and it was refreshing to be able to speak so openly on a subject matter that others may try to avoid. The day was well structured and the resources shared were exceptional. The day was well paced, engaging and Angela and Sharon set a suitable environment to ensure no question was a ‘silly question’ and welcomed them all to be asked. As an organisation, we were able to recognise what we do well, but also left us with ways to improve and with the confidence to do so.

I have recently come in to post to work as a Bereavement and End of Life Nurse Specialist. As part of my development, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the one-day PABBS suicide bereavement training day. I cannot recommend this training day enough. The speakers were very welcoming and professional, and the session was very informative and driven by evidence-based theory. I gained a valuable insight into the lives of those affected by suicide and gained new skills, knowledge and understanding of the true impact of suicide and the ripple effect that it can have on family, friends, and professionals. There was a good mix of backgrounds from the attendees which created a rich learning environment and an excellent networking environment too. The environment was a safe place for open and honest discussions and learning. The training day has certainly helped build my confidence in caring for those bereaved or affected by suicide. I am looking forward to attending future training modules.