FAQs
Do I need to be a certain kind of suicidal to come to meetings?
1
We stand against assessing other peoples suicidal feelings or crises. We believe that people are individuals, each persons suicidal experiences will vary in intensity but they all count. Whatever you are feeling, you deserve support. We won’t ask you to disclose your experiences in meetings or via email. You don’t have to be in a crisis to come to meetings either, people sometimes want to talk about the ‘small’ stuff or past experiences.
What if I am uncertain/ nervous/ my condition fluctuates and I can’t get to the meeting?
2
We recognise that dialling into a zoom meeting is a big deal. People run out of energy or their plans change so we don’t penalise people for their attendance levels. It’s ok to join us and leave early too. Our meetings are capped at 20 people, so we appreciate a heads up if you can’t attend, then we can free a spot for someone else. If you can’t make it on the day, you are always welcome to try again.
I’m non speaking/ have an auditory processing disorder/ struggle to follow group conversations. Can I take part?
3
You aren’t alone in that, Heather has APD too! We aim to include as many accessibility options as we can in meetings:
captions
facilitators reading aloud chat messages so you don’t have to listen and read.
naming the brain fog/nerves/sensory overwhelm, that is accepted in the group.
asking people to repeat things, slow down etc.
pauses for rest and processing
no mandatory requirement to speak aloud
we share time management for our 90 minutes together so we don’t start late or run over.
Is it ok to speak about self harm in meetings?
4
Yes, although we acknowledge that self harm and suicide can be separate experiences, self harm is something we discuss and we include it within our acceptance and compassion toward suicidal experiences. Members who attend may have visible scarring (or bandaging after an attempt) and we do not ask them to cover up or stay off camera, self harm is not shameful.