Conference for Suicide Loss: Making Connections, Sharing Hope

The death of a loved one by suicide brings profound feelings of shame, guilt, regret and a host of other emotions for the survivors left behind. Many survivors struggle with mental, physical and emotional trauma that may affect every facet of their lives. Experts in the field of suicidology know that giving voice to that overwhelming grief can go a long way to heal the pain, and offer hope when it feels like all is lost.

If you are a suicide survivor who would like to learn new ways to navigate your grief journey, or how to articulate the deep sorrow in the wake of loss, the Healing After Suicide Loss Conference will offer workshops to help with just that. Leaders in the field of suicidology will facilitate workshops and sharing sessions at the day-long conference, which will be held April 27 in Denver, Colorado. 

TAPS is co-sponsoring the 31st Annual Healing After Suicide Loss Conference, along with the American Association of Suicidology and the American Foundation for Suicide. The conference is open to anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one to suicide. With the theme “Making Connections, Sharing Hope,” the conference will feature such interactive sessions as “Writing a Path to Healing,” “Healing through Giving Back,” “Moving Toward Wholeness” and others.

Dr. Jennifer Ashton, ABC chief medical correspondent, will lead a session titled “Life After Suicide: Finding Courage, Comfort and Community after an Unthinkable Loss.” This is also the title of her new book, coming out in May, in which she opens up for the first time about the suicide death of her ex-husband and father of their children. 

Kim Ruocco, TAPS Vice President of Suicide Prevention & Postvention, will deliver welcoming remarks at the conference. Her personal story about finding hope and healing after losing her husband, John , a decorated Marine helicopter pilot to suicide is shared in Dr. Ashton’s book

More information on the conference, including a list of presenters, and registration guidelines are available on the Healing After Suicide Loss Conference flyer (PDF). 

In the Archives

The TAPS Institute for Hope and Healing’s webinar, “Suicide, Grief and Trauma: Supporting Veterans and Families of the Fallen” is available online until September 18, 2019. This archived webinar offers insight around the experiences of grief and loss, as compared with trauma, and identifies common barriers that may prevent veterans and military family members from discussing their experiences of grief and loss. This discussion also explains why trauma must be proactively addressed and treated to allow for a healthy grief journey.