Suicide Prevention
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POLSON — While Montana may be a beautiful destination for tourists, it also leads the nation in suicides, according to National Vital Statistics reports and the American Association of Suicidology. Nationwide, suicide has surpassed car accidents as the most common cause of injury-related death.
So when New Life Christian Center in Polson offered a free training seminar Nov. 7 on suicide prevention, nearly 200 people attended.
“I believe the crowd spoke loudly of the need that exists in Montana,” said Dr. Mike Ferguson, a psychologist, suicidologist, and the founder of a National Teen TXT Crisis Line. “I was overwhelmed to hear of two, three, and even four friends or family members of individuals who have taken their life.”
Those who attended the full eight-hour training received three certifications: the nationally-accredited Mental Health First Aid Certification; Question, Persuade, Refer Gatekeeper/Suicide Preventionist Certification; and Conversation about Access to Lethal Means (CALM) Certification.
Each of these certifications gave individuals the tools to be “gatekeepers,” of “first responders” if they feel someone they know is contemplating suicide. Participants learned what questions to ask the person in crisis, how to be a listener and how not to respond.
“Being a good listener and responding positively and attentively to the individual can really make a difference,” said participant Carolyn Hall, Lake County Superintendent of Schools, who arranged for educators who completed the training to earn credits through the Office of Public Instruction. More than 30 educators attended from as far away as Eureka and the Bitterroot Valley
The message of the day was hope.
“In spite of suicide being a complicated part of life, I truly believe that if those in communities across the nation will learn to ask “are you okay?” when they think someone is facing an emotional crisis and suicide is option, we can reduce the suicide rate in our nation,” Ferguson said.
Hall said the training was encouraging.
“(Ferguson) felt suicide was preventable in 90 percent of cases if people were just able to really listen and understand what was being said, by actions or verbal cues,” Hall said.
Ferguson modeled what he was teaching by stopping his talk to take concerns or questions from participants, Hall said.
“He was a very active listener; non-judgmental and very encouraging,” Hall said.
Occasionally Ferguson would toss a small ball with questions written on it into the audience to encourage an individual to answer the question aloud, and in turn the participants actively listened.
“It was a way of breaking up the intensity of the issue we were dealing with, and process what we are hearing,” Hall explained. “It was an active, uplifting process.”
New Life Christian Center Pastor Chriss Sopke said he was thrilled with the seminar attendance, adding that it was a testimony to the need of addressing the topic of suicide in our communities.
The church provided Dr. Ferguson’s travel and fee and will also support the TXT Crisis Hot Line on a regular basis.
In addition, the church hosted a dinner Sunday evening families who have lost someone to suicide.
“It was a night of laughter and tears as the families in attendance shared their heart and hurts about the suicide death of their loved one,” Ferguson said.
Several local people have expressed interest in taking the training to be a certified text line helper, according to Christian Bumgarner, who helped organize the training.
Dr. Ferguson can be reached by email at drmike@drmikeferguson.com
Visit the Teen TXT Crisis Line at www.teentextcrisisline.org.
