After a suicide in a faith community, clergy are called upon to be healers, educators, and role models, and often find themselves having to address extremely complex questions, such as:

 

• Are we supposed to handle the funeral and burial differently from other deaths? 

• What is my faith tradition’s current view of suicide? 

• How can we safely eulogize a teenager without risking contagion? 

 

I have extensive experience training faith leaders and spiritual care providers, including for the Veterans Administration’s National Chaplain Training Center, the U.S. Army Chaplain Center and School, the HealthCare Chaplaincy Network, and the Central Conference of American Rabbis. I also developed the nation’s first-ever program on the neuroscience underlying mental illness and have delivered programs for young people and parents around mental health.

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A complete list of speaking engagements and consultations, including religious organizations, can be found here.

 

I can help clergy and faith communities address the questions, emotions, concerns, and fears that inevitably arise around suicide, through:

 

• Consultation with clergy and other congregational leadership on sermons, memorial services, and crisis support

• Training for faith leaders and spiritual care providers; and

• Educational discussion forums and sharing sessions for community members, including teens and parents

 

For more information, or to schedule a consultation, contact me, and we'll take it from there.

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