Joanne L Harpel, Mphil, CT, JD
suicide bereavement & Postvention specialist
Talking OutLOUD
Teens & Suicide Loss: A Conversation
Nearly a million teenagers lose someone to suicide every year. Until now, there's been nothing for them in the voices of their peers. And while significant attention has been paid to the critical issue of teen suicide, the experience of teens left behind after a suicide is rarely discussed. Talking OutLOUD: Teens & Suicide Loss, A Conversation has changed that.
"I think this film will help a lot of people. I know if I had been able to watch something like this — to see how my experience related to other kids my age and see them openly talking about it — it would have really helped me to feel less alone." (Mae, 16)
This award-winning landmark film features five members of Coping After Suicide's Teens Group who share, with parents and family members watching, their deeply personal yet universal experiences:
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Whether talking about it helps
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What their parents have gotten right (and wrong)
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How the suicide affected their family
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What they would tell a friend who just lost someone
When their family members join the conversation, they open up about how lost they’ve felt as they try to support their teen. We discover they heard things they’d never heard before and how reassured they feel by their teens’ wisdom and resilience.
What people are saying about Talking OutLOUD:
“A film that everyone should see”
“Inspirational, moving, heartwarming”
“I am thankful that this exists in the world”
“This film opened my eyes to an issue I'd never thought about before”
“Powerful, candid, beautiful, sad but also uplifting...so well done”
Talking OutLOUD was created in collaboration with Rethink The Conversation and helmed by award-winning director Geoffrey Cantor. It debuted at the Tribeca Screening Room in New York City.
Talking OutLOUD is available free of charge in 60, 30, & 15-minute versions on YouTube and Vimeo.
Additional Resources
Resources for Parents & Family Members
Coping After Suicide’s Teens Group
Ask The Experts: Helping Our Children Cope with Suicide Loss
Podcasts featuring Talking OutLOUD
Nina Del Rio's Get Connected