Host 1 Reason 2 Live for your Church and Community
Guiding Others to Safe Harbor Through Suicide Intervention Training for the Faith Community
Mission
1 Reason 2 Live provides participants with the same material covered in the Intervene Challenge utilizing the same L3 Model of intervention with the added benefit of understanding how to use faith as a vital resource in restoring hope based on the truth of Proverbs 29 "Where there is no vision people perish."
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1 Reason 2 Live teaches participants to graciously and compasionately utilze their faith while being senstive to the realities that many at risk have lost a vision of hope that is absolutely necessary to the continuation of life.
What Would You Do?
You are attempting to talk a man off of a bridge. He declares, "Life is meaningless." You respond by saying, "God has a purpose for your life." Without hesitation he retorts, "If you mention God one more time I am going to jump." What do you do next?
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1 Reason 2 Live will help you
know what to do next!
"As a child I saw dad boldly preach to thousands of soldiers. At other times he never mentioned Jesus. He trained me and my brothers to "be as wise as a serpent yet as harmless as a dove." As a teen running the AV for his conferences I began to understand the significance. There are times when we boldly speak the gospel and there are times when we have to be the gospel without speaking it. 1 Reason 2 Live teaches participants how to be the gospel when speaking it would only drive the hurting person into further despair."
Tyler Koon, 4th son and Atlanta Firefighter
In the five years before Lou came to our church in 2016 the suicide rate in our county was 37% higher than the state average. Therefore we wanted not only for our members to be trained but for the training to be an outreach to the First Responder community. The Sheriff and several deputies attended the training. The response was one of tremendous gratitude. Interestingly the suicide rate in our county since 2017 has dropped well below the state average. Coincidence perhaps, but I truly believe that it might just be the hand of God.
Jerry Kennedy
Pastor Bethel Baptist Church
A Rally Cry to the Faith Community
Suicide – it’s a word that we don’t talk about, most often wrapped in mystery, stigma, shame, and misunderstanding. This is the first challenge, having a healthy and beneficial discussion about a crisis that every year takes nearly 50,000 lives in the US. The second challenge, raising public awareness that suicide is now an epidemic. 1 in 240 people attempt suicide each year in the US, and 1 in 10 consider suicide. The faith community is not exempt from the challenges. The third challenge, understanding that the professionals alone cannot solve the crisis. Building a culture of health takes the work of the entire community working as one. The “professionals” are the last line of defense on the proverbial bridge in the moment of crisis. It is the ordinary citizen that can stop those at risk from going to the bridge in the first place. 1 Reason 2 Live is a rally cry to the faith community to engage individuals at risk. When the church catches hold of its first response role in building a culture of hope the overflow is a stronger culture of hope for all people within the community.
The enemy of life is hopelessness; the result for many is often suicide. 1 Reason 2 Live empowers the faith community to be the beacon of light helping to restore hope for all people within their respective communities.
Dear Pastor and Faith Community Leader
In 2019 I had to contend with 41 suicide deaths. Since the start of COVID in March of 2020 I have been on the scene or notified of another 71 suicides in the communities I serve. In most cases they were losses that we did not know, however, there were several losses of people that I knew, but had not seen in years. Many were members of a local church. Hurting people are all around, people who believe that they have no other options but to end their lives. We in the faith community must hone our skills and courageously act on behalf of those who are hurting to offer them hope. Together we can build a network of care that saves lives.
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The faith community has an incredible opportunity before us. The CDC is finally reporting that “suicide is epidemic.” Suicidal ideation doubled in 2020 to 1 in 10 people. While the world continues to spiral into the abyss of despair, the church is called to stand and present a different reality. Listen Learn Lead and the 1 Reason 2 Live Conference prepares participants to do just that.
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1 Reason 2 Live and the Listen Learn Lead curriculum will prepare your membership and your community to heed the call, to have eyes to see and ears to hear when someone is hurting and at risk. We do so by teaching the one foundational question that caregivers must ask to move people toward better outcomes. You see, suicide is not really an option. It’s an option ender. It takes away all our options and leaves only pain in its wake.
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Jesus was the master at asking questions. Isaiah calls him the Wonderful Counselor. Good counselors and good friends as well ask good questions, questions that instill hope and renew the broken in spirit. Courageous Questions have the power to save. The 1 Reason 2 Life Conference will teach one powerful question that is proven to save lives. To my knowledge, over the past 12 years, out of the more than 1,600 suicide interventions I have conducted, all are still alive or died of natural causes. This is not an unusual stat. It is the norm. Intervention saves lives. In 1978 Richard H. Seiden, Ph.D with the University of California at Berkley conducted a study of all interventions conducted on the Golden Gate Bridge from the time it was built in 1937 through 1972. Of the more than 500 interventions conducted 94% were still alive or died of natural causes. Again, interventions saves lives.
I invite you to join me in raising the bar. Together we can address the epidemic, and with the Lord's help build a culture of hope that reduces the risk of suicide in our communities.
Lou
Primary Objective
Participants will gain the skills and confidence to render aid to individuals at risk of suicide.
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"My eyes are now open."
Chaplain Adrien Neely
Additional Learning Goals
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Increase personal awareness of the community impact of suicide
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Understand the importance of developing a culture of community health
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Gain insight into the questions asked in each phase of the L3 model
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Recognize the steps to transitioning through the L3 model
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Understand the importance of building rapport
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Discuss fears that impede willingness to intervene
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Evaluate the myths that impact societal and helper responses to suicide
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Examine cultural differences that challenge ability to intervene
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Apply learning to better understand potential risk
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Learn how the brain responds to Post Traumatic Stress increasing risk of suicide
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Demonstrate skills to intervene through roleplay and simulation exercise
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Identify the steps in transitioning to safety
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Summarize the various community resources for further assistance as needed
98% of participants in a recent survey rated the Listen Learn Lead model as EXCELLENT and 100% would recommend the training to others. Additionally 94% are now more likely to intervene when needed and 6% were mental health professionals who regularly intervene. 53% of those surveyed have conducted an intervention since taking the training.
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Source: online Google survey March 2022
Logistics
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Training events should be scheduled at least 45 days in advance
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Training hours are typically 9 am to 2 pm on Saturdays or 1 to 6 on Sundays
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The training does offer POST credit for law enforcement and CEUs for licensed counselors
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Many churches have found the CE offered to be a great outreach to the community
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Desk or tables should be available as participants will be taking notes
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It is preferred that lunch be provided on site as off campus lunch lengthens the training day
Contact us today to learn more about bringing 1 Reason 2 Live to your church!
Can't wait for a live event? Take the online training now. Start Here