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Facilitating a Suicide Bereavement Support Group

Become a vital part of a community-based, suicide bereavement support network. This training program offers organizers a way to create and facilitate a community support group for suicide loss survivors in the aftermath of a suicide.

About the training

The AFSP Facilitator Training Program offers suicide prevention organizers a way to create and facilitate a community support group for suicide loss survivors in the aftermath of a suicide.  Courses are offered as two-day trainings of up to 36 attendees, and include lecture, interactive discussion, and role-playing. They are led by experts in the field of suicide bereavement. AFSP offers two courses: one on facilitating adult support groups, and another on facilitating child and teen support groups.

Who should attend?

  • Mental health professionals and survivors of suicide loss who want to start a support group
  • Current group facilitators who want to strengthen their skills, stay up to date on the latest practices, and explore issues they have encountered while facilitating
  • Survivors of suicide loss who have waited at least two years after experiencing a suicide loss
  • Non-clinicians who have at least one year of experience participating in a support group

Scholarship opportunities

You may be able to obtain scholarship funds from your AFSP chapter to cover your registration fee and your travel and/or hotel expenses. Contact your local chapter to ask whether they are offering scholarships for the Facilitator Training you wish to attend.  If applicable, they will email you a link to their scholarship application form.