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Pathways to Healing: Hope After Suicide Loss Activity Guide

1Pathways to Healing: Hope After Suicide Loss | Activity Guide

Program Activity GuidePathways to Healing: Hope After Suicide Loss follows the family and friends of Chris Taddeo, a young adult

who died by suicide. Together, they show the individual experiences a community of people can have

after a shared loss: from confusion and denial, to isolation and finding support. Through their various

approaches to grief and healing, each journey shares a message of hope, connection, and resilience.

This brief resource is a supplement to our 2019 International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day Film Discussion

Guide which will help you expand your programming to better support the survivors of suicide loss attending

your event. Regardless of the size of your event, these activities may help start conversation and build

connection with your attendees. It is not essential to do any nor all of these,

but they may serve as a starting point for planning your day.

Small Group Discussions• Timeframe: 30 - 60 Minutes

• Materials Needed: 1-2 pens per group, and a typed handout or hand-written sheet of paper with a few

questions from the 2019 Film Discussion Guide

Implementation

Form small groups of three to four attendees (preferably at random), having each group take 10-15 minutes

to answer the questions together. Bring the group back together and have each smaller group pick one

question to answer, ensuring that the same question isn’t answered twice.

Panel Discussion• Timeframe: 30 – 45 Minutes

• Materials Needed: Chairs and a microphone (if needed)

Implementation

Have a panel discussion, featuring 1-2 mental health professionals and 1-2 loss survivors, on how they each

perceived the film and related to the themes. Discuss how their personal and professional experiences have

shaped their views on the grief journey after suicide loss. The questions in the film discussion guide are a

great resource for your panel questions.

Support Network Activity• Timeframe: 30 – 45 Minutes

• Materials Needed: Blank paper and pen/pencils for each attendee

Implementation

Have each attendee write a list of things they need to grow, heal and move forward with their grief. These may

include self-care activities, hobbies, counseling, and so on — allow attendees to interpret what they need.

When they have completed this, have them flip the paper over and write a list of people that they can rely

on for support. Once each participant has completed their list of people, ask them to identify which support

person could best help them to meet each need. Allow 10-15 minutes total for each part.

2Pathways to Healing: Hope After Suicide Loss | Activity Guide

Processing

Help attendees understand — much like the community in the film — that not one person or group can provide

everything they need. However, when they step back and look at the support network in place, they can identify

which people and/or groups can help them with what they may need along their personal path to healing.

Who You Were, Who You Are, and Where You See Yourself Activity• Timeframe: 30 – 45 Minutes

• Materials Needed: Blank paper and pen/pencil for each attendee

Implementation

Have attendees make three columns, labeled “Who You Were,” “Who You Are,” and “Where You See Yourself.”

Ask each attendee to write whatever they feel fits in each column. In the last column (“Where They See

Themselves), ask them to write about what they might need, what support would be helpful and how they

want to grow in a positive way.

Processing

Process either as a large group or as small groups, prompting attendees to reflect on how they may see

themselves growing — perhaps without noticing the growth. Ask them to identify things they need and goals

they’d like to set to grow within their healing journey.

Commemorative DisplaysInternational Survivor of Suicide Loss Day events can often be a very emotional experience for loss survivors.

It’s important to remain mindful of this as you plan any commemorative displays. As an alternative to a slide

show of memorial photos (which can be too heavy for attendees at your Survivor Day event) consider some

other ways of commemorating the lives of those lost to suicide, such as:

• Display an AFSP Lifekeeper Memory Quilt

• A Wishing Tree: Pictures glued to a light up tree, where attendees are welcome to write a message, quote,

or anything hopeful or in honor of their loved one and place on the tree

• Framed photo table display with battery lights surrounding the photos

• Collaborative Candle Ceremony

• Photos of the community coming together around our cause, e.g., walks, advocacy days, etc.

Resilience Activity• Timeframe: 20 – 30 Minutes

• Materials Needed: Blank paper and pen/pencil for each attendee

Implementation

Have each attendee write a list of five things they’ve survived. This could be anything, and should be left up

to their interpretation. Next to those five things, have them write what helped them survive those things.

Allow 10 minutes or so for writing.

NOTE: Ensure that each attendee does not put their name on the paper.

3Pathways to Healing: Hope After Suicide Loss | Activity Guide

Once each attendee is finished, have them fold up their paper, and collect them. Shuffle the papers

randomly, and redistribute to the group. Ask each attendee simply read the five things that the individual

survived, and then subsequent tool they used to help them navigate their challenge.

Processing

Ask the group if they heard something relatable that helped them, or if they’ve shared a familiar experience.

Have the group discuss how, despite obstacles and struggles, each person in the room showed resilience

and found what they may need to get through those times. Attendees should discuss both the positive and

negative things they heard, and process together the resources, tools and strategies that can be most helpful.

Much like the community in the film, this activity helps to find all the tools to put in your toolbox, helping to

guide you through the journey.

Flower Pot Growth Activity• Timeframe: 15 – 20 Minutes

• Materials Needed: Small clay flower pots, colorful paint markers, sunflower seeds or Healing Seed Paper

for planting

Implementation

Ask each attendee to write strategies they use or would like to use to promote their healing on the flower

pots, using the provided markers. They may also write goals to set in support of their healing journey. With

partners or in groups, attendees can then share their flower pot designs and some of their words/goals/

strategies with one another. Attendees can be given a package of sunflower seeds (to take home) to plant in

their pot as a reminder that, with care and attention, growth is possible.

PoemsReading poetry can be extremely therapeutic, especially for those who have difficulty expressing their

emotions. Poetry allows one to find connection with the soul of the writer and to access and express one’s

own thoughts and grief emotions in a healthy way.

These suggested poems can be used in various ways such as:

• Given out as a bookmark

• Read aloud during any part of your event

• Included in the program

• Framed for attendees

• Printed on cardstock and given to attendees, to take home and display on their refrigerators or in other

prominent places

4Pathways to Healing: Hope After Suicide Loss | Activity Guide

Sample Poem I Don’t Know Why By Iris M. Bolton

From the book, “My Son, My Son, A Guide to Healing after Death, Loss or Suicide,” BoltonPress.com

I don’t know why…

I’ll never know why…

I don’t have to know why…

I don’t like it…

I don’t have to like it…

What I do have to do is make a choice about my living.

What I do want to do is to accept it and go on living.

The choice is mine.

I can go on living, valuing every moment in a way I never did before,

Or I can be destroyed by it and in turn, destroy others.

I thought I was immortal, that my children and my family were also,

That tragedy happened only to others…

But I know now that life is tenuous and valuable.

And I choose to go on living, making the most of the time I have,

Valuing my family and friends in a way I never experienced before.

Take A Break• Timeframe: 10 - 20 minutes

If you have a long day of break outs, discussion and speakers planned, be sure to schedule a quick break

for refreshments (perhaps after the film and discussion) to regroup and allow attendees to connect on the

film in a more casual way. This may also be an appropriate time to encourage attendees to browse the AFSP

resource table, or further aspects and resources offered at your Survivor Day.

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