Creating Space for the Conversations That Matter as a Community Approach to Suicide Prevention
- 4 hours ago
- 8 min read
Written by Dr. Moniek Garside, Mental Health Expert
Dr. Moniek Garside, LCSW, is a mental health expert, licensed psychotherapist, speaker, educator, and author dedicated to helping people move from autopilot to awareness. Through her work in therapy, education, and wellness, she empowers individuals to prioritize self-care, set boundaries, and create space for intentional growth and healing.
Suicide is complex. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is rarely the result of one circumstance or event. Many factors can increase risk, but there are also factors that can offer protection. These include support from family and friends, feeling connected to others, and having meaningful connections within our communities.
Perhaps that is one of the most important places for us to begin the conversation during Suicide Prevention Month, connection matters.
Suicide prevention isn't only a conversation for therapists, crisis professionals, or the month of September. It is also about how we show up for one another in our homes, friendships, workplaces, faith communities, schools, and everyday lives.
We often hear the phrase "check on your people." It's an important reminder, but what does checking in actually look like? How do we create relationships where someone feels safe enough to tell us they aren't okay? When someone does open that door, can we stay present with what they're sharing rather than immediately trying to fix, minimize, or change what they're feeling?
The CDC emphasizes that suicide prevention begins before a crisis. Our everyday interactions and relationships matter. The communities we create can help people feel connected, supported, and less alone.
Breaking the stigma starts with safe conversations
Stigma can show up through the negative beliefs, assumptions, or judgments we attach to certain experiences. When it comes to mental health, those beliefs can make an already difficult experience feel even more isolating.
Someone may hesitate to talk about what they're experiencing because they're afraid of being judged, misunderstood, treated differently, or becoming a burden to the people they love. Others may simply not have the words to describe what they're feeling.
Some of these beliefs are deeply rooted. They may have been passed down through families, cultures, communities, or generations.
Perhaps you grew up in a home where mental health wasn't discussed. Maybe difficult emotions were something you were expected to "get over," keep private, or simply push through.
We have an opportunity to change that narrative. Breaking stigma doesn't require us to become mental health experts. It can begin with compassion, empathy, and creating environments where people don't feel they have to hide what they're experiencing.
Those conversations can begin early. No one is too young to need space for their emotions.
When children learn that sadness, fear, disappointment, anger, and uncertainty are feelings they can talk about, we help give them a language for emotional well-being that they can carry into adulthood.
Imagine what could change for future generations if asking for emotional support became as normal as asking for help when we are physically unwell.
It's also important to remember that there is no single personality, diagnosis, experience, or circumstance that tells us who may experience suicidal thoughts.
Someone can appear to be doing well and still be struggling beneath the surface. Rather than trying to determine who "looks" like they may be struggling, we can focus on creating relationships where people feel more comfortable talking honestly about how they're doing.
Learn to notice when something has changed
Sometimes supporting someone begins with knowing them well enough to notice when something feels different.
A person who normally engages with family or friends may begin withdrawing. Someone may express increasing hopelessness, talk about having no reason to live, describe themselves as a burden, or begin saying goodbye in ways that seem unusual.
Other warning signs can include significant changes in mood, sleeping or eating patterns, increased alcohol or substance use, giving away meaningful possessions, taking unusual risks, or making plans related to suicide.
One change alone doesn't necessarily tell us what someone is experiencing. But new, concerning, or increasing changes deserve our attention.
There is also an important difference between solitude and isolation. Solitude can be intentional and restorative. Someone may choose time alone to think, rest, pray, create, or recharge.
Isolation can look different. It may involve pulling away from relationships, activities, or sources of support, particularly when that withdrawal represents a noticeable change from someone's usual behavior.
Instead of assuming someone is "just keeping to themselves," we can become curious.
A simple statement such as, "I've noticed you haven't seemed like yourself lately. How are you doing?" may create an opening for a conversation that otherwise might not have happened.
Holding space doesn't mean having the perfect response
One reason people may avoid conversations about suicide is the fear of saying the wrong thing.
You don't have to have the perfect words. Holding space can be as simple as listening without judgment, resisting the urge to immediately problem-solve, taking someone's concerns seriously, and giving them room to speak honestly.
It doesn't always require a formal sit-down conversation. Sometimes holding space happens in the car, while taking a walk, over coffee, or during an ordinary moment when someone begins sharing something deeper.
We don't always have to bring attention to the moment. Sometimes we simply need to give the person our attention. Put the phone down. Listen. Ask another question. Allow silence.
Try to resist immediately responding with "You'll be fine," "Don't think like that," or "Look at everything you have to be grateful for." These responses may come from a place of love and a desire to make things better, but they can unintentionally close the door someone has just worked up the courage to open.
Instead, we can say, "I'm glad you told me." "I'm here with you." "Tell me more about what you've been experiencing."
If you're concerned that someone may be thinking about suicide, it is okay to ask directly.
Research summarized by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) indicates that asking someone whether they are thinking about suicide does not increase suicidal thoughts or behavior.
NIMH recommends five actions, ask, be there, help keep them safe, help them connect, and follow up.
You don't need perfect words to be a safe person. Sometimes presence is more powerful than advice.
At the same time, holding space doesn't mean taking sole responsibility for someone's safety or well-being. Know your capacity and recognize when additional support is needed.
Helping someone connect with a mental health professional, healthcare provider, crisis counselor, trusted family member, or another appropriate resource can also be an act of care.
Creating communities where asking for help feels normal
Suicide prevention isn't only about what happens between two individuals. We can also think about what we're creating collectively.
What would change if emotional check-ins were a normal part of family conversations? What if "How are you really doing?" wasn't reserved for moments when something was obviously wrong? What if workplaces made conversations about mental well-being and available resources part of their culture rather than waiting until someone reached burnout or crisis?
What if friends felt comfortable saying, "You've been quiet lately. I just wanted to check on you." What if parents gave children permission to name difficult emotions without immediately trying to fix or dismiss them?
Creating supportive communities doesn't mean every conversation needs to center on mental health. It means creating enough openness that when someone does need to talk, the conversation doesn't feel unfamiliar or shameful.
The CDC's approach to suicide prevention includes strengthening healthy connections, developing coping and problem-solving skills, improving access to care, and creating supportive environments.
We aren't only watching for crises. We're building connections before a crisis occurs.
5 ways we can hold space for one another
Ask beyond "How are you?" Our everyday questions can sometimes produce automatic answers. Try going one step further, "How are you really doing?" "What's been weighing on you lately?" or "How have you been feeling?" Then give the person enough space to answer honestly.
Listen without rushing to fix. Not every difficult feeling requires an immediate solution. Sometimes people need an opportunity to say what they're experiencing without being judged, corrected, or rushed toward positivity.
Pay attention to meaningful changes. Notice significant changes in someone's mood, language, behavior, relationships, sleep, substance use, or level of engagement. You don't have to diagnose or determine exactly what the change means. You can acknowledge what you've noticed and check in.
Ask directly when you're concerned. If you are concerned that someone may be thinking about suicide, it is okay to ask, "Are you thinking about suicide?" Asking directly does not put the idea into someone's mind. Instead, it can create an opportunity for honesty and connection.
Help connect and stay connected. Support doesn't have to end with one conversation. When appropriate, help someone connect with professional or crisis support and continue checking in afterward. A text, phone call, visit, or simple "I've been thinking about you" can remind someone that they don't have to navigate a difficult season alone.
Final thoughts: Be a safe space
Suicide Prevention Month reminds us that we all have a role to play, not by becoming therapists to the people we love, but by becoming more intentional about how we connect with one another.
We can listen more carefully. Ask questions openly. Notice meaningful changes. Create homes where emotions can be discussed. Build friendships where vulnerability isn't treated as weakness. Encourage professional support without shame.
Most importantly, we can remind the people around us that they don't have to wait until they're in crisis to say, "I'm struggling."
Most of us will experience seasons when life feels heavier than usual. Normalizing honest conversations about those moments can help create communities where reaching for support feels less like an exception and more like something we are allowed to do.
Sometimes holding space begins with something as simple as, "You don't have to go through this alone. I'm here, and I'm listening."
This month, consider one small way you can help create that space. Check in with someone you haven't heard from. Make emotional conversations more normal in your home. Learn the warning signs. Share a mental health resource. Or simply become more intentional about listening when someone tells you how they're really doing.
We may not always know what someone is carrying, but we can help create communities where they don't feel they have to carry it silently.
If you or someone you know needs support
If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or having thoughts of suicide, support is available.
In the United States, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Support is available 24/7, and you can also contact 988 if you are concerned about someone you love.
If there is an immediate life-threatening emergency, call 911.
Read more from Moniek Garside
Dr. Moniek Garside, Mental Health Expert
Dr. Moniek Garside, LCSW, is a mental health expert, licensed psychotherapist, speaker, educator, and author dedicated to helping individuals move from autopilot to awareness. With over two decades of experience in social work, psychology, healthcare, and education, she brings a practical and integrative approach to self-care, boundaries, and personal growth. Through her work, she creates space for reflection, healing, and intentional living. She's the founder of FitLife Wellness, LLC, where she supports clients, professionals, and communities in prioritizing their well-being. Through her writing and speaking, she empowers others to live with clarity, purpose, and self-awareness.
