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Mental Health Awareness Modules

Suicide

Build a clearer understanding of suicide, recognise possible warning signs, when someone may need support and feel more confident responding calmly, openly and without judgement.

Enquire about this course
Duration 3 hours
Group size 8–20 people
Delivery Interactive group training
Location Across Scotland
Overview

About this course

Suicide can be difficult to talk about. Fear of saying the wrong thing, uncertainty about what to do and the belief that suicide should be left entirely to professionals can all make people hesitate when someone may need support.

Stigma and misconceptions add another barrier. Suicide may be treated as taboo, oversimplified as selfish or impulsive, or seen as inevitable once someone has expressed suicidal thoughts. Some people also worry that talking about suicide might somehow put the idea into someone’s mind. These assumptions can make open, supportive conversations harder at precisely the point when they may matter most.

This three-hour module looks at suicide in a practical mental health context. Participants explore some of the factors and warning signs associated with suicide, challenge common misconceptions, consider how to approach and listen to someone they are concerned about, and think about immediate safety, personal boundaries and connecting someone with appropriate professional or urgent support.

Is this course right for your group?

Designed for

Workplaces, professional teams, educators, healthcare professionals, community organisations, volunteers and other groups that want people to feel better informed and less uncertain when suicide becomes part of a mental health conversation.

Particularly useful if

  • People are worried about saying the wrong thing when they are concerned that someone may be suicidal.
  • Suicide is treated as a taboo subject or something that should only ever be discussed by mental health professionals.
  • Your group would benefit from recognising some of the warning signs that may suggest someone needs support.
  • Misconceptions such as suicide being selfish, inevitable or caused by one simple factor may be shaping attitudes.
  • People want more confidence responding to concern while keeping safety, boundaries and appropriate professional support in mind.
For your organisation

What this can help your organisation achieve

More confident conversations

Help people feel less afraid of talking about suicide and better prepared to approach a difficult conversation calmly and without judgement.

Better recognition of concern

Build awareness of some of the signs and changes that may indicate someone is struggling, so concerns are less likely to be dismissed or avoided.

Clearer first-response boundaries

Help people understand what a supportive first response can look like, where their own role begins and ends, and when urgent or professional help may be needed.

Outcomes

What you’ll learn

Understand suicide more clearly

Explore some of the psychological, emotional, social and environmental factors that can contribute to suicidal thoughts and behaviour.

Recognise possible warning signs

Consider some of the signs, changes or behaviours that may suggest someone is experiencing significant distress or suicidal thoughts.

Challenge stigma and common misconceptions

Examine ideas that suicide is selfish, inevitable or something that should not be talked about, and consider how those attitudes can affect support and help-seeking.

Approach conversations supportively

Develop a more thoughtful approach to listening, communicating without judgement and staying open to a difficult conversation rather than avoiding it.

Think about immediate safety and further help

Consider an appropriate first response when there are concerns about suicide, including personal boundaries, immediate safety and connecting someone with professional, specialist or urgent support.

Course content

What we’ll cover

Understanding suicide

We look at suicide as a complex issue that can be influenced by a combination of psychological, emotional, social and environmental factors rather than one simple cause.

Recognising warning signs

Participants consider some of the signs or changes that may suggest someone is experiencing suicidal thoughts or significant distress, while recognising that no single sign tells the whole story.

Stigma, taboo and misconceptions

We explore some of the beliefs that can make suicide harder to talk about, including shame, fear, oversimplification, fatalism and concern that discussing suicide may somehow make things worse.

Communication and supportive conversations

The module considers how to approach someone you are concerned about, listen without judgement and respond in ways that keep the conversation open.

Immediate safety and appropriate support

We look at what a helpful first response can involve when someone may be at immediate risk, with attention to staying engaged, keeping safety in mind, recognising personal boundaries and connecting with urgent or professional support.

Recovery, ongoing support and supporter wellbeing

Participants consider the importance of ongoing professional and social support after a suicidal crisis, alongside the emotional impact that supporting someone can have and the need to look after their own wellbeing too.

Course format

What to expect

Three-hour session

A focused three-hour module with time to explore the subject without requiring a full-day course.

Small groups

Groups are usually kept to 8–16 people, allowing time for discussion, questions and participation.

Interactive learning

The session uses a mixture of presentation, group discussion, case studies, videos and practical activities rather than relying on slides alone.

Respectful discussion

Clear expectations around confidentiality and respect help participants ask questions and explore a difficult and potentially sensitive subject without judgement.

Green Ribbons

Why Green Ribbons?

Green Ribbons was founded by Jean Pryde after 30 years working in mental health settings. That experience sits behind a practical, plain-speaking approach to training that takes difficult subjects seriously without making them harder to talk about than they need to be.

Based in Moray and working across Scotland, Green Ribbons has delivered training for organisations including Diageo, Macallan and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, alongside professional bodies and community groups.

Booking

What happens next

1

Tell us what you're looking for

Tell us a little about your organisation or group, who the training is for and what you would like it to help with.

2

We'll talk it through

We'll discuss whether this module is the right fit, answer your questions and talk through the practical arrangements.

3

Arrange the training

If you'd like to go ahead, we'll agree the date, location and arrangements with you.

Enquire

Interested in this training?

Tell us a little about your group and what you’re looking for. We can talk through whether this course is the right fit and the practical arrangements.

You’re enquiring about Suicide

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