Suicide Prevention Month: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Hope, Healing, and Community Connection

Written By Anam Cara

⚠️ Content Notice & Safety Resources

This post discusses suicide, mental health crises, and related topics in detail. If you are currently struggling with thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please prioritize your immediate safety:

  • Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (available 24/7)

  • Text "HELLO" to 741741 for the Crisis Text Line

  • Go to your nearest emergency room or call 911 if you are in immediate danger

If this content feels overwhelming: It's completely okay to pause, step away, or reach out for support. You can return to this information when you feel ready. Consider having a trusted person nearby while reading, or reviewing this content with a therapist or counselor.


Each September, communities across the United States come together to observe National Suicide Prevention Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness, promoting hope, and fostering the connections that save lives. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, with over 49,000 people dying by suicide in 2023, representing one death approximately every 11 minutes.

At Walk Intuit, we approach Suicide Prevention Month through our trauma-informed lens, understanding that meaningful prevention happens when we create spaces for authentic connection, address root causes of distress, and offer accessible, compassionate support that honors each person's unique journey.

Understanding Suicide Through a Trauma-Informed Perspective

Suicidal thoughts, much like mental health conditions, can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or background. From a trauma-informed perspective, we understand that suicidal ideation often emerges from overwhelming emotional pain, profound hopelessness, and a sense of being trapped without viable solutions.

Research consistently demonstrates strong connections between trauma exposure and suicide risk. Trauma is associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing suicidality, and there are elevated rates of trauma in individuals with suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and individuals with suicidality or bereaved by suicide have an increased risk of trauma.

This relationship between trauma and suicide is complex and multifaceted:

  • Childhood trauma including abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction significantly increases lifetime suicide risk

  • Recent traumatic events such as loss, violence, or major life disruptions can trigger acute suicidal crises

  • Historical and ongoing trauma from systemic oppression, discrimination, and marginalization creates additional layers of risk

  • Complex trauma from multiple, repeated exposures can lead to difficulties with emotional regulation, relationships, and sense of safety

Understanding these connections allows us to approach suicide prevention with greater compassion and effectiveness, addressing not just immediate crisis but the underlying wounds that contribute to suicidal distress.

Current Statistics: The Scope of the Crisis

The data surrounding suicide in the United States reveals both the magnitude of this public health crisis and important patterns that inform prevention efforts:

Overall Impact:

Gender Patterns:

Disparities and Vulnerable Populations: From 2018–2021, suicide rates significantly increased for non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native and non-Hispanic Black people, while those rates declined for non-Hispanic White people. This data highlights the critical importance of addressing systemic factors that contribute to suicide risk in marginalized communities.

Veterans face particularly elevated risks, with 6,407 suicides among Veterans in 2022, underscoring the need for specialized, trauma-informed approaches to suicide prevention in this population.

Trauma-Informed Suicide Prevention: Core Principles

Due to this relationship between trauma and suicide, there is a consensus from experts that suicide prevention work must be trauma-informed. Trauma-informed suicide prevention integrates the following core principles:

Safety

Creating physical and psychological safety in all interactions, recognizing that individuals with trauma histories may have heightened threat detection systems.

Trustworthiness and Transparency

Building trust through clear communication, consistency, and reliability—essential for individuals whose trust has been violated through traumatic experiences.

Peer Support

Incorporating the healing power of shared experience and mutual support, recognizing that connection with others who understand can be profoundly healing.

Collaboration and Mutuality

Engaging individuals as partners in their own healing process, honoring their autonomy and expertise about their own lives.

Empowerment, Voice, and Choice

Prioritizing individual choice and self-determination, recognizing that trauma often involves experiences of powerlessness.

Cultural, Historical, and Gender Considerations

Recognizing that trauma affects a majority of clients served within public health systems and understanding how cultural, historical, and identity factors shape both trauma exposure and healing processes.

Addressing Suicide Risk in Marginalized Communities

Effective suicide prevention must acknowledge that suicide risk is not equally distributed across all populations. Black boys have been dying by suicide at an increasing rate, and sexual and gender minority individuals, such as LGBTQI+ individuals, are at significantly higher risk for suicide attempts.

A trauma-informed approach to suicide prevention in marginalized communities includes:

  • Addressing systemic trauma including racism, discrimination, and oppression

  • Building culturally responsive services that honor diverse healing traditions and practices

  • Reducing barriers to mental health care including cost, accessibility, and cultural stigma

  • Training providers in cultural humility and understanding of historical trauma

  • Centering community voices and lived experience in prevention efforts

  • Advocating for policy changes that address social determinants of health

A trauma-informed approach fosters compassion and empathy, allowing individuals and communities to work together toward healing rather than perpetuating harmful stereotypes or deficit-based approaches.

The Role of Professional Mental Health Support

While community connection and peer support are vital, professional mental health support plays a crucial role in trauma-informed suicide prevention:

Evidence-Based Interventions:

  • Safety planning that incorporates trauma-informed principles and addresses triggers

  • Trauma-focused therapies such as EMDR, CPT, and trauma-focused CBT

  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for emotional regulation and distress tolerance

  • Crisis intervention that prioritizes safety while preserving dignity and autonomy

Trauma-Informed Clinical Practices: Mental health providers can effectively recognize and respond to traumatic stress among youth presenting with suicidal thoughts and behaviors through approaches that emphasize caregiver involvement in treatment, the impact of therapist and relationship characteristics such as authenticity and genuineness, and the importance of provider education about trauma.

Accessing Professional Support: If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or navigating grief and loss, Walk Intuit offers comprehensive, trauma-informed support:

Crisis Resources and Immediate Support

Immediate Crisis Support:

  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 (24/7, free, confidential)

  • Crisis Text Line: Text HELLO to 741741

  • Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1

  • Emergency Services: Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room

Specialized Support:

  • LGBTQ National Hotline: 1-888-843-4564

  • National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

  • National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233

  • NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264

Hope, Healing, and Moving Forward

September's focus on suicide prevention reminds us that mental health is community health, and that healing happens in relationship and connection. Every conversation that reduces stigma, every policy that addresses social determinants of health, every person who receives trauma-informed care, and every community that prioritizes mental wellness contributes to a network of support that saves lives.

At Walk Intuit, we believe deeply in the possibility of healing, even from the deepest wounds. We understand that suicidal thoughts, while profoundly painful, are often signals that someone is carrying more pain than they know how to bear alone. Through trauma-informed approaches, we can address not just the immediate crisis but the underlying factors that contribute to suicidal distress.

If you're reading this and struggling with thoughts of suicide, please know that your life has value, that support exists, and that healing is possible.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please reach out for help immediately. Call or text 988 for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7.

The Walk Intuit clinical team specializes in trauma-informed therapy, crisis support, and suicide prevention, with extensive experience supporting individuals and families through mental health challenges and crisis situations.

Walk Intuit offers individual therapy, support groups, and specialized programs designed with trauma-informed principles. Contact us at info@walkintuit.com or (213) 286-1031 for more information about our services, or visit our contact page to get started.

Related Resources at Walk Intuit

Anam Cara https://anamcarapractitioners.com
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Understanding Grief: Your Journey Through Loss and Healing