Support After Suicide

Hope Bereavement Care’s Support After Suicide (SAS) service in Geelong provides free information, support and counselling to any person affected by the loss of a loved one to suicide and those caring for them.

Suicide is the leading cause of death for both adult males and females aged 15-44 years. Between eight and 10 Australians die by suicide every day and there is an estimated 180 people who attempt suicide – with nearly half hospitalised.

The SAS Geelong Region service is aware that grief following suicide is complex and varied and that people need different kinds of support at different times. For this reason, we offer a range of support services.

 

Our support services include:

• Free grief counselling either in-person or remotely for those affected by the loss of a loved one to suicide
• Counselling and support for extended family members, friends, workmates and school communities also affected by suicide
• Secondary consultation for professionals supporting those affected by the loss of a loved one to suicide
• Programs to increase suicide awareness in the general community and to provide a better understanding of the issues surrounding suicide so that community members are able to respond appropriately in times of need

 

Our support groups include:

• The Support After Suicide Peer Support Coffee Morning, for those who prefer an informal catch-up with others who have also lost a loved one to suicide, with sessions facilitated by trained volunteers who have experienced suicide bereavement;
• The Support After Suicide Men’s Program, for bereaved men who have lost a loved one to suicide, with each session featuring a guest speaker who will share their own thoughts and experiences;
• The After Suicide Loss Support Group, for whose who would like to meet and connect with other people who have lost a loved one to suicide and to develop a greater awareness of the impact of traumatic loss and strategies to manage those responses; and
• The Support After Suicide Early Bereavement Program, a four-week group run several times per year for those who are between three and 24 months bereaved by suicide designed to assist in understanding the trauma and grief that follows (contact us for upcoming dates).

 

For more information, please contact us.

* For 24-hour support for those grieving after suicide, call SuicideLine on 1300 651 251 or Lifeline on 13 11 14. Note that Kids Helpline (call 1800 55 1800) also offers 24-hour support for children and young adults aged 5-25.

 

Grief after suicide – for young people
– a Hope fact sheet providing tips to help young people who are bereaved by suicide

Supporting young people after a suicide death
– a Hope fact sheet providing tips and resources for those supporting a young person bereaved by suicide