Fort Worth workshops tap faith groups to open discussions about suicide, psychological health

When Brendan Voss needed to turn to the individual next to him at a table and ask if they had actually ever thought about suicide-- he felt the desire to practically whisper the word 'suicide.'.

" It seems like this is the example that you whisper ... because it feels practically scandalous," Voss stated. "Using the name of that thing you're terrified of removes a few of its power over you, and it replaces (it with) some firm and it's something that you're able to face more earnestly and authentically.".

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Voss is the director of Youth Ministry for St. John the Apostle United Methodist Church in Arlington and is in the procedure of ending up being an ordained minister. He spent the day going to a suicide prevention training customized towards people of faith.

The Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation partnered with Soul Shop, an organization that focuses on faith-based suicide prevention training and education, for the very first time on Feb. 27 at Universty of Texas at Arlington's Fort Worth.

" At times, it felt like they were just stating it over and over and over again. That felt empowering to me, at least by the end of the day, to be able to speak, to speak honestly and truthfully about that," Voss stated.

The Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation, a Fort Worth-based suicide avoidance training and education company, was established in 2014 by Tom and Ellen Harris after their daughter Jordan Elizabeth Harris passed away from suicide in March 2012.

Despite the fact that the structure is not faith-based, it thought there was an absence of faith-based suicide avoidance in Dallas and Fort Worth. The company believes faith communities are positioned to respond and recognize to an individual's requirements, said David Umanzor, program manager for BIPOC efforts with the foundation.

" This is the very first time we're going to have the ability to provide this in North Texas, specifically on a regular basis," he said.

If you're interested in attending a Soul Shop workshop in Fort Worth, click here.

Soul Shop's workshops aim to resolve the challenges centered around suicide such as worry, preconception and embarassment. The workshops likewise notified ministries on how to create a supportive environment while shifting the culture around how individuals deal with this subject and one another..

" Sometimes it can be really tough, even growing up in the church, to navigate these discussions," said Umanzor. "Churches are perfectly placed in a manner to not only gain skills, but how to minister to people that are experiencing suicidal desperation. Churches can also be a port if an individual needs mental health resources.".

According to Tarrant County's medical examiner, there were 328 recorded cases of deaths by suicide in 2023. The youngest individual was 14 years old and the earliest was 93.

Attending to suicide in faith communities

Ebonie Freeman, 39, remembers walking up to the front of her church seeking prayer throughout altar service. Earlier that week, she attempted suicide.

She began to show a member of the church what she had actually experienced however was silenced before she had an opportunity to complete, she said.

" People simply sort of surrounded me. Of course, I was sobbing and I broke down and I simply sat down," Freeman stated. "After entering therapy at that point, I really had to work through not being upset (about) that moment and this neighborhood of assistance not being able to support me.".

In Freeman's experience, certain subjects-- such as suicide-- were not spoken freely about in her Black faith community and culture, she stated.

" I grew up in a Black faith-based community, and I truly dealt with having the ability to share what I was going through," she stated. "The feelings that I was having protested what I was being taught in church.".

In the faith cultures that Freeman matured in, depression, suicide and anxiety were referred to as "spirits," she said.

" You quick and pray, you go through, like, deliverance, and that is having a pastor or deacon or an apostle ordinary hands on you and hoping over you to erupt that spirit or that demon," Freeman said.

When Freeman assessed that moment at the altar, a couple questions came to mind. What if rather than cutting her off, she had connected with somebody who could help her? How could that have potentially altered the trajectory of her life?.

Freeman also asked herself how this experience with the church might have triggered her and others even more anguish and suffering in her second suicide effort.

Now, Freeman is a psychological health supporter and is pursuing a profession in social work. As an intern with the Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation, she attended Fort Worth's very first Soul Shop event. She shared her story with clergy, pastors, benefit therapists, church members and mental health not-for-profit leaders in participation.

" Soul Shop is needed to just begin the conversation and to be able to supply faith-based neighborhoods the tools, education and knowledge," Freeman said. "Not only to assist individuals in their churchgoers however their neighborhood due to the fact that, in my experience, churches simply don't minister to those in the church house.".

Raquel Portillo and Celia Brannon are co-founders of Mental Health Advocacy Partners, a nonprofit trying to bring mental health and drug abuse training to faith-based and nonreligious companies.

Brannon recently taught a psychological health class at New Harvest Missionary Baptist Church in the Stop Six neighborhood and wishes to bring more such conversations into churches, she said.

" We're truly trying to get more into the church groups. Because we believe that that's the heart beat of a neighborhood," Brannon said. "If we can prepare that front line on a grassroots neighborhood level, then we truly believe there's a lot of chance to change how our community looks as far as being psychologically well.".

Looking ahead for faith-based suicide avoidance

Given that participating in Soul Shop, Voss said he does not feel the need to whisper the word suicide anymore. When to use referrals or resources, he plans to take what he learned to assist himself stabilize being in the minute in conversations about suicide and knowing.

" There was something that was keeping me from being completely with someone if (suicide) ever got brought up or if I ever thought somebody might be going through it," Voss stated. Umanzor explains that faith communities can help people with suicide desperation express and move away from those feelings. Fort Worth Report).

The Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation wants to grow the workshops across North Texas. The next Soul Shop workshops will be kept in May and September.

" I desire our participants to comprehend the seriousness when it pertains to mental health concerns," Umanzor said. "I desire churches to be deliberate about forming communities that are safe for individuals who are showing (signs of desperation) and being aware of the blind areas, so at the end of the day save lives from suicide.".

Marissa Greene is a Report for America corps member, covering faith for the Fort Worth Report. You can contact her at marissa.greene@fortworthreport.org or @marissaygreene.

David Moreno is the health press reporter for the Fort Worth Report. His position is supported by a grant from Texas Health Resources. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports on X.

At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and monetary fans. Find out more about our editorial independence policy here.

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The Fort Worth Report keeps the copyright for all of its published material. If you have any other questions, contact Managing Editor Thomas Martinez.Fort Worth workshops tap faith groups to open up discussions about suicide, mental health.
by Marissa Greene and David Moreno, Fort Worth Report.
March 17, 2024.

<< h1>> Fort Worth workshops tap faith groups to open discussions about suicide, psychological health<.
<< p class="" byline" > by Marissa Greene and David Moreno, Fort Worth Report << br/>> March 17, 2024<.

<< p>> When Brendan Voss had to turn to the individual beside him at a table and ask if they had actually ever thought about suicide-- he felt the desire to almost whisper the word 'suicide.'&& nbsp;. < p >" It seems like this is the example that you whisper ... since it feels almost scandalous," Voss said. "Using the name of that thing you're frightened of takes away some of its power over you, and it changes (it with) some agency and it's something that you're able to face more earnestly and authentically."&& nbsp;. < p > Voss is the director of Youth Ministry for St. John the Apostle United Methodist Church in Arlington and is in the procedure of ending up being an ordained minister. He spent the day participating in a suicide prevention training customized toward people of faith.&& nbsp;. < p > The < a href=" https://fortworthreport.org/2023/09/11/local-foundations-in-school-program-teaches-children-parents-about-suicide-prevention/">> Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation< partnered with << a href=" https://www.soulshopmovement.org/">> Soul Shop<, a company that focuses on faith-based suicide avoidance training and education, for the very first time on Feb. 27 at Universty of Texas at Arlington's Fort Worth center.&& nbsp;. < p >" At times, it felt like they were simply saying it over and over and over once again. That felt empowering to me, a minimum of by the end of the day, to be able to speak, to speak frankly and honestly about that," Voss stated.&& nbsp;. < p > The Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation, a Fort Worth-based suicide prevention training and education company, was developed in 2014 by Tom and Ellen Harris after their child Jordan Elizabeth Harris passed away from suicide in March 2012.&& nbsp;. < p > Even though the structure is not faith-based, it thought there was a lack of faith-based suicide avoidance in Dallas and Fort Worth. The company believes faith communities are placed to react and recognize to an individual's requirements, stated David Umanzor, program manager for BIPOC efforts with the foundation.&& nbsp;. < p >" This is the first time we're going to have the ability to use this in North Texas, particularly regularly," he said.<.
<< div class=" wp-block-group alignright has-light-gray-background-color has-background">>.
<< p><> < a href=" https://jordanharrisfoundation.org/events/soulsafecommunitymay"><> < strong><> < em>> Click here< < strong><> < em> <> if you're interested in attending a Soul Shop workshop in Fort Worth.<.
<.
<< p>> Soul Shop's workshops intend to attend to the obstacles centered around suicide such as worry, stigma and shame. The workshops also notified ministries on how to create a helpful environment while moving the culture around how individuals handle this subject and one another. <.
<< p>>" Sometimes it can be very challenging, even maturing in the church, to navigate these conversations," said Umanzor. "Churches are completely positioned in such a way to not only gain abilities, however how to minister to individuals that are experiencing self-destructive desperation. Churches can likewise be a connector if a person needs psychological health resources."<.
<< p>> According to Tarrant County's medical examiner, there were 328 documented cases of deaths by suicide in 2023. The youngest person was 14 years old and the oldest was 93.<.
<< h3 class=" wp-block-heading"><> < strong>> Addressing suicide in faith communities<.
<< p>> Ebonie Freeman, 39, remembers approaching the front of her church looking for prayer throughout altar service. Previously that week, she attempted suicide.&& nbsp;. < p > She started to share with a member of the church what she had experienced but was silenced before she had a possibility to finish, she stated.&& nbsp;. < p >" People just kind of surrounded me. Of course, I was sobbing and I broke down and I simply sat down," Freeman said. "After entering therapy at that point, I truly had to resolve not being mad (about) that minute and this community of support not being able to support me."&& nbsp;. < p > In Freeman's experience, certain subjects-- such as suicide-- were not spoken honestly about in her Black faith community and culture, she said.&& nbsp;. < p > "I grew up in a Black faith-based community, and I actually battled with having the ability to share what I was going through," she stated. "The feelings that I was having were against what I was being taught in church."&& nbsp;. < p > In the faith cultures that Freeman matured in, anxiety, anxiety and suicide were referred to as "spirits," she stated.&& nbsp;. < p >" You quickly and pray, you go through, like, deliverance, which is having a pastor or deacon or an apostle lay hands on you and hoping over you to cast out that spirit or that satanic force," Freeman stated.&& nbsp;. < p > When Freeman reflected on that moment at the altar, a couple questions came to mind. What if instead of cutting her off, she had gotten in touch with someone who could help her? How could that have possibly altered the trajectory of her life? <.
<< p>> Freeman likewise asked herself how this experience with the church may have caused her and others further distress and suffering in her 2nd suicide effort.<.
<< p>> Now, Freeman is a mental health advocate and is pursuing a career in social work. As an intern with the Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation, she attended Fort Worth's very first Soul Shop occasion. She shared her story with clergy, pastors, advantage counselors, church members and psychological health nonprofit leaders in attendance.<.
<< p>>" Soul Shop is needed to simply begin the conversation and to be able to offer faith-based communities the tools, education and knowledge," Freeman said. "Not only to assist the people in their churchgoers but their neighborhood due to the fact that, in my experience, churches simply don't minister to those in the church home."&& nbsp;. < p > Raquel Portillo and Celia Brannon are co-founders of Mental Health Advocacy Partners, a not-for-profit trying to bring mental health and substance abuse training to secular and faith-based companies.&& nbsp;. < p > Brannon just recently taught a mental health class at New Harvest Missionary Baptist Church in the Stop Six area and hopes to bring more such conversations into churches, she stated.&& nbsp;. < p >" We're truly trying to get more into the church groups. Due to the fact that we believe that that's the heart beat of a neighborhood," Brannon stated. "If we can prepare that front line on a grassroots neighborhood level, then we truly think there's a lot of opportunity to change how our community looks as far as being psychologically well."<.
<< h3 class=" wp-block-heading"><> < strong>> Looking ahead for faith-based suicide prevention<.
<< p>> Since attending Soul Shop, Voss said he doesn't feel the need to whisper the word suicide any longer. He plans to take what he discovered to help himself balance being in the minute in discussions about suicide and knowing when to provide resources or recommendations.<.
<< p>>" There was something that was keeping me from being fully with someone if (suicide) ever got brought up or if I ever thought someone may be going through it," Voss stated. "But that afternoon at Soul Shop, I seem like I made a state of mind switch and I started to understand the value of being with someone and not forgeting the things I can use."<.
<< figure class=" wp-block-image size-large"><> < img src=" https://fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/DSC05670-2-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class=" wp-image-111538"/><> < figcaption class=" wp-element-caption">> During the Feb. 27 workshop, David Umanzor asks, "Can someone who is thinking about suicide truly be assisted?" Umanzor explains that faith neighborhoods can help people with suicide desperation express and move far from those sensations. (David Moreno