Our stories matter: Sharing lived and living experiences of suicide publicly
These guidelines and accompanying resources have been co-created by people with a lived and living experience of suicide, for people who have a lived and living experience of suicide.
A lived experience of suicide is having experienced suicidal thoughts, survived a suicide attempt, supported a loved one through suicidal crisis, or been bereaved by suicide.
Sharing your lived and living experience of suicide is incredibly powerful. It can create change, provide hope, empower others, and contribute to your own healing. It can also be challenging, uncomfortable or met with resistance and barriers. These resources are designed to assist safe and impactful public sharing of personal stories about suicide.
Resources and videos on this page
Our stories matter: A guide for publicly sharing lived and living experience of suicide
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Every quote in this resource suite has been provided by a person with lived and living experience. We have drawn on this broad collection of unique insights to develop guidance resources that can support others who may want to share their story.
Key topics covered in this resource include:
- Ensuring you understand your purpose for sharing your story
- Having a self-care plan in place
- Considering the language you are using
- Setting boundaries to protect your wellbeing
- Being prepared for people, including strangers, to ask you questions about your story.
Share your thoughts
Everymind is undertaking a research evaluation project examining the use and usefulness of these new resources. Follow the link below to take part in a short survey about why you are accessing this resource today.
Your input will help to improve this resource suite for people with lived and living experience of suicide.
Preparing to share your story
This workbook has been created to be used in conjunction with the Mindframe guidelines document for sharing lived and living experience of suicide. It aims is to provide an interactive space where you can apply the guidelines to your own story and consider some important questions before sharing your story publicly.
The digital copy of this workbook allows you to type your thoughts and ideas directly into the PDF.
A printable version is also provided for those who prefer to use a pen or pencil. This version also features opportunities for colouring.
Our stories matter: A workbook for sharing your story of suicide [DIGITAL VERSION]
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Throughout this resource you will also see quotes from other people who have shared their stories publicly and some of the guidance they have provided.
Focusing on your story can be challenging and, at times, distressing. We encourage you to take your time going through this workbook and to take breaks for self-care activities. There are some activities in the workbook you can do, or you might have your own activities you prefer.
Our stories matter: A workbook for sharing your story of suicide [PRINT VERSION]
Click on the cover image to download this resource
Throughout this resource you will also see quotes from other people who have shared their stories publicly and some of the guidance they have provided.
Focusing on your story can be challenging and, at times, distressing. We encourage you to take your time going through this workbook and to take breaks for self-care activities. There are some activities in the workbook you can do, or you might have your own activities you prefer.
Looking after yourself: Self-care and avoiding burnout
- Our stories matter: Self-care planning for sharing your lived and living experience publicly
- Our stories matter: Preventing burnout when sharing lived and living experiences publicly
Our stories matter: Self-care planning for sharing your lived and living experience publicly
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This resource includes some ideas about the different areas of self-care you may want to engage with, examples of self-care activities you might use ( you will also have some of your own), and a template to help you plan how to maintain your wellbeing during the storytelling experience.
Our stories matter: Preventing burnout when sharing lived and living experiences publicly
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Burnout can occur when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, engaged in lived experience work that feels tokenistic or like nothing has changed despite your efforts to contribute to meaningful progress.
Everyone’s experience is different. What works for one person to reduce burnout may be different to another.
Understanding the media
Sharing your lived and living experience of suicide is incredibly powerful. It can also be challenging, uncomfortable and could result in your story being used and published in places or contexts that you may not have expected or been ready for. Taking the time to consider the way media outlets are owned and operated, as well as understanding the steps that media professionals may take in the process of researching and platforming your story is important, regardless of what type of media format you may be interested in engaging.
Our stories matter: Understanding the media and communications landscape
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Media and public communication platformshave evolved considerably over the past decade and there have never been more avenues for people to share their lived and living experience stories with the public.
This resource aims to give people with a lived and living experience an understanding of the different media platforms they may engage with to share their story. Each type of media platform has different characteristics and possible impacts that you may need to consider before deciding to engage.
Social media
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About these resources
These resources were created through the Mindframe Lived and living experience of suicide project. They were developed in conjunction with people with a lived and living experience of suicide, including the Mindframe Lived Experience Working Group, a subgroup to the Everymind Lived Experience Advisory Group. More than 300 people who have a lived and living experience of suicide and/or an experience of sharing their stories of suicide publicly, also completed a research survey to assist in their development.
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