Beyond Warning Signs and "The Question"

I spent several years traveling around the state of New Mexico educating people about warning signs and how [image error]to ask someone in they are suicidal. While we never reach everyone, much like everyone doesn't know CPR, there came a point where I knew that we needed to take it to the next level. And while more people are getting help, a good thing, the numbers of suicides continue to climb. Something is missing.

I've watched researchers do countless studies about risk factors but few people are looking at protective factors– what makes people resilient? Ed Shneidman, the found of the field of suicidology, said in his later years that it was ultimately about two questions: Where do you hurt and how can I help? Somewhere in all this research and educating people we lost the human element.