Northwest AHEC and CareNet Counseling to Offer Suicide Prevention Ministry Training

By Staff

The Northwest Area Health Education Center of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and part of the North Carolina AHEC System, together with CareNet Counseling, a Wake Forest Baptist affiliate, will host a “Soul Shop: Ministering to Suicidal Desperation” training in April at four locations in the Piedmont Triad.

Soul Shop is a one-day suicide prevention training program designed for church leaders, clergy, program staff, lay ministers, office staff and faith-based therapists. The workshop teaches participants techniques to detect the signs of someone who may be contemplating suicide and interventions to help save his or her life. Simple conversational approaches will be demonstrated, and participants will discuss the incidence and impact of suicidal desperation on adults and youth in their faith communities. The workshop will also focus on training church leaders how to minister to surviving family members after a suicide.

Soul Shop will be led by Russ Crabtree, MDiv, a presenter for Pittsburgh Pastoral Institute (PPI), a Samaritan Interfaith Center for Counseling and Consulting. Crabtree became involved in suicide prevention work when three students in his community died by suicide in a seven-month period of time. A national speaker on the role of faith communities in suicide prevention, he has trained thousands of people in suicide awareness and facilitated the development of suicide prevention plans with numerous community teams.

“This educational workshop trains church and faith leaders to effectively understand and address the many facets of suicidal desperation in both youth and adults,” said Barbara Saulpaugh, Regional Director for CareNet Counseling. “These are skills that can help save lives in our communities.”

The training is part of Northwest AHEC’s continuing education activities. Information about the program, course fees and registration can be found HERE.

The training is offered on four dates in April at the following locations:

Tuesday, April 12, 2016 – Mount Airy
9:00am to 4:00pm
First Presbyterian Church
326 S. Main St.
Mount Airy, NC 27030

Thursday, April 14, 2016 – Mocksville
9:00am to 4:00pm
First Baptist Church
412 N. Main St.
Mocksville, NC 27028

Tuesday, April 19, 2016 – Kernersville
9:00am to 4:00pm
Paul J. Ciener Botanical Gardens
215 S. Main St.
Kernersville, NC 27284

Thursday, April 21, 2016 – Winston-Salem
9:00am to 4:00pm
Northwest AHEC Education Classroom
475 Deacon Blvd.
Winston-Salem, NC 27105