Suicide Prevention QPR Workshop

Question, Persuade, and Refer — QPR. Licensed counsellor and trainer Raymond Lee employed QPR in our suicide prevention workshop, hosted by the good people at Sedunia of EPiC this January. Participants came in with a variety of concerns, many relating their own experiences with loved ones who had been affected by suicide, or needing to support someone they know is struggling but not knowing how. There was a palpable sense of frustration — we know that this is a serious concern today, and in the Subang Jaya area, suicide rates have been historically one of the highest in the country due to the concentration of youths and university-age young adults in the area.

A total of 35 participants, a mix of young and old, including some existing mental healthcare professionals participated. As with many workshops, the highlight of the day were the simulation sessions, where participants practiced the QPR method with one another in pairs. There was also time for questions, where participants related their own experiences and challenges in interacting with friends or loved ones who may have been experiencing mental health difficulties, as well as the tough job of navigating personal boundaries. All in all, we came away from the day with a keener understanding of suicide, better equipped with the knowledge of how to handle such situations, and hope that this awareness would be brought to many more around us.