Want to learn to save a life from suicide? Imagine Denver will host a free QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training at its Imagine Denver clinic on Thursday, May 16, 2024, from 4pm to 5pm.
Hosted by Claire Gishwiller, CTRS, Business Development Specialist for Imagine by Northpoint Recovery in Colorado and a certified QPR Institute Gatekeeper Instructor, the QPR Gatekeeper Training will empower attendees with knowledge of the QPR technique. It’s the perfect way for Northpoint Recovery to recognize Mental Health Awareness Month.
“Being a business development specialist at Northpoint Colorado, this is a direct way to show the community that we care about providing ways to save people’s lives,” Gishwiller said. “Personally, I believe in ending the stigma that is sometimes associated with mental health, and I’m pleased that Northpoint thinks this is a good use of my time. And it’s a great way to show how Northpoint stands apart.”
Simple yet powerful, QPR training can teach anyone how to recognize the warning signs, ask the right questions, and provide the necessary support to save a life at risk of suicide. The aim of the hour-long training session is to equip as many people as possible with critical skills to help safeguard the well-being of the community.
What is QPR?
QPR is a direct, evidence-based intervention that anyone can provide to save a life. QPR stands for the three steps anyone can learn in response to someone being at risk of suicide:
- Question
- Persuade
- Refer
In the same way that people are trained in CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) to help save lives, those trained in QPR learn how to both recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to intervene quickly and effectively. Warning signs of suicidal behavior, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), can include:
- Expressions of hopelessness
- Depression
- Giving away prized possessions
- Talk of suicide
- Securing the means to commit suicide
“The training I provide only takes about one hour,” Gishwiller said. “It’s a lot like CPR training in that you learn the basics, practice it a couple of times, and then you’re able to do it.”
The Importance of Early Recognition
When it comes to saving a life, the importance of recognizing the warning signs of suicide cannot be overestimated. And the need has never been greater.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the national suicide rate in the U.S. has risen steadily over the past two decades, hitting an all-time high in 2022, the last year on record, with 49,449.
Most people tend to think of suicide as the result of a prolonged period of mental suffering, due either to an undiagnosed or untreated mental health disorder or substance use disorder. However, by recognizing the warning signs of suicide early, opening a dialogue with the suicidal person, and securing professional consultation, people can avoid a crisis.
Gishwiller said that, if this first QPR training session proves successful, there could be more sessions in the future.
“The goal of this training is that, hopefully, you’ll never have to use it,” Gishwiller said, “but let’s make sure you feel confident if you were to encounter a situation like this.”
QPR Training with Claire Gishwiller
Thursday, May 16, 2024
4pm to 5pm
Imagine Denver
12365 Huron Street, Suite 1600
Westminster, CO 80234
Start Your Mental Health Recovery Journey in Loveland, Colo.
Think you may be suffering from an addiction, mental health disorder, or possibly both? Want to find out more? Get the information you need at Northpoint Colorado, a comprehensive inpatient addiction and mental health treatment facility. To ask questions, get advice, or enroll in customized rehab, call us today at 888.231.1281. You can also contact us using our online contact form.
