To Write Love on Her Arms curated National Suicide Prevention Week with a series of events ranging from speed friending to suicide prevention training, all tied together by this year’s theme, “We’ll see you tomorrow.”
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students, topped only by accidents.
Events kicked off Monday evening at Grit Coffee on the Corner, with the screening of a movie about the foundation of TWLOHA.
Therapists, counselors, psychologists and social workers came together Tuesday for a panel on dealing with trauma, called “Finding Calm in the Storm.” The panel mainly focused on how to help a friend dealing with trauma and how to keep things in perspective.
Barbara Manley, a trauma therapist, started things off with a presentation on the neurobiology of trauma.
“When we hear the word trauma, we often think of classic things like PTSD, or car accidents, or assault,” Manley said. “We call these ‘Big-T Traumas,’ because they are considered outside the realm of what most people experience.”
Andrea Iglesias, the assistant director for outreach and liaison programming, and psychology intern Tyler Branagan led suicide awareness and prevention training Wednesday.
“With this event we hope that attendees walked away with a better knowledge of what the signs are of someone who may be suicidal and how to help them get the professional help they need,” Branagan said. “Each person has the chance to positively affect the life of another person.”
TWLOHA set up a table by the Whispering Wall Thursday where students could pick up orange ribbons and sign a sheet letting everyone know why they would “see you tomorrow.” Thursday evening they held a venting session, in which students could vent or discuss any topic of their choosing.
A mental wellness fair Friday brought together several on-Grounds groups that work with mental health issues, including TWLOHA, Peer Health Educators, Active Minds, UYoga, HELP line and Hoos Open to Preventing Eating Disorders.
Third-year College student Jillian Smith, a member of both HOPE and TWLOHA, staffed the HOPE booth at the fair.
“I’m hoping to reach out to students to find more resources on Grounds that are there for them when they’re struggling,” Smith said. “But also if they’re not, they can learn what is available to them or others for when they do need it.”
The week wrapped up Friday night with speed friending, an event hosted by TWLOHA and PHEs.
“I think it’s a really good idea, especially for first years and transfer students,” said fourth-year Nursing student Katherine Keegan, a peer health educator. “It can be so hard for them, especially with all the clubs everybody goes to … to try to find out what they like. And I think a lot of people end up not finding their group. I think this is a nice way to just get some social contact.”
The ultimate message of National Suicide Prevention Week was the importance of connections and the power every individual has to make a difference, even if only in the life of one person.
“I am always struck by the high level of caring and compassion that U.Va. students demonstrate on a daily basis,” Iglesias said. “I left [the] presentation with a sense of hope, because I was once again reminded that students here want to help and want to find better ways to be good friends, family members and community members.”
Vanessa Braganza contributed to this article.
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