Abbeville Mayor Santana Delano Freeman presented a proclamation Sept. 8 to counselor Krissi Raines recognizing #SeptemberasSuicideAwarenessandPreventionMonth.
Krissi Raines, a counselor who focuses on #mentalhealth and #suicideprevention, said she led this #mentalhealth first aid class in Honea Path recently.
#Suicideprevention is a matter close to Krissi Raine’s heart, so she’s passionate about helping raise awareness about #mentalhealthservices and the signs of crisis during September, which is #SuicidePreventionAwarenessmonth.
“I had a friend who took her life four years ago, and I’ve seen the need for people who want counseling, but they don’t always have financial assistance,” Raines said.
As program director for a federal grant at Westview Behavioral Health Services in Newberry, Raines works across nine counties organizing community events and training programs to teach people the signs of declining #mentalhealth and impending crisis. She started the Carolina Project in May 2019 as an initiative to provide #mentalhealth first aid kits and works as a counselor through her Abbeville-based company, Bow and Arrow Coaching.
“The way we help people when they’re suicidal is not when they’re suicidal, it’s way before the crisis occurs,” she said.
#JamesDonaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
During #suicidepreventionawarenessmonth, Raines said she’s designed and is selling a T-shirt to raise money for the Caroline Project and to fund a variety of educational resources. Through a grant, she said she teaches a #mentalhealth first aid class that goes over the signs and symptoms of a person experiencing crisis and how to help when someone is having suicidal thoughts.
A sudden change in behavior, such as an increase in alcohol or drug use, or a person isolating themselves, giving their belongings away or being agitated easily can all be signs that something is amiss. Often the reaction to these behaviors is to step back and give the person space or avoid interacting with them, but Raines said this might be when that person needs intervention most.
“One of the things I’ve learned is when you see a lot of suicides in a community, it’s often a reflection of a sickness in the community and not sickness of the individual,” she said.
At last week’s Abbeville City Council meeting, Mayor Santana Delano Freeman presented Raines a proclamation recognizing #SeptemberasSuicideAwarenessandPreventionMonth.
“#Suicide is real, and I think that it does not get the coverage or respect that it deserves,” Freeman said.
Too often, he said signs of #mentalhealth struggles are dismissed as personal problems or there’s a hesitancy to talk openly about them. When people are dismissive of concerning behavior they see in others, they could be leaving that person to struggle alone.
Six people have lost their lives to #suicide in Abbeville this year, Freeman said, and he wants people to carefully listen to one another and care about these warning signs.
“It makes you wonder what was going on in that person’s life that they thought they needed to do that,” he said. “It makes you think about the people they’ve left behind, and the questions they’ll keep having after that.”
Raines said she wants to work to reduce the #stigma around talking about #mentalhealth and make it a community-wide discussion.
People are less likely to overlook #mentalhealth problems in their family and friends if they’re better informed and more aware of them.
For people struggling with #mentalhealth, she said a big step in improving it is developing healthy coping skills. The easy route for dealing with #stress and #anxiety often makes the problem worse — turning to drinking, using drugs, focusing only on work or falling back on other vices doesn’t provide real relief.
Instead, she advocates getting outside and getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day. Prayer, meditation or other practices to help clear the mind are also tools to help cope with negative emotions.
“One of the things I realized about myself is that I work a lot,” Raines said. “One of the goals I set for myself is to make sure I have three times a week where I’m meeting up with friends, even if it’s virtually.”
Making plans and thinking actively about life helps keep people from feeling trapped and gives them a sense of control, she said.
While she teaches classes to private groups and is planning classes with local law enforcement agencies, she said there are other local resources people can tap into if they need help. The Beckman Center for #MentalHealthServices can put people on the right path, and she cited Synergy Counseling and even Cornerstone for people struggling with substance abuse.
“Burying our head in the sand and pretending it’s going to go away, that’s something we’ve done for years,” she said, “and if we continue to do it, we’re only going to see it hit closer and closer to home.”
For information on Westview, the Caroline Project or the classes Raines teaches, email kraines@westview behavioral.org.
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
JamesD@StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
