About
According to the Jason Foundation, four out of five teens display warning signs before they attempt suicide. In most cases, however, the seeds of trauma that brought them to that place were planted much earlier. Shawna Burns, licensed professional counselor and founder of Seed Digging Wellness Center, shares personal stories and case studies that show the connections between those seeds, student behaviors, and the innate needs within all of us. Burns discusses the importance of recognizing suicide warning signs, being aware of risk factors, and having a plan for prevention. She also shares classroom strategies for creating a safe and secure environment for students that speaks to the innate needs that are so often at the root of suicide.
The course that these videos were created for meets the requirements of Act 770 of 2011.
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Lesson One
Introduction
Segment 1 of 17Presenter Shawna Burns expresses the importance of focusing on prevention as she introduces the course, Suicide Prevention: Looking Deeper.
The Root Causes of Suicide
Segment 2 of 17Shawna Burns shares the objectives for the course, then begins laying the groundwork for suicide prevention by connecting the root causes of suicide with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
Emotional Trauma and Innate Needs
Segment 3 of 17In this segment, Ms. Burns explores emotional trauma and describes its connection with Maslow’s innate needs.
Emotional Survival and Coping Skills
Segment 4 of 17When a person is trying to survive emotionally, they can develop coping skills in an attempt to make the pain stop. These emotional coping skills often have a variety of detrimental outcomes. Ms. Burns explores these actions and their outcomes.
The Garden Analogy
Segment 5 of 17Ms. Burns explains the garden analogy and how our beliefs become the seeds that produce our positive and negative behaviors.
Lesson Two
Case Studies Part I
Segment 6 of 17Ms. Burns shares the story of a thirteen-year-old young man. She begins with the behaviors observed by teachers, then takes us back to his original trauma seed.
Case Studies Part II
Segment 7 of 17Ms. Burns shares the stories of two young ladies and once again traces their behaviors back to the original trauma seeds.
Helplessness vs. Hopelessness
Segment 8 of 17Students experiencing trauma may sometimes act impulsively. Ms. Burns discusses the importance of responding quickly at this dangerous time.
Warning Signs and Elevated Risk Factors
Segment 9 of 17Ms. Burns discusses the warning signs for suicide, which students may have an elevated risk of suicide, and some of the factors that put them at risk.
Planning for Prevention
Segment 10 of 17In this segment, Ms. Burns explains the importance of having a plan for suicide prevention. She also discusses some things that should be included in that plan. It is difficult to know what to say to a student who is displaying the warning signs, but it may save the student's life. Ms. Burns talks about how to have that difficult conversation with a student who may be at risk.
Lesson Three
Setting a Safe and Secure Atmosphere Part I
Segment 11 of 17Setting a safe and secure school and classroom atmosphere can have a positive impact on students. Ms. Burns begins the first of these segments by encouraging awareness of tone and posture when addressing students.
Setting a Safe and Secure Atmosphere Part II
Segment 12 of 17Ms. Burns shares simple strategies for helping students feel safe and secure that can be a lifeline to struggling students.
Setting a Safe and Secure Atmosphere Part III
Segment 13 of 17In this segment, Ms. Burns explains how students are supported by the speaking and modeling of the seven innate needs.
Lesson Four
Setting a Safe and Secure Atmosphere Part IV
Segment 14 of 17Shawna Burns discusses student discipline and the importance of separating the garden from the weeds.
Setting a Safe and Secure Atmosphere Part V
Segment 15 of 17We can't always prevent student frustration, but giving students a safe outlet to express their frustrations can make the difference between an incident and a nonevent. Ms. Burns offers strategies for helping both younger and older students de-escalate.
Resources
Segment 16 of 17Shawna Burns discusses some suicide prevention resources.
Closing Remarks
Segment 17 of 17Shawna Burns explains the importance of allowing time to grieve after loss and gives closing remarks.