Themes of healing among Squamish Nation members after the loss of a loved one to suicide
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Adler University
Abstract
This research was a response to the disproportionately high suicide rates, risk for
suicide clusters, and need for a suicide postvention plan in the Squamish Nation
community. Using a community-based research approach and working
collaboratively with Squamish Nation, I interviewed 8 community members who
had lost a loved one to suicide within the past 1–10 years to understand what
helped in their healing journey, as well as their recommendations for helping
families after a loss to suicide. Findings indicate 5 themes of helpful postvention
supports: healing self, social supports, formal community supports, wider world
supports, and culture. Culture was found to aid healing across all levels. These
themes do not exist in isolation, but are interrelated, both individually and
communally helping community members in their healing journey.
Recommendations for suicide postvention highlight the integration of healing
supports from dominant mental health models and an Aboriginal wellness model.
These findings should be considered with caution due to the small sample size;
however, they are in line with the available Aboriginal suicide postvention
literature and an Aboriginal worldview. Aboriginal communities across Canada
are not homogenous, therefore generalizability to other communities is unknown.
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Citation
Campbell, J. (2018). Themes of healing among Squamish Nation members after the loss of a loved one to suicide. Retrieved from ProQuest Digital Dissertations. (AAT 13901316)