Participants from a previous ASIST workshop. (Facebook/ ABK Wellness Consulting)

By Kenneth Cheung

SUICIDE INTERVENTION

‘They are not alone’: Meadow Lake to host life-saving suicide intervention workshop

Feb 18, 2025 | 4:00 PM

A family-run mental health organization is bringing life-saving skills to Meadow Lake on Feb. 27 and 28, offering a workshop to help individuals intervene when someone is experiencing thoughts of suicide.

“Suicide doesn’t discriminate — it can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or background,” said Amanda Montgomery, a partner at ABK Wellness Consulting.

According to the Saskatchewan Advocate for Children and Youth (SACY), more than 48 suicide attempts were reported to officers in 2023. Each case resulted in “critical injuries,” requiring hospitalization and major medical treatment.

Nationally, the Government of Canada reports that approximately 4,500 people die by suicide each year — an average of about 12 deaths per day. Suicide is also the second leading cause of death among youth and young adults aged 15 to 34.

“It’s okay to talk about it. We want people to know they are not alone,” she said.

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To help combat this pressing reality, ABK Wellness Consulting, run by Montgomery and her two sisters, will host a two-day Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) session in the city to equip participants with tools to help those in crisis.

(submitted/ Amanda Montgomery)

“This program teaches people how to have conversations with someone experiencing suicidal thoughts and how to create safety for them,” she noted.

Over the course of their decade-long work, the sisters have delivered hundreds of workshops, teaching thousands of people how to recognize warning signs and respond compassionately.

Travelling across Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia, they have offered workshops to diverse groups, including nurses, police officers, massage therapists and community members.

“We’ve heard from participants who’ve gone on to have life-changing conversations with loved ones and colleagues.”

Montgomery shared that their dedication stems from experience with mental health issues within their family.

“We turned those challenges into a passion to help others. We believe learning these skills can save lives,” she said.

The Meadow Lake session is part of their commitment to reaching smaller communities across the province.

“While we’re up there facilitating for students, we thought, why not open it to the community?” she said. “We rely on word of mouth to spread awareness and bring these skills to as many people as possible.”

Stressing the importance of breaking down the stigma around suicide, Montgomery believes suicide grows in darkness, but conversation brings light.

“There’s a lot of shame surrounding suicidal thoughts. We believe that shining a light on the topic helps people feel safer talking about it.”

In addition to ASIST, they offer other mental health workshops, including a half-day suicide prevention course called SafeTALK and a program called ASK, which focuses on discussing suicide with children aged 5 to 14.

Anyone interested in learning more, click here.

(Facebook/ABK Wellness)

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com

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