Support After Suicide

Support After Suicide provides a free postvention and bereavement support service for people in the North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN) region who have been affected by suicide.

The service provides individual counselling, support groups and online resources to those bereaved by suicide. The provider, Jesuit Social Services, also delivers educational sessions to the health and community services workforce, community members and other professionals.

The service was established to assist people to find their way through and reduce the impact of complex grief and trauma. Its team has many years’ experience and specialist expertise in bereavement, trauma and suicide.

• Provide emotional support and help individuals, couples, and families cope with the aftermath of suicide, leading to improved emotional wellbeing and a better understanding of suicide bereavement.
• Offer a sense of community and understanding for those grieving a suicide loss, fostering emotional support and reducing feelings of isolation.
• Collaborate with Switchboard Victoria to address the unique experiences of suicide bereavement within the LGBTIQ+ community, providing tailored support and resources while increasing awareness and sensitivity to their challenges.
• Raise awareness and understanding of suicide bereavement, reducing stigma, and fostering empathy for those affected by suicide loss.
• Empower professionals with the knowledge and skills to identify and assist individuals impacted by suicide bereavement, ultimately improving the quality of care and support they provide.
• Support individuals and teams in processing grief and trauma after a suicide death, facilitating a healthier and more empathetic organisational culture surrounding suicide bereavement.