Suicide Prevention Month: Focusing on Mental Health, Connection, and Support

September is a time to focus on suicide prevention, mental health, and connection. It is an opportunity to raise awareness, share resources, and, perhaps most importantly, remind one another that connection matters.

For many of us, conversations about suicide can feel heavy or intimidating. We may worry about saying the wrong thing, bringing up a difficult subject, or not knowing what to do if someone we love is struggling.

But prevention isn't only about knowing what to say in a crisis. It can also be about the small things we do every day to help the people around us feel seen, supported, and less alone.

Sometimes, it starts with simply asking, “How are you really doing?”

A Check-In Can Be More Powerful Than We Realize

We don't always need to ask directly about suicide to check in on someone's mental health.

You might notice that a friend seems quieter than usual. Your child may be more withdrawn. A teenager may stop participating in activities they once enjoyed. A mom you know may seem overwhelmed, exhausted, or unlike herself.

Instead of assuming everything is fine—or feeling like we need to fix the problem—we can simply create an opening:

• “You seem like you've had a lot on your plate lately. How are you doing?”

• “I've been thinking about you. How have things been?”

• “You don't seem quite like yourself. Want to talk?”

• “How are you holding up?”

• “Do you need someone to listen, or would it help to talk through some options?”

  
  

Sometimes the most meaningful thing we can offer is our presence.

And if someone does share that they're struggling, we don't have to have all the answers. Listening without judgment, taking their feelings seriously, and helping them connect with additional support can make a meaningful difference.

We Don't Have to Be the Only Person Someone Turns To

One of the most important parts of mental health support is recognizing that we don't have to carry it alone—and neither does anyone else.

For children and teenagers especially, support can come from many places: a school counselor, teacher, coach, mentor, trusted friend, family member, or another caring adult.

For adults, it might be a spouse, friend, sibling, parent, coworker, therapist, physician, or another trusted person.

Think of it as building a circle of support.

If you're concerned about someone, you can help them take the next step rather than trying to become their counselor. You might offer to sit with them while they call a therapist, reach out to a school counselor on their behalf, or simply help them identify someone they trust.

And if you are the person who is struggling, reaching out doesn't have to mean having the right words.

It can be as simple as:

“I'm having a hard time and I could use some support.”

That is enough.

Knowing the Resources Can Help Us Feel More Prepared

There are times when a mental health concern becomes more urgent, and knowing where to turn can make it easier to respond.

In the United States, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available to anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts, emotional distress, or a mental health crisis. You can call or text 988, or use the online chat at https://988lifeline.org/chat/.

If someone is in immediate danger or has an emergency requiring immediate assistance, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

It is also important to remember that reaching out for professional support doesn't have to wait until someone is in crisis. A therapist, doctor, school counselor, or other mental health professional can be part of someone's support system long before a situation becomes an emergency.

What About the Moms Who Are Carrying So Much?

Motherhood can come with tremendous love—and tremendous pressure.

There can be expectations to keep everything running, care for everyone else, manage work and family responsibilities, maintain relationships, and somehow find time for ourselves in the middle of it all.

Sometimes, the person asking everyone else, “Are you okay?”is the person who hasn't been asked that question in a long time.

So this September, we want to encourage moms to check in with one another, too.

Not every conversation needs to be deep. Not every gathering needs to focus on problems. Sometimes connection looks like coffee, laughter, sharing a frustrating parenting moment, or simply being reminded that we're not the only ones figuring things out as we go.

Our September Moms' Group, led by Becca, is one opportunity to create that kind of connection—a space to pause, talk, listen, and support one another in the midst of the many demands of motherhood.

The group will meet Wednesdays at 4:00 PM, September 9 through October 21, 2026.

If you're interested in learning more about the group or would like to connect with Becca, she can be reached at beccabongiovi@gmail.com.

You don't have to wait until you're struggling to reach out.

Community is preventative care, too.

Supporting Those Who Have Lost Someone

Losing someone in this way can bring a complicated and deeply painful kind of grief. Loved ones may experience sadness, anger, confusion, guilt, unanswered questions, or feelings that are difficult to put into words.

If you have experienced this kind of loss, there is no right way to grieve and no timeline you need to follow. You may find that your feelings change from day to day, or even from moment to moment. Some days you may want to talk about what happened, while other days you may simply want to get through the day without discussing it. Both are okay.

You don't have to explain your grief to everyone, and you don't have to be strong for everyone else. Give yourself permission to accept support, set boundaries when you need to, and reach out when things feel especially difficult. A trusted friend, family member, therapist, support group, or other caring person can provide a place where you don't have to carry everything by yourself.

It can also be helpful to remember that caring for yourself during grief isn't selfish. Eating, resting, getting outside, maintaining routines when you can, and allowing yourself moments of comfort or even joy are all part of taking care of yourself while you heal.

There may be questions that don't have answers and feelings that don't fit neatly together. You may experience grief alongside love, anger, relief, sadness, or even laughter when remembering the person you lost. Whatever you are feeling, you deserve compassion.

For those around someone who is grieving, there may be a tendency to avoid mentioning the person who died because they are afraid of saying the wrong thing.

But people who are grieving often don't need perfect words. They need to know they haven't been forgotten.

You can say:

“I've been thinking about you and about [their name]. I'm here if you ever want to talk about them.”

You can acknowledge the loss without asking someone to explain it.

You can remember important dates.

You can check in weeks or months later, when the initial support from others may have faded.

And you can resist the urge to find a reason, assign blame, or make sense of something that may never feel completely understandable.

Grief doesn't follow a timeline, and there is no single “right” way to move through a loss like this. Some days may feel manageable, while others may bring the grief back unexpectedly.

Sometimes support simply means saying:

“I remember, and I'm here.”

We don't have to fix someone's grief. We can simply make sure they don't have to carry it alone.

Let's Make Checking In Part of the Conversation

September gives us an opportunity to talk about something difficult—but it doesn't have to leave us feeling helpless.

We can learn the resources.

We can pay attention to changes in the people we love.

We can encourage our children to identify trusted adults.

We can check in with our friends.

We can ask the moms in our lives how they're really doing.

We can reach out when we need support ourselves.

And we can continue to show compassion to those who are grieving.

Prevention is not about having the perfect conversation or knowing exactly what to do.

Sometimes, it begins with something much simpler:

Notice.

Ask.

Listen.

Connect.

Stay present.

This September, let's make room for more of those moments—and for one another.

If you are struggling, grieving, feeling overwhelmed, or simply finding it difficult to carry everything on your own, please remember that you are not alone. There are people who care about you, people who are willing to listen, and resources available to help you through difficult moments. Reaching out is not a sign of weakness—it is a way of letting someone walk alongside you.

And if someone in your life is struggling, your willingness to notice, check in, listen, and stay connected may mean more than you realize.

You are not alone. We are not meant to carry everything alone.

If you or someone you care about could benefit from additional mental health support, reaching out to a mental health professional is a meaningful place to begin. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis or emotional distress, call or text 988 for support.