Date: Saturday, May 17, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (lunch provided)
Venue: Embassy Suites by Hilton Boston Waltham
Address: 550 Winter Street, Waltham, MA, 02451
Please join us for a free, one-day summit designed to create connection and healing among long-term suicide loss survivors. This event, made possible with support from The Parmenter Foundation, will provide participants with hands-on, tangible skills to help them better understand post-traumatic growth and integrate that knowledge into their healing.
Suicide grief is uniquely complex, leaving most loss survivors searching for meaning and struggling to find the words to describe how their loss has impacted them as human beings. Through interactive discussions, peer support, and journaling, this summit will encourage participants to think about the impact of their suicide loss on their deeper selves, Loss survivors who have previously engaged in support groups and other healing strategies will learn new ways to increase their support and further understand their loss.
Following the summit, participants will be able to: 1) Define the soul; 2) Identify three ways in which the essence of who they are has been impacted by suicide loss, and; 3) Identify three forms of Soul Care, a non-religious, non-clinical, evidence-informed approach to restoring a sense of self, connection, and resilience.
At Samaritans, we strive to meet our loss survivors wherever they may be in their grief journeys. For most attendees of this summit, it will have been five or more years since the loss of their loved one. If it has been fewer than five years since your loved one’s passing but you feel like you have moved beyond our SafePlace meetings and are wondering what’s next in your journey, you are welcome to attend.
We hope you will join us on May 17 as we continue to strengthen our community and support each other on our journeys.
About the Speakers:
Sarah Gaer is a mental health professional with over 25 years of experience in trauma, addiction, and suicide prevention. She holds a master’s in clinical psychology from Antioch University and is a Suicide Prevention Specialist who has trained over 1,000 people and led crisis response following significant incidents. A recognized speaker on Soul Exhaustion and mental health, Sarah also works in Law Enforcement mental health and the H.O.P.E. Certification program, advancing evidence-based practices in mental health promotion. Her leadership and published works in suicide prevention provide resilience, guidance, and hope for those seeking healing and renewal in their lives.
Sissi O’Shaughnessy is Senior Director of Suicide Grief Support Services at Samaritans, where she oversees SafePlace grief support group meetings, Survivor to Survivor visits, and the launch of a LOSS Team—an effort to connect loss survivors with peer support immediately following a suicide. She is also a suicide loss survivor and the founder of the Mo Foundation, honoring her late husband. Sissi previously worked as a Community Education and Outreach trainer with Samaritans, where she provided workshops to schools and other communities on suicide prevention, including teaching about warning signs, risk factors, and how to best support someone who is struggling with suicidal ideation.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What is considered a long-term loss?
A: While every person’s suicide grief journey is different, we recommend this summit for those whose loss was at least 5 years ago. However, if you feel like you are wondering what’s next in your journey and have moved beyond our SafePlace meetings, you are welcome to attend, even if you are under 5 years out from your loss.
Q: How many people can attend? What should I do if I am on the waitlist?
A: The summit can accommodate 50 participants, and registration is based on a first-come, first-served basis. Once we reach our registration capacity, we will open a waitlist. If you are on the waitlist, we will follow up if space becomes available.
Q: Is the event free?
A: We are pleased to offer this event free of charge with support from the Parmenter Foundation. Parking is also free.
Q: Will food be provided?
A: Lunch will be provided along with a light continental breakfast in the morning. Coffee and tea will be available throughout the day.
Q: What accommodations are available?
A: Our registration form includes a section to address your accessibility requirements. If you need hotel accommodations or have additional concerns, please contact the Samaritans events team at events@samaritanshope.org.
