We were so pleased with the talk Ms. Stage gave on our campus. Through her intense photos of suicide attempt survivors’ faces and story of her own suicide attempt, Ms. Stage helped the audience understand the range of people who have survived suicide. With humor, Ms. Stage allowed an audience of students, mental health professionals, community members and people bereaved by suicide the chance to think about suicide attempts and how we can talk openly about suicide. She made a difficult subject accessible to an audience with a wide-range of experiences.

There are moments in which we learn more than we realize about ourselves, the patients and families we serve, and the world as we know it. I experienced one of these moments when I met Dese’Rae Stage. Dese’Rae was a ‘panel of one’ at a state-wide summit designed to inform, engage, and enlighten leaders serving patients and families with behavioral health needs. I was the facilitator for this panel and was truly inspired by her story and the project she leads. Dese’Rae has a unique passion for changing the assumptions—and the faces—of attempt survivors among healthcare providers. Her project is a model for leaders, providers, and communities who are willing to truly hear the experiences of attempt survivors. Her delivery is real and her solutions are designed to transform how healthcare demonstrates compassion across a continuum of care that has patients and families at the center. The visual and verbal elements of her presentations are unique and compelling. Dese’Rae presents the challenges and the solutions in a practical and impactful manner. As I continue to follow her work with other survivors and advocates, I am reminded of how essential conversations about suicide can be in transforming the healthcare system to a more patient- and family-centered environment. She helped me—my mind and my heart—to expand my capacity for compassion and understanding. I would highly recommend engaging Dese’Rae to transform your conversations!