GPS hosts programs on youth depression and suicide

On August 28, the Glenbard Parent Series – Navigating Healthy Families hosted Jonathan Singer in a program titled the Signs and Symptoms of Youth Depression for Parent and School Staff. Rachel Tsen, youth program director for NAMI DuPage, shared the following takeaway: "One life lost is one too many. Suicide prevention is truly a team effort: from the individual, family, school, and community working together. It involves communication, education, resources and support, and sometimes grief.

Dr. Jonathan Singer with Rachel Tsen

Research shows that talking about suicide actually helps and even decreases the stress of a student with suicidal thoughts.

• ACT (Good acronym for anyone, from student to parent):
• Acknowledge - validate rather than dismiss their thoughts and feelings.
• Care - listen without judgment 
• Tell/Treatment - offer to accompany them to get help or suggest a step they can take. 

NAMI DuPage gives in-school mental health awareness education through Ending the Silence, in which they share recovery stories of hope. It is presentations like Dr. Singer's that makes NAMI DuPage proud to be a community partner to the Glenbard Parent Series.”


On Sept. 18, the Glenbard Parent Series hosted Dr. Jonathan Singer at a program titled, the Signs and

Erica Nelson and Jonathan Singer

Symptoms of Youth Suicide. Community member Erica Nelson shared the following takeaway: "Parents are the key for our children to be able to honestly talk about their struggles – with their friends, at school, or with us ... their parents. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people between the ages of 10 and 34, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, and Dr. Singer reinforced the critical importance of communities, schools and local agencies to be partners and support positive mental health conversation as he shared tips for all. Communities must see awareness, education, and conversation as a way to support a healthy community. We are in this together."



Dr. Jonathan Singer is a licensed clinical social worker, an Associate Professor of social work at Loyola University Chicago, and the President of the American Association of Suicidology. Dr. Singer’s research interests, numerous publications, and media appearances focus on interventions for today’s suicidal and cyber-bullied youth. He has given over 100 national and international presentations on suicide prevention tools, and is the author of “Suicide in Schools: A Practitioner’s Guide to Multi-level Prevention, Assessment, Intervention, and Post-intervention.”

Resources for Dr. Singer and Youth Depression and Suicide

Watch five-minute Take Five video messages from Singer on suicide:

Take 5: Teen Talk Dr Singer discusses Youth Suicide click HERE

Take 5: for Adults - Dr Singer discusses youth suicide click HERE

To view a 30-minute video of Singer's Sept.18 GPS program, click HERE.

Taking a second look at suicide during COVID-19 with the American Association of Suicidology, Dr. Singer on Sep 3, 2020 HERE  ((YouTube by Beacon Health Options))

Dr. Singer's Podcast:  The Social Work Podcast HERE

Summary of the Dr. Singer's August 28 presentation HERE