Welcome to the
Lived Experience Academy
Sharing 25 years in suicide prevention and life promotion.
Please note: No counseling is provided through this website.
If you are thinking about suicide I urge you to call the Lifeline at 800-273-8255
(If outside the US, consult with https://findahelpline.com/)
Post-Suicidal Growth?
It’s possible to learn from a suicidal crisis and plant the seeds for remarkable personal growth.
There is a 5-Stage path toward Post-Suicidal Growth developed with research and lived experience.
At the Academy you can find free mini-courses, a comprehensive course for mental health care providers, and monthly content with insights related to that path.
If you want the confidence to be able to help people recover and grow after a suicidal crisis, then join the Academy today.
Insight from Lived Experience
Warning signs
It comes to your attention that they are drinking more or using more drugs than before (or using more intense drugs). You might notice the change on an assessment, by self-report, an informant's report, or 'tell-tale' signs. When it is an ongoing issue, alcohol or...
Putting Their Affairs In Order – A Warning Sign
Have you ever gone a long trip away from home? You might have all kinds of lists before you go, likely including a ‘To Do’ list in preparation for the trip. There are things that need to be taken care of before you can comfortably leave home. When someone is seriously...
Lacking Sense of Meaning or Purpose – A Warning Sign
In the last email I was talking about the general circumstance of someone feeling like there was no escape from some situation (and thus hopeless, trapped, or desperate). While there are a lot of life problems that can lead someone to feeling that way, there is a...
I’m DeQuincy Meiffren-Lézine, a suicide attempt survivor who has been active in suicide prevention since 1996.
Following advocacy work on the road to my Sc.B. from Brown University I earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from UCLA. I went on to study public health approaches to suicide prevention at the University of Rochester. Near the end of my time as a postdoctoral fellow I wrote the book Eight Stories Up, blending guidance from clinical research and lived experience.
While serving as the principal author on The Way Forward for the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, I became the inaugural Chair of the Attempt Survivor and Lived Experience Division of AAS and served as a Co-Chair of the Consumer Survivor Committee for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. In 2015, I was honored to be awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the SAMHSA Voice Awards.
As the Director of the Lived Experience Academy I’m excited about the opportunity to share my insights and perspectives with you.
Please note: No counseling is provided through this website.
If you are thinking about suicide I urge you to call the Lifeline at 800-273-8255
(If outside the US, consult with https://findahelpline.com/)