Outreach Initiatives

Storybook Project

Stories have the power to connect us and help us learn from each other’s experiences. The Storybook Project is an ASR outreach initiative that aims to harness this strength by collecting and sharing the stories of individuals who have been touched by suicide, whether they themselves have attempted or contemplated suicide, or have had a loved one attempt or die by suicide. Submissions were compiled into a book titled What it Takes to Make it Through: Stories of Suicide Resilience & Loss, with the aims of educating the public, decreasing stigma, and letting people in similar situations know they are not alone.

What It Takes to Make It Through is now available for purchase from the publisher’s website, Amazon, and Book Depository, Indigo, Caversham Booksellers, and more – a full list of retailers can be found here. All proceeds from the book will go back into the ASR Program to support suicide research and education initiatives.

Learn more about the Storybook Project >

World Suicide Prevention Day 2019 Video Series

In honour of WSPD 2019, we released a series of videos about different aspects of the work we do at the ASR. Check out the videos below:

VIDEO 1: Dr. Yvonne Bergmans on Suicide Intervention

Our first video, released on World Suicide Prevention Day, features ASR suicide interventionist Dr. Yvonne Bergmans speaking about suicide triggers, intervention, and the possibility of choosing to engage with living. Watch the video here.

VIDEO 2: The Storybook Project: Stories of Suicide Loss & Recovery

The second video in our WSPD series profiles the Storybook Project, an ASR outreach initiative that shares the experiences of those touched by suicide, harnessing the power of storytelling to connect us and help us learn from one another. This video features PhD Candidate Amanda Ceniti talking about the project in the context of her own experience with suicide loss. Watch the video here.

VIDEO 3: Suicide Research, Behind the Scenes

Curious about what goes on in a research study? In our final Suicide Prevention Week video, Scientist Dr. Sakina Rizvi takes us behind the scenes to highlight what’s involved in the research we do at the ASR. From brain scans to questionnaires, we look at a wide range of measures to help us better understand the neurobiology of suicide risk and develop better prevention and intervention strategies. Watch the video here.

Ontario Depression Network (ODN)

ODN is a collaborative community-focused venture that aims to promote advocacy and awareness of mental health issues. The University of Toronto serves as the ODN ‘hub’, and is connected to ‘spoke’ sites across Ontario which will engage in collaborative initiatives. ODN aims to assess the mental health needs of communities, identify gaps that may benefit from resource development, and offer public education and outreach events.
Visit the ODN page for more information >