Open Dialogue and Families

I have been thinking over the last week in relation to the network meetings and Open Dialogue and how we could best adapt the ideas in non Open Dialogue services. Recently I have encountered a number of families whom have been bereaved by a suicide of a family member and I think family work would be a way of meeting their needs and addressing issues that are difficult to raise and impact on the family. We have locally had a spate of suicides, all but one young men who have chosen to take their lives by hanging or jumping from our cliffs onto the rocks / concrete below.

My understanding is that these families have received little in the way of support from local services. This certainly appears to be what they are stating in interviews with the local press. There are no real bereavement support services locally and Cruse the specialist counselling service for those who have experienced a loss have long waiting lists. I have also had conversations with residents who knew some of these young men and with residents who discovered their bodies, these experiences are causing trauma to locals and there is no forum to explore it.

Myself and some colleagues working in the NHS locally have been minded to consider setting up some voluntary sector therapeutic support. Also some basic training for cafe owners who have offered to provide a listening ear for those who have been feeling isolated, alone and unable to manage. Other local businesses want to take part in this project but I am mindful that we cannot take on the role of statutory sector services and the project will need good Open Dialogue foundations.