Are you a passionate mental health professional ready to take on a leadership role? Positive Directions – The Center for Prevention & Counseling is looking for a Clinical Director  to oversee and manage our Clinical Department. This is an incredible opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of individuals, families, and communities while leading a dedicated team of clinicians. About the Role: Clinical Director The Clinical Director will play a pivotal role in overseeing Positive Directions’ clinical operations. This position involves supervising staff, ensuring compliance, engaging with the community, and maintaining a clinical caseload. The ideal candidate is an experienced and licensed mental health professional who is passionate about leading a team and making a difference in the field of mental health and addiction recovery. Key Responsibilities: ✅ Supervise & Manage Clinical Staff  – Lead a team of clinicians, provide training, conduct performance evaluations, and ensure quality assurance in services. ✅ Ensure Compliance & Quality Improvement  – Maintain adherence to state licensure requirements and HIPAA standards while conducting periodic audits and updates. ✅ Manage Budget & Financial Goals  – Collaborate with the Executive Director and financial team to meet department budget targets. ✅ Engage with the Community  – Represent Positive Directions at community events, fundraisers, and professional conferences to build relationships and promote our mission. ✅ Maintain a Client Caseload  – Continue providing direct therapy services to individuals and groups. What We’re Looking For 🔹 Master’s Degree in Mental Health Field (LCSW preferred) 🔹 Valid Connecticut Mental Health License to practice independently 🔹 2+ Years of Experience in counseling individuals, families, and groups 🔹 Trauma-Informed, Client-Centered Approach 🔹 Strong organizational and leadership skills 🔹 Experience with electronic medical records (EMR) and insurance billing How to Apply 📩 Submit your resume and cover letter  via email to: ClinicalDirectorResumes@positivedirections.org 📅 Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. For more details, visit www.positivedirections.org . Join us in making a difference in the lives of those struggling with mental health and addiction. We look forward to welcoming our next Clinical Director!  💙✨ Why Join Us? At Positive Directions, we believe in fostering a supportive and collaborative work environment where professionals can grow while making an impact. As a valued team member, the Clinical Director will receive a competitive compensation and benefits package while working in an organization dedicated to mental health advocacy and community well-being. About Positive Directions Founded in 1971, Positive Directions is a Westport, Connecticut-based nonprofit dedicated to mental health treatment, addiction prevention, and community education. Our mission is to support individuals, families, and communities by providing counseling services, prevention programs, and educational resources to build resiliency and life skills in adolescents, adults, and families. We collaborate with local governments, schools, and organizations to promote awareness of risky behaviors and help people make healthy choices. Our clinical services include individual and family counseling, teletherapy, and telepsychiatry, serving the towns of Fairfield, Norwalk, Weston, Westport, and Wilton.

Written by: Juliana Cotza Grief washes over us in unpredictable waves. It is an enduring pain that never fully fades, but instead serves as a painful testament to the deep, unconditional love we will always carry with us for those who are no longer here.  The covid pandemic reshaped our world in countless ways, but it intensified loss in a way I could have never imagined. For many, including myself, it meant being forced to say an improper goodbye to someone you loved so wholly. During this time I found myself attending more “covid” funerals than regular ones, each an extremely painful reminder of the sheer inability to celebrate and honor a life we cherished.  My uncle Claudio was the brightest light. His smile was infectious, his laugh was contagious, and he would truly illuminate up every room he walked into. He was my God Father and one of the most important people in my life, though I didn’t always get to see him as often as I would’ve liked to.  Despite my quiet nature and tendency to retreat in large family gatherings - something other family members may have interpreted as rude or bratty - I knew I was always safe, accepted, and understood in my uncle Claudio’s arms. Despite our family dynamic where the spotlight often shone on my older sister, the first born granddaughter and niece, I knew I was extremely special to him, which mattered the most to me.  I will never forget the Facetime call we shared the day he passed. The image of him unconscious and surrounded by a maze of tubes and wires will be forever etched into my memory. I knew it was bad; he had many underlying conditions. But I could have never imagined that this call would be our last goodbye. I clung to the hope that he would return home to us, a hope that still feels surreal four years later. His funeral remains one of the most unforgettable days of my life. Coming from a large, passionate, and very Italian family, disagreements are often common. It was moving to see us all gather together, solely to honor him and the profound impact he made on our family. That day, differences were set aside as we gathered in a packed church, a testament to the many lives he touched. It was also the first time in my life that I’ve seen my dad, the textbook definition of the word "stoic", completely and utterly break down. I will never forget the sound of his cries, desperately willing his brother to just wake up. I miss my uncle for me, but I miss him even more for my dad. They were more than brothers, they were the bestest of friends. There is no one that connected with my father like his brother, and seeing them together was truly magic.  There aren’t words to describe how tough that day was. But standing in that crowded church, surrounded by family, friends, and community members, I felt a bittersweet warmth. The overflowing pews were a powerful reminder of the impact my uncle had on so many lives. His light shone brightly not just in my life, but in the hearts of everyone who knew him.  I was only 16 years old when we lost him. Now at 20, I feel the weight of the time stolen - the small moments, like our family barbecues, the celebrations, like my high school graduation and final dance recital, and quality time, like the most amazing hugs he gave. Every missed family barbecue, every phone call, and every warm embrace serves as a reminder of his absence. A reminder that he was taken from me, my family, and the world too soon.  Grief is a journey we all must navigate at some point in our lives, and it deserves to be spoken about openly. Its intensity may ebb and flow, but it remains a powerful reflection of the love we hold and the indelible mark those we’ve lost leave on our lives. Coping with grief is a deeply personal journey, but here are some strategies that have helped me, and may help you navigate these ongoing emotions: Allow Yourself to Feel:  Understand that grief is a natural response to loss. Permit yourself to experience a range of emotions without judgment. Seek Support:  Reach out to friends, family, or support groups who can offer empathy and understanding. Sometimes sharing your feelings can ease the burden. Consider Professional Help:  If you find that your grief is overwhelming, talking to a therapist or counselor can provide guidance and coping strategies tailored to your needs. Practice Self-Care:  Engage in activities that nurture your well-being. This can include exercise, a balanced diet, sufficient sleep, or hobbies that bring you comfort. Create a Personal Tribute:  Honoring the memory of your loved one through rituals, writing, art, or memorials can be a therapeutic way to celebrate their life and process your feelings. Be Patient with Yourself:  Healing is not linear. Allow yourself time to adjust, recognizing that setbacks and fluctuations in your emotions are part of the journey. Express Your Emotions Creatively:  Whether through journaling, music, or art, finding a creative outlet can help you channel your emotions and document your journey. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to grieve. Every step you take is a testament to the love you continue to hold.

One of my favorite things is to celebrate the people I love. Whether it’s buying Starbucks for my roommate when she aces a test, taking my sister out to dinner when she lands a new job, or face timing my little brother to express how proud I am when he receives college acceptance letters in the mail. It fills me with joy and pride to watch the people I am closest to succeed in their endeavors.  Then why is it that I can never celebrate my own success? Imposter syndrome is “when you doubt your own skills and successes. You feel you're not as talented or worthy as others believe, and you're scared that one day, people will realize that”. As I’ve overcome many mental health struggles, which kept me debilitated for years, and finally took back the reins to my life, I thought there would be a moment of triumph - I am still waiting for that moment. Instead, I have been left with an uneasy feeling. “It’s not that big of a deal”, “Everyone else is living normally, so why can't I?”, “I should be doing more”, and “What if I regress?” are thoughts that plague my mind daily.  A quote that often sticks with me is: “I can’t celebrate my achievements because, in my mind, it was my obligation to achieve them”. This quote is how imposter syndrome feels to me. To me, achievements are an endless to-do list. Life is simply checking off another box - as soon as one box is checked I am promptly onto the next! I grew up around people who expected greatness from me, so it has never felt special. My overwhelming need to be great consumed me, until I cracked. Achievements often feel like failure because in the end I think I should have achieved more.  I often look around me - at my friends, family, school peers, and watch them do life. They succeed and they fail, as everyone does. On the outside, we are blind to an individual's everyday struggles. We can’t see how they suffer daily with social anxiety, have a hard home life, or spend 3 hours on an assignment because they have undiagnosed ADHD. What is solely in our view is the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The world continues to turn and everyone continues to move with it. We do not have time to celebrate our success or heal from our failures. We live in a fast paced world that does not take the time to appreciate what you did, instead it asks, “what are you going to do NEXT?”. God forbid you spend a moment reflecting on your success or your failure, the world might move on without you.  4 years ago I could not imagine that I would be in college, let alone thriving. But as I now approach the halfway mark of being a college student, I still can’t manage to find a way to celebrate how far I have come. Through further research, I discovered that like all thoughts I have, I am not alone in thinking them. “ Around 25 to 30 percent of high achievers may suffer from imposter syndrome. And around 70 percent of adults may experience impostorism at least once in their lifetime, research suggests”. Leaning on my friends around me has helped me realize that I’m not alone. My roommate (Female, Age 21) has shared this with me: “Something nobody tells you about going to college is sometimes you can feel the weight of imposter syndrome, as if my accomplishments and opportunities don’t fully belong to me because there are so many people around me who I feel are far more deserving. I sometimes catch myself questioning whether I’ve truly earned my achievements or if they’re just a matter of luck and opportunity. Balancing my academic and extracurricular commitments, along with my aspirations of becoming a prosecutor, often leaves me doubting whether I measure up to others in my field and those who will also be applying to law school in the future. It’s a constant battle between recognizing my capabilities and understanding that all of my hard work is and will continue to pay off.”  As I complete my studies in psychology, I continue to understand my own mental health from a new perspective. Specifically fall semester in an intro to counseling course, I have had the opportunity to learn the basis of therapy exercises that I myself practice in session. One practice that sticks out to me is challenging negative thought patterns. Though I have been in therapy for over 4 years, I have only just begun to recognize the practical implementation of these therapy exercises in my everyday life, outside of session. When I have irrational thoughts, often accompanied with imposter syndrome, I am now able to logically think through them. I come to the conclusion that my negative thoughts are not facts. I do this by finding evidence to combat my thoughts. I have jumped the hurdle of being able to recognize my negative thought patterns and deny them without the help of my therapist.  Though I am able to logically understand that my feelings are not facts, these feelings of constant self-doubt still linger. Unfortunately, I don't have any answers. I haven't found a way to cure my imposter syndrome. All I do know is that strategically working through my irrational thoughts, finding evidence to combat them, and leaning on friends who have similar feelings has helped me navigate imposter syndrome.  Written by: Juliana Cotza, Marketing Assistant Works Cited “Imposter Syndrome.” Psychology Today , Sussex Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/imposter-syndrome . Accessed 24 Jan. 2025. “What Is Imposter Syndrome?” WebMD , WebMD, www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-imposter-syndrome . Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.

Yesterday, Positive Directions was pleased to have convened representatives of ten local prevention coalitions for a virtual forum with our legislators to talk about current issues related to underage substance use and discuss policy solutions. There was robust discussion around several topics: smoke shop enforcement, responses to underage cannabis use, THC potency caps, siloed substance regulation systems, and the need for transparent reporting on uses of the sales tax-based Prevention & Recovery Services Fund. If you missed it, click above to watch the recording. (The YouTube caption includes time stamps for different pieces of the forum.) The slides are also downloadable below. As follow-up, we are happy to announce that a meeting has already been scheduled with Senator Saud Anwar, MD, co-chair of the Public Health Committee. We are also in the process of scheduling meetings with interested legislators who weren't able to attend. Recognition Many thanks to our planning committee, which included members of the Local Prevention Coalitions from New Canaan, Norwalk, Trumbull, Weston, Westport, and Wilton, in coordination with the Stamford & Greenwich coalitions and our regional partner, The Hub. A particular shoutout to our speakers: Kaitlin Comet, Program Coordinator, The Hub Kevin Godburn, Director, Westport Youth Services Nicole Hampton, Alcohol & Drug Policy Council Melissa McGarry, Prevention Director, Town of Trumbull Melissa Perez-Constantine, Program Coordinator, The Hub Jim Walsh, Chief, Norwalk Police Department Margaret Watt, Prevention Director, Positive Directions as well as Dr. Robin Oshman and Dr. Joe Feuerstein from the Fairfield County Medical Association, who provided medical commentary. Resources Download the slides from our forum here: Want to know more about today's cannabis? Download our awareness poster here: Finally, our sister coalitions from Darien, Greenwich and Stamford are holding another prevention legislative forum on January 14th. You can download the invitation here:

Positive Directions is looking for two new additions to our team! Founded over 50 years ago, Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing a continuum of prevention, counseling, and recovery supports to individuals and families struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. Licensed Counselor (Bilingual preferred) We are urgently seeking a Licensed Counselor (bilingual preferred) to join our team! The position is offered as either part-time or full-time and requires 2 days at Norwalk high schools, with 1-3 clinical days optional at our outpatient clinic. Signing bonus for Spanish bilingual clinician! To apply, email Vwilson@positivedirections.org   Cannabis Prevention Project Manager This is a part-time job where you can make a difference for youth in our communities! This is a regional position working to prevent underage cannabis use in the mid-Fairfield County area. 12 hrs/wk for 18 months. $35/hour with paid time off! To apply, email Mwatt@positivedirections.org

Please consider donating to Positive Directions as your charity of choice this year. Your generous support is what helps us make a difference in other's lives. Please take the time to read our Annual Appeal Letter & 2024 Impact Report to learn about how we are supporting our community and how you can help! Dear Supporter,  Thanks to the unwavering support of donors like you, we can provide essential and affordable counseling and recovery support to those in need. Currently, 40% of our clients utilize state insurance, sliding scale fees, or our Treatment Fund. The repercussions of mental health issues can be profound in children, and it is a growing crisis.  At Positive Directions, we have experienced a 15% increase in our mental health services for children aged twelve to eighteen over the past year.  To better meet our community’s needs, we are proactively expanding our services to include youth as young as ten. Our targeted, tailored treatment and resources empower young people to manage their mental health struggles effectively and develop strong coping strategies. In Fiscal Year 2025, we are prioritizing partnerships and programs that directly support youth mental health. Our collaboration with Norwalk Public Schools is providing vital drug and alcohol counseling to high school students, addressing this critical issue head-on. Our summer SMART Recovery group for middle schoolers equipped them with the tools necessary for success as they transitioned to high school. Additionally, programs like 1:1 Peer Support offer teens and young adults valuable alternatives to traditional counseling. Our “Teen Nights Out”—sober social activities for Norwalk teens—have been developed in response to data from our youth surveys, allowing us to effectively tailor strategies to our community's immediate behavioral health needs. Tackling these challenges requires a determined, collective effort from families, counseling professionals, partner organizations, and engaged community members like you.  The rising demand for our services this year underscores the urgency of our mission. Your prompt support is essential for Positive Directions to continue delivering critical clinical, prevention, and recovery services to all members of our community, regardless of their financial situation. With more children facing mental health struggles, we need your support now more than ever.  You can make a donation  through our website, and checks can be mailed to Positive Directions, 90 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06880. We also invite you to consider including us in your company’s corporate matching program. Your support, in whatever form it takes, is crucial to our ability to continue serving our community. To learn more about Positive Directions’ impact on the community, please read the enclosed Impact Report. Thank you for being a vital part of our mission. Your past support has been invaluable, making a tangible difference in the lives of many. We look forward to your continued partnership and the impactful changes we can achieve together. Sincerely,  Vanessa Wilson, LMFT   Executive Director  Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our website to stay up-to-date Read about the impact of our Prevention, Treatment, and Support in the community! Thank you to our new and loyal donors. We could not do this work without your support!

Join Positive Directions and the Westport Farmers' Market for an engaging Wellness Fair, proudly funded by the Westport Women's Club! This community-focused event is designed to promote health, well-being, and awareness on a variety of important topics. Event Highlights: Free Mental Health Screenings: Take advantage of “Check Up From the Neck Up” for complimentary mental health assessments. Animal Therapy Team: Experience the joy and comfort of animal therapy! Interacting with therapy animals is proven to reduce stress and anxiety. Blood Pressure Screenings: Stay on top of your heart health with free blood pressure screenings. Drug Awareness & Resources: Learn about substance use prevention with hands-on demonstrations and resources. Explore tools like drunk goggles, liquor stickers, lock bags for medications, and a Narcan demonstration to better understand drug awareness and safety. Tick and Mosquito Safety Information: It’s essential to stay informed about tick and mosquito safety. This event not only aims to educate but also to foster a sense of community. Whether you’re looking to learn more about mental health resources, visit with our therapy dog, or connect with other members of the Westport community, there’s something for everyone! Date:Thursday, November 7th Time: 10 AM - 2 PM Location: Westport Farmers' Market We invite you to bring your family and friends and take part in this mindful experience. Together, let’s prioritize our health and well-being. We look forward to seeing you there!

Red Ribbon Week is a national awareness week to promote conversations about substance use with kids. Young children are exposed to vapes in playgrounds, alcohol at family events and in restaurants, and are sometimes taken to our local hospitals after consuming marijuana edibles that they thought were candy... That's why it's so important to "talk early, talk often" with your kids. Educate them, tell them you want them to make good choices, and be a role model. Teach little kids not to eat or drink anything you haven't okayed... and practice refusal skills with older kids. Starting a conversation with young children For Red Ribbon Week, our Westport Prevention Coalition created an activity placemat for parents to do with their elementary aged children. It's intended to start discussions about the Trusted Adults in a child's life, coping skills, healthy vs unhealthy behaviors, safe vs unsafe drugs or substances, etc. You can download a letter-size version below (2 pages). We want to give a shoutout to the following restaurants participating in this campaign by providing the placemat to young children during Red Ribbon Week: Angelina's Trattoria Bar Taco Little Barn Little Pub at Dunville's The Porch at Christie's Rizzuto's Please consider bringing your kids there for a meal in the next week and thank them for participating! At next week's Halloween Parade, the placemats will be distributed to children at Town Hall by the Westport Human Services staff, along with a parent info card and lollipop. Placemats are also available in the children's room at The Westport Library and at Aspetuck Health District. The Westport Center for Senior Activities is offering them to their members as an activity to do with their grandkids. On behalf of The Norwalk Partnership , Positive Directions had a Red Ribbon Week parent awareness table last night at the Norwalk Public Library while children did a friendship craft. Parents had in-depth conversations about how to protect their young children, how and when to start talking about alcohol and drugs, and received resources such as Gizmo's Pawesome Guide to Mental Health , MADD's Power of Parents handbook , Liquor Stickers, lockbags to keep prescription drugs and/or cannabis safely locked up, information about the Talk.They Hear You app for parents, and more. We're also sending downloadable materials out to parents through Norwalk elementary schools. Preventing access to drugs at home Preventing substance misuse--including accidental or intentional overdose--starts at home. In addition to frequent conversations with children and teens, families should practice safe storage and safe disposal in their homes. Safe storage involves keeping alcohol, prescription drugs, and cannabis safely out of reach of youth and locked up. You can install a lock on your liquor and medicine cabinets, use our Liquor Stickers to seal up unfinished bottles of alcohol, and get a lockbox or lockbag to store your Rx drugs and cannabis using a combination lock. Safe disposal refers to regularly going through your medicine cabinet to identify unused or expired substances and get rid of them. Please don't flush them, though! Use a Deterra bag to disintegrate and deactivate the medication and then throw it in the trash. Or bring your prescription drugs to the dropbox at your police department. Also, tomorrow (Saturday, October 26th from 10am-2pm), Westport and most town police departments are holding National Drug Take-Back Day , where you can bring your drugs to be safely disposed of. Contact our Prevention Director, Margaret Watt , for more information about liquor stickers, Deterra bags, or lockbags. Stay safe! Download the RRW placemat to use with kids in your life!

Written By: Juliana Cotza - Positive Directions Marketing Intern, Fall 2024 A semicolon is used when an author could have chosen to end their sentence, but chose not to. The author is you and the sentence is your life. People say your high school years are some of the best years of your life. They are filled with Friday night football games, junior prom, and pep rallies - core memories that are made during this time. My high school years, however, were some of the worst years. Instead of making lifelong memories with friends, I was held hostage to my bed, plagued with intense depression and anxiety. I didn’t leave the house much in high school. I spent 4 years completing school online, barely getting by. Some days were extremely dark; I couldn’t speak to anyone, couldn’t eat, and couldn’t imagine waking up the next day to the life I was living. Thankfully, I found help and began therapy. I would be lying if I said my first counseling sessions were productive. In reality, I spent the first few hour sessions crying, unable to get a word out. Very slowly, I gained the strength to open up to my therapist. I began to put in the work to take back control of my life. The work I have done in therapy was hard and long, and even still today, ongoing. If you told 16 year old me, the girl who didn’t want to keep living, who missed out on high school because of her mental health, that I am thriving in college, she would not believe you. Sometimes it is still difficult for me to recognize and celebrate the many accomplishments I’ve gathered since that extremely dark time in my life. But I am being mindful to self-reflect and appreciate how much progress I have made every single day.  Being on the other side of the couch has truly brought things into perspective. When I entered the role of Marketing Intern at Positive Directions, I felt so many emotions that are still difficult for me to put into words; bittersweet and proud come to mind. Being in the counseling environment as an employee and not a client is a feeling I can’t describe. I feel so incredibly lucky to have this opportunity. Looking back, I can now say that I don’t recognize high school me. But I am grateful for her, and immensely proud of her; I would not change a thing. She gave me the passion and drive to one day pursue a career where I have the ability to help people, exactly like I was helped.  This is your sign to keep going and to stay alive. There is a light at the end of the tunnel; I know because I’ve reached it. A semicolon is used when an author could have chosen to end their sentence, but chose not to. The author is you and the sentence is your life. Due to my personal history with mental health struggles, I have always been interested in perusing a career in the psychology field. My goal is to help people like I have been helped, and provide that support to others who may be struggling. However, I also have interests in marketing as well. That is why this role as Marketing Intern at PD was perfect for me; it combined both of my interests and passions into one position. I have the opportunity to be creative, raise awareness for mental health and substance abuse, and break down the stigma associated with it. Photo: Juliana, the President of mental health and suicide prevention club "To Write Love on Her Arms", giving Sacred Heart University students temporary semicolon tattoos at SHU's annual Suicide Prevention Walk. About Positive Directions-The Center for Prevention & Counseling Positive Directions is a nonprofit serving mid Fairfield County for over 50 years. We provide community-based prevention services, outpatient counseling, and recovery support groups for children, adults, and families struggling with mental health and/or substance use challenges. In the area of suicide prevention addressed in this blog post, we provide a free in-person Alternatives to Suicide support group every Tuesday night at 7pm at our office. The "Alt2Su" group is open to anyone over age 18. For teens and young adults, we also offer free one-on-one peer support through our TurningPointCT project (soon to be renamed the CT Support Group), funded by DMHAS. Our young adult Peer Support Specialist, Quinn, has lived experience and extensive peer support training to help young people dealing with mental illness, substance misuse, or identity issues. Quinn is an experienced Alt2Su facilitator.

Penny at PD We are so excited to have Penny join our team here at Positive Directions. Penny is a Vizsla and a certified therapy dog. Penny will be on-site at Positive Directions at various times, and we can’t wait for everyone to get to know her! We are offering an open group with Penny on October 22nd, from 4 - 5 pm at Positive Directions for anyone who loves dogs and wants to learn about the benefits of animal therapy. You can RSVP on our event page or click here . Space is limited. Benefits of Animal Therapy Animal therapy is a type of therapy that is complementary and enhances current treatment. It can be such an impactful addition to therapy sessions because just the mere presence of animals can have therapeutic effects. Animal therapy can be a great way to help people cope with different stressors and provide comfort. There are many different mental and emotional benefits to clients from using animal therapy like decreased loneliness, boosted mood, diverting negative thoughts, and increased feelings of social support. These benefits aid in the process of therapy and can greatly help clients in their treatment journey. At Positive directions, we strive to help all individuals and families have the skills, support, and resources they need to live a healthy life and contribute to a strong community. Offering animal therapy is one more way in which we hope to support our community holistically. If you or someone you know is in need of support, please reach out to us at info@positivedirections.org or call us at 203-227-7644. For the latest, follow us @Positivedrctns on Instagram and Positive Directions on Facebook!

Click below to download the event flyer!

Suicide deaths are a growing tragedy, both in this country and worldwide, across all demographics. Today, on World Suicide Prevention Day, we encourage everyone to help be a part of the solution: We can all help connect people who are struggling to services such as counseling and peer supports. A warm handoff is better than handing a phone number to a person in need, so sit with them, make a call with them, or accompany them. Hotlines are available, and virtually every town has a social services department that can help you identify good therapy in your area. Most people are unaware of the wealth of amazing and FREE peer support options that are out there. Here at Positive Directions, we run an in-person Alternatives to Suicide support group every Tuesday night, and there are others in the state. RIPPLE offers late night support; NAMI CT has Out of the Abyss groups; and Connecticut opened the state's first peer-run respite just this summer. Please take a minute to read through all the options on our "Do you have frequent thoughts of suicide?" flyer above, and download flyers about each model at the bottom of this post. Please consider sharing this information at your office, school, house of worship, gym, coffee shop, or social media. You may never know how many people you can help just by raising awareness! If you or a friend has lost someone to suicide, know that you are not alone. Just in our area, there are suicide loss support groups in Trumbull, Westport, and Greenwich, and through the Center for Hope operated by Family Centers. Consider attending tonight's Shining Together vigil in Trumbull on the Town Green starting at 6pm. Take a Question-Persuade-Refer (QPR) or other suicide prevention training , to know how to start a potentially lifesaving conversation with someone. We're having our free monthly online training tomorrow night ! (And we can bring it to a group.) Below you can download and post the 2024 Suicide Supports flyer above; our Alternatives to Suicide flyer with info on the Positive Directions, RIPPLE and Toivo groups; NAMI CT's Out of the Abyss brochure; and our hotlines flyer. Please share!