3 Women 3 Ways

SUICIDE: WHAT ABOUT THOSE LEFT BEHIND? We’ve all known a friend of a friend, or a family member, or even a celebrity who shocked and dumbfounded us because of his or her suicide. Your children may have school friends who have contemplated or carried out a suicide. Maybe a relative left you wondering for the rest of your life what you could have done. Perhaps you have had thoughts of killing yourself. Not a happy topic, for sure, but one which can affect all of us. September is suicide awareness month, so this is a perfect time to discuss this topic and find out more about the whys and guilt that can accompany it. Dr. Jill Harkavy-Friedman is responsible for research for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. This includes gathering data from AFSP funded studies and communicating those findings to the larger community and public. She also collaborates on the development of prevention materials such as films, programs and brochures. Dr. Harkavy-Friedman received her B.A. in Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Florida. In 1984 she joined Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute, first as an assistant professor and later an associate professor of clinical psychology in psychiatry. She has been studying suicidal behavior for more than 25 years and has more than 90 publications. As a licensed psychologist, she maintains a clinical practice at her office in Manhattan.