By Helen Birch (Conference Chair / Training & Education Officer) & Božana Lončarević (Training & Education Officer)
The 11th From Harm to Hope Conference is now behind us, and what an incredible success it was! If someone had wandered into the venue by accident, they might have been met with a surprising sight: a pink Lamborghini parked in the venue, people dancing and singing, incredible food, and countless hugs filled with warmth and joy.
At a glance, a passer-by might have thought the event was about anything but self harm and suicide prevention. And yet, that is exactly what it was about.
The Perfect Platform for ‘The Uncomfortable Truth’
This year’s vibrant atmosphere provided the ultimate stage to address our core theme: The Uncomfortable Truth: Confronting Barriers to Connection in Self Harm and Suicide Prevention. In the world of suicide prevention, the most significant barriers aren’t always lack of policy; they are the ‘uncomfortable truths’ of stigma, fear and silence. By filling the room with music, colour and unapologetic joy, we didn’t just talk about breaking barriers, we physically removed them. We created a space where the ‘uncomfortable’ became approachable, and where the heavy lifting of research and clinical practice was carried by a community that felt safe and heard.
The Heart of the Work: More Than Just a Conference
Beyond the connection is a deeply serious heart – lifesaving work, which is the embodiment of our mission:
- Confronting the Stigma
Creating environments where the ‘uncomfortable truth’ of self harm can be met with light and community. - Building Compassionate Pathways
Fostering a society that prioritises care-led values over clinical checkboxes. - Cultivating Radical Hope
Remining one another that even when confronting the hardest truths, connection is our most powerful tool.
A Unified Voice: Many Roles, One Mission
As our colleague Michelle, who attended for the first time this year, beautifully reflected: it doesn’t matter if your contribution is driving, singing, conducting research, delivering training, or simply ‘wrapping a blanket’ around someone in distress. Whether you advocate on a national stage or support in your own unique, quiet way, we all have the power to:
- Knock down the walls of ‘uncomfortable’ silence that isolate those in pain.
- Remove the barriers to connection that prevent people from seeking help.
- Challenge the ‘truths’ that suggest self harm and suicide are topics to be whispered about in the dark.
Turning Harm into Hope, Together
That spirit defined every moment of this year’s conference. It proved that being a Centre of Excellence means more than just sharing data; it means having the courage to confront the uncomfortable truths of our sector with radical kindness and unwavering connection.
