Changing the Narrative on Suicide
What the Maytree taught me about the power of being heard
Today, 10 September 2026, is World Suicide Prevention Day.
2026 marks the third and final year of the theme Changing the Narrative on Suicide, with its call to action: Start the Conversation.
The aim is to challenge harmful myths, reduce stigma and create environments in which people feel able to speak openly about suicidal thoughts and seek help.
During my psychotherapy training, I spent a year on placement at the Maytree, a sanctuary for people experiencing suicidal thoughts.
When someone cannot see how to go on
One of the most important things I learned there was that suicidal thoughts can arise when a person has reached a point where their psychological pain feels unbearable and they can no longer see how to go on. What they may need in that moment is not someone rushing in with answers, but somewhere safe enough to speak about what is happening inside them.
At the time of my placement, Maytree offered guests a once-only four-night stay. What struck me was the power of simply being heard.
The power of being heard
Guests could talk openly about their suicidal thoughts. They shared stories in the communal lounge and over meals, sometimes discovering that others had also experienced their darkest moments. There could be a profound relief in realising: I am not alone.
Many had found it difficult to speak openly with family or friends. Sometimes, when they tried, those who loved them understandably rushed to reassure them, cheer them up or find a solution. Some feared that speaking honestly about their suicidal thoughts would simply cause distress to the people they cared about.
As volunteers, we learned that one of the most precious things we could offer was our presence and acceptance.
We listened.
We did not judge.
We did not try to immediately rescue or fix.
Within that listening space, people could begin to share thoughts, feelings and stories that had sometimes remained unspoken for a very long time.
Sometimes we talked. Sometimes we walked together in the local park or sat quietly beside a lake or beneath a tree. Two people simply meeting one another in the moment.
That experience has stayed with me.
Listening without trying to rescue
Listening does not replace professional or urgent help when someone is at risk. But compassionate listening can create the space in which someone feels able to say what they are really experiencing — and perhaps to take the next step towards getting help.
Maytree taught me something very simple: we do not always need to have the right words. Sometimes we need the courage to stay present, to listen and to allow another person’s experience to be heard.
Start the conversation
On World Suicide Prevention Day, perhaps that is one way each of us can help to change the narrative.
Can we become a little less afraid of the conversation?
Can we listen without judgement, without immediately trying to fix — and make it safer for someone to speak?
More information about Maytree and ways to support its work can be found on the Maytree website.
If you need support
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E. Samaritans are available free, day or night, on 116 123. For urgent mental health support that is not an emergency, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option.