Blog
Start the Conversation: Angie, Lead Clinical Preceptor
I’ve always been passionate about supporting people when they might feel stigmatized or isolated. When I was growing up, my family struggled with poverty. Some of them turned to substances to cope and, even though they were around, I felt alone. The first funeral I ever went to was for a coworker who died by suicide, when I was 16. He was...
Mental Health Visibility in the Asian Communities
Asians, like people of all races, can and do experience mental health challenges throughout their lives. Because of cultural norms, their experiences are often made to be invisible. Mental health is rarely talked about in Asian communities and is often seen as a “white person’s disease.” Because of that, fewer and fewer Asian people get the...
Inside the 2023 AAS Conference: A Visit at Lines for Life’s Office
Inside the 2023 AAS Conference: A Visit at Lines for Life’s Office The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) - the accrediting agency for 988 - kicked off their annual conference for 2023 at the Lines for Life headquarters on Wednesday, April 19! The AAS Conference is the largest gathering of behavioral health organizations, clinicians,...
Suicide Prevention Month
Ask, Then Listen: LFL Volunteer Shares Tips for Starting a Conversation
Je has started hundreds of tricky conversations. As a Lines for Life volunteer, she answers calls from people looking for a way through anxiety, stress, loneliness, substance abuse, and thoughts of suicide.During her weekly volunteer shifts, Je listens, validates, and supports...
Service Members and Veterans
PTSD 101 – What it is and How to Support Someone
Our mental wellness is constantly changing. We all deserve support when we need it. Traumatic events impact everyone differently. For some people, the impacts of trauma can develop into Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a diagnosis that is treatable with evidence-based therapies.Despite...
Mental Health Awareness Month
Finding Support Beyond Your Circle: Oregon’s Behavioral Health Support Line
How can you reach out when your go-to isn’t available?Sometimes we find ourselves needing support, but the people we would normally reach out to aren’t available. Times when: Your most trusted confidant is away on vacation. Your next treatment appointment is days, weeks, or months...
Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Lines for Life Honors API Heritage Month
Lines for Life Honors API Heritage MonthThis May, Lines for Life celebrates the diverse cultures and rich histories of the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community by honoring API Heritage Month.Why May? May holds special significance for API heritage in America, as it commemorates...
Mental Health Awareness Month
Reaching Out Despite the Obstacles
What keeps you from reaching out?Everyone needs support sometimes. But reaching out can be difficult. At some point, you may have talked yourself out of sharing a challenging experience with phrases like: I’ll be judged by my experiences.I can’t trust that what I say will be...
Mental Health Awareness Month
Reach Out for Support or Lend Yours Today
When did you last check on your people?Staying connected is a critical component of enjoying a mentally healthy life!When we feel down, experience anxiety or grief, or have a mental health emergency, staying connected to others can get us through. Staying connected is a two-way...
Black History Month
Showing Up for Black Joy – Black History Month Recap
Supporting each other and working together is how Black folks survived the horrors of slavery, and continue to survive family separation, state-sanctioned oppression and more. Black Joy is made possible by community members looking out for one another and lifting each other up...
Always Hope Gala
Behind the Scenes: Planning the Always Hope Gala
By Maggie O’Connor, Assistant Director of DevelopmentEvery year, as soon as the Gala ends and the Development team is busy packing up at the venue, we start thinking about what we want to do for the next one! Together, we carefully plan every element from invitations, décor,...
Black History Month
Celebrating Black Joy – Helping Students Rebound from Incarceration
By Martin Lockett, Director of Cultural Engagement I recently had the privilege, with Lines for Life’s Equity Team, of visiting Portland State University to speak with Rebound – a unique program serving formerly incarcerated individuals who are rebuilding their lives by...
Hispanic Heritage Month
Breaking the Cycle of Stigma – Bilingual Training for Suicide Prevention
I came into a new position at Lines for Life earlier this year and established the bilingual community training program. It was important that we network and build relationships with community partners right away for the program to be successful.We started offering QPR training...
