As summer break 2024 ended, teachers at Holy Family High School in Broomfield prepared classrooms, revised lesson plans and reviewed student rosters. They reconnected with colleagues, met new teachers and agreed that summer had flown by.
They also gathered for continuing education and team building.
Representatives from St. Raphael Counseling, the largest Catholic therapy organization in the country and a ministry of Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Denver, led a session focused on mental health. From cultivating emotionally healthy students and building resilience to coping techniques and anxiety management for teachers, the daylong session aimed to ensure that both students – and their teachers – were prepared to make the upcoming school year their best yet. A central topic on their minds: suicide prevention.
Leading the session were St. Raphael Counseling’s Dr. Angela Wall, Meg Beckman and Jeff Rasp, seasoned therapists with years of experience in mental health and suicide prevention.
Holy Family High School is just one of 21 schools across the Archdiocese of Denver that works directly with St. Raphael Counseling to provide Catholic-based behavioral health services from this Catholic Charities ministry. Launched in 2011, this program serves students in individual and group counseling sessions, exploring emotions, overcoming challenges and developing essential life skills. Last year alone, 10,000 counseling hours were committed to the wellbeing of students at Catholic schools. This session at Holy Family was focused on how teachers are an integral piece of the mental health puzzle.
“Talking about suicide isn’t easy,” Dr. Wall began, her voice calm but resolute. “Some of us here may be loss survivors or attempt survivors. It’s important to acknowledge that this is a difficult topic, but it’s also an essential one.”
The team started by addressing common myths. “There’s a pervasive myth that no one can stop a suicide, that it’s inevitable once someone decides. But the reality is quite different. If people in crisis get the help they need, they may never be suicidal again. In fact, nine out of 10 people who attempt suicide never go on to die by it,” said Rasp.
Rasp then tackled another misconception: that asking someone directly about suicide would only make them angry and increase the risk. “The fact is…asking someone directly about their intent actually lowers their anxiety. It can be the very thing that opens the door to getting them the help they need.”
The St. Raphael Counseling team shared sobering statistics from 2022, highlighting the alarming increase in suicide rates over the past 20 years. “Almost 50,000 lives lost to suicide last year alone. That’s 138.97 lives every day—nearly the equivalent of a commercial jet crash every other day.”
Rasp detailed the specific vulnerabilities faced by different groups, such as Native American and Alaska Native youths, whose suicide rate is almost twice the national average. He also pointed out that people in rural areas are twice as likely to die by suicide compared to those in large metro areas.
The faculty members were visibly moved, some taking notes, others nodding in agreement as they processed the information. The St. Raphael team stressed the importance of being vigilant and recognizing the signs—verbal, behavioral and situational—that could indicate a student was in crisis.
“When someone says, ‘I’m tired of life,’ or ‘My family would be better off without me,’ they are not just words. These are cries for help, and they’re looking for reassurance that their lives have meaning, that people care.”
The team introduced the QPR program—Question, Persuade, Refer—as a practical approach teachers could use to help students in distress. “If you’re ever in doubt, don’t wait. Ask the question. You can’t do harm by asking, but you might save a life.”
The teachers learned the importance of being persistent and patient, listening without judgment and offering hope in any form. “Remember, when you apply QPR, you plant the seeds of hope. And hope helps prevent suicide.”
As the session continued, the focus shifted to the broader challenges faced by students today—extreme isolation, fear about the state of the world and identity crises exacerbated by the pressures of performance, appearance and approval from others. “Students become overwhelmed when they start to believe that their worth is in these external things. But their true identity is non-negotiable and foundational—they are loved by God, made in His image and chosen by Him.”
The St. Raphael team encouraged teachers to help students cultivate resilience, self-compassion and a steadfast faith. “Teach your students that their academics are only one aspect of their life. Model positive self-talk, foster a growth mindset and create a classroom culture of grace.”
The session included practical exercises, including breathing techniques to calm anxiety and a reminder of the power of prayer. “When we’re not guiding them, they cling to things like tarot cards and other practices that don’t provide the real help they need. We need to incorporate our faith into these strategies—like using the Rosary as a tool for peace.”
As the teachers left the auditorium, there was a shared sense of determination. They were not just educators but lifelines, armed with the knowledge and tools to be a wedge between their students and the despair that could lead to suicide. The visit from St. Raphael Counseling had not only informed them but empowered them, reminding them of the profound impact they could have on the lives of the students they were called to serve.
By Mark Sanders, MA
