Center For Positive Psychology & Wellbeing by Sandy Sinn

Grateful and inspired after presenting at the 14th SE Asia School Counseling Conference, where I had the privilege of sharing on building a suicide safer campus. A heartfelt thank you to Aylssa Temple for the invitation and to the more than 20 dedicated school counselors who joined the session, bringing their openness, curiosity, and commitment to student wellbeing. Why does this conference matter? Because every school counselor is a beacon of hope and a vital anchor in the lives of students, staff, and families. When school counselors come together to learn, reflect, and share, it’s not just professional development, it’s the beginning of a real, transformative network of safety that reaches across schools and communities. We at Choose Hope, understand too well that conversations about suicide prevention are never easy, but they are necessary and they save lives. When we empower counselors to lead, to notice the silent struggles, and to build a culture of compassion, we multiply the safety net for every student on campus. Together, we can make our schools places where no cry for help goes unheard. Thank you, Alyssa, and thank you to all the passionate counselors investing in a safer, kinder future. The work continues, and every connection counts. #SchoolCounseling #SuicidePrevention #NetworksOfSafety #StudentWellbeing #ChooseHope #SEASC2025

Two Days to Go: Our Community’s First LivingWorks ASIST Workshop Is Here! How does a community become suicide-safe? Who will ask the hard questions when someone is struggling and who will stay and listen long enough to help them choose lifesaving hope? These are the questions that have driven months of preparation, countless conversations, and the dream that is now coming true this weekend. From a handful of initial ideas to a wave of shared determination, we've watched a community come together: 21st Century Learning co-organizing, Victoria Shanghai Academy opening their doors, and more than twenty dedicated participants traveling from across Asia: teachers, school counselors, safeguarding leads, psychologists, parents, therapists, workplace employees. Why do we gather for LivingWorks ASIST? Because evidence and experience unite in one truth: we all have the power to save a life. ASIST is more than "training", it's an opportunity to learn real conversations about suicide, to learn how to recognize pain that hides behind a smile, and to step forward with confidence and skills proven to reduce risk. Research shows: When people leave an ASIST workshop, they are far more likely to recognize warning signs, open safe dialogue, and guide someone from crisis toward safety. Callers and students supported by ASIST-trained helpers say they feel less overwhelmed, less hopeless, and far more able to reach out for help. Communities that invest in ASIST training see real change, more asking for help before it’s too late, and even measurable reductions in suicide rates. ASIST is not only grounded in peer-reviewed research, but also officially endorsed by the World Health Organization and celebrated globally as the gold standard for suicide first aid. But the real story is what comes next. After our two days together, each participant will return home, not just with a CPD certificate, but with new courage. Will you notice that student sitting alone, that colleague who withdraws, that loved one whose words carry pain? Will you ask, will you listen, will you be the one who says, "You matter. Let's find hope together"? At Choose Hope, our mission goes beyond this one weekend. It’s about every participant bringing empathy and skill back to their school, family, team, or workplace so that each community becomes a little more connected, a little more resilient, and a lot more hopeful. We are deeply grateful to everyone making this possible. Because this vision is built one conversation at a time, one workshop at a time, and yes, one life at a time. #ASIST #SuicidePrevention #CommunityCare #LivingWorks #VSA #HopeInAction Shirla Sum (she/her) Rebecca L. Justin Hardman Gabrielle Hicks Shayne Connell Jennifer Sergo Terese Schuts Sami Soni Alexandra Berry Karina Inga Elwert Kelly Gurung Rebecca Hardman Veronica Ho Karen Lau Boe Leung Suraj S. Vicki Cheung Joanne Brown Paul Haswell Brian Henderson (he/him)

Inspiring doesn’t even begin to describe what Lurie Children’s Suicide Prevention and Research Collaborative (L‑SPARC) is doing. Their recent story of a 16‑year‑old who walked into the ER for a broken arm and walked out on a journey of healing and hope struck a chord with me as a suicide prevention educator and founder of Choose Hope. But what does it truly take for a young person, sitting quietly in an ordinary hospital waiting room, to finally share the pain they’ve been carrying alone? Would we recognize that pain if it looked like anger, withdrawal, or even just a sports injury? And how might our clinics, classrooms, and families across Asia offer that same moment of safety, connection, and transformation? In every training session I facilitate, I hear genuine concerns from caring adults: “What if I ask a young person about suicide and they say yes? What will I do next?” Or, “I’m worried I’ll make things worse by bringing it up.” Isn’t it natural to fear the unknown when someone’s wellbeing is at stake? L‑SPARC’s proactive approach directly addresses these fears. Every young patient is gently screened for suicide risk, no matter the reason for their visit. If someone says yes, skilled clinicians step in right away, inviting family into the process and building practical, enduring safety plans. No one is left waiting, or struggling alone. Their commitment to training new clinicians and involving families is proof that support can be immediate and sustainable. I often remind everyone in the room: Most people with thoughts of suicide want to live more than they want to die. They just don’t know how to stop the pain. If you knew that asking could open a door to hope, would you still hesitate? Can we move from fear to readiness, from silence to asking? This is what drives me at Choose Hope. Through LivingWorks safeTALK and ASIST trainings, we help communities learn how to notice distress, even when it’s hidden. We replace myths and uncertainty with clear steps and confidence so that no one faces crisis alone. Imagine if every clinic, every school, every home made asking about suicide as routine and as caring as checking for a broken bone. Picture the lives we could change. I invite you to reflect: 🗣️Could someone in your world be quietly struggling, longing for you to notice? 🗣️What would it mean for you, your school, or your community to be ready to ask, and to respond with hope, not fear? Let’s keep building this safety net together, where hope and support are never out of reach, and every crisis is met with compassion and practical help. Because suicide prevention is not just about stopping death, it’s about restoring hope and helping people choose life, every single time. https://lnkd.in/gn8XQDt9 Aylssa Temple Mila Devenport Sandy Sinn Suicide Prevention Educator Gabrielle Hicks Shayne Connell

💙 Three Years of Choosing Hope at LivingWorks Personal Struggle led to Professional Mission This story started in a place familiar to too many, a season of personal struggle, a search for hope, and the life-changing experience of sitting as a participant in my first LivingWorks ASIST suicide first aid workshop. It was here that I learned: suicide prevention isn’t just the work of professionals, but a shared responsibility, built through human connection and courage to ask the hardest questions. 💪Becoming a Trainer, Growing a Movement That single workshop lit a fire that became my mission. Three years ago today, I stepped forward, not just as a participant, but as an independent LivingWorks ASIST and safeTALK trainer. Since then, I’ve been privileged to help build #networksofsafety from Canada and the UK to Vietnam, China, and Hong Kong. In every setting, I’ve witnessed loss and resilience, grief and growth, always with the unwavering belief that suicide is preventable and no one should suffer in silence. 🌈Voices on Stage And in Every Community This journey didn’t stop in the training room. It brought me onto conference stages like RMIT Safeguarding, PHASE, SE Asia Counseling Conference and into boardrooms and school assemblies alike, where I openly shared about the urgent need for collective action. 🗣️What might change if every person took a role in preventing suicide? 🗣️What lives might be saved, what hope restored? 🙏Founding Choose Hope: A New Chapter These experiences gave life to Choose Hope, an initiative under the Center For Positive Psychology & Wellbeing by Sandy Sinn Our mission: break stigma, amplify lived experience, and gather allies because suicide does not discriminate and prevention must belong to all of us. This thread of #hope now weaves through every workshop, presentation, and encounter: a call to raise awareness, start conversations, and create lasting safety nets in our communities, schools, and workplaces. 🙏❤️Deepest Gratitude And a Lifelong Commitment I am grateful to every colleague, fellow trainer, and especially to Shayne Connell, Alan Mednick Belinda Connell Lindy Macgregor Angela Warren Renee Tsatsis and everyone behind the scenes who champion this life-saving mission. Your partnerships remind me that growth in this work isn’t just professional, but profoundly human. To every participant who entrusted me with your stories, pain, and hopes, you travel with me everywhere. 💪Call to Action: Be the Link 🔗 Here’s to three years of choosing hope and the many more to come. 🗣️Who in your world could use a word of hope or a listening ear this week? 🗣️What small action could you take today to help build a safer tomorrow? Let’s be the links in the chain, holding each other up and keeping hope alive. #ASIST #safeTALK #ChooseHope #SuicidePrevention #LivingWorks #CommunityImpact #NetworksOfSafety Sandy Sinn Suicide Prevention Educator Chris Grant Thanh Vo Fernando Archila

There’s a quiet, hopeful shift happening: one that every educator, parent, and policymaker should celebrate. A groundbreaking new study from Jessica Brantez, Bernice Pescosolido and Anna Mueller reveals a remarkable truth: parents from across the political spectrum overwhelmingly support school-based suicide prevention efforts. This changes everything for schools worried about stigma, controversy, or parental pushback. The Worries School Leaders Share Often, when talking with school leaders here in Asia, a familiar anxiety surfaces. “Will parents be upset if we introduce suicide first aid training?” “Is it too sensitive to discuss openly?” These questions stem from genuine care, a concern for student safety, a longing for community harmony, and a desire to avoid the pain that stigma can cause. Stigma casts a long shadow, making even well-intentioned educators feel hesitant. The Universal Story of Support But new evidence now points to a different story: regardless of political views or cultural background, most parents want schools to be active partners in safeguarding young lives. They wish for collaboration, prevention, and staff trained to recognize students in crisis. As an advocate, and fellow parent, this makes my heart leap because it means the support is already out there, patiently awaiting our invitation. An Asian Educator’s Perspective Working with diverse schools and communities across Asia, the challenges of stigma, cultural expectations, and fear of controversy feel very real. I believe families everywhere, across continents, hope for the same things: honesty, safety, and open dialogue for their children. Can we use this evidence to step past hesitation and weave networks of safety together? Empowering Action and Conversation The work at Choose Hope, an initiative under the Center For Positive Psychology & Wellbeing by Sandy Sinn (CPPWB) is driven by this vision. Our goal is bold-to end youth suicide. Our mission is to raise awareness, break stigma, change the narrative, and start honest conversations. We believe it’s time to act with courage and evidence, knowing that support runs deeper and wider than headlines suggest. This study gives fresh momentum and hope to our journacross Asia and beyond. What’s next? Please share these findings with your school administrators and policymakers. The time for partnership is now. Join me, or reach out to Choose Hope, to learn how we can bring suicide prevention training to your school. Together, we can create a suicide safer community where every young person feels seen, heard, safe, and valued. https://lnkd.in/gEhWMAfF #choosehope #safeguardingyouth #networksofsafey #suicidesafercommunity Hendro Widjaya Sandy Sinn Suicide Prevention Educator Aylssa Temple Sami Soni Rebecca L. Vicki Cheung Shayne Connell Gabrielle Hicks Mila Devenport

Who here knows Woody Chan? If the name isn’t familiar, it’s time we ask why. Woody Chan is a young autistic figure skater from Hong Kong who defied expectations and made history with not just one, but two gold medals at the Special Olympics. Born with autism, Woody faced communication and social challenges early on, with many doubting his ability to participate, let alone excel, in competitive sport. Yet through determination, support, and meaningful inclusion, he became a champion, both on the ice and off it. His achievements inspired countless ASD families who saw in his journey the power of believing differently. Now, consider this: Why is it that so few of us know Woody’s story, when his accomplishment is no less impressive than any celebrated Olympian? What other neurodivergent athletes’ triumphs have we overlooked? Think of Simone Biles, who lives openly with ADHD and is widely regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time. Nicholas Bennett, the Canadian swimmer who turns autism into his superpower in the pool, or Armani Williams breaking ground in NASCAR as an autistic driver. How often do we truly recognize the talent, grit, and vision that neurodiversity adds to our world? As society, we often ask neurodivergent people to adapt to us. But what if we turned the lens around and asked ourselves tough questions, learned, and listened? Are we building spaces where neurodivergent athletes (and colleagues, friends, students) feel seen, valued, and truly belong? DEIB(diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging) isn’t just about celebrating difference. It’s about recognizing every achievement, amplifying every story, and seeking deep understanding of the worlds beyond our own. Let’s start asking: How many Woody Chans are out there, waiting for their story to be told, their victory to be celebrated, and their belonging to be championed? #DEIB #WoodyChan #Neurodiversity #SpecialOlympics #Belonging #AthleteStories #ChampionChange #InclusionMatters https://lnkd.in/gz6rDnRJ Carmen Li Thao Trinh Shirin Shujaa Nghi Trịnh (Andy) Anh Ho Eric Asato Melvin Fernando

From Personal Loss to Campus Change: Why Every School Needs a Network of Safety It felt like it wasn't long ago that I lost family members and close friends to suicide. As a mother, an international school guidance counselor, a positive psychologist and a mentor to young people, I have stood with parents on playground curbs and in living rooms, listening to fears, grief, and the silent struggles that don’t always show up during school hours. Each conversation, each life touched or lost, etched deeper the conviction: youth suicide is not just a statistic, it’s a call to action. That call led me to found Choose Hope under the Center for Positive Psychology & Wellbeing (CPPWB). Our focus and passion are clear: help schools become suicide-safer by providing the roadmap, tools, and training to empower their whole community. Our Networks of Safety approach means every adult: classroom teachers, coaches, staff, counselors, and leaders, is trained to notice distress, reach out, and connect students to help before a crisis happens. Can your school truly say it’s safe if staff aren’t equipped to notice and help those struggling? Too often, I hear schools say, “We’re a healthy school,” or parents insist, “My child is fine.” But suicide doesn’t discriminate. No community, however caring, is immune. Breaking the stigma and taboo around suicide, raising real awareness is as vital as prevention training. Backed by evidence-based, WHO-endorsed workshops, LivingWorks safeTALK and ASIST, and as Asia’s first Training for Trainers (T4T) provider, we partner with schools to build a powerful Network of Safety. Already, international schools in Vietnam and Hong Kong are bringing this concept to life in 2025 and 2026 with CPPWB’s support. With students increasingly seeking comfort and answers from AI, it is the caring, trained adults who make the difference. Every educator, leader, and parent shares not just the “duty of care”, but a real power to change the story for students in need. To school leaders: Now is the time to act. Watch for our 2026 schedule of school visits, workshops, and T4T opportunities. Or reach out today to learn how CPPWB can help your school lead the way in student safety and wellbeing. Let’s work together because the next life you save could be closer than you think. #ChooseHope #CPPWB #NetworksOfSafety #YouthMentalHealth #SuicidePrevention #DutyOfCare #BreakTheStigma #safeTALK #ASIST #T4T #AsiaEducation #SchoolWellbeing #2026Workshops

Jane Goodall once said, “The greatest danger to our future is apathy.” Apathy isn’t simply indifference, it’s what happens when we quietly assume someone else will step in. In this context, that only professionals can save lives, or that our own actions don’t matter enough. But imagine what a young person sees when they look around and feel that silence, that hesitation, that moment adults pass responsibility to “the experts.” What message does our waiting send? As a parent, educator, advocate for young voices, and suicide prevention trainer, my mission is clear: real safety is built every day, not through perfect words or quick technological comfort, but through the courage and compassion of human connection. Our young people don’t need more reminders that help is “out there.” They need to witness us: adults, parents, and educators really learning, stepping forward, and showing up. They need us to listen beyond the surface, hear their pain, and let them feel through our presence: “I see you. I care. I am here.” The mental health crisis facing our youth is urgent. Distress and suicide rates are rising globally. Every day delayed, every adult who hesitates, is a lost chance to save and transform lives. If not you, who? If not now, when? Learning life-saving skills isn’t just another initiative, it’s an act of love, a duty of care, and a promise that we won’t wait for tragedy before we move. LivingWorks safeTalk is a life saving skill training to equip every person to listen, support, and intervene; to break the silence with real empathy, so no young person ever feels invisible in their own community. Let’s stop hoping someone else will take action. Love and responsibility call us to act today, not tomorrow. Step forward for our youth, for your students, for your children, for the future we all share. #youthmentalhealth #suicideprevention #hkyouth Patrick Hurworth Aylssa Cowell Temple Shayne Connell Gabrielle Hicks Paul Haswell Ian Cheng Helen Yu Janet Yuen Gigi Ricafort Tanya Strongman Carly Shanahan Buntin Vannessa Misso-Veness Samantha Caras

What makes a coach or PE teacher more than an instructor? It’s their unique gift to build #trust, #respect, and #hope: one huddle, one lap, one high-five at a time. PE educators and coaches become #mentors, #motivators, and #champions; they notice what others might miss and foster the kind of connection that lets a young person know: “You matter here, on this team, and in this world.” In every practice and game, you nurture #resilience and #confidence. You see #triumphs and #struggles often far beyond what happens on the scoreboard. Research shows students are drawn to coaches because of your #openness, #integrity, and #intuitive sense for who’s “off their game.” Students don’t always knock on the counselor’s door; instead, they seek assurance and understanding from the adults who’ve cheered them on and believed in their best selves. A podcast story captures this truth: a boy lost his mother to suicide at 15, school became a sea of awkward silences. Teachers didn’t know what to say, how to help, and he didn’t know how to ask. But his PE coach saw him. At the end of class, no fanfare, no words, just a bear hug. The simple act of presence, with no judgment or questions, became a turning point. Decades later, that boy, now a man, pays forward the #compassion he received in that moment. He spoke how this one PE coach has changed his life. This isn’t unusual. Coaches and PE educators frequently become the unsung heroes for students facing silent battles. Yet even the most caring educators can hesitate: Is it my role? What if I say the wrong thing? In truth, your gift for human connection is often exactly what young people need, sometimes more than perfect words or clinical skills. At the @PHASE conference, our founder, Sandy Sinn Suicide Prevention Educator will invite you to honor the gifts 🎁 you have, and take the next step, to remind young people: “Whatever you’re going through, you are not alone, and someone will always see you.” Will you step into this wider circle, continuing to be a champion and unsung hero for youth? Will you help us build a #NetworkofSafety that protects and uplifts every student? The future depends on our #courage, our #collaboration, and our belief in the power of sport to #heal, #connect, and #savelives. Looking forward to seeing the PHASE community next week. Let’s “Choose Hope” together. #ChooseHope #PHASE2025 #NetworksOfSafety #UnsungHeroes #CoachingForLife #MentalHealthMatters Ellen Mahoney Patrick Hurworth Shayne Connell Gabrielle Hicks 21st Century Learning Chris Grant Aylssa Cowell Temple Eric Asato Carly Shanahan Buntin Gigi Ricafort Tanvi Sharma Ashleigh Ryan Carmen Li Valerie O'Meara Lee Hammond Richard Dunne lubna khan Sandy Sinn Suicide Prevention Educator (Andy) Anh Ho Samuel Bourne Karla Marie Jacinto, LPT Asher Low David Yeager Dr. Ryan Persaud

Recently, I came across a deeply honest post by the CEO of a large corporation, a post written days after losing an employee to suicide. The CEO wrestled with tough questions, standing before his team at sunrise, wondering, “Am I doing the right thing? What are we missing? What could we have done differently?” He admitted he didn’t have the answers. He spoke from a place of personal pain, sharing how he too had once felt hopeless, not knowing then how much he would have missed like his son’s achievements, his daughter’s milestones, quiet mornings with colleagues. He acknowledged, “All I know to tell you is that tomorrow is another day, and yet another chance for things to be better.” A few days later, the CEO received a call from someone desperate for help, a family member in crisis with nowhere to turn. He listened, connected them with community resources, and realized: while he couldn’t save his employee, he could still help another family keep hope alive. As the founder of Choose Hope, a CPPWB initiative, I recognize versions of this story all too well. I spend countless hours speaking at conferences, to HR departments, and in C-suites, tirelessly urging leaders to make mental health and suicide prevention a visible, ongoing priority. Yet too often, real action comes only after loss. So, as leaders, why do we wait? Why do we only start asking the hardest questions after tragedy? What if we broke that cycle, and began asking now: 👉Am I building a culture where people truly feel safe to speak up before they reach the edge? 👉When someone is suffering, do they know we genuinely care, not just with words, but with action and resources? 👉Are we training managers and staff to recognize warning signs and respond with skill and compassion? 👉Are we actively challenging the stigma that keeps so many silent? 👉What kind of legacy do we want to create, for our organizations, our people, our society? Leadership means getting uncomfortable enough to face these questions before the worst happens. The purpose is not to find blame, but to build #hope, #connection, and #resilience into the fabric of our workplaces. Let this CEO’s vulnerability, and every tragic loss, be our urgent call to act: not after, but before. Because suicide prevention is not a response to tragedy, it’s leadership in action, every single day. #SuicidePrevention #Leadership #ChooseHope #MentalHealthMatters #BreakTheSilence Ellen Mahoney Patrick Hurworth Justin Hardman Shayne Connell Gabrielle Hicks Sandy Sinn Suicide Prevention Educator Paul Haswell Thanh Vo Jennifer Sergo Brent Jules Kotze Aaron Pang Annie Chan Rakesh Dayal lubna khan Lee Hammond Quang Trinh BeriS Ltd. VBridge Vivian Cheng Aylssa Temple Munir Machmud Ali Janet Yuen Helen Yu Joanne Brown