Sunflowers are nature’s symbol of resilience and hope. They turn their faces toward the sun, following the light from dawn to dusk. Even on cloudy days, they remain oriented toward where the sun should be, trusting that the light will return. It’s a fitting image for the season we’re stepping into together.
It may be hard to believe, but we have entered the second half of 2026. The first six months held both joy and sorrow, and every part of that mix has shaped us, making us a little stronger and a little more ready for what’s ahead. As we look toward the rest of the year, we want to spend some time on a topic that isn’t easy to talk about but matters deeply.
September is Suicide Prevention Month, and we’re starting the conversation early. Our hope is simple: that by talking about this openly now, we might help prevent even one death and help even one family begin to heal after losing someone they love. Our focus this year is twofold, prevention and healing, because both matter, and neither should be tackled alone.
A Difficult but Necessary Conversation
Every form of mental illness matters to us. As an organisation and as a global community, we’re always working to better understand these conditions and find real, compassionate ways to ease suffering. Progress is being made but suicide remains one of the hardest topics to sit with.
It doesn’t only affect the person who has died. It ripples outward to everyone who loved them, and the grief left behind often tangled with guilt, confusion, and unanswered questions can be some of the heaviest pain a person carries.
Statistics differ across studies, countries, and age groups, but some patterns hold steady. In Australia, where our community is based, the most recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics tells us:
Numbers like these can feel abstract until you put a face, a family behind them. That’s exactly what Athenie’s Angels is doing having had the lived experience. And it’s changing the conversation.
Voices That Break the Silence
People who have lost loved ones to suicide are speaking out more openly than ever. Survivors are writing and publishing their own experiences, and every one of those stories chips away at stigma and builds a little more understanding and awareness for the rest of us.
Things in Nature Merely Grow — Yiyun Li (2025)
This recently published memoir tells the story of a woman who lost both of her teenage sons to suicide, years apart. Her grief moves through every page, but so does her determination to keep living and to keep speaking. She writes that when people ask if she has children, she tells them plainly: she had two children, and she lost them both, so she is a mother who no longer has children.
Reflecting on how she holds their memory, she puts it simply: “we were and are and will always be their parents.” Her sons died six years, four months, and nineteen days apart, numbers she says are carved permanently into her mind. She describes her state now not as grieving, but as living every day of the rest of her life alongside the pain of losing them, and the memory of raising them.
Practical Guides for Coping and Healing
After Suicide Loss: Coping with Your Grief — Jack Jordan, PhD, and Bob Baugher, PhD. A grounded, clinically informed guide covering psychiatric considerations, when to seek professional help, and practical strategies for coping.
The Gift of Second: Healing from the Impact of Suicide — Brandy Lidbeck. Encourages survivors to release the guilt and shame that so often follow a suicide loss, and offers a path toward healing.
Give Sorrow Words — Lynn Keane. A memoir written to offer hope to grieving families, even in the aftermath of the worst possible loss.
This is one woman’s story, and a handful of others but there are so many more out there. We encourage you to seek them out, to do your own research, and most of all, to talk about mental illness rather than around it. Knowledge is power. So is a supportive community. That combination is exactly what we hope to offer.
Reflecting on how she holds their memory, she puts it simply: “we were and are and will always be their parents.” Her sons died six years, four months, and nineteen days apart, numbers she says are carved permanently into her mind. She describes her state now not as grieving, but as living every day of the rest of her life alongside the pain of losing them, and the memory of raising them.
Upcoming: Journey to Joy 2026
Mark your calendar. Our year-end celebration, Journey to Joy 2026, is happening on Sunday, October 18th. SAVE THE DATE! Expect good food, prizes, raffles, inspiring speakers, live entertainment, and a room full of people who understand exactly why this community matters. Tickets will be available on Humanitix soon, we’ll share the link as soon as it goes live.
Mental Wellness Chat Club (MWCC)
Our Mental Wellness Chat Club meets online every Wednesday from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Registration is still open, but spaces are limited. So, if you’ve been waiting for a sign to prioritise your mental wellbeing, this is it.
MWCC isn’t just a program. It’s a community, a safe place to exhale, a space where you don’t have to pretend. It’s a warm, supportive online gathering where people come together to talk, reflect, learn, and heal.
Each week, our trained facilitators guide the conversation using uplifting book excerpts, reflective prompts, and interactive activities designed to help you:
Connect with others who genuinely understand what you’re carrying.
Reflect on your own experiences in a supportive, judgement-free space
Learn practical tools for coping, resilience, and everyday mental wellness
Heal at your own pace, with a community walking alongside you
This is the perfect time to refocus on what’s good, and on what we each need to feel healthy and whole.
We’re Here, in the Good Times and the Hard Ones
As always, Athenie’s Angels is here to walk with you through both. Visit www.atheniesangels.org.au for resources, information, and details on all of our community-based programs. You’ll also find guidance and inspiration across our social media platforms.
We’re a place of Hope.