United Suicide Survivors International’s Eye of the Survivor Workshop & Retreat helps people turn pain into purpose by empowering participants to engage in the healing power of storytelling and leveraging their story to create change. United Survivors offers two Eye of the Survivor Retreats each year, and partners with organizations to bring Eye of the Survivor Workshops & Retreats to local communities. Together, we’re building a movement designed to heal, inspire, build community and create system, policy and cultural change to prevent suicide.
Upcoming Annual Eye of the Survivor Workshops & Retreats
October 24, 2025 (Colorado Springs, CO)
Registration Opens Summer 2025February 23, 2026 (Portland, OR)
Registration Opens Summer/Winter 2025
Eye of the Survivor Workshops & Retreats
United Suicide Survivors International hosts two open Eye of the Survivor Workshops & Retreats each year in conjunction with the Lived Experience Collective Convening (Fall) and the Construction Mental Health Summit (Winter/Spring). Participants are welcome to join just for the Eye of the Survivor Workshop & Retreat, or attend the entire event.
Eye of the Survivor Workshop & Retreat Curriculum - Turning Pain Into Purpose
What Makes Eye of the Survivor Unique?
Storytelling around suicide has unique caveats. Eye of the Survivor helps people who have personal experiences with suicide learn to prepare for and deliver safe and effective storytelling about their experiences. This training is specially designed to ensure the storyteller is ready and equipped with best practices for safe and impactful messaging. Eye of the Survivor was developed by a wide range of experts with lived experience, including: Board President Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas and Dr. Ursula Whiteside – both psychologists with lived experience of suicide; Sarah Gaer – public speaker, author, suicide loss survivor, and Suicide Prevention Specialist; and our national board. An international advisory council was also consulted to ensure the training is inclusive and culturally appropriate for diverse audiences.
Who Is It For?
Lived experiences with suicide include grieving a suicide loss, living through a suicide attempt, living with suicidal thoughts or feelings, or being a caregiver for someone who has been suicidal. No matter where someone is on their journey related to suicide, participants will find value in these exercises and lessons. Audiences often include:
Peer specialists/peer supporters
Suicide prevention and mental health trainers
Public health professionals
Those preparing for media engagement
Those preparing for legislative testimony
Those preparing for public speaking events
Content developers, artists, YouTubers, influencers, and potential influencers
Therapists who would like to explore or use narrative therapy to help clients
Employees working to make change within their organizations
Students, advocacy-oriented youth
Those wishing to connect more deeply with those around them
Learning Activities & Objectives
Throughout the Eye of the Survivor Workshop & Retreat, participants are introduced to the healing power of storytelling and get to experience the strength of community-building among those with lived experience of suicide. At the end of the Retreat, participants have a chance to share their stories and receive feedback. If resources allow, there may be an opportunity to videotape polished stories for the storytellers’ advocacy efforts – on their own or on behalf of the organization they serve.
Key Objectives include:
Identifying best practices for safe and impactful storytelling;
Describing how to tell stories in a way that impacts change in participants’ communities and organizations; and
Explaining how storytelling promotes personal and collective healing and empowerment
United Suicide Survivors International is building a movement for change. Find out where we’ve been, and where we’re heading next.
February 23, 2026 - Construction Mental Health Summit, Portland, OR (OPEN)
October 24, 2025 - Lived Experience Collective Convening, Colorado Springs, CO (OPEN)
August 1, 2025 - La Frontera Empact, AZ (CLOSED SESSION)
February 24, 2025 - Construction Working Minds Summit, Arlington, TX (OPEN)
November 14-15, 2024 - Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention, MA (OPEN)
August 7, 2024 - SpeakUpReachOut, Eagle County, CO (CLOSED SESSION)
February 26, 2024 - Construction Working Minds Summit, Kansas City, MO (OPEN)
Meet the Trainers
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Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas
Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas sees issues of suicide prevention and mental health promotion from a host of perspectives. Clinical psychologist. Mental health advocate. Faculty member. Researcher. And suicide loss survivor. A public speaker and author, she has earned an international reputation as an entrepreneur and innovator in social change, holds numerous leadership roles, and is the recipient of many awards.
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Sarah Gaer
Sarah Gaer is an award-winning master’s level clinician with 25 years of experience in the field of mental health care, working as a consultant in suicide prevention and trauma recovery. She spent almost a decade as a Suicide Prevention Specialist focused on men in the middle years and first responders. Sarah is a QPR (Question, Persuade & Refer) Master Trainer. She has delivered keynote addresses and presented her work both internationally and nationally, developed her own training program, and authored three books.
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Erin Ivie
Bio Coming Soon
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Jennifer Matoney
Photo and Bio Coming Soon
Partner with US to bring the Eye of the Survivor Workshop & Retreat to your organization or community.
Pricing & Partnerships
United Suicide Survivors International is dedicated to empowering the lived experience community, so we make it easy to build partnerships that support your mission. Our standard best practice rate, which includes two Trainers for 1-2 days of facilitated instruction - as well as all travel and lodging - is a flat rate of $8500.00. If you are interested in bringing the Eye of the Survivor Storytelling Workshop and Retreat to your organization, event or conference, please review and fill out the following form, or email us to explore how we can partner with you.