#41 - Jared Auten: The Art of Compassionate Communication, Insights from a Crisis Line Director

Jared Auten, LMSW, is the Crisis Line Director at HeadQuarters Kansas in Lawrence, KS. His work currently focuses on crisis center operations and 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline implementation and integration in Kansas. 

I view people who answer calls on the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline as the Navy Seals of communication. Their ability to listen, ask questions, help search through intense emotion, and collaboratively bring someone to a safer place is incredible. Due to this - I spent a lot of this episode asking about ways to employ these conversational and social skills in our everyday relationships and how to communicate crises. 

I also ask about how to navigate the topic of suicide with a loved one. When Jared was a teenager, he lost his father to suicide, so his perspective covers both a suicide prevention professional and a suicide loss survivor. 

Expect to hear about: 

• the phenomenon of over-identifying with a narrative
• how anonymity affects digital social situations
• why you should be direct when talking about suicide
• why it can be easy to struggle with the one-sided nature of therapy
• navigating the pressure of vulnerability
• why some people have FOMO when it comes to people
• a useful tip to navigate how many questions to ask
• how to talk to a loved one about suicide 
• active listening tips (minimal encouragers, reflections, prompts)
• and the common mistake people make when someone tells them they're considering taking their own life. 

If you have recently had thoughts of taking your own life, call 988. It is available 24/7, it's confidential, and it's free. Life is better when you talk to people - I promise!

988 Lifeline - https://988lifeline.org/
HQ Kansas - www.hqkansas.org
The KITA Center - www.thekitacenter.org

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