Hopelessly Tatiana Hosts a Suicide Awareness Panel
It’s 2022 and sadly, we still have a long road ahead of us on social awareness when it comes to topics such as suicide. Here’s a commonly held myth: suicide only affects people with an existing mental health condition. Here’s a fact straight from the World Health Organization: 703,000 people complete suicide every year.
That’s more than one person every minute. In the wake of these tragically lost lives, there’s a trail of individuals that suffer from the aftermath of such a traumatic event —friends, family members...
All of us could be potentially affected by a suicide. All of us can do better, for ourselves and our loved ones’ sake. Now for the good news — September is Suicide Awareness Month, and, you can look forward to a worthwhile themed event in Beijing. Tatiana, the wonderful creative behind the podcast Hopelessly Tatiana, is now set to hold a Suicide Awareness Panel on Sept 6th, 8pm at JinShang (金尚, Jīnshàng). Read this interview to check what Tatiana and her great team are coming up with:
Hello, Tatiana! We are thrilled to see another of your events in the spotlight. What can your audience look forward to with this panel?
This panel will address the complexities of suicide. My goal is for our audience to understand what suicide is, why people feel this way, and hopefully leave with a better idea of how to help themselves and others if the need arises.
Providing the community with tools to address this issue is crucial. Who are your panelists?
The panel is made up of volunteers who were keen to share their experiences and those of people who meant a great deal to them. From the very beginning, I knew I wanted a panel that reflected the diversity of our Beijing community. Suicide does not discriminate by race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, etc. So, I did my best to have the panel reflect that. I am really pleased to also have the expertise of two clinicians for this event: Rachel, who is the founder of Heart in Mind Coaching and Xiaojie, the founder of CandleX. The moderator for this panel will be none other than Helena, who is the founder of BARE.
I would say we’ve been seeing an increased number of mental-health related events in Beijing. Would you agree, and why would this be a trend?
With the lockdowns back this spring, people leaving and some of us not having seen family in years, it's not surprising that there has been an increased number of mental health-related events. Having a healthy support network helps keep people mentally stable, so feeling uncertain would create the opposite result. I’m happy to hear that more places are looking out for the mental well-being of people here. Beyond our built-in networks, there are organizations here in Beijing that can offer support — CandleX, Beijing United Family, etc. This is something that we will address during the panel.
Knowing that you’re not alone is vital. But, putting together a panel on such a controversial topic must be quite the task. What motivated you to do this? And, what are the logistics like?
Doing any event on mental health is always a bit complicated. However, all in the all this event came together rather nicely. There was an out-pour of interest and support within multiple communities across platforms. I’m grateful to the panelists, clinicians and moderator for being willing to participate so openly. This event would not be possible without them, and I hope this becomes the first of many similar discussions.
Gradually carving your space here through your podcast and events takes more than just time and effort, I believe; it’s also a display of vulnerability, bravery and confidence. Maybe some of our readers are wishing they “had it in them” to do what you do. What’s your advice on cultivating community in Beijing?
Hmm. I will answer this great question with a beloved quote by Marianne Williamson. "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
Therefore, my own advice is —just be yourself. Even if you are still figuring out who that is. We all are, and I find comfort in knowing that.
Well, I am taking that quote home! While we’re talking advice, what are your tips for self-care?
Ahh, self-care. Well, my favorite tip is to eat more brownies, but I don’t know if that is helpful long-term advice, ha, ha. Self-care is about recognizing what lifts you up and what brings you down. Then having a toolkit of things to do when you find yourself going down or in a rut. What that toolkit includes is deeply personalized. For some people, it’s yoga and meditation, and for others, it’s getting a massage or going on a hike. Self-care is about taking care of yourself. And you are the only expert on you.
Now I really want some brownies. Before I set out to find them, tell us: what’s in store for this relentless one-woman show otherwise known as Hopelessly Tatiana?
The plan is to tackle some tough topics this season on the podcast and to have more events, Covid willing. But if you really want to keep up to date on what’s going on, join my WeChat group! My WeChat ID is: tatianamcl.
Hopelessly Tatiana’s Suicide Awareness Panel will take place on Tuesdaym Sep 6 at 8pm at JinShang. Tickets are RMB 90 with a welcome drink included. Scan the QR code on the poster to purchase tickets.
JinShangYuan 金尚源
20 Xinyuanli West, Chaoyang District
朝阳区新源里西20号
READ: Mindful in Beijing: Getting to Know the Community of ComeUnity
Images courtesy of: Hopelessly Tatiana
