ISP went to
Alaska this past April to teach suicide awareness and its
prevention.
April 21-25, 2008
The president of ISP went to Alaska this
past April to teach suicide awareness, and its prevention.
During his stay is was the invited guest of the United States
Army on Fort Wainwright military base.
The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District.
Thousands of lives are going to be
changed through this educational event.
Workshop "Happiness is a choice", April 23, 2008
North Star Borough School District Assistant Principles,
Administrators & Gen. Public Fairbanks, Alaska
Last year, over 6,000 vets
committed suicide, over 17 per day!
Over 2,000 active duty personnel attempted suicide in
2007! 121 active duty military men and women committed suicide
in 2007!
Please, support ISP's efforts and make a donation to assure our
continued success!
Do you know someone that has committed
suicide?
ISP has
created a
memorial for those that have been lost to suicide
benefiting families of future suicides.
Post a photo of
your loved one, who they were, how they committed suicide, what
they meant to you, and make a suggested donation in their name.
NICHOLAS BROWN
May 2, 1980-Aug. 22, 2007
ISP wants to
put a face on the word suicide!
By contributing
to this memorial you will insure that future suicides, the
families, will have the financial support they need to pay for:
suicide scene cleanup, temporary housing while home is restored,
and counseling.
Did you know
that on average 89 people a day commit suicide, in the United
States of America?
Did you know
that 80% of all in home suicides are being cleaned up by a
family member because they can not afford the average cost of
$1,500.00 for a bio-hazardous company to clean the scene?
Let your
loved one’s memory serve as an example, and to help others
survive a terrible loss.
Please
contribute to this new memorial today!
Donation
request for adding your loved one to our new suicide memorial
website is:
How much money would you give to have your loved one back?
10% of the amount you come up with is a recommended donation.
Let their life, and your loss, count for something!
University of North Texas
interviews president of ISP
March 16, 2007
Study in progress on attempted
suicide's, and near-death experiences, by one of nations largest
colleges!
"Up to now, every year in the
U.S., 1 in 100,000 people has committed suicide. Of those who
survive a suicide attempt, 1 in 10 have gone on to "succeed" at
suicide. However, if, in their suicide attempt, a person had a
near-death experience (NDE), research suggests that they are at
virtually zero chance of attempting again. In the majority of
known cases, the reason is not that they experienced "judgment"
or "punishment" for attempting. Rather, it is because they
acquired from their NDE's the conviction that each person's life
has meaning and purpose, and that life's challenges are not
meant to be avoided or escaped from but, rather, are meant to be
faced and managed for their potential to advance the spiritual
development--such as increased compassion--of the person and/or
their associates. Suicide NDEr's tend to become activists in
suicide prevention, primarily through commitment to, and
advocacy for, life's meaning and purpose.
Research also has indicated that simply learning about NDE's can
have many of the same effects as actually having had one.
Putting these research findings together, Dr. Jan Holden at the
University of North Texas, a recent past-president of the
International Association for Near-Death Studies, is working
with a doctoral student, Tip Robertson, and a professor of
videography, Dr. Cliff Whitworth, to create a suicide prevention
video/DVD based on interviews with suicide NDEr's. Three of
these survivors--two men and a woman; two European-American and
one Hispanic--each describe the unique circumstances of their
suicide attempts--one in childhood, the other two in early
adulthood. They also discuss the lessons they each learned from
their NDE's--lessons that, when heard together, are eerily
similar, lending collective weight to their individual
testimonials about the value of each person and of life. Years
after their suicide attempts, these people now live gratifying
lives--not of fame and fortune, but of deep personal meaning.
Both they and their messages stand as testimony to the value of
living life fully until death comes naturally.
The program is currently in production. Once it is completed,
Dr. Holden will embark on a series of research studies to
determine its potential as a suicide prevention tool."
Janice Holden, Ed.D.,
LPC-S, LMFT, NCC
Professor, Counseling Program
Interim Chair
Department of Counseling, Higher Education & Early Childhood
Education
College of Education
University of North Texas
P.O. Box 310829
Denton, TX 76203-0829
ph 940-565-2919
fax 940-565-2905 holden@coe.unt.edu
http://www.coe.unt.edu/chec/coun/faculty/Jan_Holden.php
http://www.iands.org
ABC's 20/20 to interview
president of ISP
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
(Henderson,
NV),
July 13, 2007
ABC’s hit TV
show 20/20 exploring Hell in Henderson, Nevada.
In a follow
up to last seasons 20/20 TV show on near-death experiences where
people have experienced heavenly visions, ABC’s 20/20 is now
documenting people that have claimed that there is a much
darker, less talked about near-death experiences of Hell.
Matthew
Dovel, a local resident of Henderson, Nevada has a best-selling
life after death book “My Last Breath” published in 2003,
telling his account of two near-death experiences, where in one
he went to heaven and the other to Hell. ABC’s 20/20 will be
taping Mr. Dovel’s account starting January 21, 2007, and it’s
due to air in the summer of 2007.
ABC’s 20/20
producers have found Mr. Dovel’s story particularly interesting
not because of his claim to have been in Hell for three days,
but that his life has taken such a drastic change afterwards.
Mr. Dovel once having a thousand-dollar-a-week drug habit now is
the president of Intl. Suicide Prevention, Inc. a non-profit
international organization that promotes public awareness and
family support relating to suicide.
Not only did
Mr. Dovel quit a thousand-dollar-a-week drug habit cold turkey,
but since then he has dedicated his life to helping the truly
hopeless over the past twenty years. Mr. Dovel say’s, “I was
literally scared straight!”
Tracking Mr.
Dovel down is not so easy now-a-days because he is not the type
of individual that sits in an office talking about what he has
done to help others, as he is out doing it, on a daily basis.
Mr. Dovel said, “Most people in the past truly have not wanted
to see me coming, and this is because of one of three things:
I’m either coming to talk to someone that is having suicidal
thoughts, someone has just committed suicide and I’m on my way
to help the family, or (the worst of the three), I’m asking for
financial support for our organization.” On the other hand, we
have started a very ambitious new campaign that began on January
1, 2007, where we give freely to thousands of people every day a
message of hope.
“This Sign
is 4U,” campaign to be featured on 20/20. Small and large
signs placed in and around Las Vegas, Nevada in conspicuous
places near intersections, bus stops, and highways where
thousands of commuters pass by everyday are designed to promote
positive behavior and better mental health. Messages such as
“Never Give Up!” and “Happiness is a Choice!” could be the only
thing standing between a choice for someone to end their life or
to live that day.
One of two
emotions will motivate a person in life the most and they are
love, or fear! Changing an individual from a hopeless drug
addict into a humanitarian would have to take a fear most have
never experienced, or would want to experience.
Is there a
Hell? I guess you will have to decide for yourself after
watching the interview with Mr. Dovel this July 13 on ABC’s
20/20.
Nonprofit group dedicated to
suicide prevention and helping families move on
By MARIA PHELAN
VIEW STAFF WRITER
When 16-year-old Brittany Kish
committed suicide in Clark County's Juvenile Detention Center on
April 11, 2005, her mother, Lynette Kish, wasn't there to deal
with the situation.
If her daughter had taken her
life at home rather than in county custody, Kish would have been
faced with a horrifying prospect -- cleaning up after Brittany's
death.
It's a situation that Las Vegas
resident Matthew Dovel, founder and president of the nonprofit
organization International Suicide Prevention, Inc., has
volunteered to deal with time after time. In addition to
offering suicide prevention information, his organization helps
those who have lost a family member to suicide deal with the
aftermath and continue with their lives.
Dovel said ISP's mission is to
educate the public about suicide awareness and prevention. The
nonprofit also provides support to friends and family members of
suicides by helping cover the costs of suicide scene clean up
and temporary housing while clean up is underway.
"After a suicide, only family
members or certified personnel are legally allowed to clean up,"
a suicide scene, Dovel said. Witnessing and cleaning up that
sort of scene can cause extreme guilt and distress, which can
perpetuate the cycle of suicide, he said.
"Eighty percent of in-house
suicides are cleaned up by a family member," he said. "It is a
horrific thing to have to clean up. It can really mentally
affect people to have to see their loved one like that."
On average, it costs about $1,500
to have a suicide scene cleaned up, Dovel said. ISP helps pay
those costs up to $10,000, and helps provide lodging at a hotel
while clean up is underway and pays for counseling for family
members.
"We also try to help with bills
and that sort of thing, especially if money was part of the
problem," he said.
Dovel also will go to the scene
of a suicide to lend emotional support to friends and family
members.
"The scene of a suicide isn't
Hollywood, it's not glamorous," he said. "It's grotesque. Just
seeing it is enough to disturb anyone."
Kish agreed with the need for
services offered by ISP.
"Brittany did it in juvenile
hall, so I didn't find her. I can't even imagine what parents or
family members are going through if they've found that," Kish
said. "(Dovel) deals with that, and thank God."
Kish said she had visited Dovel's
Web site repeatedly during the past year, though she only
contacted him about two months ago.
"I've always thought he was doing
wonderful things," she said.
Kish organized an Out of the
Darkness walk through the American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention on Dec. 2, and invited Dovel to speak during the
event.
"He's a great guy and he's trying
to make a big difference," she said. "I like the way he goes
about what he does ... suicide is something people don't want to
talk about because it is depressing, it is bad, but at the same
time ... it needs to be talked about."
Kish said she finds it important
that Dovel tries to make suicide awareness and prevention events
educational .
"That's what it should be about.
The subject is so controversial, so stigmatized ... at the same
time, you can't just focus on (how) it's so sad," she said. "His
biggest thing is about (how) you're not alone. About hope, about
there's someone there for you. You're worth something and don't
ever forget that. That's where he kind of goes, and I think it's
kind of cool."
Dovel said two near-death
experiences inspired him to become involved with suicide
prevention. When he was 12, he drowned in a neighbor's pool but
was revived.
In his teens, Dovel developed
drug and alcohol addictions, and attempted suicide in 1987.
"At that point I quit drugs cold
turkey, and I've been off them for 19-plus years," he said. "Now
I've dedicated my life to helping people get off drugs and to
preventing suicide."
In 2003, Dovel published his
autobiography, "My Last Breath," and since then, he has worked
as a suicide prevention expert. In addition to starting ISP,
Dovel has worked with the military, American Indian tribes and
local schools teaching suicide prevention, and also works as a
public speaker and life coach.
Eventually, Dovel's suicide
prevention efforts became a financial strain and he decided to
form ISP. In June, the group received nonprofit status and is
sustained almost entirely by a network of volunteers.
Dovel said there is an average of
one suicide per day in the Las Vegas Valley, though he said that
number is about average compared to similar sized cities.
Through ISP, Dovel also gives
lectures and talks, and leads classes at local high schools to
discuss suicide prevention. ISP also is working on a positive
mental health campaign expected to begin in January.
"We're getting a license plate
with the message 'Never Give Up,' and we're going to place signs
along roads with similar, uplifting messages," he said. "Driving
around in heavy traffic can be stressful, and the signs and
license plates will be a positive message. It's part of our
campaign to lower stress levels in general."
The organization's Web site also
provides information and tips regarding suicide and suicide
prevention.
"They're basically simple
suggestions for leading a good life," he said. "Eating well,
spending time with friends and family and talking to them and
having a goal list for your life, whether you're young or old
are all important things."
Dovel suggests everyone should
keep a list of at least five goals they are working toward, and
a list of 20 things that make them happy.
"Even if it's just something like
the taste of vanilla ice cream, it's something to look at when
you're feeling down and it helps you get something happy in
mind," he said. "If you're depressed, you need to read that list
every day."
In the future, Dovel hopes to
establish programs like the one he teaches in local high schools
for distribution on a national level, as well as programs for
the elderly in conjunction with local hospitals. He also is
hoping to begin work on a documentary aimed at examining suicide
on a global level.
In the meantime, he's working on
expanding local prevention efforts and getting more volunteers
and donations for ISP.
For Kish, simply bringing
attention to the reality of suicide is Dovel's greatest
accomplishment.
"That's how I think he's saving
lives, is getting the word out there, period," she said.
For more information about
suicide prevention and ISP, visit www.supportisp.com.
Live Radio Interview
Matthew Dovel,
the president and founder of ISP will be doing a radio interview
on the
"The
Amie Jo Show"live November 14, 2006 at
4:20 pm.
The show is one hour and at least
30 minutes of the show will be dedicated to ISP and our
Holiday Black Tie Charity Event being held on December
12, 2006 at 7:00 pm |
click here
for more information |. The
Amie Jo Show airs “Live” in the
Las Vegas Metropolis, where
there are potentially 1.7 million people listening to each
airing. The show also streams live worldwide via the Internet on
the radio station’s website at
www.klav1230am.com.
It also airs in Bermuda, Phoenix, New Mexico and Colorado
through syndication.
If you would like
to participate during this broadcast, you can call in with your
questions or comments at 702-731-1230; our toll free number is
866-820-5528.
