Tlingit & Haida's Community & Behavioral Services Healing Center

 

Suicide Prevention & Education

ARE YOU IN CRISIS?

If you are having thoughts of suicide or know someone who is in crisis, call Careline Alaska NOW at:

988

Trained Alaskan counselors are available 24/7

You can also schedule a same-day appointment during business hours with the CBS Healing Center by calling (907) 463-7305. After hours, there is crisis support in place, and you will have the option to speak with a specialist.

 

CBS Healing Center is here to support you and your family. We create a culturally responsive and psychologically safe space to help restore hope in individuals and families seeking healing. We aim to address suicide and mental health with compassion and healing through our cultural values.

An essential part of healing work is believing, It Is Within You (I Tóo Yéi Yatee / Dáng Gáahlaanday aa uu íijang), we have the medicine within us to heal our wounds. Sometimes the pain of our past prevents us from connecting with our spirit, our medicine within us.

Asking for help is hard. We don’t know what to say, we don’t know what people will say or how they will react. Often, we worry about being a burden, we feel guilty, shameful, and as if we need to deal with our pain alone.

CBS Healing Center is here to “Hold Each Other Up”; “Restore Our Strength in Mind, Body & Spirit.”

Resources

Community & Behavioral Services Healing Center: (907) 463-7305

Alaska Careline: Dial 988 or (877) 266-HELP (4357) 24/7/365; text 4help to 839863 between 3-11 pm, Tuesday-Saturday

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988

Find Help in a Crisis: Text NAMI to 741741(24/7 texting availability)

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): (907) 563-4251

Bartlett Outpatient Psychiatric Services: (907) 796-8498

SEARHC Help Line: (877) 294-0074

SEARHC Sitka: (907) 966-241

Tips to Cope with Depression

Remember, it’s OK to feel sadness; give yourself permission to feel your emotions. Ask for help if you feel lonely, stressed or isolated. Be aware of your triggers and combat them with self-care and positive coping skills—some ideas include:

  • Going for a walk, run or hike
  • Spending time outside, sit and listen to the sounds around you
  • Listening to uplifting music
  • Calling someone you trust
  • Enjoying a drink of cold water and nutritious food
  • Journaling your thoughts (write it down)
  • Taking a vitamin D supplement or finding a “happy light” to help with long and dark days (particularly in the winter)

Engage with Your Community

Finding ways to be involved in your community can be a great mental boost—examples of this include:

  • Volunteering
  • Participating in local recreational sports
  • Joining a dance or drum group

Seek Professional Help

There is no shame in seeking professional help, if needed. Speak with one of our Healers for assistance and guidance.