Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk Within the Deathcare Profession

Dr. Sara Murphy Returns to the CANA Convention

WHEELING, IL— There may be no cause of death more silenced and misunderstood than a death of suicide. When you combine the unique, high-stress work of deathcare with the historic silence around suicide, it is crucial that we all give and receive the support needed to recognize and respond to suicide risk among those in our community. By popular demand, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) welcomes Dr. Sara Murphy back to the stage at CANA’s 106^th Annual Cremation Innovation Convention to help us see what is too often hidden in plain sight. Join her at the CANA Convention this September 11-13, 2024 in Chicago.

Like conversations about cancer, car accidents or pre-planning, talking about suicide won’t “infect” us. Instead, we can break the silence and help people find support. That’s just one myth that Dr. Sara Murphy confronts head-on, helping us in Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk Within the Deathcare Profession. You’ll leave her session with helpful, research-supported responses to prevent suicide death loss within our deathcare community.

“People who feel satisfaction in giving support to others are almost always those who have good supports in their own lives and understand that they cannot sacrifice one for the other,” reminds Dr. Murphy. “Remember that you are also deserving of an empathic ear and emotional validation; in fact, maintaining a support network means that you will be better equipped to help loved ones without becoming compassion fatigued, overwhelmed, or irritated.” Open the conversation with your colleagues to offer and find support.

Sara Murphy, PhD, FT, is a death educator, Certified Thanatologist and Fellow in Thanatology, and suicidologist with eighteen years of experience in the field. She is a faculty member at the University of Rhode Island and affiliate faculty in the Thanatology Graduate Program at Marian University. Dr. Murphy is also a suicide and bereavement consultant, an expert witness on disenfranchised grief and on suicide, supporting both our profession and the families we serve with her proven strategies and tools.

In addition to Dr. Murphy’s presentation, our 2024 CANA Convention sessions include:

• Choosing to be a better leader for your team, your business, and yourself in Being a Leader of Influence with Robbie Pape, Senior Vice President & Regional Partner, Carriage Services.
• Jolena Grande, faculty with the Mortuary Science Program at Cypress College, discussing the role of women in funeral service from her unique perspective in Death Becomes Her: The Changing Demographics of Funeral Service Practitioners.
• Lee Hovermale Strategic Advisor to the CEO of KiZAN Technologies, with over 30 years of expertise in the technology sector, covers Cybersecurity Awareness: Recognizing a Threat, and Protecting Your Data for you and your families.
• Information is Power: Updates from Industry Experts feature insights on three forces on your business. CANA President Robert Hunsaker discussing how CANA’s 2024 Annual Cremation Statistics Report impacts your business. He’s joined by Assistant Vice President of Government & Industry Relations of Service Corporation International, Caressa Hughes who will provide an update on the regulatory and legal landscape of the profession. Plus, Vice President of Cemetery Operations of Legacy Funeral Group, Steve Bassett, offering lessons learned from Cemetery Consumer Service Council (CCSC).
• The Cremation Historian Jason Engler, regional sales manager for the Wilbert Group looks to history’s strategies for modern permanent placement in The Eternal Value of Cremation Memorials/Avoiding Mistakes of the Past: Cremated Remains Belong in Cemeteries.
• Sharing the stage, Dean of the InSight Institute Glenda Stansbury and Homesteaders Director of Consumer Marketing Kelly Manion talk about modern ways to address families’ grief in a combined presentation on The Power of Service & The Power of Human Connection.

Dr. Sara Murphy also leads a special pre-Convention workshop with Aaron Pelchat, a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist. Together, they’ll say the quiet part out loud on The Silent Problem: Talking about Mental Health and Funeral Service. Their workshop will help us understand realities of common mental health issues – think compassion fatigue and burnout – unpack the challenges to self-care and discover therapeutic tools for improving mental health. Registration is available separately from the Convention or as an add-on!

How can you overcome suicide stigma in your community? Join Dr. Sara Murphy and your colleagues at CANA’s 106^th Annual Cremation Innovation Convention! Enjoy Chicago in September and book yourself for September 11-13, 2024, at the Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park: cremationassociation.org/CANA24

About CANA

Founded in 1913, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) is an international organization of over 3,700 members, composed of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, industry suppliers, and consultants. CANA members believe that cremation is preparation for memorialization.