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“This Book Could Save Lives;” Unique Suicide Prevention Book ‘Reasons to Live’ Set For Release in Melbourne

Announcement posted by Thoughts From Jas 18 Jul 2019

Headspace Director Patrick McGorry & global storyteller Kevin Hines just two of many to endorse book

Thursday 18th July 2019

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In a bid to lower Australian suicide rates, a highly respected mental health advocate and author has announced Melbourne as the official launching base for the next installment of her globally-reviewed suicide prevention project ‘Reasons to Live: One More Day, Every Day.’

Written and edited by Brisbane author and mental health speaker Jas Rawlinson, ‘Reasons To Live’ is a unique book series aimed at ‘smashing stigma, lowering suicide rates, and providing hope to those struggling in silence through relatable lived-experience stories.’ 

With an introduction from Headspace Founding Director Patrick McGorry,  and 10 short memoirs from a diverse array of people across the globe, ‘Reasons to Live’ offers a raw and honest account of surviving and thriving after trauma, and opens the lid on taboo topics such as religious institutional abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, addiction, and more. 

It is the second volume in Ms. Rawlinson’s series, which was first launched in 2017 and has since received global praise from high profile names such as Lifeline Hunter Valley, Royal Flying Doctors QLD, and award-winning U.S filmmaker and Golden Gate Bridge survivor Kevin Hines. In a recent interview with Ms. Rawlinson, Mr Hines, who is also featured in the book, said he was ‘grateful’ for the advocacy of people like Ms. Rawlinson.

Ms Rawlinson, who is a survivor of sexual assault and family violence, and who lost her dad to suicide at age 18,  says she was inspired to create the book series in 2016 after seeing the ‘horrific and constant’ rise in suicide rates across Australia. 

“To know that we were losing around 8 Australians per day to suicide, was just horrific,” she says. 

“I thought to myself, ‘Whatever we are doing as a country, it’s not working; we’ve got to find a way to reach those who are falling through the cracks.” 

As shared in her introduction for Volume 2 of ‘Reasons to Live,’ Ms. Rawlinson says it was this moment that empowered her to use her own lived-experience around trauma and mental illness to give hope to others who were ‘struggling in silence.’

For so many years after Dad died, my coping mechanism was to downplay the seriousness of his suicide and file it away with an industrial-sized mental broom,” she writes. 

“As far as I was concerned, I didn’t want to talk about it. I didn’t need to talk about. Nothing was going to change the past… And living free of my dad’s psychological abuse and terrifyingly violent tirades was all I really cared about. 

“But then something changed. In one moment, I made a decision to go against everything I’d been doing for the past 13 years since his death. Instead, I decided to begin opening up about my life.”

Since that moment of courage, Ms. Rawlinson and her book have been featured across the globe through platforms such as news.com.au and Daily Telegraph, as well as the international podcast ‘GetUp Nation’ — hosted by former veteran and hostage-negotiator Ben Biddick. Her story was also recently made into a short-documentary by InspireFlix Films. 

She has also spent the past two years travelling around the country and sharing her personal story of overcoming depression, PTSD and trauma, at events in remote communities and large cities. Ms Rawlinson is now preparing to launch her upcoming second volume in Melbourne for Mental Health Week, and will be hosting a ‘storytelling event’ with several of the book’s co-authors. 

Ms. Rawlinson has also been invited to speak about her book, as well as issues relating to religious and domestic abuse, at C3 church in Berwick on October 6th. The author says she was heartened to see a local church committed to speaking about such issues, particularly given ‘the prevalence of both victims and perpetrators’ within religious organisations. 

“We all know that domestic violence and mental illness does not discriminate,” she says. “One of my clients is a woman who survived 20 years of domestic violence at the hands of her ex-husband — including his high-profile religious family members. 

“The fact that she survived is a miracle in itself, but what makes me absolutely livid is how many churches have silenced her since. All because of the religious power of her ex-family.”

“Laura’s story is not unique, and we want to make sure churches aren’t sweeping these issues under the rug. So when I was contacted by C3 Casey, and heard they wanted to financially support one of my launch, I was heartened to know that there are churches who are prepared to acknowledge these difficult issues.” 

To book Ms. Rawlinson to speak at your event during October 5th — October 6th, please contact: info@jasrawlinson.com . More information on her book can be found at www.jasrawlinson.com