Suicide prevention group aims to shine light in the darkness

The founders of Mending Minds Village are advocates for children’s mental health treatments. When Kaden Mattinson’s daughter, Aspen, couldn’t receive therapy or testing for her mental health issues at the age of 6, Mattinson and his wife Megan organized the nonprofit to help children get the help they need to live happy and healthy lives.

Now, Mending Minds Village created the Aspen’s Army suicide prevention peer support group for anyone struggling in Morgan County. The group meets each Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Morgan County Auditorium (48 W. Young Street) to help each other get through life’s tough times. 

“The group is going to be a peer support group for suicide prevention, but they’re not going to be like any of your typical peer support groups,” Mattinson said. “We’ve developed the program to be different, to give people a way not do the standard therapeutic suicide support.”

Mattinson said what sets their group apart is the ability to connect as humans. One of the first things attendees do is create a safety plan so if they’re having suicidal thoughts, they know exactly who they can reach out to for help. Then, the group will plan activities they can do together to create bonds of friendship and support. 

Thanks to sponsors and grants, the support group and its events are free to attend. However, donations are accepted at Mendingmindsvillage.org

After losing 12 close friends and family members during a six-month time frame, Mattinson is passionate about suicide prevention. He works as an EMT for the county and invites anyone struggling with suicidal ideation to give him a call at 801-259-3312 if they need someone to talk to.

“The most common thing that you hear from survivors of suicide attempts is that they didn’t feel like they had somebody,” he said. “They felt like there was nobody they could reach out to, or nobody would be there to answer the call.”

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, nearly 50,000 people die from suicide each year in the United States. Utah’s suicide rate is one of the highest in the country with hundreds of people dying each year from suicide.

Mattinson is excited to announce that the June Brothers, a popular Utah band, will perform at the first Mending Minds Village Walk for Life Suicide Prevention Community Walk on June 14. The event will be held at Morgan High School (55 N. Trojan Blvd.) and is sponsored by Raising Canes and Wasatch Peaks Ranch.

The June Brothers, Spencer Oberle and Alex Winitzky, have a personal connection to the issue of suicide prevention and use their platform to bring attention to such a serious mental health crisis. 

“We are so honored to be performing for such an important cause," said lead singer Spencer Oberle, in a media release. “We wish to express our sincere belief that every person on this earth has a unique purpose, and that purpose is crucial to us all. Reach out and lend a hand if you feel someone is in need. Never miss the opportunity to tell those important to you that you love them.”

All proceeds from the Walk for Life event will go toward Mending Minds Village’s suicide prevention programs. 

“We are thrilled to have the June Brothers as our headlining act for this year's Walk for Life event," Mattinson said. “Having them play and support the first ever Walk for Life Suicide Prevention walk in Morgan County is sure to set the tone for future walks to come. We are hopeful that this year’s event will show Morgan and the rest of Utah that we are serious when we say no life should be lost to suicide.”

For anyone struggling with suicidal ideation, call the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. λ