In today's episode, Stuart welcomes back on Cathy MacDonald. Cathy has been on the show 2 times before (both in 2017) discussing different things related to her current career in communication. Her career prior to that was in Crisis Negotiation for Police Scotland and that's where we focus our attention today. We discuss what her work involved, some of the specific cases she remembers being involved in, what she wishes everyone knew about suicide and what to do if you encounter a situation in which someone is saying they are going to, or are thinking about, taking their own life.

Timestamps:

• [02.40] - What it's like reflecting on her previous career as a crisis negotiator for Police Scotland now she's 5 years beyond it?
• [07.57] - What the majority of her work was in crisis negotiation?
• [10.27] - How she would describe how she felt walking into a negotiation of some kind?
• [19.20] - Cathy tells us about one of the memories she has over losing someone during a suicide intervention.
• [21.50] - How quickly Cathy would be redeployed after one negotiation?
• [23.05] - Specific cases that stick out during her time in crisis negotiation?
• [34.00] - How often you learn the reason someone wants to kill themselves?
• [35.35] - The core emotional concerns.
• [38.25] - What does Cathy wish everyone knew about suicide?
• [45.57] - Suicide statistics deaths in Scotland.
• [51.00] - What to do if you encounter a situation in which someone is saying they are going to commit suicide?
• [53.50] - Where to go if you need help.

Suicide Resources

• International Suicide Hotlines: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines
• Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/
• NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/suicide/

Find Out More About Cathy:

• Website: https://www.artofcommunication.co.uk/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Art-Of-Communication-1126742237340516

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