By Larry Winter
This past weekend, we attended a wedding reception for one of our relatives. My wife, sister-in-law, and I were sitting at a picnic table, soaking up the warmth of the sun. A woman joined us, and we soon learned that she was the bride’s aunt. We chatted about many things, the kind of small talk that often occurs at gatherings like this.
After a while, my wife and sister-in-law walked over to the taco bar, leaving me and the woman alone. She then began speaking about something deeper—mental health. My wife and I often joke that we must have “social worker” written on our foreheads. People seem to find us safe to share their struggles with, even when we’ve just met.
With tears just beneath her words, the woman told me her daughter had died by suicide two years ago. I could feel the weight of her grief and the courage it took for her to share such a painful truth with a stranger.
Every September, we pause for Suicide Prevention Month. It is a time to remember, to raise awareness, to bring hope, and to spark action around one of the most urgent mental health struggles of our time. Sometimes, all it takes is one conversation—asking someone how they’re really doing, and then truly listening. That simple act can save a life.
Studies show that people who are thinking about suicide often feel relief when someone asks about their feelings with genuine care. No one has to face this struggle alone. Help is real. Healing is possible. And hope can begin with something as small as a text that says, “Hey, you good?”
If you or someone you love is struggling, please know help is here. Call or text 988 anytime, day or night, to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
To learn more about how to support someone in a mental health crisis, visit:
www.nami.org/suicidepreventionmonth. The information for this blog comes from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
One conversation, one moment of listening, can open the door to life and healing.
Author Bio:
Larry began his career in social work in 1991 with La Crosse County Department of Human Services (LCHSD) in La Crosse, WI. In 2003 Larry became the Supervisor of children with special needs at LCHSD focusing on children with special needs. He became Director of Chippewa County Wisconsin CCDHS in October 2008. Larry has directly or indirectly served within child welfare, youth justice, and children with special needs, economic support, mental health and substance abuse, aging and disability resource center. His proudest moment came in 2012 when the Wisconsin Department of Health Services selected CCDHS along with 8 other Wisconsin counties to integrate mental health and substance abuse services into one Consortium, the first of its kind in Wisconsin. Today approximately 300 consumers are receiving services that previously were unable to access due to a poor infrastructure in counties, financial viability and availability of an adequate provider network. CCDHS was selected as a recipient of the 2016-2018 Wisconsin Trauma Project by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. In the Chippewa area he formed the Children, Youth, and Families Committee in the Chippewa consisting of local, state, and community partners. The committee received a grant from the Kresge Foundation, with technical assistance from the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) and the National Collaborative to launch the Human Services Integration Institute. Larry retired from a 30-year career in human service in November 2018. In retirement he has become a Certified Peer Specialist mentoring those in recovery from mental health and substance abuse. He also participated in the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery Coaching Academy. He enjoys spending his time with the Lord, his wife, three children, reading, and swimming.
Larry is also a Certified Mental Health Peer Specialist and maintains a website, where readers can access his free daily blog, his first book, and a virtual support group held on Thursdays from 6-7 PM. His second book, a daily devotional supporting those in recovery, will be available in February 2026.