Dad’s suicide spurred me to save 400 lives
She went to A&E for a mental health assessment but thankfully a friend was with her during the nine-hour wait.
Jess was told to go away and pay privately for grief counselling. She said: “I couldn’t really afford it. I had to choose between therapy and food. I was determined to get well so I went hungry.”
Her experience inspired her to set up
Jess took Debbie to hospital and talked to her for six hours until she was admitted on to a mental health ward.
The women are now pals. Debbie said: “If it hadn’t been for her I’d have acted on my intentions. She saved my life.”
Jess’s project work has led her into dramatic situations. Last year, after abseiling down a cathedral for charity, she was alerted to a suicidal man lying in the middle of the road.
Jess lay down with him for 20 minutes and talked him out of it.
She said: “If you can find something in what they’re saying to you, and get them to commit to being safe for the next minute, hour or day, you can save lives. That’s suicide first aid. No one is suggesting you provide lifelong support. It’s about intervention in the moment.” Jess now teaches her suicide first aid skills to families of mental health sufferers. “If you have a diabetic child, you learn how to give them insulin.
“Why should it be any different with mental health? It’s exactly the same.”
She has hit on the idea of rolling out her training to bar staff, hairdressers, tattoo artists and handymen. She said the tragic loss of Caroline Flack has increased numbers seeking help from the project.
Jess added: “So many people don’t know what to do when someone reaches out – we’re changing that.”
For more details see gallierhouse.co.uk/ themartingallierproject.