Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 35. Men are three times more likely than women to die by suicide, and in England and Wales, over 4,000 men take their own life every year.

James’ Place saves the lives of men in suicidal crisis. We are a charity offering free, life-saving therapy to suicidal men at our centres in Liverpool, London and Newcastle. We have now helped over 2,800 men, and those identifying as male, find hope for the future. We know that in order to prevent male suicide, specialist targeted support is vital, and we know what we do works.

Quick and easy access

If someone is in suicidal crisis, quick intervention is essential. We make it as easy as possible for a man to access help. They can refer themselves via our website and we commit to seeing them for a first appointment within 48 hours. Once someone has recognised that they need help and has been brave enough to seek it out we need to respond as quickly as we can to remove any barriers to them accessing treatment.

A welcoming environment designed just for men

Mental health services designed for both genders are often used predominantly by women; according to NHS figures, only 36% of referrals for talking therapies are for men. We knew that to reach men in need, our treatment and the environment it was delivered in had to specifically target men, so they felt safe and comfortable coming to us for help.

When developing our centres, we asked men what they would want the space to be like. They talked about the importance of a calm and non-clinical environment, being able to get help quickly, and an outside space, all of which we incorporated.  Our centres are warm, welcoming and homely, with soft lighting and comfortable chairs. This makes men feel valued and respected and enables them to feel relaxed enough to open up and start talking about what is going on for them. The men we see want to come back each week for a therapy session, and we regularly get feedback about how much they liked the centres, the garden, a particular therapy room or chair they sat in, or the art on the walls.

Therapy tailored to men

Our therapy aims to help men understand why they are in suicidal crisis, what is keeping it going, and how they can get out of it. Part of our treatment that has been very successful is the deck of cards we use called Lay Your Cards on the Table, which helps men quickly articulate what is going on for them without having to necessarily explain it in words. The cards have different thoughts, emotions, feelings, scenarios on them and men can choose which cards are relevant to them.

Men accessing our service begin to understand their thoughts and feelings (through increased awareness and the formation of knowledge) around what has led them to the point of crisis. They learn to identify warning signs that their mental health may be worsening and change the way in which they approach and deal with (through coping strategies) the distress they are feeling.

Our treatment is independently evaluated and shows that men experience a clinically and statistically significant positive change following treatment and reduced levels of psychological distress.

Trained professional therapists

Men will typically see the same therapist for 6–8 sessions so they can build trust and work together effectively. Our staff come from a wide range of therapy and counselling backgrounds, as well as psychotherapists, clinical psychologists, mental health nurses, and occupational therapists – but they are all trained in our particular treatment model.

Partnerships

We work alongside the NHS and other local support services to get men referred into our service, taking on clinical responsibility for the men we treat. We know, however, that 65% of men who die by suicide were not in contact with mental health services, so we also work in the community to raise awareness and spread the word about the free therapy we offer as well as through media, social media and other avenues.

Accessing help from James’ Place

Men in suicidal crisis who can get to one of our centers in Liverpool, London, or Newcastle can self-refer to us or get a referral from a professional, friend, colleague, or family member. Visit James’ Place for more information.

24 hour support is available via the Samaritans on 116 123, call the NHS on 111, text SHOUT to 85258, or from your local A&E department or walk-in centre.

Jane Boland is a clinical lead at James’ Place.