Speakers Bureaus-consumer, family, survivor

Trained speakers are available to talk from their personal experience about losing a loved one to suicide, what it is like to live with a mental illness, or what it is like to love someone who has a mental illness. Scroll down this page for more information about the Suicide Survivor Speakers Bureau and the Portland-based Voices of Recovery Speakers Bureau.

Suicide Survivor Speakers Bureau

The Suicide Survivor Speakers Bureau is made up of people who have lost a loved one to suicide and have been trained to speak safely and effectively about their loss to the public in the hope that their personal story will help prevent suicide.

Schedule a speaker for your meeting or conference

If you are in need of a presenter that has been trained to speak about the experience of having a family member or friend who died by suicide, with a message that helps to decrease stigma and increase help-seeking behavior, please contact Greg Marley at gmarley@namimaine.org or call 1-800-464-5767.

Local Suicide Prevention Resources

Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program

Maine Injury Prevention Program

JD Foundation Cheryl Morin, one of our speakers, is President of this non-profit organization

Voices of Recovery Speakers Bureau

Voices of Recovery was developed with the support of NAMI Portland, NAMI Maine and Consumers in Recovery. It is now an independent non-profit organization. Trained speakers provide a consumer and family member perspective about their personal experiences with mental illness as a way to deepen understanding of how mental illness affects people on a personal level. By sharing their life experiences they hope to create connections, expand awareness, and generate better communication between health care providers, social agencies, families and consumers.

Schedule speakers for your meeting or conference

The recommended format is four speakers: two family members, two consumers. An honorarium of $40.00 per speaker (minimum of two speakers per presentation) is required. For more information and/or to schedule a presentation contact Karen Evans at: (207) 772-7140 or email voicesofrecovery@yahoo.com.