Posts by Jake Cavanaugh
Peer Mentor Spotlight: John Joshua William Oxenford
For our Peer Mentor Spotlight, John Joshua William Oxenford talks about his goals with The NAN Project as well as his dream to become a professional musician and actor, as well as a fitness trainer. He encourages future peer mentors to reach out for help to improve their skills and support and his many mentors.
Read MorePeer Mentor Spotlight: Alison Sabean
This month, The Nan Project would like to highlight Alison Sabean in our Peer Mentor Spotlight! Alison has been working with us for almost two years now, and her story leaves her audiences with a message of hope. She has presented her story numerous of times to schools all across Massachusetts! Thank you Alison for…
Read MoreMy Anxiety and Self Image Got Weird in Quarantine
When I was laid off from my receptionist job in March due to COVID-19 (with the promise of unemployment insurance), I was relieved. I had dreamt of shutting myself in, opting out of being perceived, only to venture out for food – and suddenly, when the lockdown began in March, to live like this was public safety. It was recommended. I breathed a sigh of relief – I could take off my carefully curated, public-facing mask for a while.
Read MoreGrief Ripples Out, But So Does Hope
Though Suicide: The Ripple Effect engages with some heavy subjects, it is not a somber film. Kevin Hines teaches us that some good can come out of the trauma and tragedy of suicide. We feel the “ripple” of suicide for better and for worse: a whole community grieves one fatal attempt, but one recovery can inspire hope in so many struggling people. The Ripple Effect is an earnest, tender, enlightening watch — and Kevin hopes that it’s the beginning of a movement.
Read MoreYou Are Not Alone: What Local Experts Want You To Know About Suicide
Last Friday, The NAN Project Peer Coordinators Lizzie MacLellan and Shilpa Thirukkovalur sat down to speak virtually with Mayor of Cambridge Sumbul Siddiqui about suicide prevention, mental health, and COVID-19.
Read MoreED-SAFE: A Study in Suicide Intervention
The ED-SAFE study, published in 2018 by the Massachusetts DMH, echoes some truths about suicide prevention that The NAN Project brings to high school classrooms: 1) the first step in suicide prevention is detecting risk; 2) persistence is the key to supporting a person at risk; and, 3) intervention led by the person at risk is most successful.
Read MorePeer Mentor Spotlight: Margaret Parkhurst
This month, The Nan Project would like to highlight Margaret Parkhurst in our Peer Mentor Spotlight! Margaret has been working with us for over a year now, and her story leaves her audiences with a message of hope. She has presented her story numerous of times to schools all across Massachusetts! Thank you Margaret for…
Read MoreThe Weight of Gold: Athletes and Mental Illness
The NAN project knows that in a society where depression and suicide are still heavily stigmatized, fostering honest discussion about mental health can literally save a life. These are sentiments of HBO’s new documentary The Weight of Gold, a must-watch for sports fans and mental health advocates alike.
Read MoreA Different Kind of Summer with The NAN Project
While COVID may have slowed down many industries and left folks physically isolated, The NAN Project and our Peer Mentors kept hard at work and socially connected all summer! One of our major initiatives during the typically slower, sunny months of school vacation was our 2020 Senior Peer Mentor Training! The goal of these 8…
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