Culture of Caring - by Theodora Schiro (Hardcover)

About the Book

A Culture of Caring is a handbook written for educators to help them understand the causes of youth suicide and take steps to prevent it. It includes information on prevention, intervention, and postvention, with an emphasis on the importance of creating an environment where h...

Book Synopsis

A Culture of Caring is a handbook written for educators to help them understand the causes of youth suicide and take steps to prevent it. It includes information on prevention, intervention, and postvention, with an emphasis on the importance of creating an environment where help-seeking is encouraged and supported.

Review Quotes

A practical guide for district and school-based administrators. . . . For those without a plan, this book can act as a roadmap to get started. For those with a plan, it acts as a great resource to fill the gaps or to take the work to the next level. District and school leaders will immediately recognize the value of specific examples and resources available nationwide. [And] Schiro, a former public school administrator, writes from personal experience.

As educators, we can benefit from a better understanding of what causes students' suicidal thoughts. The book provides both a practical approach and a means to help us understand how our feelings can cause inaction that can result in danger for those we care most about. I also found that Schiro's work spoke to me on how to manage the relationships with my own children. As a father, I have had to navigate the difficult waters of depression and anxiety in my own child. If you are looking for a way to better understand suicide, how to prevent suicide, or how to respond when a suicide happens in your community, Schiro's work has something for you. I appreciated the ability to use each section in isolation to meet the needs of my specific community.

Having worked under Theo as her School Counselor during the tragic time of the loss of her son to suicide, this handbook is an honest and heartfelt collection of thoughts, ideas, and research gathered over time. Through the personal tragic loss, to past and current prevention efforts, research and experts in the field, Theo provides this practical handbook full of evidence-based practices to serve as a useful tool to guide all educators in developing a successful suicide prevention program.

Spectacular resource for educators working with students who suffer from depression, have suicidal thoughts, and may be in this state of mind, or those who just want to know what signs to look for with students who are dealing with this issue. This is written from the educator's view and with personal knowledge of the heartache of losing someone they love to suicide. The book provides the tools and resources for educators to give support and assistance to students and their families. If you are an educator, this is a must-read. Teachers often spend more time with students and see them daily; making them "first-responders" for suicidal youth. Please read this book, it WILL change your life and potentially save the life of a student that attends your school.

This book should be in the hands of every educator and in every school. It is imperative that suicide awareness and prevention be a part of everyday measures to ensure the safety of our children and allow for discussions to happen freely and without judgment. Theodora Schiro has created an "A to Z" resource for this to happen. As a community it is time to make mental health education a part of our everyday lives.

About the Author

Theodora Schiro was a teacher and school administrator for over 36 years, and now works to increase awareness of depression and other mental health disorders by educating school personnel in suicide prevention. She is also a freelance writer for non-profits and businesses that provide educational products and services.