Masters said he sought help from a therapist ten years after his brother’s suicide. “I found a really good therapy, and it was really good talk therapy,” Masters said. “But talk therapy didn’t alleviate my PTSD — I still had nightmares and flashbacks.”
It took an entirely different type of therapy to help Masters. “The flashbacks I had for 25 years after my brother’s suicide stopped,” Masters said. “My life changed that day.”
The suicide of Masters’ brother in 1978 inspired him to become a licensed therapist, he said. At age 40, Masters returned to school and earned a master’s degree in social work.
Masters spoke Tuesday evening at the Venue Fine Arts & Gifts for Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month, which takes place during September.
Masters said he had spent most of his professional career developing techniques that extend beyond just talk therapy and remain effective.
“I’ve made it a point to explore and adopt methods and techniques that provide positive results faster than talk therapy alone,” Masters said.
“These are techniques that I’ve developed, and I can say within my office and my practice is effective,” he said. “I’ve had people that I’ve worked with using these techniques say that I’ve saved their lives.”
Gabe Colman, owner of the Venue Fine Arts & Gifts, said it was important to bring in a speaker and give people the opportunity to become aware of such a pressing issue.
“We try to use our space here as both a resource for the community arts and the community in general,” he said. “It’s important to try to bridge the gap between arts and awareness.”
Masters said anyone experiencing depression should try to find someone to communicate with.
“I recommend that they simply talk to someone,” Masters said. “Talk to anyone they feel will be a good listener. They need to seek help because this could be a short-term issue.”
Masters said suicide wasn’t as simple as someone not wanting to live anymore. “What I find is that people don’t really want to die, they just don’t want to live with the pain they’re feeling,” he said.
Masters said he had a passion for his work, and he said he hoped suicide becomes less prevalent in today’s society.
Suicide is poignantly afflicting Hoosiers. From 2008 to 2013, suicide was the second leading cause of death in Hoosiers ages 15 – 34, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“We know suicide is on the rise, and it effects one out of every five people,” said Michelle Martin-Colman, a member of the Monroe County Suicide Prevention Coalition. “It’s becoming clear that there are not enough organizations to help deal with the steady increase of this issue.
“Each of us has the power to intervene and stop suicide,” she said.
