About Start the Conversation

Hello! I'm Rose Rowkins (previously Allett, pronouns she/her) - the face behind Start the Conversation.

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​I am on a mission to help people overcome their deep-rooted fears and find the words to talk about suicide, because I believe, I know, that talking can save lives. It saved mine.

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I believe not only are we all capable of learning to have a brave, bold life-saving conversation, but that we all must learn these skills, because suicide doesn't discriminate. Just as anyone can learn these skills, anyone can think of suicide. 

 

More about me

I'm an integrative humanistic counsellor, sun-worshipper, mum of one, keen yogi and singer, and I live in (and love) Brighton, UK. In case you hadn't realised already, I'm also a passionate, experienced, international trainer of suicide prevention skills:

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• Co-creator of 90-minute Zoom session Talking about Suicide: Ten Tools (TAS10)

• Master Trainer for LivingWorks, having delievered over 40 ASIST workshops across both hemispheres

• Accredited Tutor of Suicide First Aid, the UK's only National Qualification in suicide prevention (City & Guilds Level 4)

• Consultant Tutor for the National Centre for Suicide Prevention Training UK CIC

 

Since 2015, I have personally taught 1000s of people around the world (face-to-face and online) the skills and confidence to talk about suicide, including GPs, teachers, managers, HR teams, counsellors, youth workers, police officers, veterans, firefighters.

 

I have also...

• managed the innovative, award-winning YMCA Safe Space, amongst other mental health and youth projects

• driven and worked my way across the Sahara Desert in a campervan

• created resources for parents worried about their child’s self-harm (like this short film)  

• coached Vietnam veterans in the Australian bush on how to listen

• coordinated a team of teenagers to teach new doctors (through realistic roleplay!) how to communicate more effectively with their teenage patients who are self-harming or thinking of suicide.