Caroline McGuigan’s Story

Suicide or survive started in 2003 at Caroline’s kitchen table. The Eden Programme was the original programme created by Caroline drawing on her own experience of depression, anxiety, a serious suicide attempt and 8 years as a user of the psychiatric services, leaving her with an in-depth knowledge of the medical model, how and why a person is diagnosed and the treatment they may receive in Ireland. She received a Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Level 1 Award in 2006, and a Level 2 Award in 2007.

Caroline McGuigan went on to train as a psychotherapist, mental health advocate, group facilitator and activist and has been mentored throughout the years in business and strategic planning.

Caroline had a vision to approach mental health differently, a vision that puts the power and responsibility back in the hands of the individual. A vision that says there is another way that will lead to a person driving their own recovery through practical and educational tools to build resilience and nurture hope and wellbeing. A vision that placed collaboration and partnership at the heart of what Suicide or Survive would do.

To achieve Caroline’s vision, the organisation has recruited and formed alliances and partnerships with people and organisations who are passionate about taking positive action to create change in relation to mental health.

In 2009, Caroline McGuigan was part of a very powerful documentary “I See a Darkness” 

A Yellow Asylum Films Production for RTE

Production Team: Director: Alan Gilsenan, Producer: Martin Mahon, Researcher: Moira Lawson, Cinematography: Richard Kendrick, Sound: Kieran Horgan, Editor: Oliver Fallen

Amnesty International

From 2008 – 2012 Caroline was a member of Amnesty International’s Experts by Experience Advisory Group which advised Amnesty International on its mental health campaign. She was also one of the participants in a social marketing campaign around ending mental health prejudice and discrimination appearing on billboards and in newspapers across the country.