Suicide Prevention Month 2025: Why Marketing Your Therapy Practice Is a Lifeline

National Suicide Prevention Month 2025

Every 11 minutes, someone in the U.S. dies by suicide (CDC, 2023). In 2023 alone, more than 49,000 lives were lost, making suicide one of the most urgent public health challenges of our time. For children and teens, the crisis is especially alarming.

This September, as we observe National Suicide Prevention & Awareness Month 2025, it’s important to recognize an often-overlooked reality:

Your therapy practice isn’t just another business—it’s a lifeline. But if families can’t find you, they can’t access the help their children desperately need.

The Rising Crisis of Youth Suicide

The statistics surrounding youth suicide highlight why visibility matters more than ever:

• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for ages 10–14 and the 3rd leading cause for ages 15–24 (NIMH, 2024).

• Rates among ages 10–24 increased 62% between 2007 and 2021 (CDC).

• Preteen suicide (ages 8–12) has risen by about 8% annually since 2008 (NIH, 2024).

• 3.3% of adolescents aged 12–17 attempted suicide in the past year (SAMHSA, 2024).

• Despite some progress, 1 in 10 teens still seriously considered suicide in the past year (NPR, 2025).

Behind these numbers are children and families who need immediate access to care.

The Access Problem: Why Families Struggle to Get Help

Access to mental health care remains one of the largest barriers in suicide prevention:

• 37% of the U.S. population—122 million people—live in mental health professional shortage areas.

• 60% of youth with major depression do not receive any treatment.

Barriers to care include:

• Stigma around seeking mental health support

• Insurance and financial limitations

• Lack of providers who reflect cultural and language needs

• Geographic isolation and transportation challenges

Why Marketing Is Suicide Prevention

The harsh truth: A therapist who remains invisible online cannot serve the community that needs them.

Every day your practice goes unnoticed is another day a child or teen may not receive life-saving help.

This is why behavioral health marketing is more than just business growth—it’s suicide prevention. When your practice is visible, you are:

• Creating awareness that professional help exists and works

• Reducing stigma by normalizing conversations about therapy

• Providing hope to families who feel lost and overwhelmed

• Offering access to evidence-based care at critical moments

• Building trust as a reliable mental health resource in your community

Suicide Prevention Month 2025: Action Steps for Practices

If you want your practice to be part of the solution this September, here’s where to start:

• Update your website with clear, compassionate messaging for children, teens, and families.

• Publish educational content about suicide warning signs, prevention tips, and how to seek help.

• Strengthen referral networks with schools, pediatricians, and community organizations.

• Optimize your Google Business Profile so families in crisis can find you quickly.

• Share your story—your personal “why” builds trust and connection.

• Highlight crisis resources like the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline prominently on all platforms.

Visibility Is a Moral Imperative

Too many families are left searching in silence. And while your clinical expertise saves lives, it can only do so if people can find you.

Making your practice visible isn’t vanity—it’s a moral imperative.

At SocialBPsych.com, we specialize in digital marketing for therapy practices. Our strategies help you reach families who need your services most—transforming your expertise into accessible, life-saving care.

This September, don’t just recognize Suicide Prevention Month—actively participate in it by making sure your practice is visible. Someone’s tomorrow may depend on it.