MIAMI, Nov. 3 Local Author Darielys Tejera, patient of the Institute for Child & Family Health (ICFH) will sign copies of her first book, "Absolutely Nothing" at Books & Books in Coral Gables on Friday, November 13th at 8:00 p.m. Attendees will have the first opportunity to hear about Tejera's struggles and accomplishments from the perspective of a suicide survivor.
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"I wrote this book to be able to reach out to someone in need during a difficult period," said Tejera, "to make a difference in their world, and hopefully in the end prevent a suicide attempt."
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ICFH, the non-profit agency where Tejera received therapy, decided to showcase this success story in the hopes of generating awareness about teen depression and treatment. The evening event will host a discussion about this serious problem that affects every aspect of a teen's life. The dialogue will also tackle challenging questions about suicide warning signs in teenagers.
"Suicide prevention starts with recognizing the warning signs and taking them seriously; talking openly about suicidal thoughts and feelings can save a life," said Annette M. Naranjo, LCSW and Program Coordinator for the At-Risk Youth Prevention & Intervention Programs at ICFH and Tejera's former therapist. "By addressing the issues of self-injury with my patients we remove the secrecy which surrounds their actions; self-injury often has more to do with survival than with suicide."
Event highlights will include the book signing, candid discussion, and a wine and cheese fundraising reception beginning at 7:00 p.m. Admission is free but a $50 donation is strongly encouraged to support the agency's counseling programs that help teenagers such as Tejera become happy and productive adults in our community. For more information on the event you may contact Alina Plasencia at the Institute for Child & Family Health 305.722.5322 or by email [email protected].
About ICFH
The Institute for Child and Family Health (ICFH) is a private, not-for-profit organization that has been providing health, behavioral health, educational, and prevention services to the children, adolescents, and families of Miami-Dade County for over 60 years. It is one of the oldest and largest community health centers exclusively dedicated to the well being of children and families in the state of Florida. ICFH serves over 25,000 children, adolescents, and families per year. For more information about ICFH, please visit the organizational Web site at http://www.icfhinc.org.
SOURCE Institute for Child & Family Health
