Kenny Johnston - Suicide and CLASP
16 January 2014
Kenny Johnston, Founder of the Counselling, Life Advice and Suicide Prevention charity, CLASP, talks to Dr Raj Persaud about how he set up the organisation after he twice tried, but failed, to take his own life
Kenny Johnston is 43 and from west London. Having witness domestic abuse, racism, mental illness and a variety of stress-related experiences in his life, many could assume his suicide attempt in October 2010 was due to a build-up of tragic life experiences.
Kenny studied to become a CBT and Suicide Intervention Counsellor in order to help those living with their life traumas and daily trying to overcome the stigma which surrounds mental and stress related illness as well as suicidal thoughts to seek help and feel able and empowered to discuss their emotions and thoughts openly in order to resolve them, see a positive future and save a life.
"I truly believe that, if 50-60 years ago there was a stigma over black and white couples and now there's mixed races children including me; 20-30 years ago we had a stigma about Gay and Lesbians because of HIV and Aids, now there's same sex marriages; then isn’t it time to end the stigma about mental and stress related illness as well as suicide, because the longer it’s there the more lives will be lost"
Kenny Johnston
Founder and CEO, CLASP Charity