Rethinking Suicide Prevention in Kenya | Safe Space | Dr. Zaccheus Were & Tom Osborn
In this final interview episode of Safe Space, Paulyne Wanyonyi speaks with Tom Osborn, founder of Shamiri, and Dr. Zaccheus Were, a family physician working in Bungoma, about the solutions already being built to address mental health and suicide in Kenya.
From policy barriers and stigma to the shortage of psychiatrists and mental health resources, the conversation explores the challenges facing suicide prevention today. But it also focuses on what is possible.
Tom shares how Shamiri is training young people to deliver mental health interventions in schools, while Dr. Were explains his holistic approach to patient care, looking at mental health, social context, and family dynamics together.
Together, they explore how community-driven care, culturally grounded mental health models, and early intervention could transform how Kenya approaches suicide prevention.
This episode brings the interview series to a close by focusing on hope, solutions, and the work already happening on the ground.
Thank you for following this series. If these conversations have meant something to you, please share this episode, subscribe to the channel, and let's continue having solution focused conversations.
Support & Resources:
Therapy Resource Catalogue - https://the-artisticpsychologist.com/therapy-mental-health-resources-by-the-artistic-psychologist/
External Suicide Toolkits - https://tr.ee/cQCujGXnvX
Seeking Help Toolkit - https://tr.ee/orJUB1_Pu8
Grounding Exercises Toolkit - https://the-artisticpsychologist.com/grounding-exercises-a-quick-guide-for-intense-emotions/
Submit your Mental Health story via a voice note - Whatsapp Us on +254 788 036 727, Your story may be featured on our "In Your Own Words" segment of this podcast.
Write for our Blog - https://zfrmz.com/H03NH23xUPly3ZJsEcVQ
3 Apr 2026
What Media Leaves Out of Suicide Stories | Dr. Marion Mutwiri | Safe Space
How we talk about suicide matters.
In this episode of Safe Space, Paulyne Wanyonyi sits down with marriage and family therapist Dr. Marion Mutwiri to explore how media, headlines, films, songs, and social platforms shape the way people understand suicide.
From sensational news reporting to viral shows and music lyrics, the stories we consume can influence how we think about mental health, risk, and help-seeking. The conversation also examines how suicide was historically criminalised in Kenya and how that shaped the way media covered it.
Dr. Marion explains why responsible reporting matters, why context and compassion are often missing from headlines, and how the media can shift from sensational storytelling to meaningful mental health awareness.
This episode asks an important question: Are the stories we tell about suicide helping people, or harming them?
Pause if you need to and listen with care
Listen with care and pause if you need to.
Support & Resources:
Therapy Resource Catalogue - https://the-artisticpsychologist.com/therapy-mental-health-resources-by-the-artistic-psychologist/
External Suicide Toolkits - https://tr.ee/cQCujGXnvX
Seeking Help Toolkit - https://tr.ee/orJUB1_Pu8
Grounding Exercises Toolkit - https://the-artisticpsychologist.com/grounding-exercises-a-quick-guide-for-intense-emotions/
Submit your Mental Health story via a voice note - Whatsapp Us on +254 788 036 727, Your story may be featured on our "In Your Own Words" segment of this podcast.
Write for our Blog - https://zfrmz.com/H03NH23xUPly3ZJsEcVQ
27 Mar 2026
Suicide through a Cultural Lense | Robert Mumbwani
In many African cultures, suicide is rarely spoken about openly.
In this episode of Safe Space, we explore how the Bukusu culture in Kenya understands suicide, life, and community responsibility. Robert Mumbwani shares how traditional beliefs shape the way suicide is discussed, why it is often spoken about indirectly, and how families and communities respond when it happens.
This conversation offers an important cultural perspective on suicide, stigma, and mental health in Kenya.
Listen with care and pause if you need to.
Support & Resources:
Therapy Resource Catalogue - https://the-artisticpsychologist.com/therapy-mental-health-resources-by-the-artistic-psychologist/
External Suicide Toolkits - https://tr.ee/cQCujGXnvX
Seeking Help Toolkit - https://tr.ee/orJUB1_Pu8
Grounding Exercises Toolkit - https://the-artisticpsychologist.com/grounding-exercises-a-quick-guide-for-intense-emotions/
Submit your Mental Health story via a voice note - Whatsapp Us on +254 788 036 727, Your story may be featured on our "In Your Own Words" segment of this podcast.
Write for our Blog - https://zfrmz.com/H03NH23xUPly3ZJsEcVQ
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