Suicide Prevention & Intervention Program

Empowering Survivors, Preventing Tragedy

At Shield of Sisters, we are committed to preventing veteran suicide by providing comprehensive support for survivors of Military Sexual Trauma (MST). Through our trauma-informed life coaching, peer support, lethal means safety education, and crisis intervention, we help survivors regain hope and rebuild their lives.

How We Help Prevent Veteran Suicide

Our Suicide Prevention & Intervention Program is built on a holistic, survivor-centered approach, integrating Trauma-Informed Life Coaching. Each participant is paired with a trained life coach who provides:

• Regular check-ins to assess emotional well-being.
• Resilience-building strategies to regain confidence and control.
• Personalized crisis plans to address suicidal ideation.

Meet Our Counselor

Bethany Rentsch
MLitt, MSE, NCC, LPC

Bethany is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Wisconsin. A Fulbright and Rotary scholar, she first studied Terrorism at St Andrews in the UK then went on to lecturer at a university in Germany. Bethany taught English in the Middle East before moving to Kabul, Afghanistan, as a Military Trainer for Resolute Support Mission. She served on two defense contracts for 16 months, 2015-2016.

Upon returning home to Wisconsin, Bethany pursued a second graduate degree in mental health. She now works as trauma recovery psychotherapist to help others who have also endured traumatic experiences, including and especially rape and assault. Outside work, Bethany is a public speaker for youth leadership initiatives and occasionally administers formal suicide prevention training specific to veterans. She is a partner and parent, reader and writer, hiker and kitesurfer.

Lethal Means Safety Education

We educate survivors on practical ways to reduce immediate suicide risks, including:

• Safe firearm storage (gun locks, safes, voluntary removal).
• Secure medication safety (reducing access to lethal doses).
• Identifying and removing environmental hazards that could facilitate self-harm.

Crisis Response & Intervention

Our life coaches are trained in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR). In a crisis, they:

• Listen nonjudgmentally and assess immediate risk.
• Create a safety plan (24-hour action plan, reducing access to lethal means, identifying crisis contacts).
• Connect survivors to professional help, including the VA, crisis hotlines, and therapists.
• Follow up after the crisis to ensure continued safety and healing.

Peer Support Groups

Isolation is one of the biggest risk factors for suicide. Our weekly peer-led support groups provide:

• A safe space to discuss struggles and victories.
• Connection with other MST survivors who understand.
• Resilience-building activities to reduce depression and anxiety.

Ongoing Training for Life Coaches

To maintain excellence in suicide prevention, our life coaches receive ongoing education in:

• Suicide prevention & intervention techniques.
• MST-related mental health challenges.
• Cultural competency for veterans.
• Crisis de-escalation strategies.

How We Measure Success

We ensure the effectiveness of our program through data-driven assessments, including:

• UCLA Pre- and Post-Retreat Mental Health Surveys – Measuring emotional well-being before and after retreats.
• 30/60/90-Day Post-Assessments – Tracking long-term recovery progress.
• Crisis Intervention Tracking – Monitoring successful de-escalations and referrals.
• Annual Feedback Surveys – Improving our program based on survivor experiences.