VACSB (Virginia Association of Community Service Boards Conference)
Training and Development Conference, May 7-9, 2025, Norfolk Waterside Marriott
Mental Health Speaker Keynote Topic:
Turning Pain into Purpose: Surviving A Son’s Depression, Addiction, and Suicide
Topic Description:
After years of trying to find help for her once joyful son and rap artist, AnneMoss’s son Charles continued to struggle with mental illness. Desperate to escape the darkness of his depression, Charles turned to heroin and died by suicide in 2015 at age 20. This presentation is about AnneMoss’s inspiring journey to healing and what she wished she had known.
Themes include hope, healing, and inspiration.
Takeaways:
- Surprisingly simple–and unconventional–ways we can save lives
- How we can effectively communicate to those who are struggling
- How to forgive oneself after a loss by suicide
- Moving forward from grief–to a life-changing, healing path.