John Junior for Samaritans

Photographing Mental Health Advocate John Junior for Samaritans

I recently had the pleasure of photographing John Junior for the Samaritans, capturing his work as a mental health activist and advocate. John uses his platform to educate others about mental health challenges and to promote awareness of support services.

John Junior’s Work in Mental Health Awareness

In 2019, John Junior began vlogging about his own experiences with mental health difficulties on Instagram, aiming to reach out to others facing similar challenges. His candid and personal approach helped to connect with young people and adults alike, offering insight, guidance, and reassurance. In May 2020, his vlogs caught the attention of UNILAD, who invited him to test the Samaritans self-help app during Mental Health Awareness Week and contribute to campaigns around World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September 2020.

The DBT for All Campaign

Following his work with Samaritans, John helped promote the "DBT for All" campaign, created in September 2020 to make dialectical behaviour therapy more widely available on the NHS. DBT is a clinically recognised therapy used to treat children, teenagers, and adults who are suicidal or demonstrate self-destructive behaviours. Through the campaign, John helped raise public awareness of the importance of accessible mental health treatments in the United Kingdom.

Speaking Out and Breaking Stigmas

John Junior speaks publicly about living with mental health conditions and has given interviews on television, radio, and in print internationally. His advocacy focuses on breaking down the stigma around mental health, providing education, and encouraging open conversations about emotional wellbeing. Photography plays a key role in documenting and promoting this work, helping to communicate his message to wider audiences.

Supporting Samaritans’ Mission

The Samaritans organisation provides vital support for anyone struggling with mental health issues or suicidal thoughts. Collaborating with John Junior on this photography project allowed me to visually contribute to their ongoing campaigns and highlight the importance of mental health awareness. Capturing these moments reinforces the human stories behind advocacy work and the significance of accessible mental health support services.

Sheila Anderson for Samaritans

Portrait Photography for Samaritans | Sheila Anderson and Suicide Prevention Training

Earlier this year I had the privilege of meeting and photographing Sheila Anderson on behalf of the charity Samaritans. The portraits were created as part of a campaign highlighting the impact of the organisation’s Managing Suicidal Conversations training and the difference it can make when people feel confident enough to reach out and support someone in distress.

Sheila had taken part in the Samaritans’ training programme while working for the railways. The course is designed to help people recognise signs that someone may be struggling and to provide practical guidance on how to begin a conversation that could help someone find support.

A Conversation That Made a Difference

Not long after completing the training, Sheila encountered a situation where those skills proved invaluable. She was on her way to do her weekly shopping when she noticed a young woman in visible distress.

Trusting her instincts, she stopped the car and approached carefully, beginning a conversation in a calm and open way. The simple act of asking a compassionate question helped interrupt the woman’s immediate thoughts and allowed a dialogue to begin.

Sheila later described the moment in her own words:

“Around the beginning of last year, I was on the way to my weekly shop when I came across a young woman in floods of tears. I stopped the car and slowly approached her. I asked, ‘Has something happened to bring you here today?’ and I could tell that instantly broke her thoughts. She told me her name and said she was struggling to cope as she wasn’t able to get the support she needed.”

Through patience and conversation, Sheila was able to encourage the woman to move to a safer place and seek help. Her willingness to stop and talk potentially saved a life.

The Importance of Training and Awareness

The Samaritans’ Managing Suicidal Conversations training programme aims to give people the confidence to respond when they encounter someone in crisis. Rather than feeling unsure about what to say or do, participants learn how to approach situations calmly, listen without judgement and guide individuals toward appropriate support.

Stories like Sheila’s illustrate how important these skills can be. Often it is not specialist professionals but ordinary members of the public who first encounter someone in distress. Having the confidence to begin a conversation can create the opportunity for someone to step away from immediate danger and find the support they need.

Photographing Stories of Compassion and Support

For this assignment my role was to create portrait photographs that could accompany Sheila’s story in the Samaritans’ communications and campaign materials. Portrait photography for charities often focuses on authenticity and clarity, allowing the subject’s experience and message to take centre stage.

In situations like this the aim is to create images that feel approachable and human, reflecting the compassion and empathy at the heart of the story being told. The photographs help audiences connect with the individual behind the story, reinforcing the real-world impact of the organisation’s work.

Meeting Sheila and hearing about her experience was a powerful reminder of how small actions – a conversation, a moment of attention, a willingness to stop and listen – can make an extraordinary difference.