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.