Sara Williams — Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work and Family Science

From: Louisville, KY

Started the UL Kent doctoral program: Fall 2017

Research interest: Suicidality and Suicide Prevention among individuals with gender and sexually diverse identities

Mentor: Laura M. Frey, PhD, LMFT

Current position: PhD Candidate, Part-time faculty, Kent School of Social Work

Peer reviewed publications:

Antle, B.F., Owen, J., Wells, M.J., Eells, T.D., Harris, L.B., Cappiccie, A., Wright, R.B., Williams, S.M., & Wright, J.H (2019). Dissemination of Computer-Assisted Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Depression in Primary Care. Contemporary Clinical Trials 78, p. 46-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2018.11.001

Williams, S.M., Frey, L.M., Stage, D.L., & Cerel, J. (2018). The unique experiences of a dual identity: Exploring lived experience in gender and sexual minority suicide attempt survivors. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry (published online in advance of publication). http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ort0000334

Academic presentations:

Purdy, L.M., Williams, S.M., Randall, J.M., & Harris, L.M. (2019). The impacts of lived experience as a youth in the child welfare system on direct care staff. Paper presentation at the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry. May 2019. Urbana-Champlain, IL.

Williams, S.M. & Frey, L.M. (2019). Exploring college student typologies based on suicide experience, knowledge, and attitudes. Poster presentation at the American Association of Suicidology Annual Conference. April 2019. Denver, CO

Williams, S.M, Brown, M., Cerel, J., Frey, L.M., Kheibari, A. (2018). Loss survivor perceptions of suicide: Comparing the United States and Japan. Paper presentation at the American Association of Suicidology Annual Conference. April 2018. Washington, DC

Kheibari, A., Brown, M., Cerel, J., Frey, L.M., & Williams, S.M. (2018). Are suicide attitudes different in suicide attempt survivors? Paper presentation at the American Association of Suicidology Annual Conference. April 2018. Washington, DC.

Williams, S.M., Frey, L.M., Stage, D.L., & Cerel, J. (2017). The unique experiences of a dual identity: Exploring lived experience in gender and sexual minority suicide attempt survivors. Poster presentation at the American Association of Suicidology Annual Conference. April 2017. Phoenix, AZ.

Frey, L.M., Stage, D.L., Cerel, J., Sanford, R.L., Nadler, S., & Williams, S.M. (2017). In their own words: New research using attempt survivor narratives to inform professional practice. Panel presentation at the American Association of Suicidology Annual Conference. April 2017. Phoenix, AZ.

BIO:

Sara Williams (she/her) is a PhD candidate in the Kent School of Social Work and a certified social worker in the state of Kentucky, where she has been practicing clinically since 2016. Sara is an award-winning researcher in the areas of suicide prevention and gender and sexual diversity. Her dissertation research focuses on the intersection of gender and sexual diversity and lived experience of suicide. Her areas of interest have ranged from individual experiences of suicide to social factors contributing to elevated suicide prevalence among gender- and sexually- diverse persons. This work is based on the conviction that to alleviate the intense suffering that frequently leads individuals to consider and attempt suicide, we must address social factors that are contributing to suffering and preventing gender and sexually diverse folx from living the life they want to live.

In addition to research, Sara’s work involves awareness and training efforts that enhance people’s understanding of gender and sexual diversity and improves suicide risk assessment and management services. She provides suicide prevention trainings for community members through the Louisville Mayor’s Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods and works closely with the State Suicide Prevention Coordinator on prevention efforts. Sara also serves on suicide prevention and diversity boards and committees with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the American Association of Suicidology, Trauma-Resilient Communities, and the University of Louisville. Sara has served as co-chair for the Active Minds group on campus — which promotes mental health awareness and well-being among college students— as well as helping to plan the UofL Out of the Darkness Campus Walk for suicide prevention for the past 6 years.

Sara believes that to address the issues in our society, we have to address social injustices and interactions at all levels, and as a loss survivor with lived experience of suicide, Sara is determined to spread knowledge and hope wherever possible. Her goal is to promote a world of inclusion, connection, and safety for everyone in all aspects of her work.

MSSW: Kent School of Social Work, University of Louisville