The advanced group training program, the seeded happiness catcher training, was held in February 2023 to strengthen the role of suicide prevention gatekeepers in the prison. In the course, members were assigned roles as the one company others, the one being companied and the observer, allowing them to practice empathic responding skills through experiential exercises and supervision, and enhancing their emotional care during the companionship process.
Jay (alias) said, "Through practicing, I learned empathic responding and the difference between giving advice and providing companionship and also gained a deeper understanding of emotion." Qing (alias) said, "I found listening means standing in others’ shoes, and it’s important not to rush to respond and express feelings."
At the end of the course, the trainees felt they had benefited greatly and hoped to continue such program in the future. The counseling instructor encouraged them to continue practicing and to fulfill the role of the gatekeeper by providing companionship to peers in need of help.