Suicide Prevention Programs

The Heart of STOPS

STANDING TOGETHER

Sisters Taking On the Prevention Of Suicide (STOPS)

Sisters Taking On the Prevention of Suicide (STOPS) was founded in May 2015 by Andrea Mustin in loving memory of her husband, Eric D. Wright (1961–2013).

Eric lived with mental health challenges, yet his death by suicide on December 2, 2013, came without warning. Like so many families, Andrea did not see it coming.

Out of that loss—and the realization that awareness alone is not enough—STOPS was created to equip individuals, strengthen communities, and help prevent other families from experiencing the same heartbreak.

Guided by faith, compassion, and community, STOPS exists to bring light, understanding, and hope where it is needed most.

STOP Suicide Through E.R.I.C.

At the heart of our mission is E.R.I.C., a guiding framework inspired by Eric’s life and legacy:

Education
Research
Inspiration Through Advocacy
Community

Through E.R.I.C., we equip individuals with knowledge, strengthen communities with resources, and help light the way toward hope, healing, and suicide prevention.

A single flame can light one thousand candles.

Who We Are

Sisters Taking On the Prevention of Suicide (STOPS) is a faith- and community-driven mental health awareness organization serving women who support friends and loved ones living with mental illness.

Through education, research, inspiration through advocacy, and community, we equip women with the knowledge, confidence, and compassion to recognize needs, connect others to support, and strengthen mental health within their families and communities.

Our Vision

We envision a world where women are Mental Health Champions—empowered to care for themselves, support their loved ones, and positively impact their communities.

Our Mission

Our mission is to reduce suicide rates by advancing mental health education, research, advocacy, and support for women supporting friends and loved ones living with mental illness.

Our Goal

Our goal is to build a sisterhood of more than one million informed, engaged, and connected women equipped to lead with awareness, compassion, and action in suicide prevention.

Together, we light the way toward hope, healing, and prevention.

Our Programs

At Sisters Taking On the Prevention of Suicide (STOPS), our programs are designed to educate, connect, and empower women to become informed and compassionate leaders in suicide prevention.

Two of our primary approaches are Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Seen. Heard. Empowered. (SHE).

Through our Mental Health First Aid training, we equip women with the skills to recognize and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges.

Through SHE, our peer-to-peer support program, we create space for women supporting loved ones living with mental illness to feel seen, heard, supported, and empowered through connection, shared experiences, education, and sisterly support.

Through our programs, we help women turn awareness into compassionate, informed action—strengthening families, uplifting communities, and helping light the way toward suicide prevention.

READY TO LEARN MORE?

Explore how STOPS equips and supports women through education, connection, and community.

Explore Mental Health First Aid

Explore SHE

Our Founding Board Members

Three women. One calling. A shared commitment to prevention, compassion, and hope.

A woman standing in front of a wall wearing glasses.

Andrea Mustin

Founder & President

I stand in loving remembrance of Eric Dublon Wright (1961–2013), my husband and soulmate of twenty years. Eric lived with mental health challenges, and his death by suicide on December 2, 2013, came without warning. I did not see it coming.

In the months following Eric’s death, by the grace of God, I began rebuilding my life. I relocated from West Houston to North Dallas, Texas to be closer to family and formed new friendships through relatives, volunteer work, social gatherings, and community connections.

As I shared Eric’s story with the women I met, something unexpected happened: they began sharing their stories with me. Some had struggled personally with depression or anxiety. Others were supporting loved ones living with serious mental illness. Many carried stories they had never spoken aloud.

And I realized—I didn’t know what to tell them.

What had happened to my family was not ours alone. Mental health challenges and suicide were touching families across our communities, often quietly. I began to understand that awareness mattered, but awareness alone was not enough. Women needed knowledge, practical tools, compassionate support, and places where they could be seen, heard, and equipped to help themselves and the people they loved.

That realization led me into suicide prevention and, ultimately, to founding Sisters Taking On the Prevention of Suicide (STOPS) in May 2015.

Today, through STOPS, I seek to honor Eric’s life—and the lives of so many others—by equipping women with the knowledge, compassion, and practical skills to recognize when someone may be struggling, connect them with appropriate support, and help strengthen mental health within their families and communities.

The end of Eric’s life was not the end of his story. Through him, STOPS was born. To God be the glory.

FROM REFLECTION TO THE WRITTEN PAGE

Reflections of Faith, Hope, and Holding On

Born from a journey of grief, faith, healing, and hope, Reflections of Faith, Hope, and Holding On is a collection of personal reflections grounded in Scripture and shaped by life.

With warmth and honesty, Andrea Mustin writes for those navigating difficult seasons, offering gentle reminders of God’s presence, faithfulness, and the hope that remains—even when life feels heavy.

Because even in the hardest chapters of our lives, God is still writing the story.

Published by Still Place Press

"Be still, and know that I am God."
-Psalm 46:10 (NKJV)

Coming September 28, 2026 - Available on Amazon

A woman in yellow jacket smiling for the camera.

Tonya Striplin

Founding Board Member

Compassion for others took on new meaning for me when mental illness touched my own family. In 2013, I experienced the sudden loss of my brother-in-law and the painful journey of watching my sister rebuild her life. Since then, mental health challenges have continued to touch my family and those I care about—from adolescents living with depression to a dear friend who lost her son to suicide while he was away at college.

As a parent, witnessing a child experience pain is heartbreaking. The loss of a child is beyond words. These experiences deepened my compassion for families navigating mental illness and suicide loss and strengthened my desire to better understand how we can support one another.

As mental illness touched my home, I sought understanding. Through education and awareness, I came to recognize that suicide can be a tragic outcome of mental illness—and that knowledge, compassion, connection, and access to appropriate support can make a meaningful difference.

My hope remains steadfast. Through my service with Sisters Taking On the Prevention of Suicide (STOPS), my prayer is to help educate communities, expand compassionate support, and stand alongside individuals and families affected by mental illness and suicide loss.

Together, we can deepen understanding, reduce stigma, strengthen families, and help light the way toward hope and prevention.

A woman with long hair wearing a blue shirt.

Ergieleena Teasley

Founding Board Member

I stand for mental health because it has touched my family in profound and painful ways. I remember loved ones lost to suicide, and I stand in support of relatives who have lived with thoughts of suicide, depression, and anxiety. The journey has not always been easy, but I remain committed to hope.

As I sought to better support the people I love, I realized how much I still needed to understand about mental illness and how best to walk alongside someone who is struggling. Along the way, I encountered compassionate fatigue and learned an important truth: caregivers and supporters need guidance, encouragement, and care, too.

I found that support through Sisters Taking On the Prevention of Suicide (STOPS). Through education, connection, and community, I have gained greater understanding, strength, and confidence in knowing when and how to offer support while also recognizing the importance of caring for myself.

My experience with STOPS has strengthened my commitment to stand with individuals and families affected by mental illness. It has helped me remain grounded in compassion, continue learning, and serve with purpose.

I stand for mental health. STOPS stands for mental health. And together, we invite others to stand with us.

A man and woman are smiling for the camera.

Our Story Is His Story Eric Dublon Wright (1961–2013)

I stand in loving remembrance of Eric Dublon Wright, my husband and soulmate of twenty years. Eric’s death by suicide on December 2, 2013, came without warning—but the end of his life was not the end of his story.

Through his life, and through our loss, Sisters Taking On the Prevention of Suicide (STOPS) was born.

After losing Eric, I didn’t know where the road ahead would lead—only that I couldn’t walk it alone. Today, that truth shapes everything we do: transforming lived experience into learning and walking alongside one another in the hope of helping prevent future loss.

I share more about Eric, STOPS, and the power of community in my conversation on the 1 Girl Revolution Podcast.

Listen to Andrea’s Story

— Andrea Mustin, Founder

Imagine Eric Is Alive

Imagine Eric is alive—thinking and engaging in a life filled with clarity, peace of mind, good health, self-love, and spiritual fulfillment.

He celebrates birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries with family, friends, and colleagues. He is surrounded by people who are informed, compassionate, and supportive of his mental health journey.

Imagine a world where:

The people around him understand mental health challenges and recognize when someone needs support—responding with care and confidence.
Research is funded and advanced to improve our understanding, treatment, and long-term outcomes for mental illness.
Mental health policies ensure fair, accessible care so individuals receive the help they need without barriers.
Families and caregivers are supported, strengthened, and reminded that they are not facing mental illness alone.

This is the world STOPS is working toward—a world where more stories continue, more lives are supported, and more families are spared the pain of loss.

Play Video

Imagine a world where Eric—and others like him—are not defined by mental illness, but supported by people and communities equipped to respond with knowledge, compassion, and hope.

Through education, research, inspiration through advocacy, and community—guided by E.R.I.C., STOPS is working toward that world.

This is the vision that fuels our work.

The end of Eric’s life was not the end of his story. Through prevention, awareness, and community, his story continues—lighting the way for others