Author Bio
Bill Vassilopoulos is a crisis intervention specialist, former human services program manager, and veteran instructor of foundational, evidence-based methodologies including ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) and PFA (Psychological First Aid).
As a nearly 40-year survivor of a 1988 suicide attempt, Vassilopoulos brings lived perspective to crisis response, serving as a bridge between professional response frameworks and the realities of acute distress. His work is recognized across municipal leadership, police services, healthcare networks, and frontline peer organizations. Grounded in decades of practical instruction and informed by direct qualitative interviews with civic leaders—such as former Winnipeg Police Chief Devon Clunis—alongside emergency personnel, educators, and families, Vassilopoulos advocates for structured, community-wide engagement to support individual safety.
About the Book
Eyes Above the Water: Real, Raw, and Respectful Talk about Suicide
(Word Alive Press)
Eyes Above the Water is a practical field guide designed to equip everyday people—families, friends, coworkers, and neighbors—to recognize and respond to acute distress before it escalates into a crisis.
Drawing upon qualitative interviews across the spectrum of care—including police leadership, emergency personnel, attempt survivors, and families—the book introduces the 3RT Framework (Real, Raw, and Respectful). The text provides methods for recognizing early warning signs, engaging directly, stabilizing immediate situations, and executing safe handoffs to professional care networks when higher-level support is required. Designed as a complement to accredited professional training programs like ASIST and PFA, the book emphasizes practical communication and community connection in suicide prevention.
