Hope Illuminated Podcast: Recent Episodes
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Welcome to the Hope Illuminated Podcast, your source for the stories, science and strategy of suicide prevention, mental health promotion and resilience where we live, learn, and work. I’m your host, Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas, and I am on a life mission to empower communities with solutions that help people overcome isolation and despair and rekindle a passion for living. Each episode we’re joined by international experts who inspire hope and offer real guidance. Welcome to the show! I am so grateful you are here.
In this episode of Hope Illuminated, I'm joined by Aaron Witt - founder and CEO of Buildwitt, the fastest-growing media and workforce development platform dedicated to the "dirt world" of critical infrastructure, natural resources, and heavy civil construction. Aaron is a rare voice in this space: someone who has worked the job sites himself, who carries genuine reverence for the people who build the world, and who has built a multi-platform company around the conviction that this industry's future depends on its ability to see, value, and develop the human beings doing the work.Aaron opens with a framing that anchors the entire conversation: the military cannot function without the steel, runways, and infrastructure that construction workers build. First responders cannot reach emergencies without roads. Yet while we celebrate soldiers and firefighters for their sacrifice, the construction worker - equally indispensable, equally exposed to danger, loss, and physical hardship - remains largely invisible in the national conversation about worker well-being. Aaron calls this the invisible sacrifice, and his life's work is making it visible.We dig into the data: construction consistently ranks among the highest-risk industries for suicide, with rates surpassing military and law enforcement in some analyses. Overdose deaths on and around job sites are rising. And yet the support systems available to workers in the field are largely inaccessible - requiring workers on 12-hour shifts to navigate multiple barriers to reach anyone who might help, only to find that the person on the other end has no understanding of their world. Aaron is direct: many traditional EAP resources are, in his words, "completely worthless" for this population.The conversation turns to solutions, and Aaron is equally direct about where change has to start: with leaders. Not leaders giving speeches about wellness, but leaders going first - sharing their own struggles, modeling that it is possible to be strong and vulnerable simultaneously, and creating the conditions in which workers feel safe enough to do the same. Aaron connects this to the broader workforce crisis: with 8 million construction workers and a next generation that is not choosing the trades, well-being is not a soft add-on. It is a recruitment and retention strategy. It is, ultimately, a matter of national infrastructure security. For more information on this episode go to The Invisible Sacrifice: Mental Health and Well-Being in Construction — Dr. Sally
What happens when the identity you built over two decades inside one of the world's most demanding companies suddenly has nowhere to go? In this episode of Hope Illuminated, I sit down with John Brown — a former 22-year Apple leader who built a secret second career as a therapist before transitioning full-time into executive coaching, performance psychology, and sports psychology.John shares his journey from a small town in Ohio to the heart of Silicon Valley, and the painful, pivotal moments — being told point-blank he'd never become a product manager, watching colleagues lose their jobs in the dot-com bust, retiring from a 22-year identity overnight — that forced him to ask a question most high performers never stop to ask: who am I when achievement isn't defining me?We dig into the science of high-performance addiction, why the body "always wins" in the end, the boiling frog metaphor for burnout, and John's practical reframe for ambitious people: focus on small wins, acclimate like a mountain climber, and build multiple "baskets" of identity so that no single setback can take you out. This conversation is a must-listen for high achievers, executives, entrepreneurs, and the therapists and coaches who support them. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/165
In this episode of Hope Illuminated, I'm joined by Brandon Wilcox, peer support specialist, community crisis innovator, and suicide attempt survivor, from Rocky Mountain Crisis Partners, a grassroots Colorado organization serving the state for 15 years through a statewide crisis line and innovative community-based support models. Our conversation centers on one of the most evidence-based, underused, and beautifully human tools in suicide prevention: the caring contact.Brandon opens by sharing his own lived experience with suicidal intensity — a term we unpack together as a more precise and less stigmatizing alternative to "suicidal ideation." His story is told with both vulnerability and strength, modeling exactly the kind of open, imperfect, human connection this episode advocates for. He describes what it felt like to receive messages of support in his darkest moments and how something as small as a text saying "thinking of you today" was not small at all.We walk through the robust research on caring contacts — decades of studies showing that simple, non-clinical, non-demanding outreach significantly reduces suicide risk among people in crisis and post-crisis. We unpack the do's and don'ts with practical specificity: don't ask voyeuristic questions about the method or the moment, don't load the message with expectations or advice, don't assume silence means the message didn't land. Do be honest about not knowing what to say. Do send sunsets. Do keep showing up.We also explore mutual aid as an emerging model in crisis response, the importance of soul care and awe as long-term resilience practices, and why the prevention ecosystem benefits most when people with lived experience are centered, not just as recipients of support, but as leaders, innovators, and voices of change. Brandon's work at Rocky Mountain Crisis Partners exemplifies this philosophy in practice. For more on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/164
In this episode of Hope Illuminated, I welcome Laura Putnam, author, speaker, and founder of Motion Infusion, for a rich conversation about what it actually takes to change mental health culture at scale. The central argument: one-off awareness campaigns and individual-focused interventions, while valuable, are not sufficient to create lasting change. What's needed is a tipping point and the key to reaching it lies with well-being multipliers at the team level.Laura draws on nearly two decades of experience training over 50,000 managers across 500+ organizations to make the case that team leaders, not HR departments, not C-suites, not awareness months, are the most leveraged point of intervention in any system. Gallup research shows that managers alone may account for up to 70% of the variance in team members' engagement and well-being, yet more than 50% of managers report receiving zero training to support mental health.The conversation expands outward: from workplaces to households, from gym communities to faith groups, with both guests drawing parallels to the anti-smoking movement as a model for how collective accountability and systems-level change can create permanent culture shifts. Laura's framework — Do, Speak, Create — gives team leaders three actionable levers for becoming well-being multipliers. I connects this to my own work in suicide prevention and workplace psychological safety, reinforcing that this approach doesn't just improve engagement metrics — it saves lives. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/163
In this episode of Hope Illuminated, I sit down with Julia Hassell to explore what it really looks like to heal after profound loss.Julia’s story is both heartbreaking and deeply inspiring. After losing her father to suicide and navigating multiple losses in her family, she found herself on a path to understand trauma at a much deeper level. What she discovered challenged everything she thought she knew about mental health and healing.Together, we talk about how trauma lives in the body, why traditional talk therapy can sometimes fall short, and how approaches like brainspotting and somatic work can help us process what words cannot. We also explore the role of spirituality, continuing bonds with loved ones, and the powerful idea that pain can become a doorway to purpose.If you’ve ever felt stuck in your healing journey, this conversation offers both hope and a new way forward. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/162
Many men struggle silently with grief, loneliness, identity loss, and moral injury. Social expectations often teach men to stay strong, stay productive, and stay quiet about pain.In this episode of Hope Illuminated, I speak with meaning-centered psychotherapist and logotherapist Baruch HaLevi (“Dr. B”) about how men’s groups help men transform suffering into purpose, connection, and resilience.Drawing from Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy, lived experience with suicide loss, and years of guiding men’s peer groups, Dr. B explains how meaning helps men move through life’s darkest chapters. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/161
In today’s polarized social and political climate, leadership has become not only emotionally demanding but, in some cases, physically and psychologically dangerous. From targeted violence against corporate leaders to escalating threats toward public officials, judges, election workers, and lawmakers, leaders are operating under unprecedented scrutiny, hostility, and fear.In this episode of Hope Illuminated, I join Jeff Gorter, Vice President of Clinical Crisis Response at R3 Continuum, to explore what it truly means to lead under assault and how organizations can respond with clarity, compassion, and coordinated care when crises unfold in real time. This conversation weaves together stories, science, and strategy to illuminate how threat and violence ripple beyond individuals to impact the mental health of entire organizations and communities. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/160
What if the warning signs of suicide were present but invisible to everyone around us?In this powerful and deeply human episode of Hope Illuminated, Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas sits down with fellow sister-on-a-mission Kim Burditt Bartlett, MSW to explore the groundbreaking findings of the Black Box Project — a first-of-its-kind initiative using donated digital devices to better understand behavioral patterns preceding suicide.This conversation weaves together lived experience, science, and strategy. Kim brings the voice of a sibling loss survivor, a trauma-informed social worker, and a national leader translating cutting-edge research into actionable suicide prevention.Drawing from the 2025 Black Box Project White Paper released by Stop Soldier Suicide, this episode explores what phone data revealed that traditional prevention methods often miss and what that means for prevention, intervention, and postvention across veterans, workplaces, and communities. For more informatio on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/159
When a suicide, overdose, or traumatic death happens in the workplace, the response in the first 48 hours can either stabilize the organization or unintentionally increase harm.Yet most workplaces have no clear postvention plan.In this Headspace for the Workplace conversation, Dr. John Gaal brings together lived experience, labor leadership, and research to explain why postvention is the missing leg of the three-legged stool of workplace mental health: prevention, intervention, and postvention.Drawing from decades of workforce development, construction industry data, and peer-reviewed research, this episode explores:* What actually helps people in shock * Why EAPs are often underutilized in crisis * How trained peer supporters serve as “mental health first responders.” * Why partnerships — not silos — save lives
We talk about what leaders must do when the unthinkable happens.
For more informationm on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/84
In this special year-in-review episode, I reflect on a year of global travel, impact, and learning across workplace mental health, suicide prevention, clinical training, and lived-experience storytelling. Recorded for both Headspace for the Workplace and Hope Illuminated, this episode weaves together impact metrics, tools developed, global conferences, leadership lessons, partnerships, and deeply personal reflections on burnout, aging, grief, purpose, and hope. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/158
We tell athletes to “shake it off,” “tough it out,” and “get back in the game.”
But what happens when the injury is inside the brain, quiet, cumulative, and deadly?In this episode of Hope Illuminated, Dr. John Gaal shares the devastating story of losing his 24-year-old son to suicide and the painful discovery afterward that his son’s brain showed hallmark signs of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).That grief became a catalyst for John’s work at the intersection of repetitive head trauma, depression, pain, opioids, identity loss, and suicide risk, especially among athletes.This conversation brings together heart and science to ask a question our culture often avoids:How many deaths are we calling “mental health problems” when they may also involve brain injuries we never diagnosed? For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/157
What happens when a child loses someone to suicide — and the adults around them are silent because they don’t know what to say? In this episode, we explore that question through art, science, and story.Australian author and illustrator Ryan Abramowitz joins Hope Illuminated to share how he transformed his own loss — the suicide of his father — into the award-winning picture book Elegy for an Elephant. Through watercolor, poetry, and animal allegory, Ryan helps children step into grief without being swallowed by it. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/156
In this powerful and deeply compassionate episode, Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas talks with Monica Kramer McConkey, one of the nation’s leading voices on rural and agricultural mental health, about the silent crisis facing farm families across America.Monica brings both clinical expertise and lived experience—she grew up on a farm in northwestern Minnesota and has spent over 30 years supporting agricultural communities through depression, addiction, and suicide loss. Together, Sally and Monica explore the intersection of isolation, economic pressure, and cultural stoicism—and how resilience, connection, and tailored interventions are changing lives across rural America.Listeners will gain insight into how we can bridge the urban-rural divide in mental health, build suicide-safe communities, and sow hope where it’s needed most. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/155
Ever wondered how to partner with AI tools without losing the human element, or how to integrate mental health skills into daily workflows? This episode delivers.A former NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneer who once battled the silent pressure of “lonely at the top,” Alex Willis now helps construction leaders build safety cultures where both bodies and minds are protected. Alex shares his personal turning point -- how experiencing depression and isolation during his NFL years shaped his mission to protect what matters most: people.In this episode of Hope Illuminated, Alex and I explore how AI-powered tools -- used wisely, not as a replacement for human care -- can spark more effective conversations when mental health concerns arise at work.Hear how one innovator is proving that technology, blended with empathy and evidence, can move us beyond awareness into real skill-building. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/154
Healthcare workers give their all, but too often, the system gives little back when it comes to protecting their mental health. In this Hope Illuminated episode, I sit down with Corey Feist, Co-Founder & CEO of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, to talk about moral injury, systemic solutions, and the strategies that actually work.Together, we unpack how confidential peer support, equal privacy protections in mental health care, and humane re-entry pathways can restore dignity and safety to those who care for us. Corey’s work has helped drive landmark federal legislation, shift national culture, and spark movements that reach over 1.5 million healthcare workers.This episode isn’t just for healthcare leaders. If you care about building psychologically safe workplaces —in medicine or beyond — you’ll walk away with actionable strategies for protecting wellbeing, reducing stigma, and honoring the humanity of workers everywhere. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/153
In this powerful episode, Scott LoMurray, TIME100 Health honoree and CEO of Sources of Strength, shares how his organization has transformed youth suicide prevention through peer leadership, strength-based storytelling, and community-driven culture change. We unpack the evidence, the vision, and the movement that’s shifting suicide prevention from reaction to resilience. for mor einformation on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/152
What if the most powerful suicide prevention tool we have… is time?In this groundbreaking episode, suicide prevention expert Dr. Gergö Hadlaczky shares insights from science, strategy, and lived experience about how creating time—even just a few minutes—can change the trajectory of a suicidal crisis.We explore the rapidity of suicidal crises, how emotional intensity and suicidal thoughts often pass with time, and why time-buying can often help people win the internal debate around living or dying.Time gives people a second chance at life and a fighting chance to survive. For mre information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/151
Why do we fear emotions, particularly in cultures where strength is defined by stoicism? What if we reframed emotions not as liabilities, but as essential survival systems?When are get stuck in our emotions like fear, grief, anger, and guilt, we’re not failing. Our emotions are over-functioning. Emotional systems have evolved "fail-safe" systems; they won’t stop to help us survive. And while that keeps us alive, it can also overwhelm us. In this powerful episode of Hope Illuminated, I sit down with Russell Peterson, a counselor, military mental health specialist, and wilderness survivalist. Russell introduces his compelling “Technology of Survival” framework, illustrating how emotions such as fear, grief, anger, and guilt have evolved to keep us alive.When emotions are seen through a survival lens, we begin to understand their purpose, reduce shame, and reclaim our humanity.For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/150
In this episode, we explore one of the most urgent yet often overlooked crises facing high-risk industries: suicide in construction. Our guest, Sebastian Ison-Jacques, brings a powerful blend of personal experience, academic research, and sector insight to this critical conversation. From digital construction to workplace mental health, Seb’s mission is to expose what’s broken and help build something better. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/149
In this episode of Hope Illuminated, Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas sits down with Dr. Eva De Jaegere from Belgium to explore the stories behind suicide through the lens of psychological autopsy. Together, they discuss Dr. Eva’s research on suicide risk in middle-aged adults, revealing surprising findings about the role of work stress, financial worries, and the importance of open conversations about suicide and mental health. Discover how listening to the stories of both survivors and those left behind can bring healing, challenge stigma, and shape more effective prevention strategies. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in suicide prevention, lived experience research, and the power of storytelling to spark change.
Follow Dr. Sally at www.sallyspencerthomas.com
In this inspiring episode of Hope Illuminated, Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas sits down with Sandersan Onie, a global leader in mental health promotion and suicide prevention, for a powerful conversation about the importance of intellectual humility and meeting people where they are. Listen as Dr. Onie shares personal stories of overcoming trauma, highlights the critical role of religion and culture in suicide prevention, and reveals how he helped spark transformative policy change in Indonesia. The episode also explores using technology and empathic messaging to reach those in crisis, emphasizing community-based strategies that honor local beliefs and language. Tune in for practical insights, heartfelt storytelling, and actionable lessons for anyone passionate about mental health and saving lives.
Follow Dr. Sally at www.sallyspencerthomas.com
In this powerful episode of Hope Illuminated, Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas sits down with Alex Bush, a resilient young advocate who began sharing her story after losing her father to suicide at 16. Together, they discuss the vital role of personal storytelling in suicide prevention, the impact of youth voices on mental health advocacy, and actionable strategies for engaging with both traditional and social media. Alex shares her journey from grief to national speaker, offering insights on making a real difference in communities and supporting others who have experienced loss. Tune in to hear inspiring advice for storytellers, mental health leaders, and anyone seeking hope and connection in challenging times.
Follow Dr. Sally at www.sallyspencerthomas.com
Join Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas as she sits down with Lyseria Kursave, a resilient trans woman and union electrician, for an honest conversation about living authentically, navigating personal and professional challenges, and the intersection of gender identity and mental health. From overcoming isolation and workplace discrimination to the importance of community and allyship, this powerful episode of Hope Illuminated sheds light on the lived experiences and hope-filled advocacy of the trans community. Perfect for anyone seeking inspiration, education, or a deeper understanding of how solidarity and compassion make a difference in the fight for mental well-being and equality. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/surviving-and-thriving-intersection-of-identity-mental-health-and-trans-resilience-with-lyseria-kursave-ep-145
In this thought-provoking episode, I sit down with Dr. Selma Gaily-Luoma to explore the transformative role of agency in suicide prevention. Agency, defined as the sense of control and capacity to influence your thoughts, behaviors, and circumstances, is a cornerstone of psychological resilience. We delve into how fostering a sense of agency can be a powerful antidote to feelings of entrapment and despair that often accompany suicidal crises.For mor information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/unlocking-agency-in-suicide-prevention-with-dr-selma-gaily-luoma-episode-144
Join host Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas in a compelling conversation with Dr. Simon Hatcher from the University of Ottawa. The discuss the intricacies of police suicide, mental health challenges, and how these insights can aid high-risk industries. Discover the importance of involving lived experience in mental health research and the challenges faced by underserved populations. With personal stories, expert insights, and a focus on social justice, this episode sheds light on creating more inclusive and effective mental health support systems. Tune in to explore how we can better empower and uplift those facing mental health struggles. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/the-power-of-testament-addressing-social-justice-in-mental-health-research-among-our-most-vulnerable-populations-with-dr-simon-hatcher-ep-143
In this episode of Hope Illuminated, Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas talks with Dr. Holly Wilcox from Johns Hopkins University to explore the transformative impact of the Good Behavior Game. They cover upstream approaches to suicide prevention, emphasizing skill-building in early childhood to improve mental health outcomes. Discover how focusing on education and emotional regulation can mitigate risks and build resilience in communities, potentially changing life trajectories. Join us in learning how a public health approach could be key to saving lives and augmenting quality of life. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/upstream-suicide-prevention-changing-lives-using-the-good-behavior-game-with-dr-holly-wilcox-ep-142
Join Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas as she discusses into the powerful role of lived experience in transforming suicide prevention strategies. In this episode of "Hope Illuminated," featuring guests Kier McKechnie and Seonaid Stallan from Glasgow, Scotland, discover how integrating real-life experiences into policy and program development can inspire meaningful change. Learn about the innovative approaches taken by Scotland's National Suicide Prevention Action Plan and the significance of honoring those who've navigated the profound challenges of suicide loss or survival. Together, they're making a difference—one story at a time. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/how-scotlands-panel-is-shaping-suicide-prevention-with-personal-insights-from-keir-mckechnie-seonaid-stallan-ep-141
In this powerful episode of Hope Illuminated, host Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas speaks with John Cornelius about generational trauma in tribal communities, his personal journey from Pine Ridge Reservation through military service to peer support specialist, and how Native communities are finding healing through cultural reconnection and community-driven solutions. A moving conversation about historical wounds and modern hope. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/addressing-generational-trauma-in-indigenous-communities-with-john-cornelius-ep-140
Dr. Pierluigi Mancini shares his pioneering work in building culturally and linguistically responsive mental health services. Learn how addressing language barriers and cultural understanding can transform crisis intervention and addiction recovery outcomes for immigrant communities. An essential conversation about making mental health support accessible to all.For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/the-power-of-multilingual-support-in-recovery-with-dr-pierluigi-mancini-ep-139
Explore how agency and empowerment can transform suicide prevention with researcher Dr. Luke Bayliss. Learn why shifting from forced interventions to collaborative approaches that respect individual choice and dignity may be key to helping those in crisis reclaim control of their lives. Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas and Bayliss discuss groundbreaking research on agency in suicide prevention and practical ways to expand options beyond traditional crisis responses. for more information on this episode gp to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/empowerment-matters-how-understanding-personal-agency-can-transform-suicide-prevention-with-luke-bayliss-ep-138
Join host Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas and guest Barb Smith as they discuss supporting communities after suicide through active postvention. Learn about the vital role of loss teams, victim advocacy, and proactive outreach in helping survivors navigate grief, reduce isolation, and find hope. Discover evidence-based approaches that demonstrate why early intervention matters for those impacted by suicide loss. For more information on this eppisode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/supporting-communities-in-the-aftermath-of-suicide-why-we-need-to-be-proactive-with-barb-smith-ep-137
Dr. Renad Beidas joins me to discuss a compelling study highlighting the critical importance of firearm safety in pediatric care. Dr. Beidas brought profound insights from her recent research involving 30 clinics implementing firearm safety conversations as part of pediatric visits. The study’s two-pronged approach—using both an updated electronic health record template and additional facilitation—remarkably increased the program's reach, with 49% of kids receiving the program when facilitation was involved, compared to a mere 22% with the template alone. This initiative responds to a pressing need for pediatricians to discuss secure firearm storage with parents, an effort underscored by the tragic statistic that firearm injuries are now the leading cause of death among youth. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/one-minute-to-save-lives-teaming-up-with-pediatricians-and-families-to-keep-kids-safe-with-dr-rinad-beidas-ep-136
I had the profound honor of sitting down with Dr. Christine Moutier, the Chief Medical Officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Dr. Moutier's journey, deeply rooted in a culture of achievement and stoicism, stands as a testament to the transformative power of vulnerability. During our conversation, she shared the unique challenges she faced in medical school, encountering a severe mental health crisis that forced her to take a leave of absence. This pivotal period not only reshaped her approach to self-care but also ignited her passion for advocating mental health awareness within the medical profession. Dr. Moutier's story brings to light the urgent necessity of recognizing and treating mental health just as seriously as physical health, encouraging medical professionals to embrace openness about their own struggles. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/transforming-medical-culture-dr-christine-yu-moutiers-mission-for-mental-health-and-self-care-ep-135
Reflecting on 2024, we mark a deeply personal milestone: two decades since the loss of my brother, Carson. His memory continues to inspire and drive the mission of the Hope Illuminated Podcast. As an entrepreneur, Carson always sought innovative ways to scale gap-filling solutions in our health insurance industry. We try to carry on his value for entrepreneurialism by lifting up the voices of innovative thought leaders in the mental health space. For mor information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/2024/12/27/top-5-episodes-of-2024-hope-illuminated-podcast-highlights-amp-whats-ahead-for-2025
Today, we’re joined by Dr. Stefanie Kirchner to explore the transformative power of storytelling for suicide survivors. Her research highlights how sharing deeply personal experiences fosters hope, connection, and societal change, while also emphasizing the importance of emotional readiness and media training for storytellers. By turning personal pain into a beacon of hope, these stories help dismantle stigma and inspire meaningful conversations about mental health. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/the-power-of-storytelling-in-suicide-prevention-insights-from-stefanie-kirchner-ep-134
“We need to leverage the sea of Goodwill in the community to do more than just say ‘Thank you for your service.’ Mentor, hire, help with the transition from active duty to civilian life.” - Dr. Joe Geraci
I met Dr. Joseph Geraci on the advisory committee through "Face the Fight" a consortium/initiative; with the goal of reducing Veterans' suicide by 50% in 5 years. We review the crucial support mechanisms for veterans during their vulnerable transition period into civilian life, especially focusing on preventing suicide. It's alarming to see the immense challenges young veterans face, carrying double the risk of suicide compared to their peers. Joe shared some brilliant insights, particularly through the "Onward Ops" initiative, a partnership with Google that empowers us all to become certified sponsors and support our veterans more effectively. If you're moved by this cause, I strongly encourage you to visit onwardops.org—every small step truly counts.
One of the most compelling takeaways from our conversation was Joe’s emphasis on the need for empathy and understanding from mental health professionals and every individual in the community. His experience, bridging military service and psychology, is a powerful testament to how leadership and support can transform lives. Joe spoke about the strategic use of predictive analytics to identify at-risk veterans and the necessity of firearm safety in suicide prevention efforts. It's not just about evidence-based treatments; it's about creating a safe, compassionate space where veterans feel valued and understood. So, let’s rise to the challenge together, acknowledge these brave men and women with more than just words, and take real, heartfelt actions to support their journey. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/new-frontlines-trends-in-veterans-suicide-prevention-and-mental-health-success-with-dr-joe-geraci-ep-133
I had the absolute pleasure of talking with the inspiring Dr. Margaret Rutherford. Let me tell you, Margaret’s journey is nothing short of transformative. She opened up about the pressures we put on ourselves to be perfect and how embracing both strengths and weaknesses is the key to self-acceptance. We had a fantastic discussion about the beautifully imperfect stories that connect us more deeply than any facade of perfection ever could. Margaret’s decision to share her personal struggles on social media was initially terrifying, but she found an overwhelming wave of support that made it all worth it. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/ep131/perfectly-hidden-depression-interview-with-dr-margaret-rutherford-episode-131
Veterans suicide death and military mental health has been making headlines for decades, on today’s episode we look at the root causes. I am joined by Rachel Oswalt, an inspiring US Navy veteran and mental wellness advocate. Rachel discusses the critical role of connecting with supportive individuals throughout her life's journey, particularly in navigating the labyrinth of military mental health. We explored some of the pressing issues plaguing military communities, from the devastating rates of veteran suicides to the overshadowing stigma that hinders mental health reporting. For more information on this episode go to. https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/ep131/from-service-to-civilian-addressing-mental-health-stigma-and-veteran-suicide-with-rachel-oswalt
In this episode of Hope Illuminated, nurse Christopher Wojnar shares his journey through mental health challenges, resilience, and the importance of workplace peer support in suicide prevention. Gain insights into nursing well-being and the transformative power of storytelling in mental health advocacy. For mor information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/suicide-risk-among-healthcare-workers-130
In this illuminating episode of Hope Illuminated, I sit down with Dr. Stefan Kertesz, a seasoned researcher from the University of Alabama, Birmingham, to unravel the complexities surrounding pain, opioids, addiction, and suicide.Stefan shares his profound insights into the intricate relationship between these factors, drawing from his extensive experience in caring for vulnerable populations. We delve into the repercussions of removing individuals from opioid medications while they grapple with unmanageable, intractable pain, shedding light on the multifaceted challenges faced by both patients and healthcare professionals.From personal anecdotes to evidence-based research, Stefan navigates the nuances of this pressing issue with compassion and expertise. His dedication to understanding the deep-rooted stories behind statistical data underscores the importance of listening to individual experiences in shaping effective healthcare policies and interventions.Join us on this enlightening journey as we explore the intersections of pain, addiction, and suicide, seeking pathways to support and hope for those navigating these complex dynamics. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/pain-opioids-addiction-and-suicide-129
In this episode of Hope Illuminated, I am joined by Major General Greg Martin of the US Army, who bravely shares his journey with bipolar disorder. From experiencing the exhilarating highs that fueled his success in the military, academia, and marathon running, to facing the devastating lows that nearly destroyed him, Greg offers a compelling narrative about the complexities of mental health. Our discussion highlights the human side of leadership, revealing how mental health challenges can affect anyone, regardless of rank or achievement. for mor information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/the-bipolar-general-resilience-and-recovery-128
In this episode of Hope Illuminated, I am joined by Simon Tyler for a deeply insightful conversation. Together, we dive into the complex relationship between masculinity, mental health, and suicide prevention. Simon bravely shares his personal journey, reflecting on the impact of losing father figures to suicide and his own struggles with mental health. Through his experiences in male-dominated environments like the construction industry and Australian Football, Simon sheds light on the critical need for tailored support for men facing mental health challenges.Throughout our conversation, Simon emphasizes the pivotal role of lived experience in shaping understanding and interventions in mental health. His journey drives his commitment to supporting others and fostering meaningful change.Listeners are invited to explore the nuances of masculinity, mental health, and suicide prevention as Simon discussed his important research. Through a mixed methods approach, Simon uncovers the complexities of suicide risk within the construction industry. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast
Explore the transformative power of compassion and connection in suicide prevention with Shannon Parkin's research and insights in this compelling episode of Hope Illuminated podcast.For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/how-faith-communities-can-best-support-people-impacted-by-suicide-127
In this episode of Hope Illuminated, I am joined by Simon Tyler for a deeply insightful conversation. Together, we dive into the complex relationship between masculinity, mental health, and suicide prevention. Simon bravely shares his personal journey, reflecting on the impact of losing father figures to suicide and his own struggles with mental health. Through his experiences in male-dominated environments like the construction industry and Australian Football, Simon sheds light on the critical need for tailored support for men facing mental health challenges. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast
In this inspiring episode of the Hope Illuminated podcast, Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas engages in a deeply insightful conversation with Bianca McCall, a retired professional athlete and passionate advocate for leveraging technology to enhance mental health care accessibility. Bianca shares her personal journey of overcoming challenges, including childhood trauma and the intense pressures faced as an elite athlete, shedding light on the unique mental health struggles experienced within high-performance environments.Throughout the episode, Bianca emphasizes the urgent need to break down barriers to mental health support, particularly within marginalized communities. Drawing from her own experiences and professional endeavors, she explores the transformative potential of technology-driven solutions in providing timely and culturally sensitive mental health resources. Bianca’s dedication to fostering self-discovery and peer support emerges as a central theme, underscoring the importance of empowering individuals to connect with their inner selves and build resilient communities of support.Bianca’s innovative approach to utilizing technology as a tool for healing and connection shines through as she discusses the development of the Reach In Now app, which aims to provide real-time peer support and resources to individuals in need. Listeners are invited on a journey of reflection and action, prompted to consider their own relationships with technology, self-discovery, and community support. The episode encourages listeners to engage in courageous conversations, challenge societal norms, and advocate for inclusive, compassionate approaches to mental health care. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/technology-for-mental-health-equity-bianca-mccall
The intimate connection between the mind and body cannot be overstated, and nurturing this relationship can lead to profound healing. The remarkable interplay between our mental and physical states is especially highlighted through yoga practices, with an emphasis on breath work and mindfulness, it’s been shown to soothe the nervous system, offering healing for those suffering with trauma.In this episode of Hope Illuminated, I am honored to be joined by Dr. Jessa Navidé, as we delve into the profound intersection of trauma and healing through body-centered practices. Jessa shares her powerful personal journey, navigating through struggles with suicidal ideation and attempts, ultimately finding solace and transformation through trauma-sensitive yoga.Trauma-sensitive yoga serves as a powerful tool in regulating the nervous system and reclaiming our sense of self. Jessa's odyssey began at age six, grappling with suicidal ideation, and her discovery of Ashtanga yoga became a transformative tool for profound healing. Through her experiences, she illuminates the power of body awareness, the gentle art of befriending the body, and the empowerment gained in the journey toward wholeness.As both a mental health provider and someone who has walked through the shadows of suicidal intensity, Jessa underscores the importance of incorporating lived experiences and trauma-sensitive approaches in therapeutic settings. Together, we explore the scientific underpinnings of trauma-sensitive yoga and its remarkable efficacy in facilitating healing for trauma survivors.Too often, the trauma stemming from suicide attempts is shrouded in stigma and overlooked. However, by embracing body-centered methodologies, we unearth a path to healing and empowerment. Join us as we shed light on the transformative potential of trauma-sensitive practices, and pave the way toward a future filled with healing and resilience For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/trauma-sensitive-yoga-with-dr-jessa-navid
Each year, the sobering statistics remind us of the heartbreaking reality: autistic individuals are six times more likely to die by suicide than their non-autistic counterparts.In our latest episode, we delve into a conversation with the author of "Find Him Among the Living," a poignant memoir by Dr. Jessica Revill. Through her deeply personal account of her son Gregory Chew's life and tragic loss to suicide, Dr. Revill sheds light on the urgent need to address the disproportionate number of suicides within the autistic community.Autism, a developmental condition impacting communication and sensory processing, often intersects with mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression. Shockingly, 90% of autistic individuals who die by suicide have a diagnosed mental health disorder, compared to 40% in the non-autistic population.Central to understanding the struggles faced by autistic individuals is Dr. Thomas Joiner’s concept of 'thwarted belonging' and the profound impact of social isolation. The relentless effort to camouflage or mask natural behaviors in a world that often fails to accept them creates an overwhelming sense of alienation and exhaustion.To grasp the daily challenges faced by autistic individuals, consider being thrust into a world where communication is radically different. Imagine the laborious task of deciphering emotional cues akin to a foreign language, leading to burnout and a desire to withdraw from society. This is the reality for many autistic individuals.Despite these daunting obstacles, Dr. Revill advocates for actionable solutions. From specialized suicide prevention programs tailored to the autistic community to enhanced support during the transition from high school to adulthood, there's an urgent need for systemic change. Additionally, greater awareness of ableist prejudice and improved training for medical professionals are crucial steps toward fostering inclusivity and understanding.Join us as we navigate these critical issues, striving to create a world where every individual, regardless of neurodiversity, feels seen, supported, and valued. Tune in to my conversation with Dr. Revill and visit her website for further insights and resources on suicide prevention and autism advocacy.About Dr. Jessica Revill
Dr. Jessica Revill, an Australian psychologist, embarked on a unique professional journey that began in journalism and culminated in the field of psychology. As a mature age student, she pursued her passion, earning a master's degree from California State University, Los Angeles, and later a PhD in educational psychology from UCLA.Driven by a deep commitment to mental health advocacy, Dr. Revill hosts a video podcast titled "Prisoner of the Mind with Dr. Jessica Revill," where she explores various aspects of mental well-being. Following the tragic loss of her son Gregory, she redirected her clinical focus towards suicide prevention, a cause that has become deeply personal to her.Residing in western Sydney, Dr. Revill continues her dedicated work in the field of psychology, striving to make a meaningful impact in the lives of individuals struggling with mental health challenges. To learn more about Dr. Jessica Revill or to connect with her, please visit her website at www.prisonerofthemind.com.au.
for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/123
Sarah Gaer, my soul sister on a mission, has been talking about “soul exhaustion” and its connection to suicide and poor mental health and about “soul care” as a pathway to healing. Our research on people’s perception of “the soul” revealed that many people think about their soul as “the essence of who we are and that things that happen to us can wear down this essence until we feel so lost and isolated our “soul” loses the energy to go on. In this interview, I speak with David Galvan, a faith leader, and mental health advocate intent on building “soul safe spaces” where we live and work. David shares with us insights from his work in bridging the silos of mental health and faith. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/122
For many mental health providers clinical training around suicide — if we received any at all — was rooted in fear and was focused on trying to mitigate risk for the clinician rather than on how to help the person in despair. In this podcast, I interview Dr. David Jobes, a clinician-researcher who has dedicated his life’s work to finding an evidence-based approach to helping people through their suicidal suffering. Here we discuss the capstone edition in his three-book series that helps clients find their way back to a passion for living. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/121
In a world where societal pressures and media influence often focus on women's body image, it's crucial to shed light on a less-discussed but equally pressing issue: men, body image, and eating disorders. Research on men's culture and body image reveals a complex interplay of factors influencing how men perceive and engage with their bodies. Societal expectations, media representations, and peer influences play significant roles in shaping men's body image ideals.
For instance, many men experience muscular dysmorphia, a condition where individuals obsessively pursue extreme muscle growth, often to the detriment of their mental and physical health. This topic was the focus of my doctoral research where I found that steroid-using, body-building men often had similar psychological challenges as women living with anorexia.
Understanding this evolving landscape is crucial in addressing men's body image issues and promoting a healthier, more inclusive perspective on masculinity and self-worth. By understanding these challenges, men’s health advocates hope to foster greater awareness, empathy, and support for men facing these issues.
In this episode, I interview Ross Sonnenblick about his doctoral research, his desire to help others, and his lived experience with body image challenges.For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/120
“Kenergy” is all the rage. Why? Because men are ready to modernize masculinity. If you’ve watched the movie “Barbie” released this week, you may understand that Kenergy can be understood as a positive framing of masculinity, which challenges toxic portrayals of traditional male traits. The term draws inspiration from the character Ken, who plays a supportive role in his relationship with Barbie. Ken’s character stands in contrast to conventional gender norms that expect men to be dominant and stoic, and to avoid embracing traits perceived as "weak." Ken's role as a supportive partner for Barbie illustrates a deviation from stereotypical gender expectations, wherein men are often expected to take on dominant roles in relationships. The concept of “Kenergy” suggests that breaking free from these rigid gender scripts can lead to a more genuine expression of masculinity, and ultimately more happiness for men. Masculinity has long been associated with stoicism, patriarchy, and self-reliance, but these traditional norms have proven detrimental to men's mental health. Higher rates of suicide, lower rates of help-seeking, and increased substance use and violence among men highlight the urgency for change. In his book "Man Kind: Tools for Mental Health, Well-Being, and Modernizing Masculinity," counseling psychologist Dr. Zachary Gerdes presents a transformative framework to help men foster collaboration, embrace vulnerability, and build mental resilience. By challenging outdated concepts of masculinity, Gerdes offers a path toward improved mental health and well-being for men. Societal expectations that encourage men to suppress emotions and avoid seeking help exacerbate men’s mental health challenges.
In this podcast, Dr. Gerdes covers the LIFT model of helping men modernize ideas about masculinity and live happier lives. For moe on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/119
Many of us bereaved by suicide find ourselves as Frank Campbell describes in a “Canyon of Why”. Our world assumptions are shattered.What happens to a family with multiple losses by suicide?
In this interview I speak to Juliet Patterson, a poet and the author of the book “Sinkhole: A Legacy of Suicide.” Juliet grew up in the shadows of multiple family members deaths by suicide and wondered too — “Will I die this way?” Instead, she has come to find poetry and other forms of storytelling are helping her make meaning.
About Juliet Patterson
Juliet Patterson is the author of Sinkhole: A Legacy of Suicide (Milkweed Editions, September 2022) and two full-length poetry collections, Threnody, (Nightboat Books 2016), a finalist for the 2017 Audre Lorde Poetry Award, and The Truant Lover, (Nightboat Books, 2006), winner of the Nightboat Poetry Prize and a finalist for the 2006 Lambda Literary Award. A recipient of a Arts & Letters Susan Atefat Prize in non-fiction, and a Lynda Hull Memorial Poetry Prize, she has also been awarded fellowships from the Jerome Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board, and the Minneapolis-based Creative Community Leadership Institute (formerly the Institute for Community and Creative Development). She teaches creative writing and literature at St. Olaf College and is also a faculty member of the college’s Environmental Conversations program. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/118
Sara Easterly, the author of “Searching for Mom” once said “I entered a long period of death ideation in adolescence when I began wondering about my birth mother almost constantly. The losses due to adoption began to feel overwhelming, but it didn’t feel like there was room to grieve.”According to a research study published by the journal of Pediatrics, adoptees are four time more likely to report a suicide attempt than non-adoptees and Lina Vanegas, our podcast guest, has some ideas of why this is so including:* the trauma of separation from the birth family * the lack of medical history, which may give insights to health and mental health vulnerabilities * racism when adoption is transnational or transracial * isolation from the cultural community of origin * microagressions from others about how grateful an adopted person should be
About Lina Vanegas
Lina Vanegas is a national speaker, trainer and presenter on mental health, trauma, adoption and suicide. she is also an MSW, suicide loss survivor and lived experience expert and advocate. She is also a co-host of the podcast, Rescripting The Narrative. She has been featured on NPR, multiple panels and podcasts. Her English Bulldog McQueen has an Instagram account.
For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/117
Most workplaces agree that having a mental health program of some kind is good for their workers, and in turn good for their mission; however, most don’t know what to do besides get the benefit of an Employee Assistance Program. In this special extended episode, I speak with my right hand woman Dr. Jodi Jacobson Frey. Jodi and I co-chair the Workplace Suicide Prevention and Postvention Committee and have collaborated for almost 15 years on how best to support workplaces in developing a robust worker well-being culture. In this episode, Jodi covers these three takeaways:
1. Take a good organizational look in the mirror
2. Don’t just check a box
3. Back it up — bring your plans to life
About Dr. Jodi Jacobson Frey
Jodi Jacobson Frey, PhD, LCSW-C, CEAP is a Full Professor with tenure and Associate Dean for Research at the University of Maryland, School of Social Work. Dr. Frey chairs the Social Work in the Workplace & Employee Assistance Sub-specialization (formerly EAP Sub-specialization) is the Founder and Faculty Executive Director of the recently launched Behavioral Health and Well-Being Lab (BHWell Lab). Between 2011-2022, she chaired the Financial Social Work Initiative and remains active as a member of the Steering Committee. Her MSW and PhD degrees were earned from the University of Maryland. She is also co-Chair of the University of Maryland Mental Health and Addiction Health Disparities Think Tank at the School of Medicine.Frey’s research focuses on workplace behavioral health, including the impact of employee mental health and well-being, and substance use on productivity and safety. She studies the effectiveness of employee assistance, work/life, and related programs for working-aged adults and families. She has dedicated a significant portion of her research and advocacy work to suicide prevention, mental health, substance use and recovery and the intersection with the workplace with attention to social determinants of health and well-being.Frey co-chairs the Workplace Suicide Prevention and Postvention Committee where she is contributing as a leader in the development and dissemination of the National Guidelines for Workplace Suicide Prevention. She is past chair of EAPA’s Subcommittee on Workplace Disaster Preparedness and Response. In 2006, Dr. Frey was the recipient of the EAPA President’s Award for Excellence, recognizing her work on this committee. Prior to joining academia full-time, Dr. Frey provided workplace mental health and EAP services to NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, where she was recognized with several awards for her service to employees and family members. She continues to fuel her passion for workplace behavioral health and support for working families through her research, teaching and service to the social work profession.Recent refereed articles have been published in JAMA, American Journal of Addictions, Social Work, Journal of Career Development, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Research on Social Work Practice, and Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. Dr. Frey regularly presents her research at national and international conferences. She is the Co-Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health. Dr. Frey also co-founded the International Employee Assistance Digital Archive, housed at the University of Maryland, and which was awarded the Best Use of Technology in the Employee Assistance Field by the Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) in 2019. Dr. Frey was recently awarded Educator of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers, Maryland. Jodi loves to do karaoke. Mostly she loves the ability to work to overcome her personal fear and anxiety of getting up in front a room full of strangers and signing her heart out, even if she is off key or off tempo.
For more informationon this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/13
TRIGGER WARNING! This episode shares details of a child’s experiences with domestic violence and suicide and may be activating for some listeners.
The research on ”Adverse Childhood Experiences” is clear — The CDC Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study has identified ten types of childhood trauma that can affect people later in life. Five types of trauma are personal, such as physical abuse or neglect, while the other five are related to family members, such as having a parent who is an alcoholic or experiencing the divorce of parents. Each type of trauma counts as one, so someone who has experienced physical abuse, has one alcoholic parent, and a mother who was a survivor of domestic violence has an ACE score of three.The study revealed a strong link between childhood trauma and chronic diseases that people develop as adults, such as heart disease, lung cancer, and diabetes. It also showed a link to social and emotional problems such as depression, violence, and suicide.
In this episode I speak with the amazing Corey Jones. Corey’s childhood and adolescent journey through trauma is heartbreaking, and his perseverance and ability to turn pain into purpose is inspirational. He breaks the shackles to his past by appreciating this is his life to live.
For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/116
Anyone who has been a teacher knows the work is hard, and at the same time — when work is working well — immensely rewarding. The work can be purposeful and filled with close relationships a vibrant communities. No one enters the teaching profession to become rich and famous — they enter for the difference they will make.And yet, our nation is facing a mental health crisis among our educators; one of burnout and demoralization. Many are operating in survival mode due to complete emotional exhaustion. The stressors they face are significant:* Safety concerns related to mass school shootings and drug use * Funding deficits * Labor shortage * Meeting escalating physical and emotional needs of students * Unrealistic expectations from districts and parents * Just to name a few…
Teachers’ well-being is something most communities overlook in their intention to always put students first. In this episode I speak with two school psychologists who express grave concern about educators’ psychological health and safety — and also make concrete suggestions on what we can do to help them. For more information go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/115
I’ve lost two people close to me to suicide. In both situations, I saw the signs. We talked about their thoughts of suicide. They got help. And in both cases, their pain and suffering became too much. While I think the survivor guilt is always there — the “if only” thoughts that linger — I have mostly come to peace with my role in trying to support them. Sometimes despite all of our best efforts and resources, we might still lose people to addiction, overdose and suicide.We often hold mental health professionals to the unrealistic standard of saving everyone. We don’t have this expectation for our oncologists or cardiologists. We expect them to do the very best job they can based on the very best science and tools that exist. And, while deaths from heart disease and cancer are very tragic, we often give grace and even gratitude to our loved ones’ care providers in these areas.In this episode, I speak with fellow psychologist, Dr. Dan Reidenberg about his experience losing a friend and board member to suicide. We lift up a call to action to the mental health community to expand the conversation on how suicide loss impacts those of us in the field of suicide prevention.
About Dr. Dan ReidenbergDr. Dan Reidenberg is the Executive Director of SAVE.org, Managing Director of the National Council for Suicide Prevention and is a Special Advisor to the International Association for Suicide Prevention. He is a Certified Psychological Autopsy Investigator and serves on several national and international editorial boards. Dr. Reidenberg worked on inpatient psychiatric units for adolescents and adults in hospitals in addition to having a private practice. He has presented to over 350,000 people around the world, has written more than 55 articles and 4 book chapters and was one of the lead authors of the US National Strategy for the Prevention of Suicide. He developed an evidence-based program for schools and works with the leading technology companies on mental health related tools and apps. He wrote the US Best Practices for Media Reporting on Suicide and for Media Reporting on Mass Shootings, created the only online peer support program for suicide, a leading program for the construction industry called IBEAM as well as One Step Ahead – a comprehensive model work place suicide prevention program. He has conducted training for some of the nation’s top 100 companies, at The White House, The Pentagon and created suicide prevention guides for law enforcement and their families. for more information go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/114
How meaningful that this episode was recorded during the 18th anniversary of by brother Carson’s death by suicide. His expressed legacy was to help youth thrive and this episode is dedicated to empowering youth to help lead innovative approaches in suicide prevention.
The Liv Project, is a non-profit organization founded by the mother and sister of Olivia Ann Kunik, a 19 year old and shining light who died by suicide on January 19th, 2018. In honor of her life, the Liv Project strives to turn the tide of youth suicide through creative approaches such as:* Their film “My Sister Liv”
* Their “Game that Goes There”
* And their fashion line.
Well-meaning caring adults who want to support youth, don’t always get this right. Sometimes they think their main role is about teaching and protecting, when what is often more impactful is EMPOWERMENT. In other words, let the youth lead. They know their challenges and strengths best. When youth take charge, the outcome is far more likely to gain momentum with their peers.The founders of the Liv Project understand this, and have enrolled countless youth advisors and ambassadors to lead the cause. By employing the creativity and passion of young people and collaborating with mental health professionals, they are able to reach their audiences effectively and with confidence. For more informtion on this epidode please visit https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/113
About Mike Cotayo
Mike knows how to handle difficult people because he was one! Surviving a traumatic brain injury, he overcame his own addiction to drugs. He then went on to devote over 20 years of his professional life as a clinical social worker servicing the needs of the mentally ill and chemically addicted. As an expert in treating patients with borderline personalities, he has delivered keynotes internationally, including speaking at the European Association of Gestalt Therapy in Sicily. Besides his career as a clinical social worker, Mike has also achieved acclaim as a stand up comedian where he discovered the power of humor to heal. He has headlined at The Laugh Factory in New York City, as well as Binghamton University, Columbia University and Kansas State University. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/112
I took a pause.
Sometimes life forces you to pause. In this episode, I talk about why I took this four month break from the podcast and what I have learned. Life threw a couple of challenges and transitions that I needed to be present for, and gave me an opportunity to recover, to create space so I could reflect and learn by asking myself key discernment questions:
·What do I need to refuel the tank?
What am I learning in this moment? What am I avoiding? How would I like to grow?
When it comes to the work…What is missing? How can I help fill the gaps? Build bridges?
So all of this reflection got me to look at the horizon of where I want my career and this podcast to go — and then build that intentional strategy to get there! My goal is to continue to lift up new and needed voices in the fields of suicide prevention, mental health promotion and resilience and to highlight emerging and promising new practices. AND to this end, I will be launching a new shorter-form podcast specifically for workplaces called “Headspace for the Workplace.”
Hope Illuminated: Long-form (45-60 minutes) podcast centering on collaboration, social justice, lived experience and innovation will launch one new episode a month.
Headspace for the Workplace: Shorter-form (15-30 minutes) will focus on the following:
Future-proofing your workplace by ensuring it is human-friendly
Tactics for a holistic approach to human-centered work families
And, of course – well-being, mental health promotion and suicide prevention – at work
Show Notes
“I’m a psychologist – and I believe we’ve been told devastating lies about mental health”
The Guardian article by Sanah Ahsan
In this “Part 2” episode, he talks about his work helping the energy sector develop a comprehensive mental health promotion and suicide prevention strategy — through the lens of his lived expertise.
In the previous “Part 1” episode James Hill shared his story of surviving suicidal intensity and becoming a national change agent for workplace wellbeing.
About James Hill
James Hill is a passionate Mental Health Advocate, by using his own lived experience and education he has influenced positive change regarding mental ill-health and suicide prevention in both the workplace and broader community. His background was in the electricity industry before he changed his life direction to follow his passion, developing and successfully implementing a workplace Mental Health Advocate role. He is also a public speaker for a mental health charity and Ambassador for the Australian and New Zealand Mental Health Association.
His achievements in the mental health sector have earned him the Individual Contribution to Mental Health Award in Queensland Australia, along with the Large Workplace Mental Health Award. In addition, he was a finalist in the LiFE Suicide Prevention Awards and a Finalist for the Queensland Local Hero category in the Australian of the Year awards.
About James Hill
James Hill is a passionate Mental Health Advocate, by using his own lived experience and education he has influenced positive change regarding mental ill-health and suicide prevention in both the workplace and broader community. His background was in the electricity industry before he changed his life direction to follow his passion, developing and successfully implementing a workplace Mental Health Advocate role. He is also a public speaker for a mental health charity and Ambassador for the Australian and New Zealand Mental Health Association.
His achievements in the mental health sector have earned him the Individual Contribution to Mental Health Award in Queensland Australia, along with the Large Workplace Mental Health Award. In addition, he was a finalist in the LiFE Suicide Prevention Awards and a Finalist for the Queensland Local Hero category in the Australian of the Year awards.
Did you know?
More than half of all adults know someone who has fought suicidal intensity (Harris Poll). When it comes to caregiving - suicide is different. Ample research about caregiving stress exists, but often this is underestimated when the caregiving role is about suicide. Thus, there is a gap in awareness, support and resources.
Our guest, Johanna Louie and her co-founder Daniela Zanich sought to fill that gap with www.SuicideIsDifferent.org — free digital resources that put the needs of the caregiver at the center of the conversation.
About Johanna Louie
Johanna Louie is a licensed social worker passionate about caring for caregivers. She holds Master’s Degrees in Social Work from Columbia University and Applied Psychology from the University of Southern California. In 9+ years of working in suicide prevention, she has served in roles like crisis line manager and mental health therapist, and directed clinical training programs. In 2018, she co-founded Suicide Is Different with Daniela Zanich which aimed to address gaps in resources for caregivers who are supporting someone experiencing suicidal thoughts. To date, Suicide Is Different's online modules have been used by over 18k people in 15+ countries. For more information on this episode go to
https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/108
We all have multiple identity markers that make us uniquely us and that shape our lives and experiences. When it comes to understanding our experiences with mental health, appreciating these influences helps us better understand our strengths in well-being, our disparities in exposure to harm, and differences in barriers to and opportunities for support. When we see mental health in this context, new frameworks and needs emerge:
Intersectionality is an identity strength rather than being an “other” or “not being enough” of one identity
Representation in and accessibility to mental health services and supports matter greatly>
Exploration and self-investigation into identity is often key to personal and community resilience.
When people identify as “bi” (e.g., biracial, bisexual) or “multi” or are moving in between identities (e.g., immigrants, refugees, gender transitioning) can also have unique challenges and opportunities to well-being. When they sometimes find themselves in a “betwixt/between” state, they find they are not fully embraced by one identity or even rejected outright. This experience of disconnection can cause distress.
In this podcast, Emily Unity invites us to sit in the in between and get comfortable being uncomfortable.
About Emily Unity
Emily Unity (she/they) is a mental health professional, software developer, and multidisciplinary creative. They are also a queer, culturally diverse, and neurodiverse young person. Emily endeavors to use both their professional and lived experience to help design a world for all people, regardless of background, identity, or neurodiversity.
https://www.emilyunity.com/
https://www.emilyunity.com/mentalhealth
For More information on this episode please visit https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/107
Mental Health, Social Justice, Suicide Grief, Suicide Prevention, Well-Being
People who live with disabilities (e.g., physical, intellectual, mental health and neuro-divergent) often face a range of social and economic adversaries including discrimination and prejudice that impacts their ability to work, get educated, and live in safe homes and communities. These disadvantages consequently impact the mental health and well-being of this diverse community. In this episode I interview two international leaders in the conversation on suicide prevention among people living with disabilities. Sheryl Boswell, from Toronto, is the Director of Youth Mental Health Canada and Lisa Morgan is the Co-Chair of the Autism and Suicide committee of the American Association of Suicidology.
MILNER ET AL (2019) THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISABILITY AND SUICIDE
Mental health speaker, suicide prevention speaker
About Sheryl Boswell
Sheryl Boswell is an educator, teaching elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and adult education students in Canada and Africa. She is the Director of Youth Mental Health Canada, a charitable nonprofit organization focused on youth, family, and community engagement for mental health education, support, advocacy, and change. She is a suicide loss survivor who has contributed to provincial and national change in education to support students with mental health disabilities.
About Lisa Morgan
Mental health speaker, suicide prevention speaker
Lisa Morgan (she/her/hers) is a self-advocate and consultant in crisis support and suicide prevention for autistic people. Lisa is founder and co-chair of the Autism and Suicide committee of the American Association of Suicidology. She is a community council member of AASET (Autistic Adults and other Stakeholders Engaged Together). Lisa has a master’s degree in the Art of Teaching and is a board certified autism specialist. She is a peer reviewer of the online journal, Autism in Adulthood, feature writer of the online magazine, Spectrum Women, and the author of several books about crisis supports for autistic people. Lisa owns Lisa Morgan Consulting LLC at www.autismcrisissupport.com. For more information about this episode please go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/106
Burnout - Causes and Cures
Burnout is costly to employers in several ways:
Employee turnover
Increased risk of worker injury or error
Deteriorating culture as energy becomes misdirected toward scapegoating
Contrary to conventional wisdom, burnout is not solely related to workload, it’s also related to feeling like “a cog in a machine.” When an unsustainable workload becomes even more stressful due to a lack of clarity, lack of control and an effort-reward imbalance, relationships become strained and people become siloed.
According to leading researchers, burnout is identified when three psychological states exist:
High levels of cynicism: an indifference, negative perspective
High levels of exhaustion: emotional, spiritual and physical
Low levels of professional efficacy: the belief in ones ability to make a difference.
Burnout can creep into a workplace and worsen over time. It often starts with an erosion of engagement. Work shifts from important, interesting and meaningful to exhausting. Next comes the erosion of emotions, where cynicism, anger, anxiety and depression start to surface. Finally, burned out workers comes to experience a mismatch between themselves and the organization. They lose faith that the organization has their best interests at heart.
In this episode, I have a delightful conversation with Susan Farese, RN - a healthcare worker and mentor, a Veteran, a poet and photographer and the owner of PR firm “SJF Communications.” We talk about how burnout is taking its toll on our healthcare teams, and how she uses poetry, among other tools to cope.
About Susan Farese
Susan J. Farese, MSN, RN, a native of New Jersey, is the owner/ president of SJF Communications, San Diego, CA.
SJF Communications, originally established in 2002 in San Jose, CA, provides communications services including Public Relations, Publicity, Marketing, Websites, Filmmaking, Acting, Social Media, Writing and Public Speaking, Photography, Mentoring, Coaching and Legal Nurse Consulting services.
Ms. Farese has diversified experience in health care/communications, including clinical nursing practice, management, education/training, research and consulting.
She has a Masters Degree in Nursing in Adult Health from Seton Hall University (NJ) and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Widener University (PA).
Susan has presented numerous continuing education classes, seminars, and keynotes. Susan is the author of the book Poetic Expressions in Nursing…Sharing the Caring (1993 and 2021), currently teaches ‘Capturing Your Creativity with Haiku’ workshops and has published poetry and articles on a variety of topics.
In addition to her being on the advisory board of San Diego Film Week, Susan is a member of SAG-AFTRA, American Legion Post 43, Veterans in Media & Entertainment, San Diego Writers Ink the San Diego Press Club, the Southern California Writers Association, and the Army Nurse Corps Association.
Since 2017, Susan has been a Volunteer Mentor in the San Diego State University Aztec Mentor Program. For more information on this episode please go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/105
What do we mean by “disenfranchised grief.” It’s when your experience of grief is different than the general cultural attitudes about “justified” pain regarding death and loss or “acceptable” mourning practices. Being out of “the norm” in your grief experience often tend to exacerbate the pain as people can feel very alone.
In this conversation, Candace Opper talks about her experience losing a childhood acquaintance to suicide and how this event stayed with her for decades.
About Candace Opper
Suicide Prevention, Mental Health, Keynote Speaker, Depression, resilience, burnout, grief, psychological safety, training, strategy
Candace Jane Opper is a writer, a mother, and a visual artist. She is the author of Certain and Impossible Events, an investigative memoir about the lasting impact of adolescent suicide, selected by Cheryl Strayed for the Kore Press Memoir Award. Her writing has appeared in Guernica, Longreads, Narratively, Literary Hub, Brevity, Creative Nonfiction, Bright Wall/Dark Room, and Vestoj, among others. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Portland State University and is the recipient of a Creative Nonfiction Fellowship. She grew up in the woods of Southern Connecticut and now lives in Pittsburgh with her husband and son.
Where were you on April 20th, 1999?
Many of us watched in horror that day as the news unfolded about of the Columbine School shootings. At the time I was working for a police psychology private practice about two miles from Columbine. What many don’t know about me is that before my brother died, my area of expertise was violence prevention because of this tragedy and our group’s response. My mentor Dr. John Nicoletti, I and others subsequently published two books:
Violence Goes to School
Violence Goes to College
After Carson died by suicide in 2004, I distanced myself from this work as the general public’s connection between mental health conditions and community violence was one I did not want to reinforce.
When I met Faith Kohler, however, the conversations about violence prevention, specifically workplace violence prevention resumed. In this conversation Faith Kohler talk about a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to mitigating and preventing workplace violence and our belief that trust and psychological safety are essential in any effective process.
About Faith Kohler, JD
Faith Kohler, J.D. is a licensed attorney and former federal agent with vast experience in risk and harm prevention. Throughout her law enforcement and private sector career Faith received national recognition for the creation of innovative, prevention-focused programs. The organizations she served include the U.S. Postal Service as well as cross-industry Fortune 500 companies. Her work enables organizations to address risk and build safer workplace culture using a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach. Her program architecture factors in enhanced employee experience, from physical to psychological safety; interventional response; improved collaboration between departments that reduces organizational and human risk; improved organizational mindset and employees behaviors for a safer, more preventive workplace culture.
Faith is a mom to three grown sons and a feisty Jack Russell Terrier. She is also a published author, visual artist and social practice filmmaker. A frequent panelist and speaker on issues related to homelessness, violence prevention and other critical social issues, Faith uses her art as a platform to spark community conversations and change. She holds a B.A. from Wellesley College and a J.D. from Marquette University Law School. When not traveling she divides her time between Miami, FL and Milwaukee, WI.
Faith Kohler’s Violence Prevention Website: http://www.faithkohler.us/
Faith Kohler’s artwork: https://www.faithkohlerartist.com/
Did you know “adverse childhood experiences” (otherwise known as “ACEs”), are connected to later life suicide. According to the CDC, the following potentially traumatic childhood experiences are connected to many life threatening health risks:
experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect
witnessing violence in the home or community
having a family member attempt or die by suicide
substance use problems
mental health problems
instability due to parental separation
household members being in jail or prison
About 61% of adults surveyed have experienced at least one type of ACE. The more ACEs a child experiences, the more likely they will have later life consequences like “injury, sexually transmitted infections, maternal and child health problems (including teen pregnancy, pregnancy complications, and fetal death), involvement in sex trafficking, and a wide range of chronic diseases and leading causes of death such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and suicide.” ACEs are what are known as “social determinants of health” and cause toxic stress in young people that impact their ability to pay attention, make decisions and form stable relationships.
The Good News
The strongest buffer for kids is a relationship with at least one loving, caring, responsive adult - a family member, a teacher, a coach, a mentor.
Having a source of reliable nurturing protects them from further harm and helps them develop self-regulation skills. In addition a healthy child-adult relationship gives them a sense of safety in the storm and a glimmer of hope for things to come.
In this episode I speak with Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Kimberly O’Brien about how our youth can feel “emotionally naked” and how caring adults can help provide does of support that fuel resilience and self-esteem, and ultimately prevent suicide.
About Kimberly Hayes McManama O’Brien, Ph.D., LICSW
Kimberly O’Brien, PhD, LICSW is a Clinical Social Worker in the Sports Medicine Division and Female Athlete Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, as well as a Research Scientist and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
She is also the co-author of Emotionally Naked: A Teacher's Guide to Preventing Suicide and Recognizing Students at Risk with Anne Moss Rogers.
Her research focuses on the development and testing of brief interventions for suicidal adolescents with and without substance use and their families, with an additional specialization on interventions which utilize technology. She has co-authored over 50 articles and book chapters related to adolescent suicide, substance use, and mental health, and was awarded the Young Investigator Research Award from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in 2019.
She recently started her own private mental health practice, Unlimited Resilience, LLC, which was designed for athletes by athletes.
For more information on this episode go tp https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/102
Did you know?
9 our of 10 employers are investing more in mental health benefits than they ever have before (source: https://www.aihr.com/blog/workplace-wellness-trends/).
Concerns about burnout, employee churn, and psychological emergencies have led workplaces to developing a more comprehensive and proactive mental health and suicide prevention strategy.
Benefits like coaching, tele-mental health, personalized wellness plans and stress management tools are becoming increasingly popular for large employers.
In addition, workplaces are starting to shift away from reactive, downstream approaches to more proactive prevention. They are focusing on building caring cultures and psychological safety and they are connecting the dots between DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) work and mental health.
In this conversation, I speak with Mike Veny, a man who has been living these connections and is now training workplaces on how best to support their workers.
For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/101
For this milestone episode of the “Hope Illuminated” podcast, I wanted to celebrate a hero to many of us: Dr. Allison Milner. Allison was a fierce and mighty leader whose work in suicide prevention and social justice was shifting the world’s views when she died tragically in an accident on April 12, 2019. In this episode Professor Tony LaMontagne and I share stories about her global impact in the areas of:
Workplace suicide
Unemployment and mental health
Psychosocial job hazards
Interventions that help people live through suicidal intensity
Socio-economic determinants of suicide
Women in research
People with disabilities and social justice
Indigenous people and social justice
About Allison Milner, Ph.D.
IN MEMORIUM IASP
ALLISON MILNER OBITUARY
Allison IASP Malaysia group.
The Lancet article on Dr. Milner: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)32228-7/fulltext
Allison Milner publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=SHXA7QIAAAAJ&hl=en
About Professor Tony LaMontagne
Professor Tony LaMontagne’s career has been dedicated to developing the scientific and public understanding of work as a social determinant of health, and translating this research into policy and practice to improve workplace and worker health. Specific areas of interest include workplace mental health, improving job quality and psychosocial working conditions, and evaluating policy interventions. His research and publications have influenced policy & practice in workplace health both nationally and internationally, including OH&S authorities, Beyond Blue, the (Australian) National Mental Health Commission, the US Occupational Safety & Health Administration, and the World Health Organisation.
He has worked extensively in collaboration with workplace stakeholders from government, industry, and labour. Total career publications include 249 peer-reviewed, 26 book and monograph chapters, 27 major reports, 2 books, and 24 other publications (knowledge translation publications, newspaper opinions pieces, etc.). H-indices are 37 in Scopus, and 52 in Google Scholar. A global analysis of Scopus citation data up to 2019 ranked LaMontagne in the top 1% of authors in the Environmental & Occupational Health field.
Tony LaMontagne publications: https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=GLvCCNMAAAAJ&hl=en
For more infoormation on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/100
Mental health providers — often well-intended and fearful — have made suicide prevention complicated. “Clipboard counseling,” interrogation approaches and highly restrictive interventions have not worked. What if a 5-step, 30-minute intervention made a huge difference? What if we could train peers to help with firearm safety counseling? In this interview I speak with Veteran and psychologist Dr. Craig Bryan about his evidence-based “Crisis Response Planning” intervention:
Personal warning signs: personal indicators of an emerging emotional crisis.
Self-management strategies: simple strategies that can be used to help reduce stress or serve as a distraction.
Reasons for living: things that provide a sense of purpose or meaning in life.
Social support: people who provide support or elevate one's mood during tough times (e.g., friends, family members).
Professional crisis support: contact information for health care providers, crisis hotlines, and emergency services.
Results of a randomized clinical trial indicated that brief cognitive behavioral therapy reduced suicide attempts by 60% as compared to traditional treatment. More recently, a second randomized clinical trial demonstrated that crisis response planning (usually less than 30 minute, stand alone emergency intervention) significantly reduced suicide attempts by 76% among military personnel. About Craig Bryan, Psy.D., ABPP
Dr. Craig Bryan is the Stress, Trauma And Resilience (STAR) Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
As a military veteran (he deployed to Iraq in 2009), he has expertise working with military personnel, veterans and first responders. His military service has had a significant impact on his clinical work and research focus, shaping the questions he asks as a scientist and his understanding of the stresses and problems that his patients experience.
Dr. Bryan conducts research to help military veterans, first responders and other adults who are dealing with mental health issues. A recent randomized clinical trial showed that crisis response planning, significantly reduced suicide attempts by 76% among military personnel as a stand-alone emergency intervention. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/99
Did You Know?
Frequent Cannabis Use by Young People Linked to Decline in IQ
In the time after first trying cannabis or first misusing prescription drugs, the percentages of young people who develop the corresponding substance use disorder are higher among adolescents (ages 12-17) than young adults (ages 18-25). For example, within 12 months since first cannabis use, 10.7% of adolescents had cannabis use disorder versus 6.4% of young adults.
Prenatal cannabis exposure and its correlated factors are associated with greater risk for psychopathology during middle childhood.
The number of fatal vehicle crashes in which drivers tested positive for cannabis more than doubled from 2007 to 2016.
Studies suggest that 9% of people who use marijuana will become dependent on it rising to about 17% in those who start using in their teens.
Experts estimate that between 8% and 13% of all schizophrenia cases are linked to marijuana / cannabis use during teen years.
More: https://johnnysambassadors.org/research/
In this episode, I interview Laura Stack, a well-known “Hall of Fame” speaker for the National Speakers Association. Before November 20, 2019, the speaking topic she was best known for was productivity. After that day, however, her focus shifted. It was on that day, she lost her son Johnny to suicide after he became psychotic from dabbing high-THC concentrates. In this conversation she shares her story, the science behind her work to prevent youth marijuana use, and the strategies she and “Johnny’s Ambassadors” are using to change these concerning trends.
About Laura Stack
Laura-Stack-Headshot-blue.jpeg
Laura Stack was best known in the business world for her professional moniker, The Productivity Pro. Her 30-year career as a keynote speaker, bestselling author of eight productivity books, and corporate spokesperson came to a screeching halt on November 20, 2019, when her 19-year-old son, Johnny, died by suicide after becoming psychotic from dabbing high-THC marijuana concentrates. Laura responded by forming the nonprofit, Johnny’s Ambassadors, to educate parents and teens about the dangers of today’s high-THC marijuana on adolescent brain development, mental illness, and suicide. Her platform now brings education, awareness, and prevention curriculum to parents, drug prevention conferences, community groups, and schools to stop youth marijuana use. She is a powerful speaker who brings Johnny’s personal warning and solid research together in her new book, The Dangerous Truth About Today’s Marijuana: Johnny Stack’s Life and Death Story. Described as a force of nature with unstoppable drive and unwavering purpose, Laura is determined to get teens to #StopDabbing. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/98
Suicide rates for our youth and young adults have been climbing since 2001. The reasons for this trend is complex but experts suggest it is a perfect storm of historical events, easy access to distressing information, an unhealthy screen time to outside and social time ratio, and compromised sleep, among other things. The good news is, young people are extraordinary. They have lower mental health bias, they have a desire to help others, and they will change the word.
In this episode I speak with John MacPhee, Executive Director for The Jed Foundation about his thoughts on best practices for engaging young people and schools in the work of suicide prevention and mental health promotion.
John MacPhee
About John MacPhee
John MacPhee brings 30 years of leadership and management experience from the business and not-for-profit settings to his role at the JED Foundation. Passionate about supporting young adults in their transition to adulthood, John advises several organizations including the S. Jay Levy Fellowship for Future Leaders at City College, Trek Medics, Crisis Text Line, the Health Policy and Management Department at the Mailman School of Public Health, and HIV Hero. Earlier in his career, he served in executive positions for Par Pharmaceutical, Inc. and Forest Laboratories, where he oversaw functions such as business development, alliance management, clinical development, regulatory affairs, sales and marketing. John continues to contribute to the development of novel medications for disorders such as Parkinson’s disease through board roles with Adamas Pharmaceuticals and Blackthorn Therapeutics. In 2016, John received The Allan Rosenfield Alumni Award for Excellence in the field of public health from the Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. He earned a BA from Columbia College, an MBA from New York University and an MPH from Columbia University.
About The Jed Foundation
The Jed Foundation is a 501c3 organization that believes in a comprehensive, public health approach to promoting mental health and preventing suicide. JED’s programs are grounded in our Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention for Colleges and Universities and for High Schools. These evidence-based models can be used to assess efforts currently being made in schools, identifying existing strengths and areas for improvement.
The programs and resources recommended through the JED Higher Education and JED High School programs have been developed with an equitable implementation lens that ensures that the needs of students who are potentially marginalized and/or underserved due to societal and structural inequities and school-specific community demographics are considered deliberately and intentionally. For more information go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/97
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people in many places around the globe, and many countries are seeing increasing rates of suicidal despair among our teens and young adults. How do we develop a more “youth friendly” suicide prevention strategy?
We listen to them and empower them to lead.
Come hear about the incredibly ground breaking work led by A/Prof Jo Robinson at the University of Melbourne in Australia. She is co-designing youth suicide research and prevention programs like “Chat Safe” with youth as her active partners. Their shared mission is to help young people feel better equipped to communicate safely about suicide on-line.
About Jo Robinson
Jo Robinson is an Associate Professor at Orygen, where she leads the suicide prevention research unit, which is regarded as the leading centre of youth suicide research in the world.
A/Prof Robinson’s work focuses on the development, and rigorous testing, of novel interventions that specifically target at risk youth across settings, on evidence synthesis, and on the translation of research evidence into practice and policy. Her work has a strong focus on the potential of social media platforms in suicide prevention. This includes the development of the #chatsafe guidelines, the first evidence-based best practice guidelines for safe peer-peer communication about suicide online, which are now available in 12 countries around the world.
Examples of other current projects include the development of a multi-faceted and systematic approach to youth suicide prevention across north-west Melbourne, the establishment of a self-harm surveillance system in emergency departments across Victoria, and a large-scale school-based study.
A/Prof Robinson also has a keen interest in policy development and evaluation and has led the development of two major policy reports and is regularly called upon to provide advice to both state and federal government. She is a member of the Self-injury Advisory Group for Facebook and was an advisory board member for the Oprah Winfrey production The Me You Can’t See.
She is also an Associate Editor of a leading suicide prevention journal - Suicide and Life Threatening Behaviour and Vice President of the International Association of Suicide Prevention. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/96
Storytellers in suicide prevention have the power to shift culture and change the world in ways other stakeholders are not able to do. Our “voices of insight” have influence and shape others’ understanding on a deep level. People with lived experience seek to stand in solidarity with our research colleagues, policy champions and mental health professionals to embed our deep wisdom in a processes of partnership. In this podcast, I speak with the world renowned Bronwen Edwards, a global authority on the power of lived experience to drive large scale change in suicide prevention. We talk about how we can approach our partners — who may have different values, priorities and points of view — with “compassionate curiosity” so we can “collaborate the big collaboration” (instead of “fight the good fight”).
About Bronwen Edwards
Bronwen is the CEO of Roses in the Ocean, a national lived experience of suicide organisation that has spent the last decade building the capacity of people with lived experience to utilise their voice and insights to inform, influence and enhance suicide prevention, and the capacity of communities, organisations and government to meaningfully engage with them.
Having advocated for non-clinical alternatives to traditional services for many years, Bronwen and Roses in the Ocean also work with communities to co-design new service models including safe spaces, develop and support the critical suicide prevention peer workforce, and continue to drive and support the implementation of system reform.
Bronwen holds a variety of state and national advisory positions, to which she first and foremost brings her personal lived experience of suicide to the table, while also striving to honour the vast perspectives of others she has been privileged to work with and walk alongside over many years.
Bronwen is the Co-Chair of the International Association of Suicide Prevention Special Interest Group: Lived Experience.
Well-being is a current obsession. When you hear this word, what comes to mind? Fitness? Nutrition? Bliss? A sense of belonging? What is often forgotten in these conversations is our spiritual well-being. For some people this means engagement with their religious traditions and faith communities. For others it is about connecting deeply with nature, the arts or social justice. Still for others, it means contemplative spiritual practices that connect us to a higher power. The common theme throughout all of these practices is a journey to understand ourselves in the context of something much larger and mysterious that invites curiosity, stillness, wonderment, reverence and courage.
In this conversation I speak with Kate Eckman, an elite college athlete, broadcast journalist and TV personality and recent author of “The Full Spirit Workout: A Ten-Step System to Shed Your Self-Doubt, Strengthen Your Spiritual Core, and Create a Fun and Fulfilling Life.” We talk about the neuroscience behind our understanding of well-being — and what gets in our way of achieving and maintaining well-being. We discuss the curious versus the anxious brain and the learning versus the judging brain. We explore the questions of “when is enough, enough?” and “who do we really want to be?” We close with specific strategies on how to tip the scales from immobilizing fear to the ability to “stretch the comfort zone” and “build the emotional muscles.”
About Kate Eckman
Kate Eckman is the author of The Full Spirit Workout: A Ten-Step System to Shed Your Self-Doubt, Strengthen Your Spiritual Core, and Create a Fun and Fulfilling Life. She is a broadcast journalist and TV personality who brings her expertise in communications, performance, and mindfulness to her practice as a success coach for business leaders and professional athletes. She earned a B.A. in communications from Penn State University, where she was an Academic All-American swimmer, and received her master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She graduated at the highest level from Columbia University’s executive and organizational coaching program and is a certified ICF coach (ACC) and a licensed NBI consultant. Passionate about mindfulness practices for both brain and body health, she is also a meditation teacher and course creator for Insight Timer, the world’s number one–ranked free meditation app. Visit her online at kateeckman.tv. and www.thefullspiritworkout.com for more information go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/94
In this episode, I interview Dr. Katie Gordon, a clinical psychologist and the author of the recently published book “The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook.” We talk about her H.O.P.E. approach to helping people cope with and learn from suicidal thoughts.
H = Seek help to broaden ideas about how to manage suicidal intensity.
O = Find optimism by searching for things to look forward to.
P = Change perspective through tools like “opposite action” and by putting your thoughts on trial.
E = Attend to emotions through self-compassion and emotional regulation strategies.
About Dr. Katie Gordon
KHGordon_Author_Photo.jpg
Kathryn H. Gordon, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in cognitive-behavioral therapy. Prior to working as a therapist, she was a professor for ten years. She was recognized as an Inspiring Teacher for her classes about psychopathology, empirically-supported therapy, and cultural diversity. Dr. Gordon is a mental health researcher who has published over eighty scientific articles and book chapters on suicidal behavior, disordered eating, and related topics. She co-hosts Psychodrama Podcast, blogs for Psychology Today, and shares mental health information through her website, kathrynhgordon.com. Dr. Gordon's book, The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook. For more information go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/92
For many of us, we have experiences in our life that mark “before” and “after.” For people in long-term recovery, one of those moments is the date they decided to take significant action in fighting their addiction. Most recite this date with pride and mark it as a milestone as the months, then years, then decades pass.
As a psychologist I can’t say that I gave 12-step programs much more than a passing thought. The support groups and programs were often seen in many circles I traveled as somehow “less than” or “alternative” to mainstream psychotherapy. I knew about AA and Al-Anon, but I had no idea about how many other groups existed and how many people had benefitted from them.
Now that I’ve had some firsthand experience, I can say that I deeply appreciate the approach and understand why they have helped millions of people.
First, they offer a community. A fellowship of peers who have walked the path. Instantly new people are welcomed as the most important group needing support. There are many rules to protect the psychological safety of this community, because helping people feel less alone is a major part of what heals us. Second, they offer guidance for people to consider spiritual growth — no matter what your religious views are (or aren’t as agnostics and atheists are welcomed too). “Spiritual growth” in this context is about connecting with something bigger than yourself and finding a higher calling. There is an emphasis on serving others, reflecting deeply on how to find forgiveness from your past and find grace and growth in making amends. Finally, there is a clear pathway toward healing. The action steps and accountability of the work keep people taking steps forward — one day at a time.
In this interview, I speak with Dennis Berry, a man 18 years sober. He defines serenity as “not drinking today.” In our conversation he shares his story of he transitioned from his addiction to being on a life mission to help others “shorten their learning curve” to recovery. We talk about the brain science behind addiction and the “H.O.W.” approach to achieving a healthy vibrant life. For more information go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/93
When we look at mental health awareness and supports in Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI — or AANHPI when we add in Native Hawaiian) communities we need to take into consideration many important factors. First the communities that have been aggregated into “Asian Americans” are very diverse. What may describe common mental health experiences of refugees from Burma are often very different from a third generation American whose family originated from Japan or indigenous Hawaiians. Second, many of these groups have experienced racial trauma that has impacted generations. While recent mass shootings targeting Asian Americans have put a spotlight on these tragedies, hate-fueled violence and the systemic racism that has resulted in disparities in research and health care have existed in the US for a very long time.
In this conversation, I meet with the world renowned leader, Dr. DJ. Ida, Executive Director of the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association about how these issues and many more impact the wellbeing of the AAPI communities, and what are some additional approaches -- beyond traditional talk therapy — that may promote healing.
About Dr. DJ Ida
Dr. DJ Ida is Executive Director of the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology and has over 45 years of experience working with AAPIs. She received the Robert Wood Johnson Health Equity Award for her focus on the impact of mental health on the wellbeing of AAPIs across the country. She helped develop numerous training programs using a whole health approach that respects the impact of culture and language. Dr. Ida says the years of work with the community has taught her as much as she has hopefully given them. For more information on this episode please go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/91
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode covers distressing content about domestic violence and physical, sexual and emotional assault.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?”
~Marianne Williamson
“I can breathe. I can think.”
When J’Anmetra was imprisoned in her home under the threat of her husband, this was her mantra. One that kept her alive and ultimately allowed her the ability to escape.
According to SAMHSA (Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration) survivors of intimate partner violence are twice as likely to have multiple suicide attempts, according to a study published in the Journal of Injury & Violence Research, intimate partner problems were identified as a precipitating circumstance in 30% of all suicide cases in the National Violent Death Reporting System. And yet, the connection between intimate partner violence and suicide is under-addressed on many fronts.
In this episode, we bear witness to the inspiring story of J’Anmetra Waddell and her courage to break free from the bonds of her abuser — her husband and the Pastor of her church. She shares her how her near-miss with suicide transitioned to her journey to becoming an advocate for other survivors of domestic violence.
About J’Anmetra “JoJo” Waddell, MBA/HCM
J’Anmetra Waddell, is the ONLY Live Past Crazy Specialist! She works strategically with women to R.I.S.E – mastering their source of power as a mindset mediator.
J’Anmetra is an Amazon’s International Bestselling Author of Fearless Woman Born to Give Thanks and Transition to Freedom and four other amazing books. She has received Author of the Year Award for two consecutive years and has had the opportunity to share the screen with the late actor Tommy Ford in the movie The Last Time. She is the founder of Be Fearless Inc, Waddell Consulting Services helping companies educate their senior leadership and employees on empathy and employee engagement. She has an MBA in Healthcare Management and currently finishing her Ph.D.
She is a strong advocate for victims and survivors of domestic violence. At 40, she instantly understood that she had to start being who she was born to be; a leader, teacher, trainer, thought creator, a REBEL!
for more on this episode please go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/90
There is a growing scientific field called “ecotherapy” that has demonstrated a strong connection between time spent outside in nature and improved well-being. Shifting our attention to the sounds, smells, and beauty is calming for many. On brain scans we can actually see reduced activity in. the parts of the brain that are linked to rumination — or repetitive negative thoughts. In this episode, I speak with Sebastian Slovin, author of Experience Nature Unplugged: A Guide to Wellness in the Digital Age, a new book on how connecting with nature helps reset our brains. We discuss the ways our digital lives are negatively impacting our mental health and how nature is the perfect antidote.
About Sebastian Slovin
Since Sebastian can remember, nature has been a central part of his life. He was fortunate to grow up in the beach community of La Jolla, California and spent his childhood mixing it up in the ocean. As a young boy, he lost his father to suicide, which would deeply inspire his path in life. As a young adult, he had the opportunity to travel extensively and experience many of the world’s great surf spots as a professional bodyboarder. Through his travel, Sebastian developed a deep love and appreciation for our natural world and at the same time was drawn to the practice of yoga and mindfulness. His passion for nature led him to pursue a BA in Environmental Policy at San Diego State University. He also holds an MA in Leadership Studies from the University of San Diego. He is the author of The Adventures of Enu, Ashes in the Ocean, and Experience Nature Unplugged: A Guide to Wellness in the Digital Age. He and his wife, Sonya, founded Nature Unplugged, which is all about inspiring wellness in the digital age. When he is not writing or working on Nature Unplugged, Sebastian enjoys swimming, surfing and (pretty much all things) in the wild Pacific Ocean.
When it comes to overcoming mental and emotional challenges, we have a problem. In fact, according to Cope Notes we have several:
PROVIDERS: Our mental health providers are often overwhelmed with demand, that accessing services in a timely way can be challenging. Once we find an available provider, we often can’t afford the level of service we need, and, even if we can, we find that many providers are not culturally or linguistically aligned with the people who need the support the most. Medicalization, jargon and pathologizing can keep us in a mindset of “sickness.”
PEOPLE IN NEED: In many instances the process of finding the right services is overwhelming, confusing, and exhausting. This level of perseverance is difficult for people who are functioning well, let alone for people who are feeling hopeless, unseen and unknown. Once people do find their way to support services, they often worry about privacy, judgment, and losing control.
COMMUNITIES: Generally speaking we seem to be focused more on responding to crises than we are on preventing them in the first place. Our approaches, therefore are reactive instead of proactive and big splashes of effort instead of slow drips over time.
In this conversation I speak with the brilliant and inspiring Johnny Crowder. We talk about how we can gain the upper hand on our complex and mysterious brains by short-circuiting negative thoughts. We explore how faith, creativity and community helps us gain new perspectives and forms of expression. We discuss the questions of how do we replace old thought patterns with healthier ones? How do we build a better brain? Stronger friendships and families? More resilient communities?
About Johnny Crowder
Johnny Crowder is a 28-year-old suicide/abuse survivor, TEDx speaker, touring musician, mental health advocate, and the Founder & CEO of Cope Notes, a text-based mental health platform that provides daily support to users in nearly 100 countries around the world. Armed with 10 years of clinical treatment, a psychology degree from University of Central Florida, and a decade of peer support and public advocacy through the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Johnny’s infectious positivity and firsthand experience with mental illness uniquely equips him to provide realistic, yet hopeful insight into the pains of hardship with authenticity, levity, and unconventional wit. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/88
NOTE: Abigail Echo Hawk will be keynoting at the American Association of Suicidology’s Annual Conference on Friday, April 23rd at 9:00AM ET. You can listen to her and the many other diverse speakers virtually or in person at the conference in Orlando.
Her keynote is entitled: Decolonizing Data: Restoring Culture and Building Beauty
REGISTER HERE: https://www.aasconference.org/registration
Overview
Historical trauma is often understood to be multigenerational wounding caused by the cumulative impact of major events inflicted upon a specific cultural, racial or ethnic group. When it comes to research about health and well-being, Western modalities of understanding human experience are limited and biased, further driving disparities and truncated views that can cause even more harm. By contrast, a strength-based, Indigenous framework of understanding resists the narrow view and on-going trauma of colonialism and focuses on restoration and healing. In this interview I speak with a “Storyteller of Health” and epidemiologist Abigail Echo Hawk about her vision of an anti-racist approach to data collection and recovery among tribal communities.
About Abigail Echo Hawk, MA
Abigail Echo-Hawk, M.A., an enrolled member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, is the Chief Research Officer for the Seattle Indian Health Board, a Federally Qualified Health Center serving American Indians and Alaska Natives in King County, Washington. She also serves as the Director of the Urban Indian Health Institute (UIHI), a Tribal Epidemiology Center whose mission is to support the health and well-being of urban Indian communities through information, scientific inquiry, and technology. UIHI assists a national network of Urban Indian Health Programs, which are private nonprofit corporations that provide native people in select cities a range of health and social services, from outreach and referral to full ambulatory care. Ms. Echo-Hawk directs a staff of public health professionals who work on multiple ongoing research, evaluation, and disease surveillance projects to benefit American Indian/Alaska Natives in urban and rural settings. She received the University of Washington Bothell’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2013 for her dedication to eliminating health disparities and was also recognized in the 2015 class of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development’s (NCAIED) Native American 40 Under 40.
As a dedicated community volunteer, Ms. Echo-Hawk has concentrated on policy and institutional change to eliminate disparities for women of color locally and nationally. She focuses on policy advocacy in areas such as maternal and child health, domestic violence, sexual assault, and health disparities. Volunteer memberships include the Native American Women’s Dialogue on Infant Mortality, Hope Heart Institute, the Center for Indigenous Law and Justice, the Children and Youth Advisory Board of King County, and the Coalition to End Gender-Based Violence.
Ms. Echo-Hawk’s greatest joy is her place within her extended family. She is a wife, mother, auntie, daughter, granddaughter, friend, and community member. She strives to serve her family, friends, and community with love and to be a small part of ensuring a great future for the next generation. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/87
NOTE: Fenway Jones will be speaking at the American Association of Suicidology’s Annual Conference on Thursday, April 22nd at 2:00PM ET. You can listen to her and the many other diverse speakers virtually or in person at the conference in Orlando.
Her TED-Style talk is called: “Building and Reaching a Community”
REGISTER HERE: https://www.aasconference.org/registration
Overview
Jasper’s Game Day
While many non-gamers might have only heard of some of the potential negative consequences of excessive (mostly video-based) gaming (e.g., desensitization, sleep deprivation, and neglect of other life priorities like academics, work and exercise), those inside the gaming community (especially board and role play-based games) have come to realize there are many well-being benefits:
Often radical acceptance and unconditional regard
A virtual community that is highly accessible and inclusive
A reprieve from the toxicity of bullying, harassment and discrimination
Opportunities to learn and excel in problem-solving and communication
A chance to envision and experiment with ideal versions of themselves
In this episode, I speak with the amazing Fenway Jones, a high school student who is changing the world. We talk about the psychological benefits of being a part of a positive gaming community. We also discuss how she has made meaning after losing two friends by engaging the gaming community in suicide prevention.
About Fenway Jones
Fenway Jones is a high school senior. At 11 she started her gaming career with Pathfinder and Dungeons and Dragons. At 14 she lost two friends to suicide and decided to use the grief and pain she was feeling to take actionable steps to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health. She started the 501c3 non-profit Jasper’s Game Day to use her hobby, gaming, to raise money for suicide prevention and awareness. She wants to bring the gaming community together and show everyone they are not alone. Since starting JGD just under $200k for crisis hotlines and centers has been raised.
Fenway’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/FenwayTeenDM
For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/86
When it comes to the field of Suicidology, we often work in silos. The researchers, clinicians, public health practitioners, advocates, and crisis service stakeholders often focus primarily in their own communities, finding comfort and validation in joining with others who share similar culture, values and priorities. When it comes to groups implementing best practices, collaboration with researchers is essential. In this interview I speak with internationally renowned expert on suicide and self-harm, Prof. Nav Kapur from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom. We discuss some of the tensions and opportunities that we face as we bridge research to practice.
About Prof. Nav Kapur
Nav is Professor of Psychiatry and Population Health at the University of Manchester, UK and an Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. He has spent the last 25 years researching suicidal behaviour, particularly its causes, treatment and prevention. He has led committees for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in the UK including those developing guidelines for how all clinical staff should treat people with self-harm. He sits on the main advisory group on suicide for the Department of Health in England and is currently helping to lead a national quality improvement project to prevent suicide. He is the lead author of Suicide Prevention (3rd Edition, Oxford University Press) and has published over 300 academic papers. He is the 2021 recipient of the American Association of Suicidology’s Louis I. Dublin Award for lifetime achievement in suicide prevention. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/85
What is transformational leadership?
Transformational leadership happens when people come together to rise for a daunting challenge to benefit the common good. Transformation leaders focus on impact and empower others to reach for higher and higher levels of motivation and morality. Transformational leaders are:
Bold
Idealized influencers
Creativity encouragers
Role models for a compelling vision
Process challengers
Purpose AND people driven
Today’s podcast is about transformational leadership in the area of construction suicide prevention. I interview Jerry Shupe, the Corporate Director of Safety and Health for Hensel Phelps, one of the nation’s largest construction contractors.
About Jerry Shupe
Jerry Shupe
Jerry Shupe, CSP is the Corporate Director of Safety and Health for Hensel Phelps which specializes in building development, construction, and facility services. He graduated from Montana Tech with a degree in Occupational Safety and Health and has more than nineteen years’ experience in the industry. Jerry serves on the Industry Advisory Board for Montana Tech’s Safety and Health Program and is involved in a variety of industry groups including the American Society of Safety Professionals and the National Construction Safety Executives. He was recognized as the Safety Professional of the Year by AGC of California and received the Award of Excellence from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/84
“Falling in love is easy. Falling in love with the same person repeatedly is extraordinary.”
Every so once in a while, many of us in long-term relationships find we need to reboot our relationship — routines may have made relationships go stale and perpetual conflicts breed resentment. In this episode I speak with Marriage and Family Counselor Lisa Stull, an expert in the Gottman method of relationship transformation. She shares what differentiates “master couples” from “disaster couples,” teaches about the four horseman and their antidotes, and gives us tools on how to build a sound relationship house.
About Lisa Stull
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Lisa Stull is a Marriage and Family Therapist with a private practice, Comprehensive Counseling Solutions, in Parker, CO. With 25 years of experience she has a unique approach that attracts clients seeking a no nonsense perspective. Working on difficult issues can be challenging and her clients appreciate her ability to make the work interesting and fun, yes, therapy can be fun! Being passionate about helping couples create their ideal relationship led her to the Gottman method. The proven science behind the framework and tools, is what makes this approach so different, because it actually works! Her dynamic Art & Science of Love workshops transforms a couples perspective on what a healthy relationship looks like and they leave with proven tools to renew their connection.
In her spare time she owns two other businesses, a wellness center and an aesthetics center. Both centered around her desire for every person to be the best version of themselves - on the inside and out.
And just to send her mother into a fit of worry, she does all this working virtually so she can live full time out of her RV, traveling to all the beautiful national parks with her husband, fluffy dog, and two fluffier cats. For more information about this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/83
According to Everytown for Gun Safety, nearly 2/3 of all gun deaths in the US are suicide fatalities. A surge in firearm purchases during the last year have many in the suicide prevention field concerned about increasing suicide rates long term, because the research is clear — easy access to lethal means for suicide increases risk for people when suicidal intensity surges.
In this podcast, I speak with one of the worlds leading experts on guns and suicide. Dr. Mike Anestis shares concrete action steps we can take as we work toward a collaborative solution to keep our homes safer from suicide.
Dr. Mike Anestis
Dr. Mike Anestis
About Dr. Michael Anestis
Dr. Mike Anestis is the Executive Director, New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center and an Associate Professor at Rutgers University’s Department of Urban-Global Public Health
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Mike Anestis received his PhD in clinical psychology from Florida State University, where he studied under Dr. Thomas Joiner. His work focuses on suicide prevention among both civilians and service members, with a particular focus on the role of firearms. He is the author of approximately 150 peer reviewed articles as well as the book Guns and Suicide: An American Epidemic, published by Oxford University Press in 2018. Dr. Anestis was the 2018 recipient of the Edwin Shneidman Award from the American Association of Suicidology in recognition of his early career achievements in suicide research and currently serves on advisory board for a number of organizations, including the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Jed Foundation. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/82
In today’s world, we are set up for polarization. How do we turn our 5-alarm fights into something more constructive?
Conflict for many is unpleasant at best. Often when conflict is particularly intense or prolonged in high stakes relationships, the psychological pain can be excruciating. As humans, when we experience things that cause pain we tend to escape, avoid or react. On one hand, retreating from the “threat” of conflict means we stuff it down and pretend nothing is wrong and resentments can smolder into contempt. On the other hand reacting usually results in us saying or doing things that we regret or puts us in an escalating pattern.
In this episode I speak with culture and nonviolent communication expert Lisa Stokes Nicholas. She shares tools you can use in your work and personal life to move from conflict to curiosity.
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About Lisa Stokes Nicholas
Lisa Stokes Nicholas, President of Kavi Consulting Services brings 25 years of nonprofit management and consulting experience to each engagement. This extensive background, blended with her training in mindfulness and nonviolent communication has provided a unique blend of guidance and support resulting in significant improvements within domestic and international organizations serving multiple sectors including: advocacy; education; faith communities; food security; healthcare; hospice; information technology; government; security; sustainable energy; technology; and travel.
Prior to founding Kavi Consulting Services, Lisa was the Director of Strategic Restructuring for Planned Parenthood Federation of America where she developed and implemented restructuring initiatives for the federated organization with combined assets of more than $1billion and more than 100 affiliates in 50 states and led negotiations with senior leaders from more than 60 organizations.
In addition, Lisa has worked with a multitude of organizations to strengthen their governance processes, create strategic plans, or move from crisis to sustainability. During this process Lisa has served as a coach to many individuals. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/81
Overwork. Burnout. Resentment. Churn. Bullying. Exclusion. Gossip. These qualities define the toxic work conditions that Mari Ryan calls a “dive hive.” She makes the argument that personal and community resilience are highly influenced by the cost-saving and life-saving preventative care we cultivate at work. Instead of a ‘“dive hive,” we need an “alive hive” filled with purpose, joy and impact. In this podcast Mari outlines a strategy on how companies can advance worker well-being and thrive.
About Mari Ryan, MBA, MHP, CWP
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Mari Ryan is a workplace well-being expert, international speaker and award-winning author. She is the CEO and founder of AdvancingWellness and leverages over 30 years of business experience in a variety of industries. For the past decade, Ms. Ryan has been creating thriving workplaces, through her consulting work and speaking on worksite well-being. Mari earned a Bachelor’s degree from Lesley University, an MBA from Boston University, a Master’s degree in Health Promotion from Nebraska Methodist College. Mari is an active member of the National Speakers Association. Mari is the author of award-winning book The Thriving Hive: How People-Centric Workplaces Ignite Engagement and Fuel Results. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/80
At the heart of civility is respect. Respect and dignity are essential for psychological safety, especially when others have diverse experiences and viewpoints. Civility is not about complacency or placating. It’s not about denying or pushing away strong feelings that can emerge when conflict emerges. It’s about temporarily suspending our alarm bells for a period of time so we can do the hard work of “climbing the empathy wall” to better understand the deep stories behind those we see as “the other.”
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In this podcast, I interview Sejal Thakkar, an employment lawyer whose family immigrated from India. She has lived the duality of a “betwixt/between” life and has experienced the incivility of discrimination. As she grew through these experiences, she developed a “civility plan” to help workplaces improve their tactics for psychological safety.
About Sejal Thakkar, Esq.
Sejal Thakkar
Dubbing herself "Chief Civility Officer", Sejal is not your average employment law attorney! Her more than fifteen years of experience advising clients, human resources personnel, and legal counsel regarding sound, standard employment practices uncovered a need - and personal passion - for bringing more proactive, relevant, and impactful workplace training programs to her clients and their teams. Her highly experiential customized workshops tailored to executives, managers, and individual contributors bring the courtroom to the training room in an interactive, engaging environment that favors human stories over compliance checklists. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/79
How we see ourselves often is shaped by the many voices of our experience —- intersecting identities, some which may be aligned, others in conflict with one another. The voices we internalize may come from our parents or other influential adults from our childhood, or our religions and cultures more broadly. Still, other voices may be those of our ancestors, whom we have never met, but whose experiences have been imprinted in our bodies.
In this conversation I speak with the inspiring Dr. Tammy Sanders, a self-identified, Black, gay woman raised in the Black Baptist Church of the deep South. She realized at an early age that in order to survive, she needed to escape parts of herself or perish. Come listen to her incredible journey to wholeness — a holistic approach towards uncomfortable growth surrounded by deep connection with others.
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About Tammy Sanders, Ph.D.
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For nearly 30 years, Tammy’s life and work have been an active commitment to self-awareness, healing and growth. Her professional life has focused on behavioral development for leaders and managers, while her personal emotional, mental and spiritual growth has leveraged 12-step, therapy, and entheogenic experiences to move beyond addiction, depression, complex PTSD and transgenerational trauma.
With expertise grounded in experience and research, Tammy remains committed to holistic and accessible mental wellness in service of a stable and just world. Where there are initiatives, efforts and people who share this commitment, she’s keen to connect and is best reached via www.linkedin.com/in/tammyssanders.
Professionally, she is a seasoned strategist, advisor, facilitator and coach with an MA Anthropology of Media from the University of London, an MBA from the Monterey Institute of International Studies, and a PhD in Education and Technology from Florida International University. Tammy’s evolutionary career in media, tech, management, and professional development includes guiding the behavioral growth of leaders at all stages in their careers, from a variety of cultural backgrounds, and across a wide range of industries.
Personally, her emotional, mental and spiritual growth has leveraged 12-step, cognitive and somatic therapies, and entheogenic experiences to move beyond addiction, depression, complex PTSD and transgenerational trauma.
With expertise grounded in experience and research, Tammy remains committed to holistic and accessible mental wellness in service of a stable and just world. Where there are initiatives, efforts and people who share this commitment, she’s keen to connect and is best reached via www.linkedin.com/in/tammyssanders. For more information on this episode please go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/78
When we face adversity or toxic environments, how we respond makes all the difference. Breathing helps us create space in between the stimulus and our response, and in that space we can sometimes find calm, gratitude and possibilities. In this podcast I chat with Reggie Hubbard, a man who found yoga as he tried to cope with workplace toxicity and transition. His three criteria for finding tools too help him cope:
Does it enhance creativity?
Does it lower my blood pressure?
Does it make me smile?
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About Reggie Hubbard
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Reggie Hubbard is a certified yoga teacher and the founder/Chief Serving Officer of Active Peace Yoga. Adopting a disciplined yogic has saved his life and he is committed to sharing these practices to help others.
His wellness journey was born of curiosity; forged in adversity due to a toxic employment situation; and has become a lesson in surrender to the miracles that exist in commitment to personal peace and wellbeing as a foundation, rather than an afterthought. By prioritizing wellness, calm and balance become our resting state, from which we are better able to receive Life’s challenges and blessings with equanimity. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/77
When we ask “What do you do?”, what we often mean is “What WORK do you do?” In many ways — at least in the United States — our culture tells us, “You ARE what you do for a living.” Not only as a provider for your family and a meaningful contributor to society (and “meaningful” is often defined by the paycheck and the status") but as someone who is earnestly chasing the “American Dream.”
The original ideas of the “American Dream” may have been about equality, justice and democracy, its current interpretation has become the ethos of our society — the belief that anyone who works hard enough work can achieve material success and upward mobility and that this type of prosperity will give you liberty and happiness. Here the values of self-reliance and work ethic are highly valued and often come at the cost of our health, relationships, and others’ well-being as we claw our way to “the top.”
For some of us our work identity becomes what we call our “single-source” identity. Meaning, we have put most if not all our identity “eggs” into one basket: our work or wealth. We define our worth by the size of our 401K or by our promotions. Here we are particularly vulnerable. For when that “basket” crashes — through lay-offs, firing, demotion, failure, disability, even retirement — and we can no longer do the work that defines us, we feel “the fall is so great”, and there is no safety net to catch us.
On the positive side, when work is working well, it gives us a sense of belonging and a sense of being a part of something larger than ourselves. Work gives us structure to our lives and the satisfaction that our skills and talents are contributing to the world in some way. This positive aspect of our identity protects us against depression, anxiety and loneliness. In this interview with Scott Mason, we explore the role of our work in our identity and well-being. We argue that we all need to cultivate a multifaceted identity where our personal worth is based on being loved for who you ARE not just on being admired for what you DO.
About Scott Mason
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Scott Mason is a motivational and keynote speaker -- focusing on resilience, personal transformation, and social ethics -- as well as the Principal of Scott Mason, LLC, which provides small business consulting and leadership mentoring services. Prior to that, Scott was co-Principal of The Brooklyn Press, a silkscreen printing company with locations in NYC and Newburgh, NY. Previously, Scott was the General Counsel and Vice-President of Operations for Urban Resource Institute, the USA's largest provider of domestic violence shelter services and an operator of homeless shelters. He also spent nearly 20 years in executive and in-house counsel positions with various City of New York agencies, including a time as the second-in-command of the agency which operates the City's administrative tribunal system. He is a graduate of Columbia Law School and Carleton College, and completed the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program in 2019. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/76
Children, Teens and Young Adult Grief
When we look at developmental needs and abilities across the lifespan, we are aware of the need for different approaches to support our children. Our youngest children ages 0 to 2 are often preverbal but still very aware that something is not right when a family experiences a major loss. School-aged children are often concrete thinkers and don’t always have the language to express their emotions fully. Teens are more existential thinkers and turn to their peers more often than not. And young adults, often due to their independence can sometimes fall through the cracks.
For most of us, our losses are exacerbated during the holiday season, when we experience the empty chair around the table. In this episode, Dr. Micki Burns and I discuss five ways we can support kids who are grieving at the holidays:
Plan
Communicate
Reflect
Remember
Cope
About Michaeleen (Micki) Burns, PhD
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Micki is the Chief Clinical Officer at Judi’s House and JAG Institute (JH/JAG) and adjunct faculty at the University of Colorado. JH/JAG is a comprehensive family bereavement center in Denver. A Licensed Psychologist with two decades experience providing therapeutic assessment and support to families facing adversity, Micki has witnessed the lasting impact of unaddressed grief. She is dedicated to ensuring appropriate care is available for all and raising childhood bereavement to a level of critical public importance. At JH/JAG she oversees the direct service, research, and training departments working towards a vision where no child is alone in grief. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/75
What is self-awareness mindfulness?
“The awareness that emerges through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment.” ~Jon Kabat-Zinn
Self-awareness, of our own emotional states is just one of the key tenets in collaborative social and emotional learning being taught in our schools. As a foundation for developing emotional intelligence and resilience, this type of education helps inoculate our youth against the many challenges they face. In this interview, I speak with Dr. Julian Dooley, an international expert on school-based best practices in social and emotional learning including:
Self-Awareness
Self-Management
Responsible Decision-Making
Relationships
Social Awareness
About Dr. Julian Dooley
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Dr. Julian Dooley, psi Training and Education Coordinator, has years of experience in mental health research, treatment and strategy. He has developed mental health programs for psi partner schools across Ohio and also provides psychology services to St. Mary Byzantine School in Cleveland through psi. Additionally, Dr. Dooley has more than 70 invited and peer-reviewed lectures and has been a member of numerous national and international boards and committees, including the Advisory Council of the National Centre Against Bullying and the National Coalition on Children’s Resilience and Mental Health. He earned his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Melbourne. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/74
In this episode, I interview Professor Silvia Sara Canetto, the leading scholar on critical studies of gender, culture and suicidal behaviors from intersectional and global perspectives.
Professor Canetto is most well-known for her research on the gender paradox of suicide, a term she coined, with Isaac Sakinofsky, to refer to the fact that girls and women are more likely to report suicidal thoughts and to engage in suicidal behavior, and yet they are less likely to die of suicide than boys and men.
Professor Canetto is also the author of the theory of cultural scripts of gender and suicidal behavior--a theory that builds on the insights she gained from researching the gender paradox of suicide.
In this interview Professor Canetto discusses what U.S. suicidology was like when she entered the field as an international student at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. She reviews her contributions to the field—from challenging its stigmatizing and gender-biased language (e.g., terms like “successful suicide” to refer to what in the United States is a more common male-outcome of suicidal behavior) to challenging dominant gender-biased theories of suicidal behaviors (e.g., that women’s suicidal behavior is an emotional and impulsive reaction to trivial relationship problems, and that men’s suicidal behavior is a desperate but deliberate response to serious social and economic adversities).
Professor Canetto then describes her theory and research on suicide scripts. A key point of her theory is that there are different situations, by culture, when suicidal behavior is relatively permissible and even expected, from certain people, using certain methods, and with specific social consequences. Another important point of her theory is that the different cultural scripts contribute to the cultural variability in suicidality rates. This is because suicidal individuals are influenced by these scripts in choosing their course of action and in giving their suicidal act public meaning. At the end of the interview Professor Canetto reviews examples of research supporting her theory. She also addresses the implications of the theory and evidence on cultural scripts of suicidal behavior--including that there are no universal risk and protective factors, and that therefore prevention should be grounded on local scripts of suicidal behavior.
About Prof. Silvia Sara Canetto
Professor Silvia Sara Canetto
Silvia Sara Canetto, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology at Colorado State University, USA. She has graduate degrees from Italy, Israel, and the USA. She speaks, with an accent, every language she knows, English, French, Spanish, Hebrew, and her native Italian. Her scholarship on cultural scripts of suicide has been recognized with the American Association of Suicidology’s (AAS) Shneidman early-career award, and AAS highest-honor, the Dublin award. Her article “The gender paradox in suicide” is the third most-cited in Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. She is “Fellow” of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, and the Gerontological Society of America. For more information visit https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/73
Critical suicidology is an emerging area of scholarship and advocacy that brings together expertise from diverse perspectives to re-examine all that we have believed to be “true” about suicide prevention. Critical suicidologists question the highly medicalized framework of understanding a suicidal person and see suicide in context by understanding how other frameworks — like social justice — expand our imagination on what is possible in prevention, intervention and postvention.
In this conversation with Jess Stohlmann-Rainey, we talk about the ways traditional efforts in suicide prevention have failed us including:
Forced treatment
Fear-based approaches of restraint and isolation
Trying to predict suicide risk
And instead explore alternative, creative and upstream approaches to suicide prevention such as transformative justice work, mutual aid peer support, and accountability in making reparations for histories of harm done to communities.
About Jess Stohlmann-Rainey
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Jess Stohlmann-Rainey (she/her) loves to talk about suicide. She is a mad, queer care worker serving as the Director of Program Development at Rocky Mountain Crisis Partners in so-called Denver [land stolen from the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Sioux)]. She has focused her career on creating pathways to intersectional, justice-based, emotional support for marginalized communities. Jess centers her lived expertise as an ex-patient and suicide attempt survivor in her work. Her work can be found in Mad in America, Radical Abolitionist, No Restraints with Rudy Caseres, Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Centers, Postvention in Action: The International Handbook of Suicide Bereavement, Crisis, and The Suicide Prevention Resource Center. She has been featured in USA Today and People Magazine, and her story can be found on Live Through This. She collaborates on an irreverant video podcast situation called Suicide ‘n’ Stuff with Dese’Rae Stage. Jess holds the Lived Experience seat on Colorado’s Suicide Prevention Commission, and was the winner of the 2019 American Association of Suicidology Transforming Lived Experience Award, the 2019 Cookie Gant and Bill Compton LGBTQIA Leadership Award for Excellence in Promoting Diversity and Inclusion Award, and chairs the Paul G Quinnett Lived Experience Writing Competition. She lives with her partner (Jon), housemate (Isaac), and chihuahua (Chunk), and has a taxidermied two headed duckling (Phil & Lil) for an office mate.
Centuries of discrimination and brutality have led to historical trauma impacting generations of people of color in the United States. Add to this significant current trauma of racially fueled violence the fact that communities of color experience disparities in access to qualified care, and it’s not surprising that we are seeing increased despair among BIPOC people. We are also seeing incredible resilience — at the individual and communal levels — and creativity as people of color find ways to cope. In this interview, Vic Armstrong and I talk about many hot topics:
Complex trauma in Black communities
Systematic racism and the treatment gaps in services
The trends in Black suicide rates
The shifting role of the Black church in suicide prevention
Distrust, crisis services and communities of color
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About Vic Armstrong
Twitter: https://twitter.com/1of2vics
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/victor.armstrong.96343
Victor Armstrong joined North Carolina DHHS as Director of the NC Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, Substance Abuse Services in March of 2020, with responsibility and oversight of the public community-based mental health, intellectual and other developmental disabilities, substance use, and traumatic brain injury system in North Carolina.
Prior to accepting this role, Victor spent six years as Vice President of Behavioral Health with Atrium Health. Based in Charlotte, NC Victor had responsibility for operations of Atrium’s largest behavioral health hospital, Behavioral Health Charlotte (BHC). The BHC campus contains the southeast’s only psychiatric emergency department, staffed 24/7 with board certified psychiatrists, as well as 66 inpatient beds, and 10 outpatient programs. Victor has over 30 years of experience in human services, primarily dedicated to building and strengthening community resources to serve individuals living with mental illness.
Victor currently serves on the board of directors of American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) NC. He is also former board chair of NAMI NC, and a member of American Association of Suicidology (AAS), and NASW-NC. Victor is a former member of the Board of Directors of National Council for Behavioral Health, i2i Center for Integrative Health, and RI International.
Victor’s awards and recognitions include 2019 Black Mental Health Symposium -Mental Health Advocate of the Year, 2019 Atrium Health Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion Award, 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award from East Carolina University School of Social Work, Pride Magazine 2018 "Best of the Best", and i2i Center for Integrative Health 2018 Innovation Award for "Whole Person Care", 2012 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) NC, Mental Health Professional of the Year.
Victor graduated, Magna Cum Laude, from North Carolina Central University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and received a Master of Social Work (MSW) from East Carolina University. He is the husband of Dr. Charletta Armstrong and the father of 3 sons, Carter, Alonzo, and Victor Jr.
for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/71
Can Employers be Held Accountable for Driving Workers to Suicidal Despair?
Waters, S. (2020). Suicide Voices: Labour Trauma in France. Liverpool University Press. https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/books/id/53177/
Waters, S. (2020). Suicide Voices: Labour Trauma in France. Liverpool University Press. https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/books/id/53177/
Internationally, over the last few years, there has been increased interest in work-related suicide deaths. No longer are suicides considered the sole result of an individual’s mental health condition. Currently, researchers have linked suicide death and suicidal despair to a toxic working conditions and job strain, including the following psychosocial hazards:
Job Design Challenges
Low job control — lack of decision-making power and limited ability to try new things
Excessive job demands and constant pressure/overtime
Effort-reward imbalance — related to perceived insufficient financial compensation, respect or status
Job insecurity — perceived threat of job loss and anxiety about that threat
Lack of job autonomy
Lack of job variety
Toxic work-design elements (e.g., exposure to environmental aspects that cause pain or illness)
Toxic Interpersonal Relationships
Bullying, harassment and hazing at work
Prejudice and discrimination at work
Lack of supervisor of collegial support — poor working relationships
Family Disruption
Work-family conflict (i.e., work demands make family responsibilities more difficult)
Family-work conflict (i.e., family demands make work role challenging)
Lack of Purpose or Connection to Mission
Heightened job dissatisfaction and the feeling of being “trapped”
Work is not meaningful or rewarding
Other Work-Related Health Impacts
Work-related trauma (e.g., personal or seeing and accident or injury)
Work-related sleep disruption (e.g., due to unexpected overtime, extended or changing shifts)
Work culture of poor self-care and destructive coping (e.g., alcohol and drug use)
In this podcast, I have the honor of interviewing Professor Sarah Waters from the UK. She is a leading global researcher on the topic of work-related suicides, and a driver of legislation to improve working conditions and help make suicide prevention a health and safety priority at work. Here we discuss a number of large employers who have been held accountable for the suicide deaths of their employees in criminal court.
About Professor Sarah Waters
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Sarah Waters is Professor of French Studies at the University of Leeds, UK. Her research focuses on work-related suicide in France and across the international stage and seeks to understand the complex connections that link contemporary working conditions with the extreme and subjective act of suicide. Her book, Suicide Voices. Labour Trauma in France was published by Liverpool University Press in September 2020.
In her book, Sarah examines testimonial material linked to 66 suicide cases across three large French corporations. She examines ‘suicide voices’ considering how workers themselves describe the circumstances that led them to such desperate extremes in the letters, emails and recordings they leave behind. Why at the present historical juncture do conditions of work push some individuals to take their own lives? What can suicide letters tell us about the contemporary economic order and its impact on flesh and blood bodies? How do suicidal individuals describe the causes and motivations of their act?
Alongside her research, Sarah actively campaigns to improve workplace legislation in order to recognise and monitor work-related suicides. She is part of the trade union Hazards campaign in the UK that lobbies the Health and Safety Executive
She lives in Leeds and is a mother of two teenage boys.
Global Trends in Suicide Prevention
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I have the tremendous privilege of traveling internationally to do the work of suicide prevention and suicide grief support. On hand, it’s very humbling to see how this tragedy shows up all over the globe. On the other hand, it’s very inspiring to see how different countries and cultures find innovative approaches to address suicide. In this podcast, I interview the current President of the International Association for Suicide Prevention, Professor Murad Khan. We discuss some of the important cultural and social determinants of suicide as we look at why some countries’ suicide rates are going down, and why others — like the United States — are going up. We also share a number of ways that we can regain our humanity in a global cooperation effort in suicide prevention.
About Dr. Murad M. Khan
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Dr. Murad M Khan, MBBS, MRCPsych, CCST, PhD is Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Psychiatry at the Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan. He is also Associate Faculty at the Center for Bioethics & Culture (CBEC), Karachi. He received his psychiatric and research training in the UK. He is a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists & obtained his PhD from King’s College, University of London.
Prof. Khan is current President of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and leads organization’s global suicide prevention strategy. He has published widely on suicidal behavior in Pakistan and developing countries, focusing on epidemiology and socio-cultural and religious factors in suicide and self-harm.
His other research and clinical interests include mental health of women and elderly, medical and organizational ethics and narrative medicine.
Leadership is tested during times of crisis, controversy and social unrest. The best leaders rise to the occasion and can create opportunities for meaningful and lasting change. In the world of suicide prevention, voices of activists are challenging established ways of doing things, and in many ways the field is at a crossroads. Many are finding themselves re-examining the questions and methods of our research, the protocols of some of our “treatments” and crisis services, and the systemic racism and other social determinants of suicide that have not received enough attention.
In this interview, I have the honor of interviewing Dr. Jonathan Singer, the current President of the American Association of Suicidology, who has weathered many transitions and challenges during his leadership tenure with grace and significant impact. He shares his story of how he became the leader he is today and invites others to find their voices to change the field to be more inclusive and effective.
About Dr. Jonathan Singer
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Jonathan B. Singer, Ph.D., LCSW is Associate Professor of Social Work at Loyola University Chicago. He is a two-time winner of the National Association of Social Workers Media Award in 2012 and 2016. He was a 2014 Visiting Scholar at Fordham University, the 2017 Lucille N. Austin Scholar at Columbia University, and the 2018 Distinguished Lecturer at Weber State University. He is the President of the American Association of Suicidology and coauthor of the 2015 Routledge text, Suicide in Schools: A Practitioner's Guide to Multi-level Prevention, Assessment, Intervention, and Postvention.
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Dr. Singer is a well-regarded international speaker who has given hundreds of continuing education workshops, keynote addresses, and presentations on youth suicide, ethics, technology, adolescent development and attachment-based family therapy in the USA, Latin America, and Europe. He is the author of over 65 publications and his research has been featured in national and international media outlets like NPR, BBC, Fox, Time Magazine, and The Guardian. He is an NASW Expert, Healio Psychiatry Peer Perspective Board member, and on several national youth advisory boards including Sandy Hook Promise and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. A pioneer in the integration of technology and social work, Dr. Singer is a founding member of the online suicide prevention social media community #SPSM; the Treasurer for the international human services Information Technology association (http://husita.org/); and co-lead for the Social Work Grand Challenge initiative "Harness Technology for Social Good."
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Dr. Singer is the founder and host of the award-winning Social Work Podcast (www.socialworkpodcast.com), the first podcast by and for social workers. The Social Work Podcast has over 38,000 followers on social media, listeners in 208 countries and territories, and a million podcast episode downloads per year. He lives in Evanston, IL with his wife and three children and can be found on Twitter as @socworkpodcast and Facebook at facebook.com/swpodcast. for mpre information go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/68
“Storytelling is the water of human communication…”
(Bayer & Hettinger, 2019, p. 4)
“Neither revolution nor reformation can ultimately change a society, rather you must tell a more powerful tale, one so persuasive that it sweeps away the old myths and becomes the preferred story…”
~Ivan Illich
Our individual narratives are “building blocks” for our collectively shared representations of the past and our projections for the future. When our stories collide and reconcile with one another on an interpersonal level, they start to illuminate the nuances of underlying themes and concerns, especially among marginalized groups like those impacted by mental health conditions, suicide loss and suicidal intensity.
“Even though storytelling is a traditional means of delivering knowledge, wisdom and culture, it has a central role in social movements because it constructs agency, shapes identity and motivates action.” (p. 2, Prasetyo, 2017).
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Community activism is built on a cycle of trust, undergirded by stories. Synergy is achieved by weaving together purpose-driven and authentic voices that together represent a community as a whole. When the collection of stories is shared publicly, the advocates have an easier time enrolling others into the movement. When people listen to stories, communities are formed and pull together. Shared experiences become a profound source of validation and consolidation of learning. We are co-constructed by relationships in the community and the stories that arise as a result.
It is no wonder, then, that a number of collective storytelling initiatives about suicide prevention and mental health promotion have emerged, including “This is My Brave.” In this interview I interview Jennifer Marshall, founder of this nonprofit storytelling organization.
About Jennifer Marshall
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Jennifer Marshall is the co-Founder/Executive Director of This Is My Brave, Inc., the nonprofit platform for individuals to share their story of overcoming mental illness through creative expression. This Is My Brave held its first show in 2014. Since then, the organization has produced 70 shows across the US featuring over 825 individuals who’ve shared their stories on stage in front of a live audience. Jennifer gave a TEDx talk in October of 2016 entitled “Mental Illness: Being Brave Saves Lives.” In June of 2018 Jennifer was awarded the prestigious Clifford W. Beers Award by Mental Health America. In December 2018 Jennifer was named Washingtonian of the Year by Washingtonian Magazine
Very often in the world of suicide prevention we fall — as Frank Campbell says — into the “canyon of why.” Why did they take their life? Why didn’t they tell someone? Why, why, why. We often over look that question “how”. On this podcast a panel of our nation’s leaders on reducing access to lethal means tell us why the “means matter” in suicide prevention. They share innovative and effective collaborative strategies that help non-clinical people negotiate how to keep their homes safer from the tragedy of suicide. These strategies are based in a public-health approach and evolving partnerships with firearm owners, retailers and advocates. At the core of their success is a process of building bridges through mutual respect and shared values.
About the Presenters
Catherine Barber, MPA
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Catherine Barber is a senior researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health’s Injury Research Center where she led the effort to design and test the pilot for what is now the CDC’s National Violent Death Reporting System. She is the founding director of Means Matter, a project to disseminate research and interventions on reducing a suicidal person’s access to highly lethal suicide methods. Recent work focuses on collaborating with gun owner groups on suicide prevention projects. In this area, she wrote a suicide prevention module used by over 1,000 firearm instructors nationwide, was one of the founders of the first Gun Shop Project, co-authored the original CALM-Online training, and co-PI'd a large clinical trial of lethal means counseling in the emergency department. She is the recipient of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Allies in Action Lifetime Achievement Award.
Elaine Frank, MHS
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Elaine Frank is an Injury Prevention and Public Health professional who has focused her work for the past ten years at the intersection of Firearm Safety and Suicide Prevention. She is the co-developer of CALM – Counseling on Access to Lethal Means – and the Co-chair of the NH Firearm Safety Coalition that created the Gun Shop Project and other efforts to engage the firearm community in preventing suicide. Ms. Frank earned a Master of Health Sciences at Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health where she learned how and why to collaborate in order to address complex issues.
Shelby Kuhn, MSW, LCSW, SAC
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Shelby Kuhn, MSW, LCSW, SAC, is a senior project associate with the Zero Suicide Institute, focusing on the implementation of suicide-specific care in health and behavioral health settings. In this role, she delivers training and consultation to improve care and outcomes for individuals at risk for suicide and extends Zero Suicide practice across diverse settings.
Kuhn holds a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She completed a postgraduate fellowship at the Yale Child Study Center, a department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine, receiving specialized training in clinical practice with children and families. She has more than 10 years’ experience in direct clinical practice and program management working with high-risk behavioral health populations
The workplace is arguably the most cross-cutting system in suicide prevention. Just about everyone who dies by suicide or attempts suicide was working, was recently working, or has a close friend or family member who is working. Thus, just like we promote CPR training at our job sites to save lives, we should also consider on-going, skill developing suicide prevention training programs. In this presentation I interview Gabriela Malafaia, a leader in People’s Management in the oil and gas industry. We discuss the many reasons why workplace suicide prevention training is the right thing to do and list several best practices to leverage a tiered approach. Sharing a number of case studies, we conclude that successful training initiatives not only improve the confidence and competence of a workforce dedicated to making suicide prevention a health and safety priority, impactful training actually helps drive a caring culture.
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About Gabriela Malafaia
Gabriela Malafaia is a psychologist who has been working in the oil and gas industry for the past 9 years. Her main field of activity is workers health, especially focused in mental health in the workplace. She has a postgraduate degree in an expert in Workers’ Health (UFF, Brazil) and she is a mental health advocate with great expertise in employee assistance programs, workplace training, organizational psychology, mental health promotion and suicide prevention, intervention and postvention activities. For more information on this episode go to sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/65
Suicide Prevention from a Social Justice Perspective
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A new social movement is emerging, and it’s gaining momentum: it’s time we position suicide prevention as a social justice issue. If we only view suicide through the mental health lens, we will be very limited in our ability to create systematic change. When we look at suicide prevention through this lens, the change agents are the mental health service providers, who work with individuals – at least those who make it into their services; one-on-one, one at a time.
In order to take a more “upstream” approach to this, we need to think more broadly and conceptualize suicide prevention as a public health issue. When we view suicide through this lens, we can plainly see that many systems are involved in creating change – schools, workplaces, healthcare systems, justice, faith communities and more. Everyone can play a role in suicide prevention. But, I would argue, even this perspective falls short. Because if you haven’t been touched by suicide directly, you are usually unaware of its widespread and devastating impact and therefore, less inclined to allocate your energy toward targeting this particular health issue over others.
When we take a human rights perspective we consider new aspects of psycho-social injustice we need to fight against? For one, we have a grave imbalance in the way we treat mental health conditions and the way we treat other physical disorders. Because of this imbalance, people with mental health conditions often have a terrible time accessing adequate care. There are too few mental health treatment options and most of them are too costly for the average person. As my colleague Dr. Doug Johnson once said to me, “We have a psycho-social injustice problem. We have Americanized mental illness – by looking for quick fixes and ignoring the emotional impact of marginalization.”
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In this episode, Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren and I talk about a human rights approach to mental health promotion. She shares her insights from the bench of the Mental Health Court she oversees. Come take a listen to her story of her journey as she worked to develop a dignified, trauma-informed and humanistic approach for people who have been criminalized due to their serious mental health condition.
About Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren
Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren
Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren was elected Broward County Court Judge in 1997. Judge Lerner-Wren pioneered the first problem solving Mental Health Court in the United States, dedicated to the decriminalization and treatment of persons arrested with mental illness and co-occurring disorders. The Court is a national and international model. Judge Lerner-Wren speaks nationally and internationally and is an adjunct Professor for Nova Southeastern University, College of Psychology and Neuroscience. Judge Lerner-Wren is also an author, A Court of Refuge: Stories from the Bench of America's First Mental Health Court. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/64
Overview
Mass incarceration, police brutality, and systemic racism are just some of the trauma and injustice many Black men face every day. In this podcast I have a difficult conversation during a heavy time with former NFL player Dwight Hollier about his story of living through tough times, how many benefit from the positive psychology of sport, and the four pillars of strength needed for total wellness.
About Dwight Hollier
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Dwight Hollier played as an NFL linebacker for eight years for the Miami Dolphins and one year for the Indiana Colts. After he retired he earned a counseling degree (LPC) and served as the VP for Wellness and Clinical Services for the NFL supporting player engagement and total wellness. Today he is the Senior Associate Athletic Director for the University of North Carolina overseeing student athlete health and well-being. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/63
There are many stories we tell that hold men back from living their best lives. Here are a few that create barriers for men to reach out when they are distressed (Solomon):
“No sissy stuff” — in other words, if it is what women do, then it’s not for “real men.”
“Be a big wheel” — you are what you do for a living; achievement and your paycheck define your worth.
“Sturdy oak” — you are the one people lean on for help; you don’t lean on others.
“Give ‘em hell” — when all else fails, come out swinging; better to intimidate than to look weak.
In this episode, I speak with the internationally acclaimed “fact checking” journalist Josh Levs who has been busting myths about fatherhood for years. We examine the faulty scripts, how they contribute to the suffering of families, and we challenge listeners to adopt a new mindset on developing an “All In Life.”
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About Josh Levs
Josh Levs is a dad to three children.
He is also a truth seeker, an entrepreneur, a business consultant, and a former CNN and NPR journalist. He won six Peabody Awards and the designation of “Journalist of the Year” from the Atlanta Press Club.
He’s best known for his unstoppable advocacy and activism for gender equality. His book “All In: How Our Work-First Culture Fails Dads, Families, and Businesses—And How We Can Fix It Together” won the Nautilus Gold award, and the United Nations named him a Global Champion of Gender Equality.
He took legal action against Time Warner (CNN’s parent company) for fair parental leave after his daughter was born prematurely. Subsequently, Time Warner stepped up, radically changed its policy and blazed a path for other companies large and small to do the same. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/62
Ambiguity is tolerated by some better than others. Small experiences of uncertainty can be exhilarating and bring us the joy of surprise. Large and prolonged periods of uncertainty can cause debilitating anxiety, leaving people paralyzed. In this interview, Hugh Ingalls and I discuss nine tactics people can use when living in uncertainty to help stay present and reduce anxiety:
Draw a circle. Draw a second circle inside the first circle. Write down the things you can control in the inner circle and things you can’t control in the outer circle. Keep your focus on what you can control.
Ask yourself an empowering question (e.g., “How can I do this right?”) and let the brain do its job.
Put yourself in the mindset of contribution (rather than competition).
Name it and tame it. Recognize the areas of stress, acknowledge them and thank them for what they are teaching you.
Break free from the negative voices in your head by choosing to direct your attention by anchor in your body (e.g., notice the energy in your hand).
Smile, improve your posture, and — if you can — dance! Raise your hands quickly above your head to shoot your anxiety out the top. These things are incompatible with anxiety.
Imagine yourself “flipping the switch” to let go of the outcome and embrace the challenge of uncertainty.
Put a rubber band around your wrist, when you go into anxious thoughts, snap the rubber band and come back to the present.
Focus your mind on life design.
About Hugh Ingalls
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Hugh S. Ingalls is a high-energy connector of people and ideas. Co-founder and co-owner, with his brother Ned, of the film & video production company Ingalls Pictures in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which has developed a series of films on mental health. Serves part-time as the Business Development Manager of Pressure Free Living, a comprehensive performance coaching program that reduces stress, anger, and anxiety both live and online. Currently he is also a public servant with the City of Grand Rapids, MI as Chair of the Mayor's Next Gen Advisory Board and co-host of the podcast, Living at 100! For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/61
About Dr. Nathaan Demers
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Nathaan is passionate about people. This passion has led him to an enriching career as a clinical psychologist, filled with a number of twists and turns working across a variety of settings. Nathaan is an active traveler and athlete - these aspects of his life have inspired him to think beyond the traditional confines of mental health care. He strives to find innovative ways to expand the reach of mental health services to improve the lives of others. While Nathaan is fascinated by all areas of psychology, his passion lies within the positive psychology movement working specifically in preventative behavioral health. You can tell he has grit because he's always ready for an adventure. It might be starting a spur of the moment soccer game in the office, striking up a meaningful conversation with a stranger in the elevator, or leading a backpacking trip; regardless, there's rarely an adventure he turns down. Nathaan is continually inspired by his wife, son, family and friends. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/60
Why Predictability, Control, and Safety Matter in Crisis Management
The hallmarks of a traumatic experience are Unpredictability, Powerlessness and Threat. As leaders, the way that we can best assist our team is to help create the opposite of those things which is Predictability, Safety and Control.
Predictability - inform your staff of what to expect as much as possible. For example, what time communications will occur, advanced notice for meetings etc.
Safety - making sure that work environments are safe physically is important but also staff being able to trust that they will not be humiliated or embarrassed if they make a mistake is equally as essential to a safe workplace.
Control - whenever possible, give staff choices. For example, give them options about breaks, scheduling and tasks.
Safety, Predictability and Control are the antidotes for Unpredictability, Powerlessness and Threat.
In this interview I speak with crisis response expert Bob VandePol on crisis leadership. We explore the questions of how do leaders embody resilience during trauma? How can leaders sustain a group commitment to a mission greater than the individual? How can leaders cultivate trust and social support when things feel out of control? How do we develop a resilience plan that transitions people to grow through crisis?
About Bob VandePol
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Bob VandePol serves as Executive Director of Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services’ Employee Assistance Program where he leverages behavioral health expertise to support healthy, productive people and groups. Prior to joining the Pine Rest team, he was President of Crisis Care Network, helping to lead it from a startup to the world’s largest provider of Critical Incident Response services to the workplace. He managed CCN’s Command Center in Manhattan after the 2001 terrorist attacks and led teams in response to high-profile tragedies including the Boston Marathon bombing; Aurora, Sandy Hook, and Las Vegas shootings; natural disasters, and our nation’s prominent university-based tragedies. He frequently consults with businesses, universities, schools, and churches regarding how leaders can accelerate organizational recovery following crises.
When we are in crisis we find ourselves constantly drained by the urgent and important things in our life that demand our attention. Should we get a moment of reprieve, we often succumb to the desire to escape by engaging in something that numbs us out. In this podcast we talk about making time for spiritual wellness during difficult times. My guest, suicide prevention specialist and community trauma responder Sarah Gaer, gives us some concrete ideas on how we can tend to our souls when our world seems like it’s falling down around us.
What are your practices for soul care?
For some, soul care activities are connected to religions, faith practices or faith communities. For others, being in awe while in nature or immersed in the arts helps their souls heal. Still, for others soul care takes the form of social justice or intentional acts of kindness and community engagement for the common good.
About Sarah Gaer
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Sarah Gaer is a suicide loss survivor and a Master's Level Clinician with twenty years’ experience in the field of mental health care. Since 2012, she has worked as a Suicide Prevention Specialist focused on men in the middle years and first responders with Riverside Trauma Center based in Needham, MA. She has trained hundreds of first responders in trauma and suicide prevention in Massachusetts and is a QPR (Question, Persuade & Refer) Master Trainer for the QPR Institute. Sarah is also member of the Riverside Trauma Center trauma team and has responded to suicides, homicides, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks throughout Massachusetts. Sarah is currently co-chair of the Pioneer Valley Coalition for Suicide Prevention and sits on the Executive Committee for the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention as well as United Suicide Survivors International. She has also authored a number of books including The Price, Goodnight Grace and Guts, Grit & The Grind. To learn more visit https://sarahgaer.com/.
for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/58
Overview
What are the steps leaders need to take in cultivating a mindset of psychological well-being and a caring community? In this podcast, Cal Beyer and I analyze the steps many leaders have taken to make suicide prevention and mental health promotion health and safety priorities at work.
About Cal Beyer
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Cal is Vice President of Workforce Risk and Mental Wellbeing at Cobb Strecker Dunphy Zimmerman (CSDZ). For 100 years, CSDZ has specialized in construction insurance, surety and risk management. CSDZ, along with parent company Holmes Murphy & Associates, serve construction clients nationally with 16 offices in 11 states. Prior to joining CSDZ, Cal was the director of risk management for Lakeside Industries in Issaquah, WA.
Cal has 30 years of work experience. He is a past National Secretary for the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA). It was Cal’s leadership that led to the formation of the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention. Engineering News-Record magazine, the global voice of construction industry, named Cal a Top 25 Newsmaker for 2016 for his work launching suicide prevention in the construction. He is currently serving as the “peer editor” for a third annual series of articles for Construction Executive magazine on mental health, suicide prevention, addiction recovery and wellbeing.
For more information on this and every episode go to sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/57
“Never trust a man who doesn’t drink,” John Wayne
From the Rat Pack to Animal House to Ernest Hemingway to John Wayne, many cultural icons of masculinity have glamorized the idea that booze puts hair on your chest.
The Tough Guy Culture and Addiction
Traditional American messages of masculinity teach boys to be lone wolves and to stuff down emotions. Feelings (except anger) then become taboo. This messaging creates a problem for boys and men who feel fear, grief, shame and more and don’t have role models on how to express these emotions openly. Instead, men often learn to take action when feeling these feelings by numbing emotions or distracting themselves with many forms of addictive behavior.
Traditional norms of masculinity also endorse ideals of self-control. Thus, despite high levels of substance use triggered by conflict, pain, and uncomfortable feelings, many men believe they can control their substance use well past the point of significant consequences in relationships, work and health. Because of this, they often wait until their use is causing catastrophic outcomes before they reach out to, or more typically accept others’ help.
Add to this dynamic the need for young people to experience “coming of age” rituals to make a shift from child to adult. For many young men and teens risky behavior around substances often fit the bill. Competition, fearlessness and invulnerability fuel increasingly dangerous pathways to addiction, especially for young adults who are genetically predisposed to have vulnerability to substance use disorders. In this podcast Rourke Weaver and I talk about how cultures of masculinity can fuel problems in addiction — and how they can also be leveraged powerfully when groups of men come together in recovery.
About Rourke Weaver
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Rourke Weaver is the current Director of Operations at Spero Recovery. Before joining Spero Rourke spent the previous three years at Red Rock Recovery Center as the Director of Business Development. While at Red Rock Recovery, he was instrumental in transforming a newly created and underinformed program into one of the most trusted programs in Colorado. The eight years before that Rourke worked in the Recovery Support Services field with The Phoenix, where he ran programing, opened chapters in Colorado and nationally, lead events and started his advocacy work. This experience led him to form a deep passion for the power of community and the necessity for greater focus on building stronger bridges into recovery. Taking the love he has for recovery, finding a sense of belonging and the previous decade working in the field of Recovery, he joined the team at Spero to build a program that was affordable for Colorado families and operated as a place of community and connection first rather than what insurance will pay or clinical modalities. This is by no means to say these are not necessary programs Rourke simply believes that diversity in programs and accessibility are very important.
Being an advocate for Treatment, Recovery and Recovery Support Services he has, and continues to, engage in the discussion around substance use disorder, recently passing legislation and organizing stakeholders to fight for better regulation and better funding for both Treatment and Recovery. Rourke is the Attorney General Appointed Co-Chair of the Recover Ready Colorado work group, tasked with presenting the Recovery Strategic plan for Colorado. He is the Vice President of Colorado Recovery Residencies, Colorado Professional Liaison Association – Leadership committee, and member with the Colorado Providers Association.
Rourke continues to have a deep passion for programming and working with those in or seeking recovery. Truly enjoying the process of building strong teams, meaningful programming and honest connections that becomes a lasting pillar for long-term recovery.
In his free time Rourke is an avid practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, mountain biking and enjoys time with his wonderful Family and Friends.
Show Notes
Rourke’s Story
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Rourke’s story is featured in the Guts, Grit & The Grind book: https://www.amazon.com/Guts-Grit-Grind-MENtal-Mechanics/dp/0578658135/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=guts+grit+and+the+grind&qid=1584486371&sr=8-1
More on Rourke’s story: https://www.thesputnik.ca/rourke-weavers-story-of-triumph-over-addiction-turning-severe-alcoholism-into-an-athletic-passion/
Resources for Men Seeking Recovery for more information on this episode got to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/56
Overview
The decision to share one’s story about living with depression, addiction, suicidal ideation, or any other emotional challenge is deeply personal and worthy of reflection. With the nonprofit I help oversee, United Suicide Survivors International, we encourage people with lived experience to ask themselves, “Am I Ready” (on-line course) before sharing their story publicly. By weighing the pros and cons of sharing and preparing strategies of self-care that are helpful during the sometimes challenging process of crafting the narrative, storytellers can be in a better position to make a difference.
In this podcast I sit down with Cameron Stout, a securities defense lawyer who is boldly being “vocal, visible and visionary” in his industry by sharing his journey through and resilient recovery from depression and alcoholism. Attorneys are often type A professionals who are driven to succeed, yet often are reluctant to express vulnerability and share personal challenges. By speaking publicly about his recovery from major depression in 2013, and describing his seven years of sobriety, Cam reduces stigma, and helps others find the courage to be open. In addition to telling his story, Cam outlines the therapies, treatment, and wellness practices that have been key in his recovery process. As Cam will describe for us, his mission of being a storyteller has also been a large part of his own healing, as it can be for all of us.
About Cameron Stout
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Cameron Stout is a nationally recognized securities defense litigator and a mediator. In late 2012, his legal career was derailed for over a year by a major depressive episode that required hospitalization. As a result of several modes of therapy, the love of family, friends and colleagues, and his own hard work, Cam is standing on the other side of the abyss of mental illness, and is seven years sober. Cam describes his journey in a short video, and in an article in the Princeton Alumni Weekly:
https://vimeo.com/230186411
https://paw.princeton.edu/article/essay-how-i-survived-depression
Feeling better in many ways than he ever has, Cam is paying his resilient recovery forward by sharing his message of hope and recovery with students, educators, and other professionals.
In July, 2018, Cam founded Stout Heart, Inc., a 501(c)(3) that supports the pro bono presentations that he makes to high school, college, and law students (including at Harvard and Stanford). www.stoutheart.org
Cam’s message is timely and powerful: The pernicious stigma around these illnesses is a dangerously false narrative that must be stamped out. Mental health conditions are just that, health conditions, not weaknesses. They are not our fault, and there is tremendous hope for ongoing recovery and effective management of these challenges.
In addition to candidly sharing his own lived experience, Cam discusses ways to identify and address mental health and addiction issues. He also describes his strategies for self-care, and how to build the mindful resilience and the perspective that we all need in order to learn, work, and live with a lighter heart and a more focused mind.
Cam graduated in 1980 from Princeton University, where he was a member of the varsity tennis team. Following his graduation with honors from the University of San Francisco School of Law, Cam practiced for decades as a securities litigator, defending financial services companies in customer disputes and employment cases. He is an active mediator in those practice areas as well. The very proud father of two adult children, Cam now lives in Princeton, New Jersey. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/55
Emotional Intelligence — What is it and Why Does it Matter at Work?
Despite being in public awareness for many years, emotional intelligence remains an undervalued competency in many workplaces. The more we learn about the impact of training on emotional intelligence at work, the more we impressed we are with the ways it can affect safety, retention and even insurance costs. If you are an “Alpha” or a “Self-Sacrificer” in your leadership style, you may experience burnout if you are not able to cultivate emotional intelligence skills. In the podcast, we help leaders overcome “the smartest person in the room syndrome, and learn more about the four basic elements to emotional intelligence and the 16 competencies of the EQ-i 2.0:
1) Self-awareness: The ability to tune into our emotions and intuition and have them help guide our decision making along with our reasoning.
2) Self-regulation: The ability to acknowledge our emotions as alarms or signals and attend to them without having them interfere with our functioning. By contrast, people with high emotional intelligence leverage their keen sense of emotions to enhance their well-being.
3) Social awareness: The ability to be in touch with the emotions of others.
4) Relationship management: The ability to leverage this awareness to inspire, influence, build trust and manage conflict.
About Brent Darnell
Brent Darnell
Brent Darnell is a playwright, author, actor, improviser, and Dramatists Guild member. He is also a pioneer in bringing emotional intelligence to the construction industry and has taught people skills to technical people at 100 different companies in 20 different countries. He also teaches these skills at Auburn, Penn State, Virginia Tech, and the University of Cincinnati. He has published eight books on emotional intelligence and people skills for technical people.
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity. It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
~Melodie Beattie
Overview
Gratitude is the foundation of happiness. Practicing gratitude is like “going to the gym” for your emotional resilience. Lifting weights, yoga and jogging help keep up our strength, flexibility and endurance. Daily practices of gratitude and kindness build our mental fitness. In this podcast I speak with the Founder and CEO of Project Helping, Justin Kruger. We discuss how “gratitude in action” helps individuals and communities. Some daily practices we explore are:
1) Building a gratitude inventory through daily reflections or a Hope Kit.
2) Learning to give thanks freely, especially to those whose good work often goes unnoticed.
3) Giving yourself some grace and self-gratitude
4) Finding joy in intentional acts of kindness
Justin Kruger
About Justin Kruger
Justin Kruger started a social enterprise — Project Helping in 2014 after years of regularly volunteering himself in the community. Justin realized the power that volunteering had in helping him to overcome depression and suicidal thoughts and wanted to share that experience with others. The non-profit improves emotional wellbeing and authentic community connection through what Justin has calls kyndfulness, or a daily practice of volunteering, intentional acts of kindness, and gratitude. Justin also founded Kyndhub, an online community that similarly encourages people to do kind things for one another, and Kyndkit, a service that delivers volunteer experiences to communities and businesses — making it simple and fun to be kind. Justin also serves on the Marketing Committee of the Colorado Mental Wellness Network and volunteers at Urban Peak, a nonprofit working to help youth exit homelessness and create self-determined, fulfilled lives. For more information go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/53 Music provided by https://www.royaltyfree-music.com
“Grief is love not wanting to let go.”
When children are grieving a death by suicide, they need the caring adults around them to help them find their way through Wordon’s tasks of mourning:
Task #1: Accept the Reality of the Loss
Task #2: Process the Pain of the Grief
Task #3: Adjust to a World without the Deceased
Task #4: Move on to an Enduring Connection While Embarking on a New Life
In this podcast, I interview Barbara Rubel, author of But I Didn’t Say Goodbye: Helping Families After a Suicide. We walk through specific strategies families and other caring adults can use to support kids bereaved by suicide across many developmental ages.
About Barbara Rubel
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Three weeks prior to Barbara Rubel, MA, BCETS, DAAETS, giving birth to triplets, her father died by suicide. Her story was featured in an Emmy award winning documentary, Fatal Mistakes. Barbara is a sought-after keynote speaker who has dedicated her life work to supporting suicide loss survivors and educating professionals about suicide postvention and vicarious trauma. As an author and speaker, she brings a deep understanding of thanatology and personal resilience to her work. Her list of clients span more than 500 organizations. Barbara is a consultant with the U.S. Dept. of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVCTTAC) and co-wrote its training curriculum, Compassion Fatigue/Vicarious Trauma. She received a bachelor of science degree in psychology and a master of arts degree in community health, with a concentration in thanatology, both from Brooklyn College. She is a board-certified expert in traumatic stress, and a diplomate with the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress.
Our best bet in preventing suicide is to get in front of it.
Way in front.
Promoting protective factors will not only reduce the risk of suicide — it also is a great way to build a life worth living. In this podcast, I interview Captain Dena Ali about what we have learned about wellness at work from the fire service and about the mitigating effects of social support, mindfulness and sleep. We also talk about the power of peer support to promote these buffering factors and how small interventions can go a long way. As you listen to Captain Ali, ask yourself, “How can these protective factors of the fire service be translated to other industries and workplaces?
Social Support
A strong support network is the most powerful buffer against PTSD, stress, and suicide. True social connection is based on trust, empathy and vulnerability. We can see at the brain science level how simply talking to others allows us to “know and understand what is going on with us while also processing the memories of the trauma.” According to Dr. Van der Kolk, the body keeps score, "As long as you keep secrets and suppress information, you are fundamentally at war with yourself. Hiding your core feelings takes an enormous amount of energy; it saps your motivation to pursue worthwhile goals, and it leaves you feeling bored and shut down. Meanwhile, stress hormones keep flooding your body, leading to headaches, muscle aches, and irrational behaviors that may embarrass you and hurt the people around you.”
We are hardwired to connect. According to Ali, “Social support is not just being in the presence of other; it requires meaningful connection and a visceral feeling of safety. You have to feel safe to share your thoughts and know that you are understood.”
The fire service has important protectors when it comes to social support like a feeling of camaraderie, familial support, and a communal sense of purpose. Workers pull together around the kitchen table to process the day and check in with one another in meaningful ways.
How can we help workers build out their “A-Team”?
Mindfulness
Ali states, “Mindfulness is the super power that allows humans the opportunity to own the space between a stimulus and the response.” Mindfulness works because it increases activation of the neocortex while decreasing activation of the emotional centers of the brain, which can help mitigate the impact of trauma. Several smartphone applications like Headspace and Calm or the Navy Seal’s Breathing Technique called “box breathing” work to promote resilience.
According to Ali, mindfulness for emotional survival is based on where you put your attention. Victims focus on what they can’t control. Survivors focus on what they can control.
How can skills of mindfulness be used in workplaces to mitigate experiences of overwhelm and other forms of workplace trauma?
Sleep
Sleep disruption is a key contributor to our emotional well-being. The sleeping brain prunes information to let emotionally relevant information stay present while letting irrelevant information fade away. It also helps traumatic events turn into memories experienced from an emotional distance rather than stuck in the reliving part of the brain. Sleep disruption can lead to emotional reactivity — anger, impulsivity and aggression.
When it comes to shift work, employers need to get creative to help workers prioritize quality sleep. Teaching workers about “sleep hygiene” can be a place to start.
What can be done to help workers sleep better?
About Captain Dena Ali
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Dena Ali is a captain with the Raleigh (NC) Fire Department. Ali has a degree from North Carolina State University and an MPA from the University of North Carolina—Pembroke, where her research focused on firefighter suicide. As a graduate student, she was awarded the 2018 MPA student of the year. She has also received several awards throughout her career. One that she is most proud of is the NC Office of State Fire Marshal Honor, Courage, and Valor award that she earned in 2018 for her steadfast effort to bring awareness to firefighter mental health through her vulnerability.
Dena has also served as a subject matter expert at the National Fire Academy where she assisted in curriculum review for their health and wellness curriculum. Dena is an advocate of awareness, education, and understanding of mental health disorders and suicide. She speaks locally and nationally on these topics and is a QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Instructor. She has written several articles on topics such as suicide prevention, peer support, wellness, and post-traumatic stress. Dena is the founder and director of North Carolina Peer Support where she helped to develop their statewide curriculum
“We are not just human resources, we are human beings.”
A significant workplace traumatic event can make or break a company depending on how well the employer has prepared for it — at the heart of a successful transition through the crisis is the how well leadership connects with the people most impacted by the trauma. In this interview, Tricia Kagerer, an expert in workplace risk management, shares key steps in helping companies move from “it-will-never-happen-here” mentality to building a responsive plan for crisis.
Crisis can be defined as a time of intense danger or difficulty resulting in substantial emotional disregulation and or radical change of status. At the center of many crises a difficult or important decision is often necessary — this moment becomes a turning point for better or worse in this “seismic event.”
Some crises happen at work like trauma/violence, bullying, or downsizing. Sometimes when people’s identity is what they do, even retirement can feel like a crisis to some. Sometimes crises come to work like when an employee experiences a sudden death, a break with a serious mental health condition, a highly conflictual divorce or a significant illness or injury.
When facing these crises, the response by leadership often makes a critical impact on whether those most affected stay stuck in the crises or move towards post-traumatic growth. Many people exposed to a traumatic event, experience personal growth in the form of:
Appreciation of life
Relationships with others
New possibilities in life
Personal strength
Spiritual change
…even while they are also experiencing the very challenging experiences of trauma. What often makes the difference for those who move toward growth and those who do not is interpersonal communication and connectedness after the trauma. About Tricia Kagerer
More: https://www.triciakagerer.com/
Tricia is currently the EVP for Risk Management for Jordan Foster Construction in Texas, a large construction organization that performs civil, multifamily and general contracting across Texas. Tricia leads the risk management, safety and leadership efforts.
Previously she served as a Risk Management Executive for American Contractors Insurance Group where she provided risk management and safety consulting services for contractors across the United States. She is an expert on contractual risk transfer, risk financing, wrap‐ups, subcontractor default insurance, claims management, conflict resolution, and safety.
Tricia is a construction industry expert and speaker on various leadership, risk management and safety topics, including crisis management, emergency response best practices, education across cultures, and servant leadership and diversity.
She holds a master’s degree in dispute resolution from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and her bachelor of science in business administration and bachelor of arts in communication—public relations from Regis University in Denver, Colorado.
Her professional credentials include Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU); Certified Safety Professional (CSP); Construction Risk Insurance Specialist (CRIS); Associate in Risk Management (ARM); Associate in Claims Management (AIC); licensed Texas claims representative and commercial agent; and served as a construction panel arbitrator with the AAA.
Tricia is the author of the upcoming book “The B Words; 12 Words Every Woman Must Navigate on the Journey to Self Defined Success” where she highlights challenges and breakthrough strategies for women entering non‐traditional roles in the workplace. For more information go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/50
How do we help people in despair overcome emotional pain and reconnect to purpose through an on-line intervention? Connection is the answer. Technology is the tool.
Our on-line technologies can have a whole spectrum of impact on our behavior — from helpful and healthy to harmful and hurtful, and the data we derive from our engagement with technology tells a powerful tale. When “13 Reasons Why” came out on March 31, 2017, I didn’t know anything about it. Five days later it had swept the globe, and the suicide prevention community became very concerned. By July 2017, a JAMA report looked at Google search trends during the 19 days after the show launched. Many terms related to suicide were significantly higher than expected and included increases in help-seeking (e.g., “suicide hotline number” was up 21%) and suicidal thoughts (e.g., “how to commit suicide” was up 26%). It wasn’t until April of 2019, however, did researchers conclude, “The release of 13 Reasons Why was associated with a significant increase in monthly suicide rates among US youth aged 10 to 17 years. Caution regarding the exposure of children and adolescents to the series is warranted.”
Google has partnered with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, so searches for phrases like “I want to kill myself” bring up graphic and phone number for this hotline. Facebook has a “report” and “support” functions for friends who are concerned about another’s suicidal on-line posting. Now, through the power of artificial intelligence, they are building algorithms that help them predict who is at risk for suicide. For more on social media and suicide prevention read: http://insurancethoughtleadership.com/social-media-and-suicide-prevention/.
My interview this week is with Anne Moss Rogers. After losing her son Charles to suicide, digital marketing expert, Anne Moss decided to use social media and SEO skills to reach those Googling “ways to die” with the goal of saving lives. The results have been remarkable and unexpected.
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About Anne Moss Rogers
Anne Moss Rogers is also known as the “emotionally naked speaker” is a blogger, TEDx Talk storyteller and a brain tumor survivor. She is the author of “Diary of a Broken Mind", a mother's story, a son's suicide, and the haunting lyrics he left behind. In other words, she is an inspiration of resilience.
As a motivational speaker she helps people foster a culture of connection to prevent suicide, reduce substance misuse, and find life after loss. Despite her family’s best efforts, Anne Moss’ 20-year-old son Charles died by suicide June 5, 2015 after many years of struggle with anxiety, depression, and ultimately addiction. Anne Moss started a blog, EmotionallyNaked.com, and chronicled her family’s tragedy in a newspaper article that went viral.
She has been featured in the New York Times, and was the first suicide loss survivor ever invited to speak at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). She is also a trainer for the 4-hour evidence based training called safeTALK.
Do mental health providers’ own personal histories with suicide impact their interactions with and attitudes towards people experiencing suicide intensity? What happens when clinicians disclose their own suicide attempts to the public or to their clients? Does an “insider’s view” help a therapist to be more of an ally than an adversary? In this interview Dr. Stacey Freedenthal and I explore these questions as we have an in-depth conversation about her deep insights in helping the suicide person.
About Dr. Stacey Freedenthal
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Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW, is a tenured faculty member at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work where she teaches Suicide Assessment and Interventions, Assessment of Mental Health in Adults, Clinical Social Work Theory and Practice, and Social Justice Challenges in Mental Health Practice. She writes poignantly and powerfully about suicide. Her book, Helping the Suicidal Person: Tips and Techniques for Professionals, contains evidence-based instructions and advice for assessing risk, planning for safety and helping the suicidal person to build hope, coping skills and reasons for living. She has written more than 70 articles for her website SpeakingOfSuicide.com, a blog that has received over five million visitors since 2013.
Freedenthal started her journey working in the field of suicide prevention in 1994, when she volunteered at a suicide hotline. Subsequently, she earned a master's degree in social work from the University of Texas at Austin. She held clinical positions in psychiatric emergency settings before returning to school to earn a PhD in social work from Washington University in St. Louis. Before Freedenthal became a social worker, she worked as a journalist for The Dallas Morning News. for more information go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/48
When a teen loses a loved one to suicide, the intense reactions can be overwhelming, and sometimes the caring adults don’t know what to do to help. Teens who are already feeling the pressure of school and social expectations can be very challenged in navigating the complexity of suicide bereavement. In this interview, Jason shares his journey from surviving to thriving after losing his Dad to suicide when he was 17.
About Jason Holzer
Jason grew up in Missouri in a loving family. At age 17, however, his life was changed forever on May 8, 2003, when his Dad died by suicide. Later Jason found a calling for resilience through his faith and vocation as a teacher and basketball coach to #Act2Impact. He strives to make meaning out of his loss to positively impact others and them them overcome the lasting impact of a suicide death. Today his is a speaker and the author of the book, “Shattered by Suicide: Renewed by Resilience.”
For more information go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/47
Music provided by https://www.royaltyfree-music.com
Editor of “Still with Us: Voices of Sibling Suicide Loss,” Dr. Lena Heilmann joins me for our shared reflection on the experience of losing a brother or sister to suicide. We speak about how in this form of loss, siblings experience losing their past, present and future. Lena also suggests many strategies for coping with the grief and trauma of suicide loss.
On November 22, 2012, Lena lost her sister Danielle to suicide. Seven years later, she is turning that tremendous grief into energy to help other siblings who have experienced suicide loss. Her book is an anthology of sibling loss stories, organized by time since loss. She says “there is no gatekeeping on what it means to be a sibling,” meaning meaning a sibling is defined as anyone (a cousin, a friend, a relative, a family member through marriage, a soul connection, etc.) who fills a sibling role in our lives.
Reading reminded me of my journey of losing Carson from:
Feeling like I lost a part of myself
Later grieving the lost dreams I had imagined of us raising families together in Colorado
Still later I experienced survival guilt because I have learned so much about suicide since his death
Now I miss his presence greatly with the transitions I face in my life.
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I was so honored when Lena asked me to be one of the storytellers in her book. Together with many other sibling survivors, we are holding honor guard, as my friend Sarah Gaer calls it, for our loved ones by honoring their lives and sharing our stories. Many of us carry forward our loved one’s legacy and help others, so that we can make meaning out of our unimaginable loss.
In this podcast, Lena and I discuss many topics including the connection between suicide and trauma and the importance of storytelling in cutting through the loneliness of suicide grief.
About Dr. Lena Heilmann
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Lena Heilmann lost her sister Danielle to suicide in 2012. In response to this traumatic loss and as a way to honor her sister, Lena transitioned to the world of suicide prevention. In her work and volunteer roles, Lena centers her lived experience and identity as a sibling suicide loss survivor. Her recent project is a collection of essays titled Still With Us: Voices of Sibling Suicide Loss Survivors (forthcoming), which includes 23 essays written by sibling suicide loss survivors. These essays share a common message: No matter how much time passes, our siblings are still with us.
Lena left the world of academia where she taught as a college professor in the areas of German studies, English, and gender, so she could work in suicide prevention full time. I have come to know and admire her work, strength and thoughtfulness through our shared tenure on the board of the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado. We are also proud graduates of Regis University’s Masters in Nonprofit Management program.
Twitter: @LenaSchatz
Contact email related to book: LenaSurvivingSiblingSuicide@gmail.com
for mor information n this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/46
Music provided by https://www.royaltyfree-music.com
Over 855 delegates from 57 countries convened in Derry/Londonderry to share the science, stories and strategy of suicide prevention and suicide grief/trauma support. The theme of the conference was "Breaking Down Walls, Building Bridges" and the conference planners were exceptionally mindful about equity in their selection of speakers and content. The voices of people with lived experience were prevalent throughout and one of my favorite sessions was among prominent suicidologists and clinicians who shared their experiences with discrimination and prejudice within the field of suicide prevention. We also had an opportunity to honor the lives and service of two giants in our field who died way too soon -- Prof Allison Milner and Dr. Jan Mokkenstorm. Tune in to be inspired to be part of this international community pulling together to prevent suicide and alleviate suffering. For more information go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast
In the United States our suicide rates are going up, but in much of the world, the suicide rates are going down. In this interview I speak with the world renowned Erminia Colucci to discuss the Anglo perspective of a highly medicalized perspective of suicide and contrast that with an understanding of suicide in a larger context. In her view, we must situate suicide prevention within a social, cultural and political context to be effective. She is part of a group of “Critical Suicidologists” who are challenging some of the “truths” we have accepted within the suicide prevention field. As an activist researcher she wants to engage with the community and helps us better to understand the root causes of inequality, oppression, violence and related conditions of human suffering.
Erminia and I have this conversation at the World Congress for Suicide Prevention in Derry, Ireland. We are sitting in an art studio in the Playhouse for this conversation, and explore a ‘different way’ to help people on their darkest day.
Take aways:
Suicide needs to be seen in a larger context within the cultures people belong to
We need to break the silence in some areas of understanding suicide like social justice
By exploring alternative methods that work for people, like the arts, faith, and others, we can make a difference to alleviate suffering and prevent suicide.
About Dr. Erminia Colucci
Erminia Colucci
Erminia Colucci is currently a senior lecturer at the Department of Psychology at Middlesex University London (UK), however she has lectured and conducted research all over the4 world including Australia, Japan, the Philippines, and in her home country of Italy. In 2015 she was awarded the International Association for Suicide Prevention’s award for innovative research among young researchers. The focus of her research is on on the cultural implications of suicide on mental health and suicide with a focus on low-middle income countries and immigrant and refugee populations. Her key interests are human rights and mental health, suicide and suicide prevention, domestic violence against women and children, child neglect/exploitation, spirituality and faith-based and spiritual/traditional healing, and first-hand stories of people with lived-experience of ‘mental illness’ and suicidal behavior. Erminia is passionate about using arts-based and visual methods, particularly photography and ethnographic film-documentary, in her research, teaching and advocacy activities. Erminia is the chair of the International Association for Suicide Prevention SIG in Culture and Suicidal Behaviour, Chair of the World Association of Cultural Psychiatry SIG on Arts, Media and Mental Health and founder of Movie-ment (https://movie-ment.org) and Aperture, the first Asia-Pacific ethnographic documentary festival. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/44
The World Health Organization has declared suicide prevention a global imperative. Every year World Suicide Prevention falls on September 10th. This year I interviewed Professor Rory O’Connor as he prepared for the 30th World Congress of Suicide Prevention in Derry, Northern Ireland.
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About Professor Rory O’Connor
Rory O’Connor was “born to be a psychologist,” knowing at an early age he was fascinated with human behavior and emotions. Currently he is a Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Glascow and the Director of Suicidal Behavior Research Laboratory. The personal impact he has experienced in losing people he cared about to suicide helps to fuel his passion for learning more about the experience of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. His Integrated Motivational-Volitional Model of Suicidal Behavior is well respected internationally.
Professor O’Connor is a global leader as the Past President of the International Academy for Suicide Research and the current Vice President for the International Association for Suicide Prevention. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/43
As we approach National Suicide Prevention Week, it sometimes feels like a multitude of voices are clamoring for attention with various (and sometimes conflicting) messages. How can we cut through the clutter and be heard? One place where we can learn lessons is from is big business. A recent article by Peter Gasca in Inc. magazine called “Get Your Message Heard With This Simple 5- Step Checklist” offers helpful tips to the suicide prevention community.
The 5-Step Checklist for Effective Messaging
Add Value — does your message improve the lives of those who receive it? Is it helpful? Is there a clear call to action?
Be Clear — does your message get to the point and have a direct call to action? Are you using jargon or acronyms?
Be Concise — does your message use as few words as possible? Better yet — have you considered an infographic to convey your message?
Be Compelling — does your message use urgency, storytelling, humor or something unexpected to get the receiver’s attention? How are you engaging others?
Be Credible — are you trustworthy? Use citations and get your information from highly credible sources.
Recently, with major news coverage of the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why” and celebrity suicide deaths, we are having more conversations about suicide, but are we having the right conversations? Are we telling a more powerful tale? In this episode Dr. Bart Andrews shares his story of deciding to “come out” as a suicide attempt survivor, how he challenges “safe messaging guidelines,” and what he believes are most important suicide prevention messages need to be.
About Dr. Bart Andrews
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Bart Andrews, PhD, is Vice President of Telehealth & Home/Community Services at Behavioral Health Response. Dr. Andrews is the Chair of Missouri’s Suicide Prevention Network, Co-Chair of the Suicide Lifeline’s Standards, Training and Practices committee, a member of the Suicide Prevention Resource Center’s (SPRC) Steering Committee, an SPRC ZeroSuicide Academy Faculty member and member of the American Association of Suicidology’s Executive Board of Directors. Dr. Andrews is a suicide attempt survivor and a proponent of embracing of lived expertise in our suicide prevention efforts. For more information about this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/42
If you are thinking about getting involved in suicide prevention or suicide grief support, we need you. You have a place and your voice matters. Learn more in this interview about how to get involved in my interview with Colleen Creighton, Executive Director of the American Association of Suicidology.
Overview
Social movements tend to follow predictable phases in their development. In a paper I co-authored with Dr. Danielle Jahn called “Tracking a Movement: U.S. Milestones in Suicide Prevention” we discussed four stages of development that seem track the emergence and decline of a wildfire:
Stage 1: A Spark is Lit — at this stage individuals are triggered by a shared belief that something isn’t right. People start to come together in small groups over water-coolers and in coffee shops and become agitated together.
Stage 2: Combustion and Local Coalescence — at this stage many small local pockets begin to enrolls new voices and create local strategy, and momentum builds.
Stage 3: Fully Developed and Consuming Energy — here we have bureaucratization with broader levels of standards and coordination and enrollment of universal systems like media, education, healthcare, faith communities, politics and workplace.
Stage 4: Decay and Decline — momentum dies out.
In this interview we talk about how the movement is gaining traction through new directions in research to practice, media responsiveness, community engagement and legislation.
Join the Movement
Join now: https://www.suicidology.community/general/register_member_type.asp?
Join now: https://www.suicidology.community/general/register_member_type.asp?
Do you want to get involved? One step you can take is join the American Association of Suicidology — membership is accessible for all.
JOIN AAS
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About Colleen Creighton
Colleen Creighton joined the American Association of Suicidology in June 2017. Previously, she served as Executive Director of the Alliance for Consumer Education (ACE), a nonprofit foundation dedicated to the safe and responsible use of consumer household products. She also served as Director of CHPA Educational Foundation where she was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association’s educational foundation.
Prior to her work in the nonprofit foundation arena, Ms. Creighton worked in the educational field, having taught civics education at the elementary, middle, and secondary levels. Additionally, she spent three years in Lancut, Poland working for the International World Teach program, an organization based out of the Harvard University Center for International Development. Before that, she studied NATO and the European Union at the Irish Institute for European Affairs in Leuven, Belgium.
Colleen holds a B.A. in Political Science from the Catholic University of America and a M.A. in East European Studies from the Freie Universität Berlin in Germany. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/41
Faith community leaders are often first responders after a suicide death. Sometimes, as in my family’s situation, faith leaders do an amazing job in supporting a highly traumatized and confused family through their grief journey and facilitate a memorial service that both honors the life that was lived without shying away from the tragedy of suicide. Other times families feel compounded shame and guilt and experience additional layers of loss because of how faith leaders address suicide. Faith beliefs are sometimes shattered in the aftermath of suicide, and anger at God is not uncommon.
https://theactionalliance.org/faith-hope-life
https://theactionalliance.org/faith-hope-life
From a suicide prevention standpoint, faith communities can foster compassion and support for people who are experiencing hardship, and can use theological reflection to help people make meaning. They can also work closely with mental health resources in the community to build bridges and increase their mental health and suicide prevention literacy. When faced with intervening with someone they are worried about, faith leaders can be trained to expand their pastoral counseling skills to identify someone in an emerging suicide crisis and to help them build out their safety net. Should a suicide impact a faith community, faith leaders are often called upon to conduct memorial services and ofter pastoral care, and thus, would benefit greatly from understanding suicide grief and trauma and best practices in safe and effective messaging.
According to Dr. Melinda Moore, 85% of clergy know that helping people in a suicide crisis is part of their responsibility, but they don’t know what to do. In this interview with her, we explore some of the findings from a recently released guidelines from the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention called “Suicide Prevention Competencies for Faith Leaders: Supporting Life Before, During, and After a Suicidal Crisis.” We also discuss ways that faith communities can offer support through the National Weekend of Prayer and the resources offered through the “Faith-Hope-Life” campaign.
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About Dr. Melinda Moore
Dr. Melinda Moore is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky. She is in private practice in Lexington, Kentucky, and routinely trains clinicians in suicide-focused treatment. Dr. Moore serves on the board of the American Association of Suicidology as the chair of the Clinical Division and is the co-lead of the National Action Alliance’s Faith Communities Task Force. She recently published The Suicide Funeral: Honoring their Memory, Comforting their Survivors (Wipf & Stock) with her co-author Rabbi Dan Robert. She conducts suicide bereavement research at Eastern Kentucky University with an emphasis on Posttraumatic Growth (www.posttraumaticgrowth.com). She received her PhD from The Catholic University of America. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/40
All over the globe, young Indigenous men have some of the highest rates of suicide. When we take a closer look at this trend, we understand it is much less about individual mental health issues and much more about the consequences of historical trauma. Programs addressing suicide prevention in these communities are promoting culture and community connectedness through storytelling, ceremony and reclaiming culture. These cross-generational initiatives are rooted in values that link the past and present. Values and priorities like honor, identity, pride and resiliency. In this interview I interview my dear friend and one of the most resilient people I know, Shelby Rowe, who shares how she was inspired by her ancestors to be a “designated culture keeper.” For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/39
In the US, the construction industry is the top industry with the highest suicide rates and largest numbers. Historically, mental health and suicide have not been considered safety priorities, until now. In this podcast a global safety expert helps us connect the dots.
Safety professionals are well-versed in “the fatal four” — falls, followed by struck by object, electrocution, and caught-in/between — and know that if they are able to prevent these forms of deaths, they will save almost 600 lives each year (U.S. Department of Labor, n.d.). What most safety professionals are not aware of is that suicide in construction kills takes many more lives. A recent study published by the CDC (Peterson, et al, 2018) found that in their sample 20% of all men who died by suicide in the US were in the construction/extraction industry. In 2017, 47,173 people died by suicide, 27,404 of them were men ages 20-64 (CDC, 2017). If 20% of them were in construction/extraction that means we can estimate that over 5,000 men working in construction/extraction died by suicide — over 9x more than all of the fatal four deaths together.
When a workplace fatality happens, the cause is almost always determined to be “accidental” and a deeper investigation into intent to die is not undertaken. The remedy is then to do more safety training. When we look at the fatal occupational injuries, however, the first two most common (transportation incidents and falls) are also common ways people think about taking their lives (CDistrosby et al, 1999; De Andrade & DeLeo, 2007). Thus, it is possible that some if not many of these workplace fatalities are actually suicide deaths, which then means that safety training may not be effective in preventing them.
The reason suicide has not concerned safety professionals before is that most suicide deaths do not occur at the workplace, and thus, were not considered a work-related fatalities. Today, we know different, and there are many things workplaces can do to make suicide prevention and mental health promotion health and safety priorities.
There are many reasons why mismanaged mental health conditions and unchecked suicidal thoughts can lead to safety concerns:
Distraction: having suicidal thoughts and symptoms of illnesses like depression, anxiety and addition are intense and trying to hide them from other people can make them all-consuming. For example, racing or intrusive thoughts as experienced by people living with bipolar condition, trauma or thought disorders like schizophrenia can be very distracting. This distraction can interfere with decisiveness and safety planning.
Impulsivity, Impaired Perception and Judgment: agitation, tunnel vision, distorted thinking and paranoia are common symptoms among several mental health conditions. When left untreated these symptoms can interfere with workplace security and morale.
Fatigue and Microsleep: sleep disorders are common in many forms of mental illness and suicidal intensity. Insomnia is present in many forms of mood disorders, anxiety disorders and substance use disorders. People living with depression often experience lethargy and what is known as anhedonia – of the inability to feel pleasure. Sometimes extreme fatigue can result in microsleep (Kock, 2016) where the brain involuntarily goes “off-line” to a sudden sleep state for a matter of seconds. This state can have disastrous consequences for many safety-conscious professions.
Other Medical Complications: When mental health challenges reach crisis levels, other physical health challenges involving pain, gastro-intestinal problems and heart functioning can result.
Risk-taking and Disregard for Safety Precautions: When people are overwhelmed by the emotional pain in their life and have come to a place where the only way they can get out of this pain is to die, they often consciously or subconsciously start to take more risks or even practice suicidal behavior as they test out their capacity for self-harm.
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About TJ Lyons
TJ Lyons is a safety professional and regional manager for a large mechanical contracting firm in the Northeast. He has had the opportunity to serve as Safety Director for some of our largest general contractors and has extensive experience working overseas. Currently he is overseeing work across the US supporting some of the greatest safety professionals in the world. One particular focus is on the sons and daughters who do our hard work every day. Whenever he gets the opportunity he takes the time to listen to those in the field. Often that results not only in a safer workplace but a happy and more trusting group of what he calls, friends. He lives with his wife Tracy in 200 year old stagecoach stop house near Saratoga, NY. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/35
“Be vocal, be visible, be visionary. There is no shame in stepping forward, but there is great risk in holding back and just hoping for the best.” ~Higher Education Center
When it comes to suicide prevention in the workplace, we need bold leaders — leaders who are willing to take a stand and say, “suicide prevention matters to me, and it matters to our workforce.” We need leaders with a vision to aspire to a zero suicide mindset and to yield their influence to creating a culture of caring and mental wellbeing. When workers are having a hard time, we need leaders to notice and tell them, “If you reach out to me when you are suffering, I’ve got your back. I will persist with you until we’ve found the right support and resources to help you be your best self again. You matter to us and we need you to achieve our mission.”
In this episode we will hear from one leader who is doing just that within the construction industry — within labor specifically — building upon the culture of “we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers.”
About Chris Carlough
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Chris Carlough is the Director of Education for the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) and is a tireless advocate for union members and their families struggling with substance use disorder, suicide prevention and other mental health issues.
Through the SMART MAP training initiative, SMART is building a network of trained compassionate union members who offer support and guidance to union members and their families struggling with a variety of chemical dependency issues. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/2019/4/34
Did you know?
Approximately 30% of ALL ER visits end with a prescription for a opioid. (Teater, 2015)
Approximately 60% of patients going to the ER with back pain will get an opioid prescription. (Teater, 2015)
Primary care doctors give opioids to about 35% of their patients presenting with back pain.
Pain is the most common reason for people to go to the ER or to their primary care doctor. (Teater, 2015)
One opioid prescription after an injury doubles the risk of being disabled at one year. (Teater, 2015)
The combined deaths among Americans — suicide and unintentional overdose — in 2000 was 41,364 deaths and in 2017 was 110,749 deaths. (Bohnert & Ilgen, 2019)
The good news is there are shared prevention approaches, and we are learning more and more as the silos between those addressing the opioid crisis and those addressing suicide begin to fall away. In this podcast Dr. Don Teater and I explore how opioid use and suicide are connected and what we need to do to find better ways to alleviate pain and suffering.
Teater, D. (2015). Prescription Opioids: The Real Story.
About Dr. Don Teater
Medical Advisor
National Safety Council Don is a family practitioner from Western North Carolina. His practice now concentrates on the treatment of pain and the treatment of opioid use disorder. Don was the lead facilitator for the expert panel discussion during the development of the CDC guidelines for treating pain. He continues to contract with the CDC on educating prescribers on the treatment of acute and chronic pain. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/33
For the past century, the science of suicide prevention has not revealed much that is highly promising; however, innovations coming from the research lab of Dr. Matt Nock are quite exciting. Join us as we talk about his work with electronic diaries, attentional bias, ketamine, and much more. Findings that are helping us be able to better predict suicide risk and find more effective ways to prevent this tragedy.
About Dr. Matt Nock
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Dr. Matt Nock received his Ph.D. in psychology from Yale University (2003) and completed his clinical internship at Bellevue Hospital and the New York University Child Study Center (2003). Nock’s research is aimed at advancing the understanding of why people behave in ways that are harmful to themselves, with an emphasis on suicide and other forms of self-harm. He has been published in over 250 scientific papers and book chapters. Nock’s work has been recognized through the receipt of four early career awards from the American Psychological Association, the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, and the American Association of Suicidology.
In 2011, he was named a MacArthur Fellow. In addition to conducting research, Nock has been a consultant/scientific advisor to the National Institutes of Health, the World Health Organization’s World Mental Health Survey Initiative, the American Psychological Association, and the American Psychiatric Association DSM-5 Childhood and Adolescent Disorder Work Group. In 2017, he was named the Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology at Harvard. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/32
Well before we had writing and certainly before we had powerpoint, people were sharing stories. When it comes to suicide, we must “tell a more powerful tale” — one of resilience and redemption. When we cultivate stories that describe experiences of coming through unimaginable suicidal despair or suicide grief, storytellers “make meaning” and broader societal changes are possible. In other words, storytelling is good for the storyteller, and when done safely and effectively, it is good for the listener and can powerfully shift culture. In this interview Dr. Lewis Mehl-Madrona and I talk about the neurobiology and cultural implications of the power of the story to heal.
About Dr. Lewis Mehl-Madrona
Lewis Mehl-Madrona
Dr. Lewis Mehl-Madrona is the author of the “Coyote Trilogy,” (1998, 2003 & 2005), “Narrative Medicine: The Use of History and Story in the Healing Process” (2007), “Healing the Mind through the Power of Story: The Promise of Narrative Psychiatry” (2010) and “Remapping Your Mind: The Neuroscience of Self-Transformation through Story” (2015). A Stanford educated MD, Mehl-Madrona is familiar with brain science and pharmacology, and while he does not eschew Western medicine when it is helpful, he seeks to find additional answers and alternatives to well-being. Inspired by his Cherokee grandmother’s storytelling and tapping into Lakota, Cherokee and Cree traditions of healing, he has spent his career understanding how storytelling converges with neurobiology.
Mehl-Medrona and others involved in Narrative Psychology have noticed the power of stories to transform our lives and shift our inner voices from victim and chaos to redemption and honor. The spiritual journey and healing use of storytelling has been at the cultural center of many indigenous peoples including the Maori, Africans, Mongolians, Aborigines, and Inuit for hundreds, if not thousands of years, and there is much we can learn from the oldest living cultures on earth. For generations within many tribal communities storytelling is valued for it healing capacity, especially when connected with ritual. Paula Gunn Allen, a Laguna/Sioux writer describes “medicine stories” as ceremonial narratives that alter states of consciousness — creating connection between body and spirit. In other words, language in the form of narrative is medicine (ardenhegele, 2017). For Mehl-Madrona, what we can learn from these native traditions is the mindset of narrative medicine, and that these values and practices are portable across cultures.
Frustrated with how conventional medicine ignored the experiences of the patient, Mehl-Madrona believes that by crafting our personal, family, and cultural narratives, we can reshape the dysfunctional patterns of our lives and the larger worlds in which we interact. While modern medicine has made tremendous advances, both the speed of interaction and the high-tech approach has created more distance between the healer and the helped. The practice of storytelling as a healing practice can help bridge this gap.
In his book, “Healing the Mind through the Power of Story,” Mehl-Madrona explains that many people who are suffering emotionally are not defective or ill, requiring drugs to “fix them”; instead what needs “fixing” are the sabotaging internalized stories that have seriously challenged their self- and world-view. The healing then comes from “telling a more powerful tale” about their lives. We construct story to reduce the chaos of our experience. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/31
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Suicide & The Workplace -- Globalization, Job Strain, and the Dark Side of the New Economy: Interview with Dr. Allison Milner | Episode 30
NOTE: This podcast will air on 2/26/19 at 10:00AM ET https://soundcloud.com/user-225414284-842732102
Overview
Too often when we talk about mental health promotion and suicide prevention in the workplace, the main message is about how to get workers who are suffering to counselors. Not enough attention is paid to the environmental aspects of the workplace that may be contributing to despair and what peers, managers and leadership can do to solve these problems. The research is clear — job strain is connected to suicide risk (Milner, et al, 2017). In particular certain types of job strain are related to suicide attempts and death:
Low control (limited decision-making)
High demand (pressure, workload)
Effort-reward imbalance (e.g., high pressure/expectations with little reward — income, respect or security)
Job insecurity
Bullying/harassment (Leach et al)
On this podcast I interview an international authority on workplace suicide and mental health research, Dr. Allison Milner. Join us as we explore some of the social determinants of suicide through a social justice lens in the world of work.
“Suicide prevention doesn’t just magically happen on the psychiatrist’s couch…It happens peer-to-peer. We need the day-to-day interactions to support mental health services and help resolve issues when they are smaller.”
About Dr. Allison Milner
Allison Milner
Dr. Allison Milner is a Deputy Director of the Disability and Health Unit, Melbourne School Population and Global Health, the University of Melbourne. Her current areas of research interests include the influence of gender, employment characteristics, quality of work, and occupation as determinants of mental health and suicide. Allison also focuses on specific employed groups that may be particularly likely to face disadvantage, such as blue-collar workers in the manufacturing and construction industry. Allison’s work ranges across a number of externally-funded etiologic and intervention projects. She works with key policy stakeholders to promote research on the link between work and mental health, and is the co-chair for an international panel of researchers aiming to promote workplace suicide prevention. She has been awarded the Victorian Health and Medical Research Fellowship for her work on gender, employment and mental health. In this work, she is progressing the concept of “gendered working environments” as a cause of health inequalities. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/30
While peer support and peer specialist efforts have long existed in areas of mental health communities and post-critical incidents, their role in suicide prevention has been more recent. Some feared that peer support might increase vulnerability through the “copycat” phenomenon. Others were concerned that suicide was just too complicated of an issue for peers to try to take on.
Then we listened to the voices of people with lived experience with suicidal intensity who told us over and over that peers played an incredibly influential role in not only bringing them back from the brink, but giving them new reasons for living and hope. Peer supporters and peer specialists also told us that helping others helped them.
The Helper Effect
This “Helper Effect” is a well-established phenomenon where people use the wisdom they have gained through living with a problem to help others with the same or similar problem, and in return their own recovery is strengthened. There are many reasons why this is so:
Makes meaning and affirms recovery.
When we are applying the insight from our own experience while helping others, we can sometimes think, “Well, I wish I never had to go through my hard time, but now that I have, I can use my inner wisdom to help another in a way I wouldn’t have been able to without the experience.”
Feelings of social value and respect.
Helping others is an honorable role — even when we feel like imposters — we can feel a boost when others have confidence in our abilities and knowledge.
Keeps helper accountable to wellness.
When we find ourselves in a position of supporting another person, we often think, “I need to take care of myself for me AND because now I am a role model for someone else.” OR as my colleague Chris Carlough once said, “You are like a lifeguard — you can’t be tired if you are saving the lives of others; you need to be strong enough for two.”
Reciprocity.
When we “have each other’s backs” and are willing to be vulnerable with one another, we develop high trust relationships. Our safety net for emotional crises is strengthened.
It feels good to do good.
When we connect in positive ways our brain releases endorphins and oxytocin that helps us feel bonded and improves our self-image.
In this interview I get the honor of chatting with Lt. John Coppedge, whom I met through the Denver Police Department’s Peer Support Program. Lt. Coppedge was a key leader in our “Breaking the Silence” video and training workbook with the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Here he shares his journey about his own trauma history and how it has helped shape his passion for peer support.
Lt. John Coppedge
About Lt. John Coppedge
John Coppedge has served as a police officer with the Denver Police Department since 1992. He currently serves as the Director of Training, as well as supervising the departments employee wellness and resiliency program. He has volunteered as a peer counselor with the agency’s Peer Support team since 2002. John received his BA in Communication with a minor in Psychology from Regis University, graduating Summa Cum Laude. He is pursuing a Master’s degree in Counseling also from Regis University.
When not working, John enjoys spending time with his wife Joni, his children and grandchildren. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/29
After listening to many people describe their experiences with suicidal intensity, I and others have come to think about the clash between the will to live and the desire to escape unimaginable emotional pain as an “epic battle” between fierce forces. On one side is the warrior fighting to live, continuing to make future plans and persevering toward health and vitality. At the same time the pain this warrior is battling can be all-consuming.
In this interview we hear from one man about his “epic battle for recovery” and how he bolstered the strength of his inner warrior who fought valiantly for a passion for living. Gabe Howard is not just managing his bipolar condition and hanging on the edge, he is living well. In other words mental illness and mental well-being are two different dimensions.
About Gabe Howard
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www.gabehoward.com
In 2003, Gabe was formally diagnosed with bipolar disorder and anxiety and was committed to a psychiatric hospital. He weighed 550 pounds and had been living with mania for the better part of a year. He felt so hopeless that he rented an apartment so he could carry out his plan for suicide. AND at the same time he commenced treatment in the fight for his life.
Once his recovery was in motion, Gabe honed his writing and speaking skills and became an activist. Today he is fighting a new battle — one to end discrimination and prejudice for other people like him who are living with mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar and schizophrenia. He is an award-winning writer contributing to The Mighty and the NAMI Advocate and publishing My Mental Illness is an Asshole and Other Observations. In addition, he produces two podcasts: the Psych Central Podcast and A Bipolar, a Schizophrenic and a Podcast. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/28
I first became aware of the power of humor in wellness through my involvement with Cactus Inc. and our Man Therapy initiative. In this program, we used humorous outward facing media to draw men into the website portal and then self-assess for depression, anxiety, anger and substance use issues. When we evaluated the program, the humor was the #1 thing the guys told us they liked because it helped put them at ease.
Having a sense of humor is a sign of emotional well-being. Here are five ways humor helps our wellness:
Stress-relief: When we laugh we increase our endorphins and decrease our stress-related hormone cortisol. These responses help us relax.
Connect: Humor pulls down social barriers and helps us overcome conflict.
Distraction: Humor can take our mind off our problems. A good coping strategy when you are feeling blue is to put on your favorite stand-up comedian or funny movie.
Perspective: When we can laugh at ourselves, we can often find the funny in our distress and put our woes into perspective.
Positivity: Humor gives us positive feelings like hopefulness and amusement that can counter-act dysphoric moods.
In this interview I get the opportunity to chat with the “Mental Health Comedian” Frank King. Frank has used his sense of humor to help open up conversations about depression and suicide from classrooms to corporate conference rooms. Join me as we put on our “giggle goggles” together and learn more about how laughing helps heal us.
About Frank King
Frank King
Frank King, The Mental Health Comedian, was a writer for The Tonight Show for 20 years.
Depression and suicide run his family. He’s thought about killing himself more times than he can count. He’s lived with Major Depressive Disorder and Chronic Suicidality turning that long dark journey of the soul into 5 TEDx Talks, and sharing his lifesaving insights with corporation, association and college audiences.
Coming out, as it were, and standing in his truth, and doing it with humor.
He believes that where there is humor there is hope, where there is laughter there is life, nobody dies laughing. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/27
While only 2% of suicides are murder-suicides, the narrative of this tragedy dominates public consciousness. Due to the fact that the circumstances are horrific, and the media reports on these stories more frequently and with more details than most other community tragedies, it’s not surprising that we feel overwhelmed. What is often not discussed is the unimaginable grief and trauma left behind in the families of the perpetrators. In my interview with Sue Klebold, mother of Columbine shooter Dylan Klebold, we learn more about why she spent many years in hiding and what she is doing now so that other families don’t have to experience what hers did.
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About Sue Klebold
Sue Klebold is the mother of Dylan Klebold, one of the two shooters at Columbine High School in 1999 who killed 13 people and injured more than twenty others before taking their own lives. Since the tragedy, Sue has worked to understand the crucial intersection between mental health problems and violence. From her book, A Mother’s Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy (Crown, 2016) she is donating all author profits to mental health and suicide prevention organizations. She is a member of the Loss and Healing Council of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), and a member of the Consumer Survivor Subcommittee of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/26
“I don’t expect my friends to understand what I’ve been through. When I’m around Veterans, like-minded Veterans, I don’t have to explain myself. They already know.” ~Male Veteran
In this podcast, Master Sergeant Christopher D. Jachimiec shares the tragedy of losing his brother Adam to suicide. We explore our shared grief experiences as sibling survivors of suicide loss and the making meaning process. Out of catastrophe we have options — to get buried under, to gloss over or to go through. Chris found his higher purpose was “honoring the dash” — our lives are not about the start date or end date, but what happens in between.
During the interview, Chris shares so many resources (many listed below), key steps in the journey of healing, and lessons learned from Viktor Frankl.
Pictures of Chris and Adam growing up.
Pictures of Chris and Adam growing up.
ABOUT MASTER SERGEANT CHRISTOPHER D. JACHIMIEC
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Master Sergeant Christopher D. Jachimiec is the Section Chief, Quality Assurance for the 99th Communications Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. He serves as the principal advisor to the commander on cyberspace policy, evaluations and compliance for 130 assigned individuals and provides guidance on cyberspace efforts to six wings and over 52 tenant organizations. He leads 20 Wing Inspection Team members who ensure established directives and public law is being adhered to. He advises and mentors organizations and teams on continuous process improvement and problem solving methods.
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Sergeant Jachimiec was born in Palos Park, Illinois in 1980 and graduated from Muskego High School in Muskego, Wisconsin in 1999. He entered the Air Force in September 1999. His background includes various duties in the Security Forces and Radio Frequency Transmission Systems career fields along with service in the First Sergeant Special Duty Identifier. His stateside assignments include Creech and Nellis Air Force Bases and his overseas assignments include Osan Air Base and Ramstein Air Base. His deployment experience includes tours to Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait and Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Additionally, Sergeant Jachimiec was one of thirty Airmen selected to augment the United States Secret Service during the 2012 Presidential Campaign, is a certified Master Resilience Trainer and leads peer support groups in the local community. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/25
When we talk about suicide bereavement, we often think about the grief part of the response, but sometimes we forget that the experience of losing a loved one to suicide is also traumatic. When a parent loses a child to suicide, the complications of traumatic grief are frequently unparalleled. For many, their core beliefs about the world and themselves are shattered and the pieces take a while to pull back together — like “someone pulled the pin on the grenade and threw it into the (emotional) center of the family.”
The order of how life is supposed to go is disrupted, and it takes a long time to make sense out of what happened. People often stumble around in their suicide grief state while other things start to fall apart around them. Families can sometimes also find resilience and even transformation during their recovery pathway.
What about the people who surround the parents bereaved by suicide — the first responders, the coroners, the funeral home directors, the healthcare providers? Sometimes these people are also so shocked they don’t know how to support the family. Sometimes these people are also fellow grievers.
In this interview we follow the journey of Dr. Sharon McDonnell. In 1990 she lost her brother to suicide, and she found herself on a ‘mission to move mountains.” Today she is a world leader in suicide bereavement research. Her dissertation was entitled, “Identifying the Experiences of Parents Bereaved by Suicide or Undetermined Death.” Listen to the lessons she has learned along the way.
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About Dr. Sharon McDonnell
Dr Sharon McDonnell is the Managing Director of Suicide Bereavement UK and Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Manchester (UoM). She has specialized in suicide bereavement research for 18 years and is considered to be one of the leading researchers in this field in the UK.
Prior to setting up Suicide Bereavement UK, Sharon was employed by the University of Manchester. During this time her research team developed PABBS (Postvention: Assisting those Bereaved by Suicide) evidence-based suicide bereavement training, which was informed by a 3yr study funded by government and first of its kind internationally.
Sharon’s team is currently conducting a national suicide bereavement survey, which is being conducted at the UoM in collaboration with Support After Suicide Partnership. Over 7,000 people have completed it, making it the largest suicide bereavement survey internationally. A report will be launched 25th Sept 2019 at Suicide Bereavement UK’s 8th international suicide bereavement conference. The findings will be of national and international importance.
sharon.mcdonnell@suicidebereavementuk.com
Twitter: @SJMcDonn For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/24
In this podcast I interview Sebastian Slovin, author of “Ashes in the Ocean: A Son’s Story of Living though and Learning from his Father’s suicide. We touch upon themes of survival, stigma and safe space and how he was able to grow up in the shadow of suicide and piece together a narrative and a life worth living. Sebastian shares to other men, “Not feeling does not work” in the grief healing journey. He talks openly and honestly about how peer and professional support — even spiritual connections — can make a big difference in letting men know they are not alone in their bereavement by suicide.
About Sebastian Slovin
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As a young boy, Sebastian Slovin lost his father to suicide, which would deeply inspire his path in life. Later, he had the opportunity to travel extensively as a professional bodyboarder. He holds a BA in Environmental Policy from San Diego State University and an MA in Leadership Studies from the University of San Diego. Sebastian’s recent memoir, Ashes in the Ocean, is about living through and learning from his father’s suicide. Since releasing his book Sebastian has been sharing his story to a wide range of audiences. He has also been featured on a variety of media including National Public Radio, Fox 5 News, the San Diego Union Tribune, and numerous podcasts. . For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/23
Mental health crises occur when our ability to cope is overwhelmed by the internal and external stressors in our life. Sometimes crises are related to inner experiences like worsening depression, mania, psychosis or other symptoms of a mental health condition. Sometimes they are in reaction to an external stressor like trauma, divorce or intense grief. Often times it’s many things coming together in a point in time. For whatever reason, in that moment, people often feel unable to resolve the situation with the resources they have and feel out of control and hopeless.
Here’s one thing you should know: Crisis can happen to anyone.
One common symptom of people in this temporarily heightened state of emotional distress is agitation where people have trouble sleeping or thinking straight. One way people try to cope with these uncomfortable feelings are by self-medicating by consuming alcohol or drugs. Others may isolate and shut down. Still others may seem to be much more irritable that usual and they may find themselves reacting violently. When the emotional intensity becomes so unbearably painful, people think about suicide.
Crisis services are our safety nets. The people who offer support here are our angels behind the curtain.
As the Crisis Text Line says, “The goal of crisis services is to help someone move from a hot to a cool moment.” People who are trained to help de-escalate emotional crises listen to the callers and help them create a plan to stay safe for now. The crisis support is not only there for the person in crisis, but for the people who are worried about someone.
Today’s podcast will explore the day in the life of a crisis support center — how it works, what to expect if you or someone you care about needs some help getting back on track. My interview with Jennifer Battle explores the social justice roots of the evolution of crisis support services and her deep gratitude for the work she does every day.
About the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-8255
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National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has 159 call centers in 49 states in the US and provides a 24/7, toll-free hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is independently evaluated by a researchers from Columbia University.
Call volume to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has grown significantly since the inception of the Lifeline in 2005. Between 2016 and 2017, calls increased 32% and over two million calls were answered. There are a number of factors contributing to the 2017 call volume increase including more awareness of the Lifeline number through social/public health messaging efforts (ex. BeThe1to campaign), the release of Logic’s rap song entitled “1-800-273-8255,” his performance of the song at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards and the 2018 Grammy Awards. When the first season of 13-Reasons Why aired in 2017 this may have also contributed the the influx of calls. Finally the Lifeline number is often highlighted following the deaths of high profile individuals such as musicians Chris Cornell (Soundgarden), Chester Bennington (Linkin Park), Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, and this promotion is likely to contribute to continued call volume increases.
About Crisis Text Line
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Text CONNECT to 741741
The Crisis Text Line has had over 83,421,416 messages exchanged since August 2013. Every person to texts the Crisis Text Line is connected with a Crisis Counselor, often in less than 5 minutes. The Crisis Counselor then engages in active listening and collaborative problem solving to help them develop a plan to cope. All of Crisis Text Line's Crisis Counselors are volunteers, donating their time to helping people in crisis.
About Jennifer Battle
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Jennifer is a proud social worker and Program Director in the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program at The Harris Center for Mental Health in Houston, Texas. Jennifer oversees The Harris Center Crisis Line which serves as the crisis line for 34 Texas counties. The Harris Center Crisis Line partners with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline as well as the national Crisis Text Line.
In collaboration with the Houston Police Department, Houston Fire Department, and Houston Emergency Communications Center, Jennifer supervises the Crisis Call Diversion Program. This team routes people calling in through emergency services who have stated they have a mental health concern away from a law enforcement or EMS response and to a more appropriate level of care through local behavioral health options.
In addition to her work at The Harris Center, Jennifer serves as the President of the Board for the National Association of Crisis Organization Directors (NASCOD) and is the past Co-Chair and current member of the Texas Suicide Prevention Council. She serves on the Steering Committee for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/22
In many societies we are predominantly youth-focused and overlook the healthcare and policy needs of our elders. This ageist perspective often leads to cultural scripts that prevent us from listening better to alleviate suffering and increase reasons for living, and ultimately help us all live well into our golden years.
In the podcast our panel includes two experts a leading researcher of geriatric psychiatry and a co-founder of United Survivors Suicide International who has tremendous experience in many national board positions leveraging the perspectives of people with lived expertise. Together they bring sound research and stories about the resilience of our elders — their life satisfaction and happiness and tactics to ward off the 5 D’s of suicide risk: Depression, Disease, Disability, Disconnection and Deadly means.
Together they passionately advocate for age-friendly health systems and communities, especially more providers with specialties in working with elders. Together let’s shift the attitude and appreciate more for the value our elders, “When we lose an older person, we lose a library.”
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About Heidi Bryan
Heidi is a suicide attempt survivor who also lost her brother to suicide. She has been working in the suicide prevention field since 1998 as an advocate, QPR Master Trainer, speaker, and author. Heidi founded Feeling Blue Suicide Prevention Council in 1998 which is now known as Prevent Suicide Pennsylvania. She served on the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention Suicide Attempt Survivor Task Force, and is currently on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Consumer Survivor Committee.
About Dr. Yeates Conwell
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Yeates Conwell, M.D. is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of
Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry,where he is Director of the UR
Medical Center¹s Office for Aging Research and Health Services and
Co-Director of the UR Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide. He
is immediate past president of the American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention and chair of its Scientific Council. Dr. Conwell received his
medical training at the University of Cincinnati and completed his
Psychiatry Residency and a Fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry at Yale
University School of Medicine. In addition to teaching and service system
development, Dr. Conwell maintains a clinical practice with older adults
and directs an inter-disciplinary program of research in aging, mental
health services, and suicide prevention.. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/21
When it comes to engaging a wider circle in our suicide prevention and mental health promotion movements, we need to take a page from the playbook of other social justice movements. How do we “make the message stick”? How can we bring the call to action to life? How do we create a tipping point of change?
Successful agents of change are able to connect the dots and “bake in” tactics within a broader system, making suicide prevention and mental health promotion everyone’s priority. They also enroll people into the cause by listening first and then employing culturally responsive efforts that lift up the stories of local people who have lived through the challenges.
Within the world of mental health and suicide, we must seriously reconsider our “business as usual” approach because it’s not working. Social justice issues related to human rights are at the center of the reasons for our short-comings. During this interview I got to spend time chatting with one of the most accomplished social change agents I know: John Mendoza.
About John Mendoza
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In this podcast we hear from an international inspiration, John Mendoza, on how he has mobilized change throughout Australia and beyond. I first met John through our mutual admiration of MATES in Construction many years ago. In 2014 John came to Colorado upon my invitation to speak at our US/Canada/Australia forum on Workplace Mental Health. Most recently, he invited me to keynote at an event on the Sunshine Coast called “Shifting the Dial” where he convened 165 business, political, advocate and lived experience leaders to talk about innovative approaches to tackling the injustice of suicide.
Today, John is the Director of ConNetica, an Australia organization established in 2007 with a mission of connecting people from diverse networks to solve complex problems. ConNetica is known for its suite of training “Lifeboat” programs including “Conversations for Life.” John is the former Chair of the Australian Government’s National Advisory Council on Mental Health and former CEO of the Mental Health Council of Australia. He has been a key advocate for securing billions for Australian mental health plans. For John the calling to do this work goes well beyond the professional as he lost a cherished nephew in 2014 under circumstances that were partly attributable to substandard mental health care.
During our interview John shares some of his highly effective tactics in engaging A-List media partners and in bringing divisive political foes together to move toward a common mission of saving lives. He argues that we need more than a multi-pronged approach to suicide prevention; we need to build a fortress of a strategy and look at the social determinants to despair.
From working with the International Olympic Committee while planning the Sydney games to working with the indigenous people of the Kimberly, John has learned much about empowerment, building capacity and disrupting the status quo.
Also, he like to partner with unreasonable people, so I’m glad to call him my friend and fellow warrior.
for more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/20
Early in his career Dr. John Draper had a lightbulb moment when he was on suicide watch for patients while they were being "treated" with isolation and restraints; he thought "we can do better." Today, John is one of the global leaders transforming crisis care for people on their worst day. He has helped spark an evolution through his leadership of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by using data, standards of excellence and the input of people with lived experience to continually improve care.
One area of focus for John is virtual support. We have a significant gap between mental health treatment and support resources and the need for these services, and technology can help us meet those needs. Virtual support can offer a spectrum of benefits and is desirable due to its efficiency, cost-effectiveness and anonymity. In this podcast John talks about the many new evidence-based technology resources that help us reach people in the way they want when they want it.
For the Lifeline, the future holds great promise for new directions in tele-crisis response as recent legislation for the National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act recently passed. This legislation supports a national feasibility study on the benefits of moving to a three-digit mental health crisis support number (like 911, but for emotional crises) to "supercharge" access.
John closes with a very clear call to action on how best to support people in a suicide crisis -- the "3 Cs": Connection, Collaboration and Choice. Tune in to hear more!
About Dr. John Draper
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Dr. Draper has over 25 years of experience in crisis intervention and suicide prevention work, and is considered one of the nation’s leading experts in crisis contact center practices (hotline, online chat, text services, etc.). Since 2004, Dr. Draper has been the Director of the SAMHSA-funded National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-TALK), overseeing all aspects of this service. As Exectuive Vice President of National Networks at Vibrant Emotional Health in New York City, Dr. Draper and his team also administer the National Disaster Distress Helpline, the National Football League (NFL) Life Line, and partner with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in their operations of the national Veterans Crisis Line. In addition, Dr. Draper and his team were contracted to develop and launch the Crisis Text Line in 2012. Dr. Draper worked as a psychologist on a Brooklyn-based mobile crisis team in an earlier phase of his career, developed and launched New York City’s first 24/7 crisis hotline in 1996, and has maintained a private psychotherapy practice in New York City since 2000. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/19
What does it mean to "promote the positive" in suicide prevention?
When we are inundated with discouraging data about increasing suicide rates and tragic stories of suicide loss, our hearts are moved to the urgency of the need to "do something;" however, sometimes we feel hopeless that we can ever get in front of this daunting issue.
The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention put forth guidelines that help us understand a framework for successful messaging about suicide prevention and suggests the following:
Call to action: Let people know there are specific actions that people can take that can make a difference -- for themselves, for people they care about and for the larger society. When we make these directives specific to the audience we are hoping to motivate to action, they are more likely to be effective.
Prevention Works: Sharing positive messages about suicide prevention means sharing the science about what is working. Our understanding of what helps people -- from medication to treatment to environmental changes -- is improving all the time. How can we share these findings in ways that the public can understand?
Resilience and recovery are happening: Stories of hope and healing are some of our best weapons in the war against suicide.
Effective suicide prevention programs exist: How can we enroll systems in our public health approach to suicide prevention? We need to let them know that they play a vital role in the comprehensive approach and that they can implement programs and trainings to help shift the needle.
Help is Available: By promoting resources for crisis intervention, mental health services and peer support, we let people know that there is hope in the darkness.
When we change the public narrative to hope, connectedness, social support, treatment and recovery we can transform systems from helplessness to inspiration. We don't need to minimize the pain or the social injustice that drives despair to do this.
About Dr. Thomas Niederkrotenthaler
In this podcast, we hear some powerful insights from Dr. Thomas Niederkrotenthaler, the associate professor for public health, Medical University of Vienna (Austria), Center for Public Health, Institute of Social Medicine and the head of unit suicide research & mental health promotion, Medical University of Vienna (Austria), Center for Public Health, Institute of Social Medicine.
He is a lead researcher helping us understand the Papageno Effect, a potentially protective effects of specific positive messaging, especially related to stories of people who live and grow through personal experiences with suicidal intensity. This preventive framework of messaging is in contrast to the Werther Effect, which has helped us understand the messaging concerns that come with the increased risk of negative exposure effect of risky messaging. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/18
How do we communicate about suicide with teens? Perhaps, they are the ones in the best position to tell us.
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The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention recommends strategy, safety and a positive narrative when messaging about suicide. Messages and images that encourage hope are better than ones that imply "nothing can be done." Messages that celebrate resilience, healing journeys and compassion are better than ones that romanticize death or are voyeuristic or sensationalized. Messages that inspire action like reaching out or offering compassion are more valuable than ones that perpetuate misinformation and myths.
In this podcast we learn some best practices in enrolling our youth to be these positive, safe, and effective messengers for suicide prevention and mental health promotion.
Stan Collins is the Co-Founder and Program Manager of Directing Change Student Film Contest and Program. This program invites high school students to create 60-second films about suicide prevention and mental health. These films are by, about and for youth suicide prevention and mental health promotion advocates. We discuss the notion that youth are uniquely positioned to make cultural and systems change because they have a purity in their passion to make the world a better place and because they are not scared to get in touch with empathy.
Often teens' fearlessness to stand up for what is right is inspiring to all.
During the interview, Stan shares his personal journey through suicide loss as a teen into his national leadership roles today. He shares three best practices to youth who are working on their own school and community mental wellness campaigns:
Always share vetted resources -- like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Crisis Text Line.
Rather than only reinforcing a dramatic narrative around suicide death data that could lead people to feel hopeless, cultivate a positive social norm about help-giving and help-seeking.
Avoid any description or image about the means of suicide or death scene. These depictions are not the point of the message.
Remind people of their reasons for living and options to reduce misery.
Don't oversimplify causes of suicide or pathways to recovery. Sustained support and comprehensive wellness are key.
Get trained in suicide prevention through programs like QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) or safeTALK and ask about how cultural diversity plays a role in messaging to specific groups.
About Stan P. Collins
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Stan Collins has worked in the suicide prevention field for over 19 years. He has presented or provided training to over 750,000 adults and youth on the subject of suicide prevention including medical professionals, military, law enforcement, school staff and community members. In 2001, he testified before a United States Senate Subcommittee on the topic of youth suicide. Currently he is working as a consultant in the field, focusing on technical assistance in creation and implementation of suicide prevention curriculums and strategies.
Stan is part of the California Department of Education’s workgroup that developed the “Model Policy for Youth Suicide Prevention” in response to AB2246. Part of his work currently includes providing trainings to school districts across the state to assist in implementing AB2246 policies and procedures.
One of Stan’s roles is as the lead consultant and media representative to the San Diego Suicide Prevention Council (www.SPCSanDiego.org). Serving as the primary media relations contact for the S.D. Suicide Prevention Council on the subjects of suicide and suicide prevention, he has conducted over fifty interviews with news media (print, radio and television) to address suicide prevention and in response to suicide deaths. In this role, Stan has coordinated multiple media forums and trainings for both journalists and public information officers on how best to cover and respond to suicide and mental health issues.
Stan also serves as one of the lead consultants to the Fresno County Suicide Prevention Council (www.FresnoCares.org). In this role, he has created and provided a number of trainings on suicide risk assessment, safety planning intervention and suicide prevention gatekeeper trainings.
He is the co-founder of the Directing Change Program and Film Contest. In addition, he is co-author of the Know the Signs Training Resource Guide for Suicide Prevention in Primary Care toolkit, and author of the San Diego County Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training for First Responders. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/17
When people experience suicidal thoughts, a helpful best practice is to find collaborative ways to build "safety agreements" or "safety plans" (Stanley & Brown) or to engage with apps that help people cope with suicidal intensity like the "Virtual Hope Box." These tools can be very useful in keeping the suicidal thoughts at a safe distance as time passes and their intensity lessens.
The Harvard School of Public Health's Means Matter project published findings that when a suicide crisis hits a certain threshold, there is often little time between decision to act and the action of a suicide attempt. Sometimes this impulse from thought to action is only a matter of minutes. Because of this important piece of research, one critical life-saving step is to reduce access to lethal means.
But we need more ways to help people survive this experience.
Dr. Ursula Whiteside has been working developing a set of skills that people can use when they feel emotionally "on fire." The analogy is a powerful one. Since elementary school we have been trained in fire drills and escape plans on what to do if we suspect there is a fire in the building. When it come to the fire of suicide intensity, these escape plans are our safety agreements or crisis response plans.
Sometimes, however, despite our best efforts to escape, we may find ourselves "on fire." And in these instances of the most extreme forms of suicidal intensity, we need a different set of survival behaviors. We need to extinguish the "oxygen" that is feeding the crisis by quickly resetting the emotional state. In this episode, Dr. Whiteside shares three important steps that can help people reset their emotional system; the suicide crisis equivalent of "stop, drop and roll."
About Dr. Ursula Whiteside
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Dr. Ursula Whiteside is a licensed clinical psychologist, CEO of NowMattersNow.org and Clinical Faculty at the University of Washington. She is also the co-founder of United Suicide Survivors International.
As a researcher, she has been awarded grants from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Dr. Whiteside is co-principal investigator on a study involving 18,000 high-risk suicidal patients in three major health systems. This study includes a guided version of NowMattersNow.org, a program she developed that includes skills for managing suicidal thoughts based on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and paired with Lived Experience stories.
Clinically, she began her training with Dr. Marsha Linehan in 1999 and later served as a DBT-adherent research therapist on a NIMH-funded clinical trial led by Dr. Linehan. Dr. Whiteside is a group and individual certified DBT clinician. Now, she treats high-risk suicidal clients in her small private practice in Seattle using DBT and caring contacts.
Dr. Whiteside is national faculty for the Zero Suicide initiative, a practical approach to suicide prevention in health care and behavioral healthcare systems. This program was recently described by NPR on a segment titled “What Happens If You Try to Prevent Every Single Suicide?” Dr. Whiteside serves on the faculty of the National Action Alliance Zero Suicide Academy. She is also a member of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Standards Trainings and Practices Committee.
As a person with Lived Experience, she strives to decrease the gap between "us and them" and to ensure that the voices of those who have been there are included in all relevant conversations: nothing about us without us.
Learn more about Dr. Whiteside by visiting her website." For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/16
With high profile celebrity suicides dominating the headlines in June, the topic of suicide was on the mind of many. While we still have a ways to go to undo the misperceptions, prejudice and discrimination that surrounds suicide and suicidal intensity, we need move beyond just "raising awareness" in our efforts.
We need to take action.
My recent blog "From Awareness to Action: We All Need to Fight in the War against Suicide" calls for a revolution -- a revolution of the heart. One of the key steps in preparing for this fight is to improve suicide alertness and intervention skills. Many evidence-based and evidence-informed trainings for the general population exist both on-line and in-person: QPR, safeTALK, ASIST and Working Minds.
In this podcast, I get the opportunity to interview one of the thought leaders in training development, Dr. Paul Quinnett. In addition to his bio below, Paul has had a huge impact on my journey in suicide prevention. He was one of my first mentors after my brother Carson died, and quickly inspired me to become one of his Master Trainers. Later he was also an essential expert advisor on our Man Therapy project. I always look forward to seeing Paul at our conferences, and sitting down with him to listen to his marvelous stories. I am so grateful he was willing to give his time to share his wisdom with us here.
Best Practices in Training
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In my free booklet: Awareness to Action: 23 Characteristics that Make Trainings Great, I share two prominent themes about best practices in training for resilience, mental health and suicide prevention:
1) Make it stick.
In order for a training to be effective, skills need to be "baked in" to a larger strategy of change. Tragically, in many situations, communities only become interested in suicide prevention training after the tragedy of suicide has struck. In these instances, we must first provide the psychological first aid of what we call "postvention" first -- grief and trauma support -- before transitioning into prevention efforts. After the postvention period, communities must be brought into the efforts of building a comprehensive and sustained approach to suicide prevention. One-off trainings are unlikely to have a lasting effects if they are not embedded in a top-down and bottom-up commitment to change.
2) Make it come to life.
The second theme of what makes trainings impactful is that they feel like they are "by, about and for" the people being trained. Effective trainings stay true to the fidelity that their researched outcomes are based-upon, and they also allow for cultural responsiveness. When the trainer is highly engaging and from the system that is being trained, chances of the participants buy-in increase. Finally, trainings that include a strong "lived experience" voice -- someone who has lived through experiences of suicidal intensity -- are more likely to be seen as "realistic."
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About Dr. Paul Quinnett
Dr. Paul Quinnett is the Founder and CEO of the QPR Institute. QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer — the 3 simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Paul explains, "Just as people trained in CPR help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help." Today QPR is being used in seven countries, and together an army of global trainers have trained almost 3 million lay people (approximately 25,000 per month) in these life-saving skills.
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Paul is a clinical psychologist and trainer for more than 35 years and has authored seven books, many professional articles and book chapters. He was Director of Training for the Spokane Mental Health APA-approved psychology internship program for more than 20 years and has served on board of the American Association of Suicidology. Heavily involved in the training of mental health professionals, he currently serves as Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He also founded the American Association of Suicidology's
Paul is also an avid fisherman, and on the day of this recording I caught him up at his place in Idaho engaged in this lifelong hobby. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/15
In light of the “Zero Tolerance Policy” that is forcibly separating children from their families at the US/Mexico border, childhood trauma is a hot topic. We know that child separation from family increases risk for suicide, especially when the separation is traumatic. Averse childhood experiences have a massive impact on future risky health behavior, chronic health conditions, and early death in what we call a “dose-effect relationship” — that is as the number of averse events increases, so does the risk.
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This podcast shares one man’s journey from traumatic childhood experiences to inspiring the world to cultivate healthy families. One of Jorge Narvaez’s earliest memories is seeing his father put a gun to his mother’s head. As a toddler he resolved to be different and not repeat the violence he experienced but to live a life of honor. Listen to his story to learn his three take-aways on what he had learned from integrating these traumas into the mission of his life.
While Jorge’s story is one of resilience, many trauma survivors experience hopelessness, despair and a chronic sense of shame. Trauma often shatters core beliefs like “the world is a good and meaningful place” and “I am a worthy person” (and the idea that "good things happen to good people"). When these core assumptions are shattered, especially at an early age, the world becomes a dangerous place, and trauma survivors are confronted with a profound sense of their own vulnerability. The chronic anxiety that results from these shattered assumptions often leads to prolonged misery and an avoidance of things that help people stay engaged in a passion for living.
The good news is, treatment for trauma can help many people find their way through. The National Center for PTSD shares this list of recommended treatments.
Other ways through trauma include things identified by Jorge in this podcast — connecting to something larger than yourself and creating community. During this interview, Jorge stepped out of an hospital room where he was attending to his sick mother because he felt the timeliness of our topic was paramount. Please, excuse the background noise, as the message is a powerful one.
Jorge is a Reality Changer. Transforming his wounds into sources of power.
About Jorge Narvaez
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Jorge, went from a teen father to meeting former President of United States Barack Obama. How? For the past couple of years Jorge has been active on and offline to spread his message of Family, Community, Art, Music and most importantly Fatherhood! These past couple of years he has sat in dozens of panels, presentations and keynotes across the country. He has been featured with Youtube’s CEO Susan Wojcicki, performed on the Ellen Show with his daughter Alexa and has won a Premios Tu Mundo award!
Jorge is also a first-generation graduate of high school and college and has earned a degree from the University of California San Diego with a focus in Ethnic Studies, Visual arts, International Migration Studies and Poetry. Just before graduation, on Jorge's Realitychangers channel a cover of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros’ song “Home”, sung by he and his daughter went viral. Within days millions of people around the world took notice. The video’s viral success caught the attention of Ryan Seacrest, Ellen DeGeneres, Univision, Telemundo, The Huffington Post, CNN, Time Magazine, America’s got Talent and many more! Through successful management, collaboration and high impact partnerships, his channel and its content grew and evolved!
Jorge Narvaez's social media platforms (@realitychangers) focus on 5 themes: Family, Community, Art, Music and Fatherhood. With over 800,000 followers and over 210 million views across all his platforms, Jorge has had a diverse background with a common thread of creating community, partnering with varied individuals and agencies to promote family/fatherhood, story-telling, community activism, script writing, influencer marketing, professional public speaking, live musical performances, brand collaborations, policy creation, content creation, augmented reality, equality in education and much more.
Jorge is originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, grew up in San Diego, California and currently lives there with his family. He actively participates in speaking engagements, communicating life lessons and hopes to pursue long-term additional leadership roles that benefit the Latinx community as well as the global community as a whole.. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/14
41% of adults who identify as transgender have attempted suicide (versus 4.6% of U.S. general population and 10-20% of LGB adults). The issues driving this despair are usually best understood through a lens of social justice.
Discrimination, trauma and the consequences of minority stress are often at the root of suicidal despair within the trans community (AFSP). Rejection by friends and family is common among people who identify as transgender, and conversely when trans people have strong support they are significantly less likely to die by suicide. Harassment and assaults are common for trans people at work and at school and can even lead to internalized transphobia. All too often, people trying to "help" others who identify as trans force reparative or conversion "therapy" upon them, which is experienced as traumatic and is considered unethical. Thus, in order to "fix" the suicide issue among transgender people, we need to look beyond the individual and shift culture. We must fight injustice and advocate for safety.
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Iden and I have become friends through our service together on the Consumer/Survivor Committee of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. In this podcast, Iden and I talk about his incredibly inspiring journey into activism and some take-away messages about building resilience.
About Iden Campbell
Iden Campbell was born biologically a female, raised as a female, and later in life transitioned to living as a male. He was first diagnosed with depression in the third grade and has lived with depression and suicidal thoughts for much of his life.
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Iden spent most of his adulthood living androgynous, as neither male or female, dressing and behaving as genderless as possible in order to -- in his words "hide and survive." Iden has lived through his own suicide attempt and also survived the loss of his partner to suicide.
Then in 2007 he read the 2007 Newsweek article entitled; “The Mystery of Gender” , and the article gave him a new outlook on living. Now he finally feels hope that his life could now be less painful, living as the gender has always felt inside.
“The transgender community is extremely resilient,” said Campbell in an Op Ed piece for the New York Times. “We have lived through some horrific shared experiences. I’m thankful to all who came before me, those who made it possible for me to now live out loud in my skin. I’m grateful to be here at this amazing turning point in the history of the trans community.”
Today, Iden is a nationally known activist in the transgender community, speaking on suicide prevention, transgender health and wellness. He is the Founder and Executive Director of The Campbell Center, a peer-run agency in Washington, D.C. for individuals living with mental health and addictions challenges.
Among many other acknowledgements of his leadership Iden also won the 2013 National LGBT Leadership Award at the Alternatives Conference in Austin, TX.
You can connect with Iden on Twitter and Instagram @IdenCampbell and on Facebook @TheCampbellCenter. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/13
Many of us consider "Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training" to be similar to CPR. Before we knew the ABCs of CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver, people would just watch on helplessly as someone choked in front of them. Today, we give millions of people every year a relatively brief training so that they will have the competence and confidence to step up and save someone's life.
Just like CPR, suicide prevention gatekeeper trainings like Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) and safeTALK teach everyday people how to sustain the life of someone in crisis until professional care can take over. Just like CPR, these trainings provide a method to follow that even if not followed 100% is almost always better than doing nothing. Suicide prevention gatekeeper trainings help people identify someone in emotional or suicidal crisis, engage in compassionate questioning about suicidality, and refer to resources that offer dignified support and treatment.
Suicide prevention gatekeeper trainings are often given in schools, faith communities -- even workplaces. Our interview with Sean McCarthy shares why he believes they are critical for those involved in athletics too. During the interview, Sean shares why he is so passionate about this topic and why suicide prevention should be part of a total wellness plan for athletes.
www.QPRIreland.ie for more information.
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About Sean McCarthy
Seán has worked in the field of mental health since 1980. He has worked in the following clinical areas; acute psychiatry, rehabilitation, forensic psychiatry and community psychiatric nursing. He has also worked in nursing administration, before moving into the field of suicidology. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Nursing Studies and a Diploma in Health and Social Welfare from the Open University as well as numerous other certificates and awards. For the past 20 years he has worked in the field of suicidology. He was the first appointed full time suicide resource officer in Ireland, co-ordinating initiatives focussing on the areas of prevention, intervention and postvention, in a specific geographic area as well leading out on a number of initiatives nationally. He is a member of the International Association of Suicide Prevention (IASP) and has been a co-chair of the IASP Special Interest Group (SIG) on Bereavement and Loss since 2007. Seán has presented on different aspects of his work at numerous international conferences such as Irish Association of Suicidology (IAS), International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), European Symposia on Suicide and Suicidal Behaviour(ESSB) as well as at the American Association of Suicide Prevention (AAS). He has been bereaved by suicide of a close family member and through the deaths of 2 friends to suicide. He is passionate about sport and the positives that people involved in it gain from such involvement. He believes that if we truly are determined to address the issue of male suicide particularly we need to go to the places where men are gathering at, such as workplaces and sports clubs. Where we can get men looking out for men in early identification of their friends, workmates and team mates who may be suffering.
In 2017 he was the recipient of the Farberow Award from the International Association of Suicide Prevention (IASP) in recognition of outstanding contributions in the field of bereavement and survivors of suicide loss. For mor information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/12
In order for mental health promotion and suicide prevention to be successful, leadership must be bold and engaged. The leaders who are most successful in creating change are those who address these seemingly taboo subjects head-on, in a matter-of-fact way. They find ways to “bake in” tactics into other places where healthy and safety are priorities.
Leaders who are most influential in creating a caring culture at the workplace are able to build a business case that looks at the ROI of investing in resilience and mental health support. They are also strategic in their effort, enrolling others in a pragmatic blueprint for change and tracking progress and pitfalls.
For the last four years, I have been heavily involved in bringing mental health promotion and suicide prevention to the construction industry. What started with a coffee meeting with the COO of a local mechanical contractor called RK, eventually morphed into a national movement. They key to this success was leadership — every step of the way, leaders leaned in and exerted their influence to make the circle bigger. Today, one of the biggest success stories in this effort is the creation of the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention overseen by the Construction Financial Management Association.
www.PreventConstructionSuicide.com
In this episode we cover some provocative questions like:
Why should financial leaders get involved in mental health promotion and suicide prevention?
What can workplaces and professional associations do?
How do we improve access to mental health care for employees?
What are the strategies of change?
About the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention
From their website: “Construction is the number one industry for number of suicides and the number two industry in suicide rates. As such, it is an industry imperative to shatter the mental health stigma and create caring cultures within our companies. CFMA has established the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention with the goal of providing and disseminating information and resources for suicide prevention and mental health promotion in construction. Through the information and resources CFMA has compiled, the Alliance looks to help those in the construction industry create awareness of the problem, cultivate a culture of caring, and start the conversation in the workplace.
Alliance members join our movement by assisting with the dissemination of resources and information to their membership through quarterly e-mail communications, newsletters, website promotion, webinars, and/or other means at their disposal. Membership in the Alliance provides organizations and associations with the opportunity to continue to help shape the construction industry through promoting the safety and well-being of companies’ most important assets – human capital.”
In under two years upwards of 70 members (most professional associations) joined The Alliance: http://www.preventconstructionsuicide.com/, reaching hundreds of thousands of people.
Visit the website to gain access to a library of tools and publications.
About Stuart Binstock
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Stuart Binstock is President and CEO of the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA). He has extensive experience in management issues, including strategic planning, government affairs, educational programming and delivery, financial management, membership development, non-dues revenue growth, program development, and process improvements.
Binstock has served in executive positions for such trade and professional associations as the National Electrical Contractors Association, Associated General Contractors of America, and American Institute of Architects. He is an experienced moderator of panels at national and regional conferences. He is also a frequent speaker and has been interviewed on television and NPR.
Since Binstock became President and CEO of CFMA, the association’s membership has grown from 6,400 to over 8,000 today. Its revenue has grown from $4.6 million to $6.1 million today. This growth has come about by CFMA focusing on bringing value to its members, finding non-dues revenue sources of income and returning nearly 10% of its revenue back to its 98 chapters through a variety of means which has resulted in strengthening CFMA’s chapters, thus strengthening the entire Association.
Stuart received his JD from the Catholic University School of Law in Washington, D.C. and has a BS in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University.
About Michelle Walker
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Michelle Walker, CCIFP, SPHR is the Vice President of Finance and Administration at Specialized Services Company. Michelle has worked at SSC since 1998 and held multiple accounting positions within the organization prior to being promoted to VP in 2009. In her current role, she is responsible for the accounting/finance and human resource/employee benefit functions of the company with a primary focus in workforce planning and development. She works closely with the ownership as a member of the executive team on strategic planning, succession, compliance, safety and IT matters. Michelle earned her Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional designation in December 2014 and her Senior Professional in Human Resources certification in December 2015.
An active member of CFMA’s Valley of the Sun chapter since 2009, Michelle currently serves as its President. She has been a part of CFMA’s suicide prevention efforts since being a part of the first of its kind Suicide Prevention Summit in Phoenix, is chair of the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention task force, and serves on the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention’s Workplace Committee. She is a highly rated presenter with sessions at National CFMA, AGC, and TUG conferences. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/11
About 350 years ago, philosopher René Descartes took the brain out of the body – and we’ve been trying to put it back ever since. Descartes believed that the immaterial mind was separate from that matter of the body, and this dualism started many down a path of treating mind and body differently.
In this episode, we work to reunite the two to explore how their interconnectivity affects well-being. In this episode, we talk about how critical bodily functions like sleep, pain and our stress response are so closely tied to our emotional health. My guest Whitney McKnight, a clinical reporter whose work has focused primarily on the brain, encourages us to be our own scientists in our approach to understanding anxiety and depression and to always “improve our questions.”
Whitney is the founder of the discussion forum “docu-mental” – a play on the words "document" and "mental". In these forums she brings together thought leaders to explore how mental health extends beyond clinical diagnoses to how we can find mattering and meaning in our respective emotional and mental crises. Over the course of her career covering the latest in clinical medicine, she has made connections between mental health conditions and communicable diseases – specifically, that it’s not just about personal vulnerability but also collective vulnerability. When we live in a society where policy aims and personal goals are misaligned, health dysregulation results. Her goal is to “strengthen the herd” by encouraging people to think critically and develop self-agency in matters of their mental health.
About Whitney McKnight
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Whitney McKnight is an award-winning, Washington, DC-based health sciences and mental health policy reporter, producer, and editor. Formerly the editor of Psychiatric Annals and of Pediatric Annals, she has also reported on clinical medicine and policy from meetings in the US and internationally for a variety of medical titles.
More: www.whitneymcknight.com For more information and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/10
Employers are often challenged recruiting and retaining top talent. How can you address this problem? A resilient workforce and a mindset of a wellness culture at work. This strategy also helps promote mental health and prevent suicide. In this highly engaging interview, Judge (Ret.) Mary McClatchey makes the business case for emotional well-being at work. She concludes by sharing three take-aways that will help employers build a more psychologically hardy workplace. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/8
In this episode I have this distinctive honor of interviewing Kim Ruocco from TAPS who shares her personal and professional journey after suicide loss. We discussed the challenges of suicide grief -- how we balance honoring the lives our loved ones lived with fears of contagion in the community. How do we support children -- especially young children -- left in suicide's wake? The paradox of traumatic grief and the tensions of postvention are also explored. We identify a long list of resources to help military families who are facing the daunting challenge of living through a suicide tragedy. You don't want to miss this powerful and practical episode, especially Kim's closing story -- I was brought to tears.
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About Kim Ruocco
In 2005, Kim Ruocco lost her husband to suicide, Marine Corp Major John Ruocco. Subsequently she dedicated her life to raising awareness for suicide prevention and grief support along with the voices of thousands of military suicide survivors.
She is presently a Masters Level Clinical Social Worker and the Chief External Relations Officer for Suicide Prevention and Postvention for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).
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Ms. Ruocco keynotes regularly at national events, most notably the DOD/VA Suicide Prevention Conference and multiple Marine, Army, National Guard and Navy safety stand downs. She has appeared on CNN, Fox News, Al Jazeera, NPR and NBC radio and quoted in Men’s Health, Christian Science Monitor, Stars and Stripes and Marine Times.
Ms. Ruocco assisted in the development of the USMC’s “Never Leave a Marine Behind” program, and she and her sons are also lead participants in the Sesame Street “When Families Grieve” video which is distributed internationally to families who have a recent death.
One effort that she is best known for is the development of comprehensive, peer-based programs that offer comfort and care to all those who are grieving the loss of a service member to suicide. She created a team of peer-professionals who provide care and comfort to nearly 8000 survivors of military suicide. The most impactful of these services is the TAPS Annual Survivors of Suicide Loss Conference, which offers hope and healing to 1000’s of survivors, and provides a camp and military mentoring for the children of the fallen.
Recently, she was recognized for her leadership with the “Survivor of the Year” award from the American Association of Suicidology. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/6
For people who are in the midst of a mental health or suicide crisis, the focus is often “how do we survive this?” How do we get through each day? Sometimes it’s an effort just to get by moment to moment. It’s hard to consider how to integrate these experiences into the narrative of our lives. In this episode, we hear a powerful story of a man who has been a role model for so many in showing us how this can be done. Listen in to learn more from the science, stories and strategies DeQuincy shares. Here you will find some practical tools on how to turn our wounds and darkest days into sources of power and inspiration as we move forward on our hero’s journey.
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About Dr. DeQuincy Lezine: DeQuincy Lezine is a suicide attempt survivor who has been active in suicide prevention since 1996, including roles in the development of national, state, and community suicide prevention plans. He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from UCLA and a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Rochester. Dr. Lezine is the Co-Chair of the Consumer Survivor Subcommittee for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and the Chair of the Attempt Survivor and Lived Experience Division of the American Association of Suicidology. He was the primary writer of The Way Forward released by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. He is also the author of Eight Stories Up: An Adolescent Chooses Hope Over Suicide, 13 Answers for The 13 Reasons Why, and CEO of Prevention Communities.
In his spare time he photographs rescue dogs to help increase their adoption potential (see a sample of his work in the graphic below).
Show Notes
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Listen to the podcast to learn more about the three steps DeQuincy suggests that help us make meaning out of our challenges with mental health and suicide:
1) Start by writing your story. The words you use to tell your story shape how you think about how you integrate your difficult experiences into your life.
2) Understand that choosing to live is not the same as refraining from dying. The process of making meaning often leads to better life satisfaction.
3) Chose to create a powerful, positive story that fosters hope for yourself and others. Find significance in something larger than yourself by using your lessons learned to help others.For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/7
I have long believed that peer support is an underappreciated link in the chain of survival for suicide prevention. Trained peer specialists can not only help hold the pain for others, they can also help advocate for them and connect them to trusted resources. These helping relationships offer compassion and kinship and can augment and even replace other forms of professional care.
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In this inspirational podcast I have the great honor of interviewing one of my most beloved social agitators, Eduardo Vega. Eduardo begins by sharing his own experiences with suicidal intensity and the “incomprehensible demoralization” he felt as he tried to escape himself. For him the turning point happened when he started to connect with something larger than himself by helping others. Eduardo talks at length on the podcast about the helper principle – in other words, the notion that helping others helps us. While the idea of peer support has long been promoted in addiction recovery and among mental health advocates, it is just now gaining traction in suicide prevention. Eduardo shares his view on why this is so, and gives us the science and the strategy for “the way forward.”
Here are some images of the "Destination Dignity March" in DC, a day when people living with mental health conditions stood in solidarity and demanded respect. #PeerPower For mor information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/9
When people are in the depths of a mental health crisis the last thing they need is a response that is based in fear. Having a crisis response strategy that is rooted in dignity and compassion can make all the difference. Join me in my interview with international visionary David Covington, who shares with us his journey in implementing crisis services from many leadership perspectives. David shares compelling science that challenges our misperceptions of what works and provides a road map for effective support for people in their darkest moments.
In this podcast David and I explore the importance of strategy, especially when it comes to crisis response. We discuss how awareness and educational efforts are necessary but not sufficient for true cultural change, and how instead we need to “bake it in, not bolt it on” with changes that are comprehensive and sustained.
David shares with us his early days as a crisis response professional in Georgia and how he saw shocking mistreatment of people who were experiencing suicidal thoughts and behavior. He explains with us that the experience of many people reaching out for support during crisis is often like lifting a 400 pound phone. Many have relied on inner strength and support resources until all else has fallen away. The act of reaching out is often daunting and throughout history, many forms of crisis response have failed to deliver adequate care. Today we have standards and technology that are improving wait times, costs, and quality of care.
David explains some of the science behind contemporary crisis response and how the findings often put conventional wisdom on its head. In particular, he advocates for a form of evaluation that allows for rapid cycle robust improvement of care. Some of the hallmarks of current framework for crisis care are the full integration of peer support and a benchmarking process that helps keep behavioral healthcare systems accountable to improvement.
More information: www.CrisisCare.com For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/4
Meet my dear friends Kevin and Margaret Hines. Theirs is a true partnership, and I feel very honored to witness their love.
Being a caregiver for someone living with a major mental health condition like bipolar disorder is not easy. Let's be honest, our mental healthcare system is challenging -- even when people are mentally well, let alone when they are in the grips of a mental health crisis. Friends and family are often the overlooked links in the chain of survival.
I had the pleasure of working closely with them as part of our founding board for United Suicide Survivors International (see video below). We got a chance to interview them in Denver not too long ago.
In this episode, Margaret and Kevin share what's worked for them. They share their very humorous story of how they met, and the serious commitment they have to stay mentally fit.
View video here: https://youtu.be/wgKS5seuwZc
View video here: https://youtu.be/wgKS5seuwZc
Tips for caregivers include:
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Making self-care a priority
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Learning how to advocate for your loved one: "A closed mouth doesn't get fed."
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Noticing patterns in behavior
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Continually educating yourself, especially about medication options
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Empowering people to take control of their lives For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/5
Jorgen Gullestrup's LinkedIn profile lists him as a plumber and suicidologist; a Danish man from Brisbane, Australia. The truth is since 2007, he has helped revolutionize how the construction industry addresses suicide prevention, and his innovative strategies are now recognized internationally. Listen to his 9 top take-away tips from a decade of discovering best practices in moving an industry from awareness to action.
Jorgen Gullestrup, CEO MATES in Construction
Jorgen Gullestrup, CEO MATES in Construction
I first met Jorgen at the International Association for Suicide Prevention's World Congress in Oslo in 2013. Shortly after, he invited me to keynote at the Inaugural Mental Health Conference in 2014 in Brisbane: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6MpBsQP7EY.
Mental Health Conference, Brisbane
Mental Health Conference, Brisbane
What inspires me most about Jorgen's MATES in Construction program, is that he has achieved a level of buy-in from the industry for suicide prevention that is unparalleled. More on MATES in Construction (Australia): http://matesinconstruction.org.au/.
MATES in Construction Logo
In this podcast, Jorgen shares his own lived experience with suicide and his passion for this cause. He also covers the science and strategy behind MATES. Listen to the podcast to hear him give excellent advice on these 9 top take-away tips:
1) Start with research
2) Bring all the industry players together to build a unified approach
3) Play to the strengths and values of the industry
4) Build suicide prevention into the safety culture
5) Remove the barriers for engagement
6) Provide quality follow up services and outreach for people needing support
7) Build social capital through gratitude and recognition
8) Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate -- partner with researchers who can help you demonstrate ROI and continually improve your program
9) Make programs culturally specific -- "nothing about us, without us" For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/2
Effective storytelling is critical to the suicide prevention and suicide grief support efforts. Intimate, vulnerable, inspiring stories let us know we are not alone. Stories of recovery allow us to see a road map before us that leads us out of our despair. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/3
Speaking the word itself is not the problem.
The silence that so often follows is.
THE S WORD, a feature-length documentary, tackles one of the most unfathomable issues of our time by telling the stories of suicide attempt survivors, along with the families and loved ones of those who have died by suicide - who are left behind to suffer the anguish, guilt, and confusion of death by suicide. The voices of those living through suicide loss and attempts will be amplified above simple discussion and politics of the issues. This film is bracing, controversial, and surprising in its revelations, its humor, its connections, and its multiple points of view.
Goals:
Raise awareness about suicide prevention and resources, including alternatives that reach outside the box.
Expand the conversation about suicide to include everybody, because we have all been touched by it in some way.
Talk openly about suicide without judgement, shame or discrimination.
To get people to think about suicide in a completely different way – highlighting the complexity, pain and even humor of our survivors.
Change the world. (Okay we know one film can’t change the world but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.) for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/3
Episode 1: Why are Men So Lonely? Preventing Deaths of Despair with Dr. Thomas Joiner
This podcast answers the question: “why are so many men of working age finding themselves in unbearable psychological pain that leads them to deaths of despair?” in a conversation with international thought leader and psychologist Dr. Thomas Joiner.
Dr. Thomas Joiner
Dr. Thomas Joiner
Dr. Thomas Joiner, author of “Lonely at the Top: The High Cost of Men’s Success” and “Why People Die by Suicide”, has spent much of his career trying to find out why people die of suicide. The desire for death, according to Joiner, is comprised of two psychological states. One is a perception of being a burden to others, having let everyone down, and the other is a feeling of not belonging, not feeling connected to a family or a relationship. Alone, neither of these states is enough to instill the desire for death, but together with what Dr. Joiner has labeled an “acquired capacity” for suicide (a fearlessness for death) the risk for suicide is increased. Join us in a conversation about how we can best help men avoid the pits of despair – such as isolation and addiction – through proactive changes in our culture and support services. If you are a man living with these challenges, or if you are worried about a man in your life, come listen to Thomas’ suggestions to bring back a passion for living.
Show Notes:
Resources
1-800-273-8255 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Crisis Text Line
Man Therapy (a humorous mental health program for men): www.ManTherapy.org
· White Paper on why we did what we did: http://mantherapy.org/pdf/ManTherapy.pdf
· Outcomes: http://mantherapy.org/pdf/White-Paper-Man-Therapy.pdf
· YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/DrMahogany
Thomas Joiner’s Books and Research
· Why People Die by Suicide
· Myths about Suicide
· Lonely at the Top: The High Cost of Men’s Success
· The Perversion of Virtue: Understanding Murder-Suicide
More on Thomas Joiner’s Research Lab at Florida State University: https://psy.fsu.edu/~joinerlab/
Opioid Crisis and Deaths of Despair
Military Suicide Research Consortium
Suicide as a derangement of the self-sacrificial aspect of eusociality
Veterinarians and Suicide
Physicians and Suicide
Tracking a Movement: U.S. Milestones in Suicide Prevention
About Thomas Joiner:
Dr. Joiner grew up in Georgia, went to college at Princeton, and received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. He is The Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychology at Florida State University (FSU), Tallahassee, Florida. Dr. Joiner’s work is on the psychology, neurobiology, and treatment of suicidal behavior and related conditions. Author of over 600 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Joiner was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship and the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Residency Fellowship. He received the Young Investigator Award from the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, the Shakow Award for Early Career Achievement from the Division of Clinical Psychology of the American Psychological Association, both the Shneidman Award and the Dublin Award for excellence in suicide research from the American Association of Suicidology, and the Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions from the American Psychological Association, as well as research grants from the National Institute of Mental Health, Department of Defense (DoD), and various foundations. The Lawton Professorship, which Dr. Joiner received in 2010, is FSU’s single highest honor.
He was a consultant to NASA’s Human Research Program, and is the Director, with Pete Gutierrez, Ph.D., of the DoD-funded Military Suicide Research Consortium, a ten-year $70 million project.
Largely in connection with Why People Die by Suicide, he has made numerous radio, print, and television appearances, including articles in The Wall Street Journal and The Times of London, a radio interview on NPR’s Talk of the Nation, and two appearances on the Dr. Phil Show. He runs a part-time clinical and consulting practice specializing in suicidal behavior, including legal consultation on suits involving death by suicide. He lives in Tallahassee, Florida, with his wife and two sons, the elder of whom is an FSU senior and the younger of whom hopes soon to be an FSU freshman. for more information on this episode got to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/1
Seems every day there is a new app designed to support some angle of well-being. Many are seeing great opportunity in the integration of technology and mental health. With technology we have awareness of mental health issues and ease of access to resources like never before. Many cost effective supports found on-line are great supplements to in-person therapy, some work just fine by themselves (I’m a big fan to Brain.fm and Others are seeing how our obsession with technology can turn into a huge distraction, or even addiction driving us to increased loneliness and second-guessing our worth.
Check it out: https://irel8.org/
Check it out: https://irel8.org/
In this interview I chat with some amazing impact entrepreneurs who are a force for good in this space. They have found a way to harness the power of peer support — at very unique peer group levels — to give people a way to connect with others who are walking a similar path. iRel8.org is an anonymous, peer-to-peer social network that proactively uses technology to provide access to support people 24/7/365 in 63 languages. Some giants like Microsoft have taken notice. Founded by a passion fueled by their own lived experience, Dion Gonzales and Jeff Dorchester are filling an important gap in our chain of survival.
Twitter: @iRel8org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iRel8org/
About Dion and Jeff
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Dion Gonzales - Co-Founder of iRel8.org
Dion is a successful entrepreneur and executive with a proven history of creating and delivering successful products and companies, domestically and internationally. Today, his passion is to make positive impact on mental wellness globally. He has been fortunate to have founded three companies which have all been acquired, and now looks to improve lives worldwide.
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Jeff Dorchester — Co-Founder of iRel8.org
Jeff is an experienced and successful designer, entrepreneur, and executive with decades of passion and innovation in the technology space. Today, he brings in an emotional side of life in my new company iRel8, a new peer-to-peer social network for mental wellness. for more information on this and other episodes go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/38
A recent Scientific American article entitled is “Cannabis Good or Bad for Mental Health?” suggested that if you think you understand cannabis and its impact on our well-being, you probably don’t. With over 500 chemical constituents, interacting at different doses and ingested by different means, there are endless permutations of complexity for the ways cannabis can impact our emotional health. We can’t slap one label on it as either “all helpful” or “all harmful” when it comes to the impact on depression, anxiety, trauma and psychosis. Cannabis and all of the spin-off substances continue to evolve faster than rigorous science can keep up. The truth is — at the level of randomized control trials — we know very little.
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Generally speaking, the psychoactive agent THC can produce anxiety and psychotic features like paranoia at high doses, and CBD tends to counteract these. On one hand, addiction to cannabis does happen, but only to a minority (1 in 10) of users (still, a lot of people). On the other hand, cannabis is being used to help people with opioid addiction with their withdrawal and cravings.
For the causal adult user — just like with alcohol — there are few issues. In this episode, I interview Ben Cort — a man who literally wrote the book on weed (Weed Inc, Health Communications Inc 2018). We cover the evolution of marijuana and what has happened since Colorado Amendment 64, which was passed by voters on November 6, 2012 and led to legalization in January 2014. We talk about the factors that lead to addiction, what we are learning about youth use, and the risks of overdose and THC facilitated mortality (e.g, drugged driving). Finally, we discuss the social justice issues and community well-being when profit is king in the marijuana industry.
We also discuss the “responsible use” guidelines for cannabis use:
Use before the brain is fully myelinated (age 25 for males, 23 for females) is not recommended.
Less than 10% THC (better 8% THC) WITH 4% CBD will often get people the experience they are hoping for — stronger than that and it might be very intense for the user without tolerance.
Buy local or grow it yourself. Corporate weed comes with many social justice issues.
Don’t get high and drive or engage in behavior that requires swift reactions for safety.
Don’t use in front of kids.
If weed is your go-to solution for problems, you probably have a problem. As Ben reminds us, “Even Snoop takes reset no-use periods to adjust tolerance.” If the idea of a 60-day abstinence period makes you squirm, consider 30 days. Try stopping and see what comes up.
About Ben Cort
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Sober since 6/15/96 Ben Cort has walked the road of addiction and recovery. A co-founder of the non-profit Phoenix Multisport, a “sober active” community that provides peer-based athletic and adventure activities to hep people sustain their recovery.
He worked on public policy related to Colorado’s Amendment 64, the constitutional amendment that would ultimately allow for the commercialization of marijuana in Colorado and is the founder of Addiction Treatment Marketers Organization (ATMO), an organization that educates marketers and admissions professionals working in the field with a strong foundation of ethics.
His first book, Weed, Inc published in 2017 and his TEDx Talk “What Commercialization is Doing to Cannabis” has over 2 million views.
for more information on this and other Hope Illuminated episodes go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/37
5 Ways the Arts Can Play a Role in Healing
While you may know me as a psychologist, what you may not know is that I was also a Studio Art major in College, and the arts have always played a big role in my life. Over my career, I have continually tried to connect the dots between emotional recovery and the power of the arts, sometimes downplayed by researchers who claim there is a lack of evidence to show a connection. The American Journal of Public Health, however, published a meta review of the literature looking at the connection between healing and music engagement, visual arts therapy, movement-based creative expression and expressive writing and concluded that there are “clear indications that artistic engagement has significantly positive effects on health.” (p. 261)
The arts come in many forms — painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, music, dance, theater, poetry, creative writing and so much more — and throughout the ages, art has played a unique role in individual and community healing from trauma and suffering. Here are five ways art helps us transform our wounds into sources of power:
Connection — art brings people together and builds community and the connection we feel through our shared experience of the art helps us feel like we belong to something greater than ourselves.
Indirect communication — if I am suffering, but I cannot share with you directly what I am going through, I can talk about a piece of art I admire related to my suffering, and we can have a conversation about my experiences as a first step in expressing vulnerability.
Positive attraction — for most people the arts are compelling and intriguing, we lean in to experiencing them, even when (especially when?) the focus of the art is dark or taboo. We open a door and draw people in to explore the unspeakable through the language of the arts when otherwise they would run away.
Brain stimulation — when we communicate theory or statistics through our words, only a small part of our brain lights up. When we stimulate the brain through music and stories and poetry, we engage more areas of the brain and have a much richer experience, one that is more likely to be remembered later.
Transcending and transforming — there are some experiences that cannot be captured by words and the arts give us the tools to expand our ability to communicate to a more fuller picture and be changed by the experience of that expression in ways regular talk therapy can fall short.
In this interview, I speak with Swil Kanim — my “new friend in the canoe,” as he likes to say. I met Swil at the Four Directions Problem Gambling and Health Awareness Conference put on by the Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling in Washington State, and as I sat in the front row experiencing Swil’s gift of storytelling and musical performance, I was transfixed. You will be too. Swil is an indigenous man and a trauma survivor who credits his ability to overcome racism and suffering and become a student of honor to his discovery of the violin in the 4th grade. Join us as he shares his path of finding that healing was his responsibility and the way he would be true to his journey was through expressing himself musically.
About Swil Kanim (from www.swilkanim.com)
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Swil Kanim, US Army Veteran, classically trained violinist, native storyteller and actor, is a member of the Lummi Nation.
Because of his unique ability to inspire audiences to express themselves honorably, Swil Kanim is a sought-after keynote speaker for conferences, workshops, school assemblies, and rehabilitation centers.
He travels extensively throughout the United States, enchanting audiences with his original composition music and native storytelling. His workshops, The Elements of Honor, are attended by people from all walks of life.
Swil Kanim considers himself and his music to be the product of a well supported public school music program. Music and the performance of music helped him to process the traumas associated with his early placement into the foster care system.
Swil Kanim's compositions incorporate classical influences as well as musical interpretations of his journey from depression and despair to spiritual and emotional freedom. The music and stories that emerge from his experiences have been transforming people's lives for decades. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/36