Suicide is the Untold Story of Gun Violence in the US -- Why Gun Safety is Suicide Prevention: Interview with Dr. Michael Anestis | Episode 82

Suicide is the Untold Story of Gun Violence in the US -- Why Gun Safety is Suicide Prevention: Interview with Dr. Michael Anestis | Episode 82

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.

Finding Opportunities in Conflict -- How to Communicate Effectively When Friction Disrupts High Stakes Relationships: Interview with Lisa Stokes Nicholas | Episode 81

Finding Opportunities in Conflict -- How to Communicate Effectively When Friction Disrupts High Stakes Relationships: Interview with Lisa Stokes Nicholas | Episode 81

In today’s world, we are set up for polarization. How do we turn our 5-alarm fights into something more constructive?…

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.

, ,

A Thriving Hive -- How to Cultivate Employee Engagement and Workplace Well-Being: Interview with Mari Ryan | Episode 80

, ,
A Thriving Hive -- How to Cultivate Employee Engagement and Workplace Well-Being: Interview with Mari Ryan | Episode 80

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.

, , , ,

Turn Off the Alarm Bells -- How to Prioritize Civility in a Divisive World: Interview with Sejal Thakkar | Episode 79

, , , ,
Turn Off the Alarm Bells -- How to Prioritize Civility in a Divisive World: Interview with Sejal Thakkar | Episode 79

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.”

, , ,

Intersectionality & Historical Trauma -- 3 Insights for Resilience: Interview with Dr. Tammy Sanders | Episode 78

, , ,
Intersectionality & Historical Trauma -- 3 Insights for Resilience: Interview with Dr. Tammy Sanders | Episode 78

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.

, , ,

From Toxicity to Tranquility -- Prioritizing Personal Peace: Interview with Reggie Hubbard | Episode 77

, , ,
From Toxicity to Tranquility -- Prioritizing Personal Peace: Interview with Reggie Hubbard | Episode 77

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:

  1. Does it enhance creativity?

  2. Does it lower my blood pressure?

  3. Does it make me smile?

, , , , ,

"What Do You Do?" -- Reflecting on Work, Identity & Well-Being: Interview with Scott Mason | Episode 76

, , , , ,
"What Do You Do?" -- Reflecting on Work, Identity & Well-Being: Interview with Scott Mason | Episode 76

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.”…

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.

5 Ways to Help Grieving Children Cope During the Holidays: Interview with Dr. Micki Burns | Episode 75

5 Ways to Help Grieving Children Cope During the Holidays: Interview with Dr. Micki Burns | Episode 75

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

Setting Our Kids Up for Life Success -- Social and Emotional Learning in Our Classrooms: Interview with Dr. Julian Dooley | Episode 74

Setting Our Kids Up for Life Success -- Social and Emotional Learning in Our Classrooms: Interview with Dr. Julian Dooley | Episode 74

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

Critical Suicide Theory and Research -- From the Gender Paradox to Cultural Scripts of Suicidal Behaviors: Interview with Professor Silvia Sara Canetto | Episode 73

Critical Suicide Theory and Research -- From the Gender Paradox to Cultural Scripts of Suicidal Behaviors: Interview with Professor Silvia Sara Canetto | Episode 73

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.

, ,

Critical Suicidology -- Why Our Traditional Approaches in Suicide Prevention Have Failed: Interview with Jess Stohlmann-Rainey | Episode 72

, ,
Critical Suicidology -- Why Our Traditional Approaches in Suicide Prevention Have Failed: Interview with Jess Stohlmann-Rainey | Episode 72

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.

,

Crisis Services & People of Color -- We Can Do Better: Interview with Vic Armstrong | Episode 71

,
Crisis Services & People of Color -- We Can Do Better: Interview with Vic Armstrong | Episode 71

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

, , ,

Psychosocial Hazards on the Job -- Listening to the Voices of Suicidal Workers: Interview with Professor Sarah Waters | Episode 70

, , ,
Psychosocial Hazards on the Job -- Listening to the Voices of Suicidal Workers: Interview with Professor Sarah Waters | Episode 70

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.

,

Suicide in a Global Context -- Perspectives from the President of the International Association for Suicide Prevention: Interview with Dr. Murad Khan | Episode 69

,
Suicide in a Global Context -- Perspectives from the President of the International Association for Suicide Prevention: Interview with Dr. Murad Khan | Episode 69

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.

, ,

Building Bridges at the Crossroads of Suicide Prevention -- Leadership Call to Action: Interview with Dr. Jonathan Singer | Episode 68

, ,
Building Bridges at the Crossroads of Suicide Prevention -- Leadership Call to Action: Interview with Dr. Jonathan Singer | Episode 68

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.

, , ,

Storytelling in Community -- Lifting Up the Voices of People with Lived Experience: Interview with Jennifer Marshall | Episode 67

, , ,
Storytelling in Community -- Lifting Up the Voices of People with Lived Experience: Interview with Jennifer Marshall | Episode 67

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.

The "How" of Suicide -- Why the "Means Matter": Interview with Catherine Barber, Elaine Frank & Shelby Kuhn | Episode 66

The "How" of Suicide -- Why the "Means Matter": Interview with Catherine Barber, Elaine Frank & Shelby Kuhn | Episode 66

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.

, , , , ,

Workplace Suicide Prevention Training: Interview with Gabriela Malafaia | Episode 65

, , , , ,
Workplace Suicide Prevention Training: Interview with Gabriela Malafaia | Episode 65

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.

,

Human Rights and Mental Health -- Justice Speaks: Interview with Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren | Episode 64

,
Human Rights and Mental Health -- Justice Speaks: Interview with Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren | Episode 64

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.

, ,

Black Men, the Uneven Playing Field and Mental Health -- Perspectives from a Former NFL Player: Interview with Dwight Hollier | Episode 63

, ,
Black Men, the Uneven Playing Field and Mental Health -- Perspectives from a Former NFL Player: Interview with Dwight Hollier | Episode 63

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.