Resilience

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The Long Tail of Trauma -- Adverse Childhood Experiences and Suicide: Interview with Corey Jones | Episode 116

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The Long Tail of Trauma -- Adverse Childhood Experiences and Suicide: Interview with Corey Jones | Episode 116

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.

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The Pause - Rebooting after Reflection | Episode 111

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The Pause - Rebooting after Reflection | Episode 111

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?

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What if Suicide Prevention is Simple? Crisis Response Planning: Interview with Dr. Craig Bryan | Episode 99

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What if Suicide Prevention is Simple? Crisis Response Planning: Interview with Dr. Craig Bryan | Episode 99

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…

Teens Bereaved by Suicide -- Moving Forward When You Feel Left Behind: Interview with Jason Holzer | Episode 47

Teens Bereaved by Suicide -- Moving Forward When You Feel Left Behind: Interview with Jason Holzer | Episode 47

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.

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Peer Support & The Helper Effect -- When Doing Good Feels Good: Interview with Lt. John Coppedge | Episode 29

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Peer Support & The Helper Effect -- When Doing Good Feels Good: Interview with Lt. John Coppedge | Episode 29

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…

…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.

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.

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A Warrior for Wellness -- One Man’s Epic Battle for Recovery: Interview with Gabe Howard | Episode 28

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A Warrior for Wellness -- One Man’s Epic Battle for Recovery: Interview with Gabe Howard | Episode 28

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.