Skip to main content
        Listen to Spreaker

Tag: new beginnings

Resilience and the Transgender Community Living Out Loud: Interview with Iden Campbell | Episode 13

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.

Iden and me.jpg
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.

Iden Campbell.jpeg
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

Promoting Mental Health through Sport: Interview with Sean McCarthy | Episode 12

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.

Sean McCarthy.jpg
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

Leadership, Strategy & System Change: Interview with Stuart Binstock & Michelle Walker | Episode 11

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
Stuart-Binstock-BP-2011.jpg
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
Michelle Walker.JPG
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

Sleep, Stress and the Science of the Mind-Body Connection: Whitney McKnight | Episode 10

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
Whitney McKnight headshot.JPG
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

3 Ways to Build Resilience at Work: Interview with Judge (Ret.) Mary McClatchey | Episode 8

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

Military Suicide Grief an Interview with Kim Ruocco | Episode 6

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.

Kim Ruocco.JPG
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).

TAPS logo.jpg
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

Making Meaning after a Mental Health or Suicide Crisis Dr. DeQuincy Lezine | Episode 7

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.

DeQuincy2.jpg
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

Lived_Experience_Academy.jpg
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

What You Need to Know about Peer Support Eduardo Vega | Episode 9

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.

We rise by lifting others.jpg
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

What You Need to Know about Mental Health Crisis Response Strategy Covington | Episode 4

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

How to Best Support Someone Living with a Mental Health Condition Kevin and Margaret Hines Ep 5

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:

1. Making self-care a priority

2. Learning how to advocate for your loved one: “A closed mouth doesn’t get fed.”

3. Noticing patterns in behavior

4. Continually educating yourself, especially about medication options

5. 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

IMPORTANT NOTICE

By continuing to browse our website, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , and you are acknowledging that you have read them and agree by clicking accept.

Yes, I accept!