Surviving the Suck

Jake and Joe Sharp are two young brothers who are fitness coaches in Arizona, They are identical twins who are in their early twenties, but have experienced much life in their young years. As we all have, they too have learned to survive the suck. Jake and Joe lost their little brother, Sam, to suicide when he was sixteen. They took to Tik Tok to share Sam's story and the outreach has been incredible. I am so excited to share this story with you, as the Sharp brothers talk about laughter, healing, finding joy in the small things, and what it means to be an advocate. Life's a climb, enjoy the view. You don't want to miss this -- listen now!

I'm BACK with an icon: Ryan Jenkins. Ryan is one of my best friends. We met at Augustana College, the home base of The Gray Matters Collective NFP. He is now an Anchor and Enterprise Reporter for TMJ4 News, the NBC-affiliate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He currently leads TMJ4's weekend evening newscasts.Ryan is new to Wisconsin, but not the Midwest; he was born in Elgin, Illinois. He comes to TMJ4 after spending time in the Illinois/Iowa "Quad Cities" as a Multimedia Journalist and Fill-In Anchor at WQAD-TV. Passionate about storytelling, inclusion, diversity, and representation across multiple platforms, Ryan’s love for news stems from a desire to better understand and connect with the people in the community around him.

Yasmin Irfani is a Pakistani Muslim American currently serving as Program Manager of Counseling Services at ICNA Relief in Southern California. She received her M.S in College Counseling & Student Services in 2019 and has been working in the non-profit world since. Prior to ICNA Relief she was serving as Youth Programs Director at NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) in San Fernando Valley, as well as Dignity Health Northridge Hospital. Yasmin is a certified instructor for Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid through the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. She is also a QPR Suicide Prevention Trainer where she certifies community members and empowers them to lean into the difficult conversations about suicide. A couple of her favorite topics to facilitate are self compassion and social emotional learning for kids. Join me for this incredible conversation with an incredible human being!

I am thrilled to announce season 3 is launching with the one and only, Zak Williams.When Zak lost his father, Robin Williams, to suicide, his mental health struggles went into overdrive. His wife, Olivia June, turned him on to amino acid therapy after she had success regulating her mood with amino acid dietary supplements that her doctor recommended. Zak and Olivia spent the next two years working with food scientists to discover a formula that tasted delicious and worked fast to support feelings of stress and overwhelm.Zak started to feel better - more balanced, calm, in control, and more like himself again. Zak and Olivia decided these safe, effective and natural solutions needed to be more accessible to others. Together, they created PYM (Prepare Your Mind) so you can be proactive and prepare your mind to handle everyday stressors and life events that take a toll on mental health. PYM’s mission is to provide safe, natural and effective mental hygiene products to promote self-care and end the stigma around mental health. Visit PYM here: https://youcanpym.comIn this episode, Zak and I talk about mental hygiene, trauma, healing, and more. Thank you, Zak, for making the time to share your story with us. I am so eternally grateful to you!

Season 3 is here. Let's do more than just survive. Let's move in the light.

You've heard it -- season 2 has officially come to its end. But don't worry.... I'll be back. Faster than you might expect. With some HUGE news.Stay tuned...

Hang in there. Life IS beautiful -- remember that. Love is everywhere.Ellys Stasinski is living proof that recovery is possible. You can recover from mental illness, eating disorders, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts, It IS possible. Don't forget it.If you need extra support, listen to this episode. Call the suicide hotline if you need to. Talk to someone. People are here for you.You can survive the suck. You. Matter.Disclaimer: This episode contains topics related to mental illness, eating disorders, self-harm, suicide ideation

We are edging the end of season 2 and I know many of you are -- dare I say -- in the suck. Don't worry, I am too. That's why I'm bringing a good friend of mine on the pod, Ryan Nesbit.Ryan is the co-chair of Iowa’s Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, is a QPR suicide prevention trainer, and founded "Alive & Running Iowa" for suicide awareness and prevention. For most of his adult life, Ryan has worked tirelessly to bring suicide prevention strategies to communities across Iowa. He and his best friend, Rodger, grew up on farms in northeast Iowa, near Dunkerton. In 1991, at age 15, Rodger died by suicide.Through Ryan's own hills and valleys, he's worked hard to get to where he is today. He's survived the suck and he's here to tell you how.Listen closely. Topics may be sensitive to some listeners

Balance is key -- right? In this episode, my good friend Ainsley and I talk about finding balance in unstable times. Especially as we enter into a new year, we talk about navigating loneliness, self-care, child-like faith, and being a young adult today. 2021 wasn't easy, but we survived the suck. I'm proud of you!NOW, 2022, please be good to us... Maybe this year, we will thrive in the suck. Who knows -- we can only hope. And there is always hope.

Isaiah Raya's favorite quote is: "Everything happens for a reason." So that means he's on this episode for a reason. To discuss mental illness, social media, and living with mental health issues in today's world. We laugh, we dive deep into hard topics, and we discuss real world issues in this episode.Listen to episode 9 with my good friend, Isaiah, out now.