In this episode, we explore seven powerful strategies that can help someone survive intense emotional distress and suicidal thoughts (from the book, THE SUICIDAL PERSON by Konrad Michel):

• Call a trusted doctor or therapist for personalized care
• Reach out to a 24/7 crisis line for nonjudgmental support
• Avoid alcohol to protect your judgment and emotional balance
• Resist writing a goodbye letter to keep options open
• Contact a mental health clinic for urgent intervention
• Call an ambulance when immediate safety is needed
• Go directly to the ER to access full medical and psychiatric care

If you want to reduce your psychological pain, regain your purpose and forge your own path, go to www.thrivewithleo.com to begin your journey.

If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help:

In the US: 

Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counseling. 

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Outside the US:

International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

In this episode, we explore the powerful symbolism of the zero — often misunderstood as "nothing" — and reveal how it actually represents connection, wholeness, and infinite potential. If you’ve ever felt invisible, isolated, or not enough, this conversation is for you.

Key Takeaways:

• How feeling like a "zero" can actually signal readiness for connection, not emptiness
• The role of circles in cultures around the world and why they represent community and healing
• Why you don’t have to be "more" before you start moving toward your goals or relationships
• How the zero is the "hug of numbers" — and why surrounding yourself and others with love matters
• A reminder that at every moment, you are enough to take the next step

Thrive With Leo Coaching: 

If you want to improve in the areas of health, wealth and/or relationships, go to www.thrivewithleo.com to begin your journey.

If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help:

In the US: 

Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counseling. 

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Outside the US:

International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

In today's episode we discuss:

• What we often do when suicidal urges rise
• Why small, immediate actions can be life-saving
• The psychology behind choosing connection over isolation
• How resistance, not resolution, can carry us through a crisis
• Simple decisions that protect life in the most fragile moments

If you want to reduce your psychological pain, regain your purpose and forge your own path, go to www.thrivewithleo.com to begin your journey.

If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help:

In the US: 

Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counseling. 

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Outside the US:

International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

In today's episode we explore the quiet but powerful human need for touch—and how its absence can deepen despair and loneliness, especially for those struggling with suicidal thoughts.

• Why asking “Who thinks about sex more?” misses the deeper question of touch
• How men and women often experience and imagine touch differently
• The evolutionary and emotional roots of skin hunger
• Why physical contact—non-sexual, non-romantic—can be life-saving
• Real-world insights from survivors and ways to reach out, or be reached

If you want to improve in the areas of health, wealth and/or relationships, go to www.thrivewithleo.com to begin your journey.

If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help:

In the US: 

Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counseling. 

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Outside the US:

International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

Lauren Henry Brehm joined the podcast to discuss her book The French Court: Essays from One Family's Legacy of Mental Illness and her journey through mental health, family trauma, and personal transformation.

• Opened up about her grandmother’s undiagnosed OCD and its generational impact
• Shared her own suicide attempt and living with Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Reflected on her divorce after 29 years of marriage
• Described her experience in the psychiatric ER and ongoing therapy
• Discussed psychiatric medications: Cymbalta, Buspar, Lamictal, Trazodone

Memorable quotes:

• “I don’t want to escape my life, I just don’t want it to hurt so much.”
• “A smile is the shortest distance between two people.”
• “I learned that I have something to offer everyone.”

Purchase Book: https://tinyurl.com/French-Court

Thrive With Leo Coaching: 

If you want to reduce your psychological pain, regain your purpose and forge your own path, go to www.thrivewithleo.com to begin your journey.

If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help:

In the US: 

Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counseling. 

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Outside the US:

International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

In this episode, we explore the subtle, often missed moments of human connection—and what they reveal about our deeper needs.

• A brief exchange with a mailman sparks reflection on communication and misunderstanding
• The physical sensation of a missed connection—what it tells us
• Why we often choose efficiency or comfort over connection
• How being unseen can create deep emotional pain
• The power of pausing, noticing, and trying again—with empathy

Thrive With Leo Coaching: 

If you want to improve in the areas of health, wealth and/or relationships, go to www.thrivewithleo.com to begin your journey.

If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help:

In the US: 

Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counseling. 

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Outside the US:

International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

Thrive With Leo Coaching: 

If you want to improve in the areas of health, wealth and/or relationships, go to www.thrivewithleo.com to begin your journey.

If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help:

In the US: 

Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counseling. 

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Outside the US:

International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

In this episode:

• Learn why emotions are like storms and feelings are the stories we tell about them
• Discover how movement helps with emotions, while naming helps with feelings
• Explore a simple 3-step tool for when you're in crisis:

1. Name the feeling
2. Notice the story you're telling
3. Identify what you need right now

• Hear how this awareness can keep you grounded in your most overwhelming moments

In this episode, we explore how meaningful conversation can be divided into three emotional spaces — even if you live alone:

• 🛏️ Pillow Talk: A space for vulnerability, emotional honesty, and self-compassion
• 🛋️ Couch Talk: Reflecting on purpose, identity, and how we relate to the world
• 🍳 Kitchen Talk: Dynamic, messy conversations powered by movement, action, and emotion
• Historical, literary, and talk show examples that illustrate each type
• How to have these conversations with yourself when no one else is around

Thrive With Leo Coaching: 

If you want to improve in the areas of health, wealth and/or relationships, go to www.thrivewithleo.com to begin your journey.

If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help:

In the US: 

Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counseling. 

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Outside the US:

International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

In today's episode we discuss:

• Explore the life and legacy of Boeing whistleblower John Barnett
• Hear key excerpts from his powerful final note
• Analyze the emotions, thoughts, needs, and wants expressed in his writing
• Discuss the impact of workplace retaliation on mental health
• Reflect on how systems meant to protect whistleblowers may fail them
• Offer resources for those struggling with suicidal thoughts

Thrive With Leo Coaching: 

If you want to reduce your psychological pain, regain your purpose and forge your own path, go to www.thrivewithleo.com to begin your journey.

If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help:

In the US: 

Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counseling. 

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Outside the US:

International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

In this episode Jess Feliciano shares:

• What led to her first suicide attempt
• Why breakups and heartache are so painful
• Why therapy is not enough to heal us
• How to trust yourself to love again
• How to set boundaries and communicate needs
• Efficacy of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
• How getting ice cream led to community

If you want to reduce your psychological pain, regain your purpose and forge your own path, go to www.thrivewithleo.com to begin your journey.

If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help:

In the US: 

Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counseling. 

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Outside the US:

International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.