April 14, 2026

Ep. 6 – Dr. Thomas Joiner: Inside The Mind, Outside The Narrative: Rethinking What Drives Murder-Suicide

59 minutes

In this episode of Unspoken Grief, hosts Michael Vinton and Tina Chevalier welcome psychologist and researcher Dr. Thomas Joiner, whose work is widely cited in survivor communities and who authored The Perversion of Virtue, a book the hosts frequently reference in presentations about murder-suicide. Joiner explains how his research led him to conclude most murder-suicides are planned and rooted in a distorted, “virtuous” rationale tied to four perverted virtues—justice, mercy, duty, and glory—illustrating examples including Columbine and the influence of Timothy McVeigh. The group discusses stigma faced by survivors, language challenges around “perpetrator,” why families may not see their loved one as suicidal, the value of psychological autopsies, and how suicide prevention strategies like means safety and effective CBT may also prevent murder-suicide.

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Dr Thomas Joiner:

Email: [email protected]

Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0199334552?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_WTDG24DTBD8N6ZD1RAEB&bestFormat=true

Website: Thomas Joiner | Department of Psychology

Georgia Commission on Family Violence

Michael Vinton

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.michaelvinton.com

http://www.impactedsurvivors.org