Inner Monologue

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is photographer, suicide prevention activist and founder of Six Feet Over and Suck It Sucide, Kate Hardy.  Kate's journey started after the loss of her mother to suicide.  She recognized a need to build a support system for people dealing with loss from suicide and mental health issues. While Suck It Suicide is primarily focused on outreach for the creative community, the function of Six Feet Over is to help those who have lost loved ones to suicide. Their offerings include support for memorial services, clean up, funeral and additional services pertaining to the loss. This conversation delves into  a wide range, including the politics of prevention, how to multi-task passion projects, family life and how to ultimately find a balance in one's life. 

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is photographer, suicide prevention activist and founder of The i'Mpossible Project, Josh Rivedal.  Josh's project began with his one man show focused on the suicide of his father.  After seeing how his show created a space for people to share their stories of struggle, Josh decided to take things to the next level with the i'Mpossible Project.  The project is a blog and book series that provides a space for people to talk about their experiences with suicide, mental illness and other traumas.  Along with the books, Josh provides a multitude of trainings and presentations from anti-bullying to educational staff and faculty training on how to approach mental health issues.  You can also hear Josh weekly on his podcast, The i'Mpossible Project Show.

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is photographer, suicide prevention activist and founder of The Dream Project CD, Raela Marie Villanueva.  Raela discusses the origins of her mission with a dream about her younger brother, Jr., who had recently died by suicide.  The Dream Project CD uses music as a method to educate people about warning signs and how to reach out for help.  We also talk about Raela's personal experience with mental health issues, how one handles fear and how breakdowns can ultimately become breakthroughs. 

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is photographer, suicide prevention activist and founder of Live Through This, Dese'Rae Lynn Stage.  After surviving her own attempt to end her life, Dese'Rae was compelled to find others  who lived through that experience. In her research, she only found communities of those who lost loved ones to suicide.  She had a challenging time finding other attempt survivors, so she decided to locate them in her own unique way.  Her project Live Through This has collected stories from all across the country in order to put a human face on the suicide epidemic.  After meeting and speaking with an attempt survivor, Dese'Rae photographs the individual only moments after they share their story.  Live Through This is a profound artistic view and social expression that is changing the conversation around mental health issues and suicide by giving a voice to the voiceless. 

This week on Inner Monologue Podcast we have guest Dana Hearn, Loss Survivor.  Dana shares her experience of losing her brother to suicide about a year ago.  She shares the journey of grief and even the practical details that are involved in that experience.  We also discuss the expression of loved ones through the dream world and the messages and symbolism one can receive in their life after losing a loved one. There is a comfort one can be gifted in their grieving process by sensing the presence or message from a loved one they lost.  She also discusses the necessity of having continued support from others and healthy outlets even after several weeks following the loss. She also shares the power of ceremony on the anniversary date of the loss and the beautiful ritual she did to honor that day. 

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is Horticulturist, Bill Artwohl.  Bill is the Lead Cultivator at a state licensed cannabis production facility.  We learn how Bill found his love for growing plants by working with a variety of plant types. We discuss the importance of knowing where your food comes from and the amazing health benefits from having a personal relationship with your food.

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is Holistic Health Wellness Coach, yoga teacher and founder of Au Naturel Wellness, Lindsey Smith.  Lindsey and I begin our conversation by discussing the importance of food, making healthy choices and being mindful of harmful eating habits.  Lindsey incorporates yoga into her practice to guide people physically, emotionally and spiritually toward wellness. Her purpose is to help to support people to find and nurture their true authentic self to its fullest potential. 

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is Dr. Jason McNeil. Jason emphasizes that being a doctor is his main profession however, it's not his true identity.  He believes there is great importance in life to feel like he is never working. Jason is a man of many passions in life including yoga, mountain biking and even harvesting agave plants to build and play didgeridoo instruments. Recently, Jason has found joy in silence.  Living on the edge of the Tonto National Forest, Jason will often hike into the wilderness by himself and sit in silence. This practice allows him to detach from the world in order to feel the depth of his inner consciousness.

his week's guest on Inner Monologue is photographer and co-founder of the peer support group, Phoenix Rising, Sara Tiberio.  Dealing with her own issues of anxiety and panic attacks became the catalyst to the formation of the Phoenix Rising support group.  After putting an invitation on Facebook to see who was interested, the first group started with ten people and has slowly grown into a thriving community.  Each meeting, Sara and her co-founder, Ashley focus on different topics or themes for group discussion. The group has become a beacon of hope by creating a safe place for everyone to share their fears, anxieties and hopes within a supportive community. 

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is artistic renaissance man, Steve Dukes.  Steve's first love in creative expression was writing, which he uses in his improve sketch comedy crew and stand up acts. However, he also practices yoga and meditation.  Our conversation starts with Steve's experience in the army where he shares about his time in basic training while 9/11 happened.  After the millitary, Steve discovered his passion for writing in theatre.  He found his groove in comedy writing after working for a traveling cooking show. It was through the cooking show that he learned about nutrition and holistic methods for wellness. Each avenue of his life was truly inspiring him and leading to one creative expression after another.