If you are struggling with depression or having suicidal thoughts, we are here for you. During this podcast episode, Suzie Sandoval shares tools and ideas for how to move through and past the most difficult and darkest days you might be experiencing. Both Suzie and I have suffered from traumatic events in our life where we both suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts. We share our personal stories during this interview. Suzie has dedicated her life to helping others elevate their mindset from a place of despair to compassion.

Suzie Sandoval is the founder of OrganiZEN, which is all about decluttering your life both mentally and physically through meditation, mindfulness, and leading a minimalistic lifestyle.

Jennifer Pierce is the creator of a blog called Spirit Life Truth after suffering from eczema and Topical Steroid Withdrawal. It was during this illness when Jennifer found herself in the darkest days of her life.

Quotes from Suzie, “The intensity can be different for everyone. Some of us will take it to different extents and act upon it. What I have found is when I didn’t have any support in my life is when it was the worst. When I actually was able to have support and talk with people who had experienced suicidal mindset, it opened up the conversation that I wasn’t alone. A lot of the suicidal mindset is your feeling in despair, is your feeling alone, your feeling of burden, no one understands you, you’re in a dark place and it’s an isolating place to be. One of the remedies is being able to find someone and being able to express I have these thoughts, I have these emotions, I don’t want you to take any action on this, I just want you to hear me.

There were times where I didn’t have anyone in my life to do that. So one of the things I started doing was I would turn on my phone and I would record myself. I would actually record myself. I would be ugly crying and record myself on video and express everything I needed to express because it wasn’t something I was going to share with just anybody. I did the video solely for myself. And then what I would do was go back and watch the video. This was a really powerful tool for me. Because If you don’t feel like you have anyone in your life, this was a way. We’re often taught to have other relationships in our lives but not with ourself. We hear about self love and self care but typically it is spoken about on a very surface level. And that doesn’t get to the level of this pain we are going through and metal illness that’s happening. And so that was one of the things extremely valuable for me. I got tired of journaling. I needed something different. So it's almost like a video diary. And what that started to do what cultivate a sacred space with myself where I could be completely honest where I could get all my emotions and thoughts out. And then, when I listed to myself, I developed a compassion for myself. Me seeing myself experience such pain brought out this other aspect…of self compassion.

“When we’re lacking love, that’s really what a suicidal mindset is. It’s a lack of love to such a painful extent. If you’re able to give love, then you’re cultivating it and that is something else that will help the process.”

“For the first time in my life, I had someone who could hold space for all the pain I was going through. Suicidal mindset, I want to die, I can’t handle this, it’s too much. The intensity can be different from everyone and some of us can take it to different extents to act upon it. When I didn’t have any support in my life is when it was the worst and when I actually was able to have support and talk to people who had experienced suicidal mindset…” (referring to her sessions with Caroline Sabi, link below)

Quote from Jennifer, “Suicide crossed my mind several times over the course of those earlier days of Topical Steroid Withdrawal. Many of you listening might be going through TSW or another kind of illness. When you’re going through illness it...