Pamela Brinker - Conscious Bravery (#245)

Pamela Brinker is a psychotherapist who's been in private practice, more than thirty years, helping those who have loved ones struggling with additions. She understands firsthand - she has family members who are addicts. She’s a meditator and yoga enthusiast.

SPECIAL NOTE: about the seriousness of suicidal ideation. If a person is struggling with long-term or deep depression (aka major depression) & is fixated upon thoughts of, or plans around, suicide, they need more than self-love and support from others; they need mental health treatment and a safe, supportive environment. A skilled therapist is usually essential in supporting someone with major depression and suicidal ideation. This can be found in a variety of places, but if someone is considering taking their own life, we need to let them know we’re here, they are loved, and that various treatments are essential to consider: ketamine treatment, TMS, medication, all with combined psychotherapy with a skilled therapist, the consideration of trauma treatment and/or somatic work, EMDR, neurofeedback, and other treatments have all been groundbreaking.

Self-love and support from others are more for mild depression, or after a person who has passed through a suicidal phase into a place where basic supports for lifting a depression make sense (things like physical exercise, social interactions/support, hobbies or creative outlets, getting out to do fun things with others, etc.).