Half a Sorrow Foundation: www.halfasorrow.org

Book a Talk with Dennis Gillan: https://halfasorrow.org/book-a-talk/

Make a Donation: https://halfasorrow.org/support-our-work/

About the Hosts:

Dennis Gillan Dennis Gillan is the Founder and Executive Director of the Half a Sorrow Foundation, an organization dedicated to suicide prevention and mental health awareness. As a passionate advocate for mental health, Dennis has turned his personal tragedies into a mission to help others. He has spoken extensively about suicide loss and the importance of mental health support.

Jessica Seel Jessica Seel serves as our co-host and has made her misery her mission as well. Her day job focuses on promoting behavioral health policies and programs across rural communities. Jessica brings an intimate understanding of mental health issues, having lost her father to suicide at a young age.

Episode Summary:

In this poignant episode of "It's a Tough Subject," Dennis Gillan and Jessica Seel delve into their personal stories as survivors of suicide loss and discuss the importance of addressing such a challenging topic. Dennis and Jessica, who have both lost close family members to suicide, provide a unique and heartfelt dialogue about their struggles and the path to healing. They emphasize the significance of mental health conversations and the therapeutic role of community and support networks.

Throughout the episode, Dennis shares insights about the "Camo Hat Club," a monthly gathering of men focused on checking in on each other's mental health. He highlights the critical need for men to open up about their mental well-being given that men account for 80% of all suicides. Jessica touches on her coping mechanisms, including her love for animals and her journey to finding her voice in speaking out about her experiences. Together, they discuss the complexities of grief, the stigma surrounding mental health, and the necessity of creating safe spaces for these difficult conversations.

Key Takeaways:

• Importance of Mental Health Conversations: Dennis and Jessica stress the need to talk openly about mental health and suicide loss to break the stigma and foster understanding.

• Camo Hat Club: Dennis explains how this initiative serves as a vital touchpoint for men to discuss their mental health regularly, emphasizing the high suicide rates among men.

• Coping Mechanisms: Jessica discusses her love for animals as a critical part of her healing process and urges others to find what comforts them.

• Post-Trauma Behaviors: Both hosts reflect on their unhealthy coping mechanisms following their losses and emphasize the significance of forgiving oneself for these behaviors.

• Role of Community and Support: They highlight how crucial it is to have a community or support system to navigate through the pain and find healing.

Notable Quotes:

• "It's a tough subject. Nobody wants to talk about it." – Dennis Gillan

• "You have to ask pointed questions, too. If you really feel something, you don't say, 'Just checking in on you.' If you feel like someone's in danger, you say point blank, 'Are you trying to hurt yourself?'" – Jessica Seel

• "When your miseries become your mission, it's a good fatigue." – Dennis Gillan

• "Why would you blame a sick person? They're not a bad person; they're a sick person." – Jessica Seel

• "We are proof, and it's a tough subject, but there is life on the other side." – Dennis Gillan

Resources:

• Half a Sorrow Foundation

• South Carolina Office of Rural Health

• Mental Health First Aid

• Fox Carolina

Encourage yourself to explore more about mental health and suicide prevention by listening to this powerful episode. Stay tuned for more insightful content from "It's a Tough Subject."