CW: Throughout the month of October The Writing Wall will be discussing mental health and mental health issues that affect millions of people around the globe. Be advised that this podcast episode contains information on depression, suicide, anxiety, while including information about mental health resources. Please contact the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 if you or a loved one are in a crisis situation. There is help, there is hope.

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In this episode listeners and readers will get to hear from Julia Simmons. Julia is a founding member, and current President of Alleghany Lives a non-profit group of individuals from here in Alleghany County, NC. They have been responding to depression and suicide with education, advocacy, and compassionate outreach for over a decade. You can find Alleghany Lives on FaceBook at the following link https://www.facebook.com/AlleghanyLives or on their website www.alleghanylives.com. Julia will talk about the group, their mission, and how books have played a very integral part of the group's outreach efforts in the last couple of years. Of course, it wouldn't be Saturday if we didn't throw in some Shameless Self Promo Shout Outs too. Check out the blog for Writer of the Week, Derra Sabo, and listen to the podcast to find out who our next guest blogger will be. Visit the blog at https://hawkssn85.wixsite.com/thewritingwall/blog and follow The Writing Wall on Twitter @TheWritingWall or on IG @writingsonthewall85.