This week on 'Where is My Solace,' I welcome Kristen Garzone who lives in Troy (Upstate NY). You can find her on Instagram at @mellank running miles, lifting, and talking about a cause very close to her heart: mental health, especially maternal mental health. She was first diagnosed with depression and anxiety when she was 21 but it wasn’t until about 3 years ago when her life was completely turned upside down by the death of her dear friend Kristin to suicide. After that Kristen started publicly sharing her story and fighting in the open. Kristen loves spending time with her friends, traveling anywhere and everywhere, listening to music (good lyrics can heal), and spending time with her golden retriever, Troy boy.

Lisa is a health policy analyst and health services researcher who lives outside of Philadelphia with her 8-year old identical twin boys, spouse and dog. She is also a fitness coach, mental health advocate, working with Jordan Porco Foundation and Still I Run. Lisa lost her mom by suicide in March of 2019, and has found positive ways of coping with the grief and dealing with her own mental health struggles. She wishes to share her story in hopes that some of her strategies will help others. 

Gretchen is the definition of a true survivor. In 2019, (within two months of each other) she lost her sister, Alanna and little twin nieces Ruby & June in an auto accident and her brother, Jacob to suicide. Gretchen shares how she keeps the memory of her brother alive, how she is healing, advice to other suicide loss survivors and what we can do to end the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health. 

   In this episode, I interview Jill, a talented social worker, and my cousin. We explore several topics including; feelings after losing a loved one to suicide, the grieving process, mental health awareness, and much more.

  Learn more about Kiley (the host of Where is my Solace?) and her Mother, who passed away by Suicide in 2012.