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Tag: public speaker mental illness

My morning speaking at Virginia State University

Suicide is a tough subject but the #2 cause of death on college campuses. In fact I wish I had some magic tricks for the college crowd. A friend of mine suggested eating fire. I thought that posed risk of burning my hair and maybe I’d rather be sawed in half. But that would require talent above my pay grade.

Today at Virginia State University, I told my story about Charles, shared my grief journey, and then we talked about coping strategies. For this we used post it notes and a white board. And for the healthy and unhealthy coping … Read more...

Getting Comfortable with an Uncomfortable Conversation

Date: Thu, 03/21/2019
Time: 7:00pm-8:30pm
Cost: Free
Who can come: This is a Community event in Midlothian,VA. Mostly parents but teens are welcome. There will be emotional content.

Details on the event and takeaways on the registration page. And we are asking for registration so we can follow up with resources based on Q & A after. This is the neighborhood in which Charles grew up and the middle school he attended and the community is struggling with the loss of another young man.

Register here
What I miss most about Charles
… Read more...

So how did it feel standing on the TEDx stage?

It felt freaking great. Someone asked me if I was glad it was over and I said, “No!” I loved that audience, my fellow speakers and I had a grand time. While back stage, we all felt nervous but I stared at the big red dot from the wings and I whispered to my fellow speakers, “We are not nervous, we are excited!” And I believed it.

Some of you were there live. Others saw the streaming video the next day which is taken down for now. But they will post the videos in a few weeks and I will … Read more...

Keynote for Wellstone in Cullman, Alabama

keynote speaker mental health

I wish I could say I was the star of the event. Or maybe even the CEO, Jeremy or Chris, the COO. But no, the bread pudding was the real star. A lovely venue to boot.

I got to meet the family whose father was attacked by a man who was lost in psychosis, entered the family home and killed Stephen Griffith, an upstanding community lawyer. His wife was also attacked but is alive today.

In a remarkable turn of events, this family, in the midst of their grief recognized the man who attacked their father was mentally ill and … Read more...