Thoughtful Human

In today's episode, we continue our series with the men of Success Stories Program and one of their Transformational Coaches, Graham Finochio. Throughout this conversation, we discuss some of his early trauma, how he came to identify as a skinhead, how prison reinforced his beliefs around toxic masculinity and white supremacy, and the moment things started to change for him. He walks us through his personal transformation and his thoughts on forgiveness, amends, and what healthy love looks like. He shares more about the curriculum Success Stories offers to help guide men toward a similar path, and leaves us with tips on how to approach these types of conversations within our own relationships. Resources mentioned in this episode: Success Stories Program The Feminist On Cellblock Y Thoughtful Human x Success Stories Donate to Success Stories If you want to follow along in our journey or check out our products, find us at our website thoughtfulhuman.co, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! P.S. If you or someone you love needs access to a month of free online therapy: betterhelp.com/thoughtfulhuman.

Resources: The Body Project: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-involved/the-body-project National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) You can also call or text the NEDA helpline at (800) 931-2237.

It's National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and today's episide offers an exploration of suicide and the many ways we can support those who are struggling today. To help educate us on this subject are two guests, Dr. Meredith Sears — a clinical psychologist who specializes in suicide prevention and serves as the President of the Board of the Amerian Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), and Brittney Elko — an AFSP board member who shares her personal story of loss, and her expertise as a 988/TALK crisis line volunteer and organizer of ASFP's Healing Conversations program. In this episode, we discuss: 7:25: Specific vocabulary that may be helpful and harmful in conversations about suicide 18:20: Stigma and common misconceptions about suicide and suicide attempts vs. the true nature of depression and suicidal ideation 31:30: What you can say or do when someone discloses that they are having suicidal thoughts 48:30: Dialectical Behavior Therapy 55:20: Firearms, lethal means safety, and other effective prevention strategies 1:04:35: Postvention and the unique, complex nature of grieving a suicide loss 1:20:40: Three recommendations for anyone feeling suicidal today or supporting someone with suicidal thoughts today Resources: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Healing Conversations Safe Plan App Sources & mentions from this episode: AFSP statistics NAMI statistics Centre for Suicide Prevention: How Many People Are Affected by One Suicide If you want to follow along in our journey or check out our products, find us at our website thoughtfulhuman.co, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. P.S. If you or someone you love needs access to a month of free online therapy: betterhelp.com/thoughtfulhuman.

In today’s episode we round out our series with the Success Stories team, with a conversation with their Co-Executive Director, Mannie Thomas III. Mannie shares his personal story and how violence became his primary response to conflict and complex emotions. He describes his feelings in the face of a life sentence, and the ways in which this conflicted with his sense of self and role in his community. He walks us through his educational journey, and dives deeper into the broader systems of justice — the difference between punitive, restorative, and transformative models and what really drives accountability, safety, and healing. We also talk more explicitly about toxic masculinity’s role in women’s issues and sexual assault — how men participate in and perpetuate rape culture, and what genuine allyship and empowerment look like. Finally, we talk about the vision and future of Success Stories — early education for kids and parents, and what he’s most hopeful about when it comes to the work they are doing. Resources mentioned in this episode: Success Stories Program The Feminist On Cellblock Y Thoughtful Human x Success Stories Donate to Success Stories If you want to follow along in our journey or check out our products, find us at our website thoughtfulhuman.co, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! P.S. If you or someone you love needs access to a month of free online therapy: betterhelp.com/thoughtfulhuman.

In today's episode, we'll be kicking off a series of conversations with men of Success Stories, a nonprofit organization where men lead transformational feminist workshops with people who have caused harm. They discuss topics like toxic masculinity, patriarchy, incarceration, and social justice at large. Graham Finochio is a transformational coach at Success Stories. Throughout this conversation, we discuss some of his early trauma, how he came to identify as a skinhead, how prison reinforced his beliefs around toxic masculinity and white supremacy, and the moment things started to change for him. He walks us through his personal transformation and his thoughts on forgiveness, amends, and what healthy love looks like. He shares more about the curriculum Success Stories offers to help guide men toward a similar path, and leaves us with tips on how to approach these types of conversations within our own relationships. Resources mentioned in this episode: Success Stories The Feminist On Cellblock Y If you want to follow along in our journey or check out our products, find us at our website thoughtfulhuman.co, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! P.S. If you or someone you love needs access to a month of free online therapy: betterhelp.com/thoughtfulhuman.