In this episode of Chats from the Blog Cabin, Melissa Vera interviews Alexandra about her book, The Suicide Club, and the topic of suicide prevention. Alexandra shares her personal experience of losing her husband to suicide and the challenges of raising their son as a single parent. She discusses the importance of open conversations about suicide and mental health, the need for support and connection, and the unpredictability of the grief process. Alexandra emphasizes the importance of finding healthy coping skills and trusting oneself in the healing journey. She also highlights the need for more awareness and understanding around suicide and its impact on survivors.

takeaways

• Open conversations about suicide and mental health are crucial for raising awareness and providing support.


• Grief after losing a loved one to suicide is unpredictable and can be isolating, but finding healthy coping skills and trusting oneself can help in the healing process.


• Support and connection with others who have experienced similar loss can provide comfort and understanding.


• It is important to set boundaries and prioritize self-care while navigating the challenges of parenting and healing after a suicide loss.


• More awareness and understanding are needed to combat the stigma surrounding suicide and to provide resources and support for survivors.

Sound Bites

• "I've had to, in my own healing process, really try and understand what is happening with suicide, what is going on with brain wellness."


• "The strongest thing someone can do is reach out for help. But that's also in our minds, we think that's the weakest thing that someone can do is reach out for help."


• "People want to be helpful, but there's also a fix it mentality. There's this idea of like, how do I fix your pain? Right? No one wants to feel pain. It makes us all feel uncomfortable. And I'm like, I don't need to be fixed. My son doesn't need to be fixed. We just went through something horrendous and we're just, you know, putting our life back together."

Helpful Links:

• Website- www.forwardtojoy.com


• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/forwardtojoy


• Grab The Suicide Club https://amzn.to/3Zm2sX8


• Suicide Prevention Hotline Call or Text 988