Episode 19: Interview with Stephanie Coker: Suicide Prevention

May 22, 2020

We are in the middle of a series about mental health. May is Mental Health Awareness month. I am so excited about this series. I hope to debunk myths about mental health issues, provide resources, help you gain insight that will help you understand mental health issues. We’re going to be talking about addictions, bipolar, suicide, and childhood mental illness.

Last week, we heard from Dr. Rhonda Johnson, about children and mental health. Be sure to go back and listen after today’s interview if you didn’t get a chance to listen to that episode previously.

Before we dive in, I want to give a few facts to note the urgency and importance of this conversation:

• Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US for all ages.
• Every day, approximately 123 Americans die by suicide.
• There is one death by suicide in the US every 12 minutes.
• Depression affects 20-25% of Americans ages 18+ in a given year

Today, we will continue the conversation with a dear friend, Stephanie Coker. We’re diving into a sensitive but necessary topic about suicide and suicide prevention.

Stephanie Coker, LCSW-S, LCDC, CDWF has been helping people find freedom from the struggles of perfectionism, codependency, addiction, and toxic relationships for 25 years. She has her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Baylor University and Her Master's in Social Work  from UT-Arlington. She's worked in various settings including community clinics and psychiatric hospitals and currently has a private practice in Plano, TX.  To know more about the organizations she's involved in, visit cokercounsling.com or check out her Facebook  page,  for resources and upcoming events. 

In our conversation, we discuss:

• Who is at risk for suicide?
  
• What are some of the ways to protect/prevent from suicidality?
  
• Religious shame and its' impact on one's willingness to reach out for help
  

Listen now:

Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts   | Click here to listen on Spotify   | Click here to listen on Stitcher   

Helpful Links: 

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/suicide-faq/index.shtml

https://wmich.edu/suicideprevention/basics/faq

https://www.hanna4hope.com/resource

Thank you so much for joining me this week on the Thrive: Mental Health and the Art of Living Free! Make sure to visit my website where you can subscribe to the show so you never miss a show!! Hey, while you’re at it, help me out by adding some stars to the rating and tell a friend about the show.

Have a great week, wash your hands and stay safe!

Melissa