Our good friend and suicide prevention advocate, Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas, recently did a talk  for TEDx Crestmoor Park Women called Stopping Suicide with Story. Take a look:

 

Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas knows first hand the challenges and stigma we face with suicide prevention and mental health. At the heart of all social movements are stories. Change is possible when we tell our stories. In this deeply moving and personal TEDx Talk, Dr. Sally invites us to join her on a social justice journey and shows us how to shift the culture from the bias and discrimination we currently have, to one of empowerment and dignity; one story at a time. As a clinical psychologist, inspirational international speaker, impact entrepreneur, and survivor of suicide loss, Dr. Spencer-Thomas sees the issues of suicide prevention and mental health promotion from many perspectives. Dr. Spencer-Thomas was moved to work in suicide prevention after her younger brother, a Denver entrepreneur, died of suicide after a difficult battle with bipolar condition.

Known nationally and internationally as an innovator in social change, Spencer-Thomas has helped start up multiple large-scale, gap filling efforts in mental health including the award-winning campaign Man Therapy (a program using humor to engage men in mental health) and the nation’s first comprehensive workplace program designed to help employers with the successful prevention, intervention, and crisis management of suicide. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.