What does it really take to run a 24/7 crisis line?
In this episode of I Choose Coffee, I sit down with Robert Ridge, Director of the Distress Centre of Greater Toronto, to explore the often unseen business side of mental health care.

We talk about:

• The structure and funding behind life-saving crisis programs

• How the Distress Centre supports people in their darkest moments

• The challenges of managing volunteers, staff, and limited resources

• Why empathy needs infrastructure — and what’s missing from the system

• How we can show up for these programs before it's too late

If you’ve ever wondered how mental health services actually work behind the scenes — or how to better support them — this episode is for you.

🧠 Mental health is more than a feeling. It’s a system.
Let’s take a look inside.

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🔗 Support the Distress Centre: https://www.dcogt.com/

Support the Walk to End Suicide on Spetmeber 6th 2025: https://raceroster.com/events/2025/104699/walk-to-end-suicide-2025

📲 Subscribe for more episodes on mental health, communication, and embracing the absurd.

#MentalHealth #DistressCentre #RobertRidge #ICHC #ICHCpodcast #CrisisLine #TorontoPodcast #WalkToEndSuicide #IChooseCoffee #MentalHealthInfrastructure #SuicidePrevention

In this powerful and deeply human conversation, I sit down with Nathan—a thoughtful, resilient, and courageous voice who is member of the Distress Centres of Greater Toronto's suicide survivor program.

Together, we explore the personal journey of losing a loved one to suicide, the weight and complexity of grief, and the long road of healing that follows.Nathan shares his story with honesty and grace, offering insight into what it's like to hold space for pain, rebuild after loss, and find purpose through vulnerability. We also touch on the importance of community, the language we use around suicide, and how connection can be a lifeline when the world feels fractured.🌀 This episode is part of our lead-up to the Walk to End Suicide, a powerful initiative by the Distress Centre of Greater Toronto.

📍 Learn more: https://www.dcogt.com/events/✨ Whether you're a survivor, an ally, or someone simply trying to understand, this conversation is for you.🔔 Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of meaning, grief, healing, and absurd courage.#mentalhealth #suicideloss #walktoendsuicide #griefjourney #podcast #healing #distresscentre

In this episode of I Choose Coffee, I sit down with Vanessa Rawecki—entrepreneur, creator of LifeSite, and a member of the Distress Centres of Greater Toronto’s Suicide Survivor Support Program.

Vanessa shares the story of the person she lost to suicide and what it’s means to walk through that grief. We talk about the power of storytelling in the healing process, what it means to honor someone’s life with honesty, and the courage it takes to speak openly about suicide in a world that still avoids the conversation.

Vanessa shows up with vulnerability, strength, and deep care—and I’m so grateful for her voice in this space.

This episode includes open discussion about suicide, shared in the spirit of awareness, connection, and embracing the absurd. Please listen with care.

If you’d like to learn more about Vanessa and her work, visit www.vanessarawecki.com

Topics include suicide loss, grief, storytelling, survivor support, and healing.