Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15 to 44.

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On average in Australia, 9 people die by suicide each day, and for every suicide, it is suggested 135 people find themselves in the impact zone.

Today we speak to Karissa Lewis, a lived experience practitioner, who sits with those in perhaps their darkest moment, in the hours, days and weeks after someone they know has died by suicide.

We discuss what a lived experience practitioner is, how it is professionalised, and how postvention (done well) is the most incredible prevention.

Going into specifics, Ryan asks Karissa what the impact zone is like in a school environment, and how you can know what to say, what to do, and how to talk to children about suicide with honesty and age-appropriate language.

Karissa is candid with Hugh, Ryan, and Josh about the stigma of suicide, which prompts Josh to share a story about the complicated nature of the word ‘choice’. And we get some scientific evidence of the power of a good cry.

Life is not better off without you.

To watch this incredible episode on YouTube, follow this link:

🫖 Other Imperfects episodes mentioned on this episode

• Dr Emily - Grief Lightening - https://bit.ly/4nijyxP
• Samuel Johnson - A Life of Vulnerability - https://bit.ly/4mK0zvW

📖 Things to read

• Is crying good for you? - https://bit.ly/41ys2Iy
• Zone of Fabulousness by Vikki Reynolds - https://bit.ly/3I0i5Nv

📱Things to download

• Beyond Now - Safety Planning App - https://bit.ly/466T9Mo

💻Things to check out

• Social Futures StandBy Support After Suicide - https://bit.ly/4mHWZ5s
• National Centre for Childhood Grief - https://bit.ly/466ONop
• Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work (there’s lots!)
• Living Works Australia - ASIST 2 Day Course - https://bit.ly/429tNMz

🎟️Things to buy tickets for

• Together Again, Imperfects Live Show - https://bit.ly/47VT9Bc

🚨If you, or someone you know, is thinking about suicide;

• Contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
• 13YARN (Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Crisis Support Line) – 13 92 76
• Please call 000 in an emergency
• StandBy Support After Suicide – 1300 727 247

🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase the Vulnerabilitea House Cards here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz

🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz

🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu

🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5

The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mid-life crises have a bad rap.

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Joined by our resident psychologist Dr Emily Musgrove, this emisode is for everyone, but especially for those who’s back goes out more than them, and who are trying to fill the void with purpose (or a ponytail, or a sports car).

Technically, you’re in your mid-life from about the ages of 35-70. Which would be quite bleak, if we didn’t have Dr Emily in the studio to reframe this period of our lives with hope, meaning and purpose.

Tuning into what our soul is yearning for, Dr Emily discusses how we can intentionally look at generating legacy, combat narratives which suggest “we should have it all worked out”, and maybe even turn our intelligence into a …. um, butterfly.

And then we hear from Josh, who’s right in the thick of it. Cue tears. Cue hugs. Cue sending Josh all of the love in the entire world.

Dr Em, you’ve hit the nail on the head with this one.

To watch this full episode on YouTube, follow this link: https://youtu.be/r6tdU-r5k4o

🫖Other Imperfects episodes mentioned on this episode

• Elizabeth Day - The Me-est Version of Me - http://bit.ly/3HTMKMi
• Lauren Zonfrillo - Grief: The Shittest Greatest Gift - http://bit.ly/4fYJonW
• Dr Emily - Compassion of The Self - http://bit.ly/45BW9kU

📖Things to read

• Unstuck, by Dr Emily Musgrove - http://bit.ly/4mAhUaA
• Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Your Life, by James Hollis - http://bit.ly/41oMED0
• From Strength to Strength, by Arthur C Brooks - http://bit.ly/4lFObvD

💻Things to check out

• Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development - http://bit.ly/4oV1knq
• Jungian Therapy - http://bit.ly/3JyslNh
• Chip Connolly - Modern Elder Academy - http://bit.ly/4fZUN70
• Kristen Neff - Online Self Compassion Practice - http://bit.ly/4mUIs68
• Chris Germer - Mindful Self-Compassion - http://bit.ly/3Vj5d82
• Paul Gilbert - Developing Self-Compassion - http://bit.ly/4fYN74U
• Regina Gurlach - Self-Compassion - http://bit.ly/3HO1Xi2
• U-Shaped Curve of Happiness - http://bit.ly/4p0m5hQ
• Ron Siegel - The Disillusion of Living - http://bit.ly/4fYO11i

🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase the Vulnerabilitea House Cards here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz

🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz

🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu

🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5

The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not shut down by the fear of humiliation, Hannah Ferguson believes her biggest failure would be to never try in the first place.

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In saying that, everything Hannah tries (and touches), inevitably turns to gold (media company, podcast, author, you get the point).

In this episode of The Vulnerabilitea House, Hannah answers the question, “what have you learnt about love from the way you were cared for as a child?”

Recounting the moment she was asked to be responsible for the lives of her siblings, Hannah is incredibly vulnerable and honest in reflecting on the status of her relationship with her parents now, and goes deep with Ryan about the importance of intention.

In the spirit of her word of the year being ‘soft’, Hannah and Josh unpack why she has felt undesirable and undatable, and what makes her current partner feel like forev- a very long time (this could age poorly, but hopefully won’t).

Hannah, our BFLT.

If you’d like to watch this full video on YouTube, click here - http://bit.ly/3JLOd7S

🫖Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode

• Origin of the Pink Dildo Story (Tim Minchin - Lucky To Be Here) - https://apple.co/492kgsN
• Dr Emily - That Guilty Feeling - http://bit.ly/47BcFmn

🎧Things to listen to

• Big Small Talk - http://bit.ly/41fHklq
• Brene Brown on Oprah - http://bit.ly/3Jqeit6

📺Things to watch

• Hannah’s National Press Club Address - http://bit.ly/4oPN7s8
• Tony Abbott Freeze video - http://bit.ly/3HIW85m
• Tony Abbott Onion video - http://bit.ly/3UFCvy3

📖Things to read

• Bite Back, by Hannah Ferguson - http://bit.ly/4lyOxEf
• Taboo, by Hannah Ferguson - http://bit.ly/4mQrC8D

💻Things to check out

• Cheek Media Co. - http://bit.ly/4oM4zO6

🚨If you, or someone you know, has experienced or is at risk of domestic violence, call the 24 hour national counselling service 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732). In an emergency, or if you’re feeling unsafe, call 000.

🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase the Vulnerabilitea House Cards here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz

🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz

🩵To join our patreon community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu

🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://bit.ly/4mq5BO5

The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.