Suicide Pages with Dr. Lulu. The Podcast

Derek Butler is a man after my heart!

It took us so long to get together to but when we finally did, this episode was DYNAMITE!!

He is a survivor, and a sur-thrivor, who has discovered that self-care, healthy connections, and positive affirmations to his inner child are the key to resiliency and success in today's world.

Find out his daily affirmations, and how he gets them to work for him.

Quotables:

"I wrote a letter to sex"

"I broke up with sex" 

"I tried to muscle my way out"

"I tried to motivate my way out"

Find out what the acronyms: T.I.M.E and S.E.L.F stand for...

Words of Advice: "You don't have to carry that invisible suitcase around"

Where to find: LinkedIn @Derek Butler

Find him and go support his: Adapt, Recover and Grow formula for a 10% discount off his coaching session and tell him Dr. Lulu sent you!

Dr. Lulu

Our first guest this week is a sister, a friend, a fellow African, a coach, and a fellow mom of an LGBTQ+ kid!

We met and clicked right away as was discussed in the show, and our bond and sisterhood have continued to soar! As a coach of parents of LGBTQ+ kids, I am so happy to present her episode to you!

I am so proud of her and the strength she exudes during this episode. She allowed the deepest level of vulnerability and is such an inspiration!

She shares about her unique position as a Black, African mother of a transwoman, and what it took for her to get to her current position being able to share with no restrictions about her child who is a trans-woman, all while living in Africa!

Her story is so inspiring that she will be returning for part 2 of her interview!

Where to find her: Facebook as Thobeka Yose.

See you in part 2!

Dr. Lulu

It is with a heavy heart that I write this knowing full well that at this very moment, the United States Congress is voting to impeach a president that has caused so much pain and trauma to people that look like me, to people from countries like mine, to people that have children like mine.

I am simply sharing how and why we need to practice self-care in the current uncertain political, financial, racial, and socioeconomic landscape. 

There are so much anxiety and vicarious trauma going around.

So much suffering and so much pain and anguish in our world today.

What are you doing to stay afloat? What are you doing to not sink?

If you are like me, you have a brand new resolution and are fighting to keep it.

Listen to this episode and tell me your thoughts...

I also mention my upcoming free class on parenting an LGBTQ+ kid, as well as my coaching of physicians who are overwhelmed and stressed out.

Let me know your thoughts on these, and stay tuned for my class.

Dr. L

Our first guest this week tells such a powerful story of survival! She talks about trauma from a tender age, and generational trauma and pain and suffering and substance abuse, and maternal domestic abuse and parental separation, and sexual abuse by a family member, and absent parent and abuse by her own spouse! How many points are those on the ACEs scale?

She is a certified domestic violence counselor who is out on a mission to help others, but who first had to reconcile with all the hurt that was inflicted upon her as a child!

Find out what happened that made me call a hard STOP to the interview!

Quotables:

"My mom and dad would fight all the time"

"I felt hopeless because I was so small"

"I felt so worthless"

"I started smoking and drinking to numb the pain"

"Suicide is usually very subtle"

Where to find:

YouTube: GloryBe2THEMOSTHIGH Forever

Email: thinkpositively2day@outlook.com

PS: Our book is off to a great start!

If you are reading this and are on social media.

Kindly use the hashtag #thewarriorwomenproject to find us and stay tuned for updates on the book!

Ciao!

Dr. Lulu

December 2020!

Some of my favorite guests, my Suicide Pages book!

Overview of this year with a focus mostly on the good, and less on the not-so-good.

George Floyd.

I could use sponsorships, I will work on them.

Special guest appearances, MY DOCUMENTARY!

TEDxAlief

Enjoy!

Dr. L

Dear Listener, 

If I ever had a twin sister, her name would be Dr. Ann Contrucci, and she would be Italian!

This week's first interview took place in May 2020, right in the heat of the lockdown, soon after I had a  virtual parenting program.

She is as funny as she is compassionate, she is a pediatrician after all!

Non-stop action from the jump!

Yes, even if we are talking about mental health challenges, trauma, ADHD, and of course SUICIDE!

I love her definition of TRUST and JOY, and the way we both complete each other's sentences in this interview!

Al stop at that...

Just let me know your thoughts...

All I have to say is "She good!"

Dr. L

Hello, dears,

This episode was recorded in September of 2019 as a Facebook live episode, so, it might come out in a different mode than the others. 

It is a solocast.

I am discussing physician suicides in details, in honor of September as suicide awareness month, and in honor of other things that are going on leading to more and more physician suicides daily.

We just lost another physician, a pediatrician over Labor Day weekend and I can't think of a better way to honor him, than this way.

No, I did not know him, but, I do know that his life mattered.

If you haven't heard yet, we held our first-ever Dr. Lulu's StopSuicideNow! Summit for 2020.

All I can say is thank you to those that attended.

The recordings are available for sale for $49.99 only, just send me an email @askdoctorlulu@gmail.com

Now, as usual, please do something today to save someone's life, generally, that means focusing positive thoughts on yourself, and helpfulness towards others.

Al see you next week!

Ciao!

Dr. L

This was a talk that I recorded for a virtual event hosted by the United Nations in Ghana earlier this year.

It was a pre-recorded event, and I essentially downloaded the audio version for you.

I decided it is very relevant for this month and a great segway for my upcoming event on the 26th of September, 2020.

Stay tuned for Stop Suicide Now! Summit... 

A 3hr event that will also include CEUs for clinicians as well as personal stories and expert lectures from psychiatrists alike.

Stay tuned for more info!

This also happens to have been the topic of my recent TEDx talk, which took place in Alief, a Houston suburb on 9/5/2020

Stay tuned for more info on that...:)2

In the meantime, enjoy this episode, and don't forget to leave me a message or review.

Dr. L

To this date, Dr. Fernandez is the one person that gets me!

He is a child and adolescent psychiatrist and he gets it!

He talks about the COVID-19 and how he, his practice and his patients and their parents.

His voice, his demeanor, and his message as a psychiatric hospitalist truly resonate with me and the work that I do with at-risk youth.

I love the originality and authenticity of this interview.

He shares about life as a crisis doctor dealing with the most at-risk youth of them all...those who have attempted suicide.

He has noticed that the COVID-19 has resulted in increased severity of attempts.

He also talks about how they work with these teens to help refocus them and reground them after a suicide attempt.

Quotables:

"Suicide does not discriminate"

"Get help"

He can be reached at benigno.fernandez@uhsinc.com

Remember, if you or anyone you know is struggling with suicidal ideation, please call me @802-768-1180 or 1800SUICIDE

Dr. L

Ladies and Gentlemen!

This is it right here!

This is one of the most in-depth conversations I have had this year so far!

My White brother, Andy, and two brand new Black Brothers Al and Will and I had an in-depth look into the goings-on in Amerikkka today.

This was soon after George Floyd's death... 

It is raw, it is real and it is as engaging as it can be.

I am so glad I was a part of this much-needed discussion.

If you don't know yet, I wrote a book that topped the charts in 3 categories!

It is about teaching and talking to your kids about racism. 

I think it is a pretty good book (if I may say so myself)

Click this LINK to check it out on Amazon!

Would you kindly leave me a review when you get done?

I would really appreciate it.

TY

Dr. L

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is it right here!

I am so happy to share this interview with you all! Here is another female doctor with a passion for saving lives, and a woman who cares about suicide!

Dr. Torie Sepah is an absolute genius! She is a general psychiatrist with a focus on HIV patients.

A woman who deals with suicide on a daily basis.

TorieSepahMD.com is where she hangs out when she is not on Twitter or saving doctors who themselves are suicidal. 

Quotables: "Do the right thing when faced with a challenge. You build yourself how you face your challenges."

                     "We are molded during our difficult times"

I thoroughly enjoyed interviewing Dr. Sepah, she is doing such great work!

Let me know what you think in the reviews or comment section!

Ciao!

Dr. L

Second Psychiatrist for the week! But this time, with a twist!

I present to you a trauma psychiatrist that is "educating the universe about psychological trauma and its impact on our brains, bodies, and behavior"

Dr. Alauna is a phenomenal human. As educated as she is beautiful!

She is a shiny example of a #Blackgirlwhorocks! A Black gurl who speaks "fluent trauma".

Brains, Beauty, and Balls. She dares where no one else dares!

I actually knick-named her Zena the warrior princess!

As a pediatrician working alongside her in the vineyard, I thank her.

As a veteran, I thank her.

As a mother of 3 Black males, I thank her.

Find out what is T.O.X.I.C or what is S.H.I.T.T.Y

I will say no more and allow her tell you the rest.

Quotables:

"We are not defined by the things that happen to us."

"I can understand how you feel this way, here is what to do"

"Educate ourselves about our brains, bodies, and behaviors."

Find her on Facebook: Dr. Alauna Trauma Psych, and on YouTube,

Dr. L

Ladies and Gentlemen, if I ever had a twin, I think I met her the day I interviewed one of this week's guests!

Her name is Dr. Kavethra and I absolutely love her!

An immigrant like me, she speaks about her childhood and the successive trauma she experienced from pretty much every aspect of her young life into adulthood. 

Talk about ACES and Epigenetics and Transgenerational trauma all rolled into one place, and then the trauma of growing up Indian, gay, and a female!

Dr. Kuvy was only able to scratch the surface of her incredible story before we had to stop due to time constraints, but not before she promised to return for part 2!

Quotables: 

"Allow yourself to be who you are, with your impulses"

"I felt I was a bud trying my best to burst out of the earth"

"Even if it feels like no one cares, somebody does"

"Open lines of communication with others, NOW!"

Find her on the internet at www.kavethasun.com

Cheers!

Dr. L

This week's guest was an absolute delight in SO many ways!

Not only is she a fellow "mochalicious" female, but she is also a sister-doc, and most importantly, she is a Naija doc, and she is Igbo!

I thoroughly enjoyed interviewing her!

She dropped ALL kinds of nuggets and shared so many inspirational stories from her life (childhood to today)

From her struggles as a determined Nigerian trying to get into medical school, through married life and birthing, not one, two, or three, but five children!

She is indeed a family doc who is not afraid to sweat the hard stuff. 

Find out her thoughts on leaning on supportive family, while holding on to hope, and why she declared that her "personal life was underdeveloped", and how she discovered the need for a mind shift.

Quotables: 

"I had to do continuing education as a parent and as a person"

"Life is a journey, be willing to ask for help"

"We are in a relationship with ourselves"

"Selfcare is not selfish, it is vital"

"Be kind and be clear"

Her interview was simply awe-inspiring and intriguing. I will allow you to listen to the rest of it, and don't forget to tell me what you think in your comments.

Resources:

www.feelingkindofblue.com

Find Her on Facebook:

Dr. Nneka Ichoku DO, MPH

As always, I will ask you to please follow my guests and subscribe to this podcast, and leave a review.

If you are feeling anxious and need to talk to someone, call Dr. Lulu at 8027681180, or www.youthmotivationalspace.com

Ciao!

Dr. L

She is a medical doctor, an entrepreneur, a fashionista, a mom, a daughter, a divorcee, a medical resident, and a Black Woman. 

She is also a rape, incest, and sexual abuse survivor.

This week's guest has a powerful message, that, cannot be denied. She takes us on a journey that is sure to make even the hardest hearts cry with compassion and empathy.

She talks about molestation from the tiny age of KG, a vicious cycle of self-harm, suicide attempts, sexual promiscuity, domestic violence, homelessness, and a divorce, coupled with ostracization by her family, reject, neglect and PTSD, multiple therapists, failed therapy sessions, and mean messages from her family. A story that is indeed made for the movies...

"I was always a straight-A honor roll student, but outside of school and work, I was always a mess".

She can be found on Facebook, and her fashion line is Taymer Appareil.

Listen, learn, and then say a prayer for all those who still suffer as she did.

Thanks!

Dr. L 

Have you ever thought about what it means to grow up in a family with polygamy?

My second guest for the week did.

She has also written 32 books, is a speaker, coach, media personality and so much more.

She has sooooo much to share. 

I literarily could not keep up with her nuggets as I scribbled away!

She. Was. Awesome!

I am so thankful that she decided to write on our pages this week.

Find Dr. Stem on the internet @ Dr. Stemie.com

Dr. Lulu

Phew!

Have you ever heard about Post Traumatic Growth Syndrome?

While listening to this episode again, I was struck by the sheer strength exhibited by this week's guest Mrs. Rebecca Tervo of rebeccatervo.com!

She is a woman of extreme courage and determination. A warrior, my "shero."

My simple advice is to listen to this episode intently. 

Listen to her words.

Listen to her explanations.

Focus on how we were able to determine that her beloved Trevor actually left up to 6 signs of suicidal behavior in teens.

Find Rebecca on the internet, and follow her awesome work with other parents with suicide loss.

Her website is www.rebeccatervo.com

Listen as she describes her son and all the adjectives she uses to describe him: intellectual, smart, intelligent, and a high achiever, etc.

Quotes:

"You can be happy again."

"You have to start by thinking it is possible to have happiness again."

"I like your podcast because it talks about suicide in a non-shameful way."

Find her books: "Shattered", and "After Your Child's Suicide" on Amazon or on her website.

UU

WARNING! This is a 2hr episode!

It is raw, it is real, it is about RACISM and injustice in America.

Listen and learn.

I pondered about breaking it into 2 halves, had to leave the entire recording because I could not decide at what point to break it up.

This episode is so important in our conversation, I ask you to please listen, and do start the conversation.

I interview 7 Black men, 7 different energies, 7 different stories.

Enjoy!

Dr. L

In this week's episode, we listen to Luiza Martin. A multiple suicide attempt survivor.

She talks briefly about the trauma she has endured growing up. 

She also came bearing gifts from her Facebook community. 

She shows a rare and deep kind of vulnerability that I admire as she shares her story and her dos and don'ts when interacting with a suicidal person.

Listen, learn, subscribe, and share, and make sure you listen to the second episode for this week.

In honor of George Floyd and all the Black men and women, boys and girls who have been brutally killed by the police who were sworn to serve and protect. 

I interview two Black men (Blake Johnson, Lawrence Johnson), and two White men (Andy Grant and Rishi Eric Infanti), and one special guest, my son, Nnamdi Odita-Honnah.

We talked about hurt, pain, and the need for us to come from the heart to seek understanding. 

To put an end to police brutality, and extend a hand of peace across the race aisles. 

A must listen!

Please share this particular episode and subscribe for more.

I am interviewing 8 Black men next week, stay tuned for that, you sure don't want to miss that!

#BLM

Dr. L

This week's guest is a true fire starter! She talks about everything from colorism and discrimination to embracing the diagnosis of mental illness in our children and taking medication if needed. 

A self-proclaimed fire starter, she talks about her struggles with self-acceptance of her "dark skin coloration" as a child, touches on her own son and his struggles with ADHD, medication, and self-healing. She explains why as Black people, the health disparities and the racism runs deep, much deeper than the surface, and finally ends with some much-needed advice for parents. 

She can be found on Facebook as Jeneea Moore, with the Saved Over Success Network. 

She also has a book out.

Find her, follow her, she will change your life.

Dr. L

Ladies and gentlemen, you are in for a treat this week!

A unicorn of all unicorns came to visit! He is not only a fellow physician, he is also Canadian, a Pediatric and Adolescent Psychiatrist who also works in the emergency psychiatric unit where he focuses on suicidal patients in the Intensive Care Unit. In addition, he is also the most soft-spoken person that I know. His voice is so soothing, I can only be thankful for the universe about his chosen field: working with the most vulnerable and broken of the society, and in his own words... giving "a voice to the underrepresented".

Dr. Black and I had a great time!

We talked about suicide in a way I have not talked about before with anyone. He validates all my assumptions and thought processes. Find out what he said that made me scream out loud! :)

He talks about the effects of social injustices: cultural, school, generational trauma, current trauma, chronic illness, racism, and lack of home support. He even touches on the negative effects of the hospital/hospitalization on suicidal patients. Did you know that there were Canadian Aborigines? Me neither. But he draws a parallel with the African Americans in the US and the reason these individuals succumb to suicidal ideations and suicide.

His work mostly focuses on risk-factor prevention, which he recommends should be individual. Find out what he means by "de-medicalizing of suicide"

Quotables: 

"Our medications do not protect us from the insults of stress and anxiety"

"Avoiding suicidality is a fool's errand"

"Black females have a high suicide risk"

As a society, we tend to not "look at what is not, we only look at what is"

To prevent suicide, "there is a really simple intervention, focus on kindness to others"

Dr. Tyler Randall Black can be reached via email @tylerblack@gmail.com

Cheers y'all,

Stay safe!

UU

In this bonus episode, I am speaking from my heart as a Black woman living in America, in Texas to be exact. I am talking to listeners about my own personal experience and the experiences of all Black people in America.

I share the trauma my own sons experienced and the trauma that I experience daily as their mother.

I am asking again, that people should STOP dehumanizing us, and begin to see us as humans, as equals, as people with hopes and dreams and lives that need to be lived to their fullest potentials. 

I am essentially saying that #BLACKLIVESMATTER.

Dr. L 

Our second guest this week is none other than Margarita Castro-Zarraga. She is a fellow DPC doc, a foreign grad, a mom, and an entrepreneur holding it all down and making it look easy.

She comes to share a personal childhood story of trauma and growing up with a half-sibling she initially didn't like.

Today, she is a thriving physician and speaker. She gets along quite well with him (thanks to her angel Mom) is impacting lives and using her message to save souls.

Listen as she recounts her story, and follow as she shows us how she eventually got over the "ultra brief" periods of suicidality, stigma, shame, stress, self-doubt, and pain of her childhood: "I walked to the kitchen, picked up a kitchen knife and ...

Quotes

"Blissipline: Discipline yourself so you can live in bliss"

"You can't give something you don't have"

Find her at Genera Personal Primary Care or Genera.com (508)591-0655

On all social media platforms: Margarita Castro-Zarraga

As always, thank you for listening,

Dr. L

Dr. Esther is on a mission to not only talk real-talk, but also treat real pain. The sort that keeps most of us up at night, the sort that prevents us from saying something, saying anything about it... The sort that prevents us from living our lives out loud, and living to the best of our abilities. 

She is a Physical Therapist, and Women's Pelvic Health Specialist, and works through a Wholistic approach. She talks about how we all need support, need to address our pain, and how we need psychotherapy, as well as physiotherapy in order to keep body and soul completely together.

She gets a bit personal and shares her own story of suicide within her own circle and how she is still dealing with those memories to this date. This led to the quote in our title today.

Quotes:

"Just because it is common, doesn't mean it is normal"

To find her, you only have to look at www.thepelvicplacept.com. On IG; @ ThePelvicplacePT, and on FB The Pelvic Place Physical Therapy.

Do find and support her.

Don't forget to share this podcast.

Enjoy, 

Our second guest this week is none other than Ms. McKenzie!

She is back today with all sorts of real insights and helps us truly look into the lives of our teenage girls and boys in school, especially in middle and high school.

She was so gracious with it. She patiently led us through a day, a week, and months in the lives of teens.

She painted a clear picture of bullying, both verbally, emotionally, physically, and even sexually to us. And led us on a journey that resulted in self-loathing, low self-esteem, and a negative sense of self that has lasted into adulthood.

What a brave girl she is.

You can find her or pictures of her cat on Instagram any day. @McKenzieCampanile.

She will surely be back for part three of her interview.

Please listen to this episode and remember to be kind to each other, and that the 2 most important words during a bullying episode is "STOP IT"

This is Dr. Lulu, signing out!

Dr. L 

Ladies and gentlemen, today's guest is Mari, mi hermana, mi amiga que es muy Linda, con un Corazon mas bueno. This is my Spanish for my sister, my very beautiful friend with an even more beautiful heart.

As a child, she resorted to self-harm following the worst experience of any childhood. As if that was not enough, as she grew up, she also experienced the death of a friend and colleague through suicide. 

This week's guest, Mari, also happens to be a wonderful family nurse practitioner, a US Air Force Veteran, a daughter, sister, wife, mom, and I am proud to call her my personal friend. Indeed she has been through it all, and still standing. She epitomizes what this podcast is about...STRENGTH IN ADVERSITY.

Quotables: 

"Look for the nonverbals." 

"I look into my patient's eyes to see if they are ok, even when they say they are not."

"There is life outside the pain."

"You never know what a gift you can be to people because of your pain."

I can't even add any more to it... this is a perfect place to end. 

Dr. Lulu

Chris our second guest this week was such a fun person to interview, that I dubbed him my White twin brother! Full of nuggets of wisdom and experience. He shares about his humble beginnings and his desire and efforts to help his Mom even before he was a teenager. Today he is a successful businessman, father, husband, mentor, and coach. Find out what he thinks about a glass half full/empty, and why he has the weirdest icons on his LinkedIn profile, or why he sings and serenades his friends on social media.

Coming from a past full of self-doubt due to his weight, second-guessing himself, and worrying about what other people's opinions about him, he dared to "allow himself to be," and some of us are extremely thankful he did.

Questions:

What gets you excited? 

What Inspires you? 

Quotables:

"We are not tigers or leopards, we are humans, we CAN change"

"We have to be our own unstoppable heroes"

"The best way to fight a bully is to step forward"

"It doesn't matter if the glass is half full or half empty, we can always refill it, for ourselves and for others"

"One size fits one"

***"You have the power to be the change and make the change in your life, today is the day to do it"

You can find him on LinkedIn or @ www.trunorthFS.com OR www.trunorthFS.com/inspiration

For now, take good care, enjoy your week, and don't forget to wash hands, wear a mask and stay home if you don't have to go outdoors :)

Dr. L

This week's guest is nothing short of a phenom. She is a true example of chronically living with self-hatred and the story she shares today shows how deep the voices inside your head can be. How incapacitating and also, how dangerous it can be. She bravely describes how the ins and outs of living with significant depression, anxiety, and feelings of low self-worth. 

Her heart shines through her story though. She is such a trooper that we actually were shared a lot of laughs during this somewhat difficult interview.  From significant body dysmorphism to being diagnosed with depression and taking antidepressants to canceling all social media to adopting two pets, she has so much insight and is able to share the ups and downs with us today.

Quotables: 

"All you see is staged moments" (with regards to social media)

"It's better to feel pain than nothing at all"

"The opposite of love is indifference"

"You are more than what you think people think you are and you are more than what people think you are"

In the end, Mckenzie might have said she likes my podcast as much as she likes her aunt's :), she also promised she will return for part-2, so stay tuned.

For now, stay well, stay tuned, and stay frosty...

Dr. L

Today's episode is a real treat!

My guest is Ms. Sherna Alexander, from the island of Trinidad and Tobago! She shares some really painful gut-renching stories of how she grew up in an era where orphans were called "bastards" and not allowed to live like other children. Her story was a real eye-opener for me. 

Listen to her thoughts on the church, God, and trusted family members who betrayed her over and over as a child. 

The interview ended abruptly because we lost sound, but she got her message across. 

Find out why and when I cried, and what my confession was, and why I asked you to please be more compassionate and sensitive of your thoughts when next you see a pregnant teen, encounter a suicidal person or even hear news about people who made the ultimate decision to end their lives.

As always, thanks for listening, please share this and I will see you next week.

Ciao Bella!

Dr. L 

In this episode, I talk about the obvious elephant in the room, Covid - 19, but not for very long. I feel it is a necessary mention, but only for a moment. Then I talk about other things like the most recent teen suicide: A California 15-year-old African American female. Then I discuss some options for self-care, as well as activities you and your kids/teens can engage in during these times. 

If you are in the mood or a good read, hop on to my website or Amazon and grab you a copy of my latest book about teen suicide. It might help enlighten you a bit regarding what our teens are going through now.

Most importantly, I would like to encourage everyone to stay strong and stay home. This too shall pass...

Cheers!

Dr. L

In this concluding episode, Dr. Heather is sharing a bit about her own family's dealing with suicide. 

She talks a bit more about emotional and moral injury. Guns, and safety in the home, removing judgment of people who are suicidal with emotional trauma to avoid further stigmatization.

She cautions and teaches us about recognizing the signs of suicidal behavior, especially if/when the person has made up their minds about suicide. 

She ends by telling us about her plant-based foods business, neuroplasticity, and of course, her BRAND NEW PODCAST centered around her #Wholist Health movement.

Quotables: "Food improves cognitive agility".

We are looking forward to her coming back to talk about kids and food :)

Ciao!

Dr. L

I am so excited about this week's episode which is a 2-part series. 

This week, we meet Heather, an ED physician, an entrepreneur, and a woman about her business. She is a petit-framed powerhouse who I have been following on social media and gave me one of my first of many podcast interviews :)

She is out to save lives both in the Emergency department as a nocturnist, seeing a very special breed of patients, as well as through her lifestyle medicine business where she coaches her "tribe" on food and mindset.

In this episode, she breaks down the life of an ED physician from the standpoint of a suicidal patient (adult or child). She shares intricate details of the day to day reality on a fairly generalized level, but still touches on key issues concerning the who, the how, the when of her patients. 

As serious as the topic is, we were still able to find some laughs, especially when she talks about her sons.

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed interviewing her.  Tune in for next week for a very special announcement she made for the very first time on here. 

Suffice it to say, my prayers are with her and other heroes and sheroes in the field of healthcare, who are currently in the line of fire with Covid-19, please join me in lifting her and her family up in prayers. 

Then, don't forget to subscribe to this podcast so you don't miss any new episodes as they drop every Tuesday, then join us next week for part 2 of her interview :)

Stay well, and don't forget to wash your hands...again :)

Dr. L

As a mental health nurse, Meagan knows first hand what it is like to look in the eyes of persons who suffer from various mental health issues in the while trying to help them.  She knows only too well, the pain of being ostracized, isolated and in pain. But when you lose your brother to suicide, the very thing you have tried to prevent in yourself, your family and your patients, the pain comes home to roost. 

She is this week's guest, and she is opening up about life as a sibling suicide survivor (an independent risk for suicide), a wife, a mother and a daughter in anguish. She talks about losing her brother, the pain and the effect that had on her, and continues to have on her as well as her extended family. 

After reading one of her comments on FB, I knew instantly that I had to interview her. 

Listen to: how she describes her encounters with her beloved brother during his last days, what she has to say about a phenomenon that was entirely new to me, called "Upstream Nursing", "Police Wellness Checks", suffering from her own depression while mothering a son struggling with the same, and the unique combination of risk factors that ultimately took her brother's life. 

I was super stoked to interview this gentle heart of a woman, I can only hope that I did her interview, justice.

Quotables

"I am better because I take it" (Lexapro, and antidepressant)

"Do not stop caring, never stop intervening"

"Every day, think about one thing you love about the person"

"Allow yourself to feel the way you feel"

"If you help one person, you can change the world"

Meagan can be found on Facebook in various suicide bereavement groups, volunteering for Youth Mental First Aid, or reading suicide survival books.

Peace Still,

Dr. L

As a young Black Nigerian American, Nnamdi aka Papa grew up in South Carolina, attended a Christian school, his parents divorced at the age of 9 yrs, and soon after, discovered he is gay. The first of 3 sons, he suddenly found himself fighting to stay alive in a cruel world that made sure he was punished for being born different. For being born gay. 

Listen to his emotional interview with his mother, me. 

Learn what it feels like to be young, gay and Black in America. Listen to the thoughts of his 11 yr old self and know exactly what your kids are going through when they are bullied. 

As the death toll rises (from suicide) amongst LGBTQ youth, I feel that this interview is so timely. Though it took everything in my power to get him to do it :), I know you will agree with me that it was well worth the wait.

Quotables:

"I felt it was me against the world."

"I didn't tell you because I thought if you did something, it would only make the bullying worse, but I am so happy about the outcome".

"I was blamed by the bully's friends for getting him kicked out of school (for bullying me)"

Join me first in congratulating my first man-child on an awesome interview, so full of enlightenment and nuggets of wisdom. Then congratulate him on nearly finishing up at Stanford later this summer. Then wish him all the very best as he goes on to graduate school and beyond to find and fulfill his destiny!

I love you son :)

Mom.

In continuation of our mindfulness series, we listen to our teacher and yoga instructor, Eric. 

He continues to deconstruct mindfulness in today's episode, and even gives me a private coaching lesson on what to do to become centered and stay present in my relationship with my significant other. 

He gives us great examples of ways to incorporate and practice mindfulness daily and in our little spaces and answers my questions about those darn yoga positions. Explains Yin Yoga in a few words and how yoga practitioners can reap the fruits of "shavasana".

He ends by introducing his brand new book, which at the time of the recording had not yet been released, but is currently in stores and doing really well. Be sure to pick up your copy ASAP.

Quotes "if we are not paying attention, we are not having the presence of mind to change behaviors"..."presence is vital"

Ladies and Gentlemen, you can find him on FB as Rishi Eric Infanti, and on his website @ MELAacademy.com

If you have been a listener to my podcast, then you know Mr. Rishi Eric Infanti. The man. The legend. The Yogi. The teacher. 

Then you know this episode is going to be as rich as it is deep. And he will not disappoint you.

He defines mindfulness as: "the deliberate act of paying attention, the state of being present"... "a connection through the heart", "a process of trying to tap into the energy of another human being", and "the tool to deepen the intuition to allow us to be present with others".

Today, he talks to clinicians and family members alike, about Mindfulness as a tool for everything, both those that we know like; for clarity, bias prevention, stress reduction, focus improvement, etc. and even for suicide prevention.

This is probably one of the deepest episodes so far, I suggest you find a quiet place and listen to this episode...multiple times...it is that good :)

He teaches us that "family members and clinical providers must have the mindfulness to recognize signs of suicidality and the awareness to help others".

He goes on to list the benefits of mindfulness and even offers you, listeners, a great deal for listening...

Check out his website: MELA academy.com for the good deals and tell him Dr. Lulu sent you! Enjoy!

Dr. L

Another unicorn in the person of Pastor Kevin Wilson, my first chaplain so far. Kevin comes bearing gifts, gifts of hope and survival and accomplishments. He is a chaplain at Rush Hospital Chicago, and a father of three, with one special needs child. 

He shares how at a very young age he started wearing masks, all kinds of masks, and perfected the act. Stemming from being raised in a household where he felt his voice was silenced, he learned how to hibernate and got really good at isolating and hiding his feelings. He is a (Black) man who is unafraid to admit to receiving therapy, and we love that!

He says therapy showed him how his issues affect those around him.

Find out what masks he wore all through his earlier years until he became a healer of wounded souls at their hospital bedsides. 

Quotables:

"The mind remembers"

"A lot of men are going around with silent cries"

"Therapy shattered the glass"

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"

"When you are alone, be alone in His presence"

He can be found on social media and on Facebook as Kevin Wilson, and on IG as K.Wil83

Ciao bella!

Dr. L

What can I say about today's guest? She is absolutely dynamic, full of life, charming, has a megawatt smile, is able to make me laugh out loud while recording a show about suicide, and still shares her story and message of hope and empathy and compassion. 

Hailing from just across the pond in Canada, Corina is an energizer bunny who embodies all the -isms of life. She has suffered from depression, deep depression and come out on top. She now empowers others and gets them to change their mindset on many and anything. 

She is a parent coach, who knew at the tender age of 4 that there was something wrong with her. She was eventually diagnosed with depression as an adult, but not before she was constantly plagued with suicidal ideation as a preteen and teen, and endured bullying of a certain kind because of her physical height. Find out the daring action she took with one of her bullies. 

Preaching a message of hope, she asks listeners to reach out when they are down, and decide that they are enough. 

Quotes: "If we don't experience the sadness, we cannot fully embrace the brightness inside"

                "Decide you are enough, then take the necessary steps to be the happiest and best that you can be"

               "The fact that you woke up today, is a sign that you need to stay" 

She can be found on FB as Corina Metz- Hemming, and on IG simply as @corinahemmings (all lower case)

Her exclusive Facebook group is called Decide Tribe.

#ICANCHANGE

Dr. Lulu

Social Anxiety Disorder is a clinical phenomenon that does not get its due credit. Many sufferers either don't know they have it, or many around them don't recognize it as a bonafide diagnosis. This week's guest Ms. Hayley is one such sufferer. She, unfortunately, went undiagnosed for long enough to have fairly negative outcomes from her disease.  

However, she has conquered her fears and is now at a much better place. Currently, she works to help others who are struggling with SAD like her find answers and hope. 

She is currently a director at Quiet Connections, where she helps create awareness for mental illness in schools. Teaching the kids that even though we might sometimes feel we are not good enough, we all must continue to strive to be our best selves. 

Quotable quotes:

"Choose courage over comfort" ~ Brenne Brown

"I believe that I can change"

"Choose what is right vs what is easy"

"You can do more than you think you can, you just have to try"

She can be found online @www.quietconnections.uk

Don't forget to share this podcast and let me know if you or anyone you know would like to come on as a guest.

Thanks, Dr. L

What is our purpose in this life? 

Do our friends know our innermost minds? 

Are we truly living up to our potentials? 

How are we all doing in the #selfworth department? 

Is it possible for someone to actually "enjoy" being miserable? 

Can we truly be transparent, or are we afraid of being judged by others?

All these and other questions were tackled and answered eloquently by this week's guest, Ms. Regena. She is a realtor-turned Yogi and Soul coach, international speaker and author. She was kind enough to bare her soul to me during this interview, and I can't wait to share it with you. 

No stranger to depression and suicidal ideation, find out how Ms. Regena has transformed her life and her pain to help others with theirs. A self-proclaimed spiritualist, she firmly believes that we are "spiritual beings all living a human experience". She describes the journey out of depression as "simple, but not easy". 

Quotable quotes:

"Be grateful for the things that cause you pain, so you can learn and grow from them"

"When you are in the picture, you can't see the frame"

"I thought that by taking my life, I could control the outcome of my life"

This final installment for the year, promises to be full of knowledge and wisdom for everyone. 

Ms. Regena can be found online @ internalpeacenow.com or spirtualjunkie.com (NOTE THE SPELLING), or simply text the word YOGA to 64600.

Dr. L

Today is not only the last day of the year, it is the last day of the decade, and since it is also a Tuesday, we have a special End of the Year episode!

It is with great humility, yet pride and joy that I say a TEXAS sized THANK YOU for a beautiful first season and first year! After only 5 months we are at 3000 downloads and counting!

Thank you so much for the subscriptions, the shares, and the reviews.

Best of thanks to my guests who have kindly shared their stories to help others live.

May you all have the very best life can bring this coming year.

Ciao Bella!

Dr. L

When she discovered she was HIV positive at the tender age of 16, Ms. Mabena had to literarily decide to live or die. She struggled with frequent thoughts of being better off dead until she realized one day that her story might save another person, and that was when she decided to go public with it, and she has never looked back. 

She joins us today from Zambia and talks candidly about her life, the work she is doing to raise awareness for living with HIV and other stories.

She is an author, international speaker, motivator, mentor and runs a nonprofit called The Knowledge Effect which helps educate children in the rural areas of Zambia. Her online brand aptly called "Living Positively" helps spread awareness for HIV and other challenging life circumstances.

She firmly believes in empowering others and scaling challenges. In her work, she mentors women and young adults, ages 20-32yr through her books and speaking engagements. Her Living Positively brand is her vehicle for positive change in the world, and her main focus is self-acceptance, compassion, and love.

She currently has authored 2 books both available on Amazon; Living Positively, the Winnie Mabena Story, and Dear Young Woman: an Amazon bestseller.

Best Quotes: 

"You must have a personal definition of who you are". 

"Run with the small pieces of positivity". 

"Your life experiences do not take away your value". 

"We must edit our life story as we go". 

"How can we learn from our pain?"

She is on all social media platforms especially FB, Twitter, and IG as Living Positively. She is available for speaking engagements and accepts donations for her works with The Knowledge Effect.

Listen, subscribe, share and repeat. 

Dr. Lulu

In this episode, I introduce my brand new baby!! My book titled A Teen's Life, in which we take a critical look at the lives of 12 youngsters, ages ranging from early teens to the early twenties. It is essentially about suicide prevention, but it paints the picture from the teens' perspectives and we get a glimpse of how they might arrive at decisions to inflict self-harm on themselves and even on how they might decide to take it to the next level.

They share their struggles and life choices with me (Dr. Lulu) in a Dear Doctor format. I do my very best to respond to their needs and counsel them from a mother's perspective, an empath's corner, and from a professional level as well. 

The book is divided into three parts (essentially three books in one). The first part describes the global burden of suicide, the second part chronicles the teens and their struggles, and the third part deals with the next steps. What to do next, and by whom.

The electronic version is available on my website and on Kindle for $4.99 now, or for free if you have Kindle unlimited (see links below). I am still awaiting other outlets like Barnes and Nobles Nook, Kobo and IngramSpark.  I plan on having the paperback ready by the end of the time this episode is released. Be on the lookout.

I plan on expanding it to a series and adding one about girls and one about just boys to the mix. 

I welcome your suggestions, comments, and reviews on the book. You may also email me @ askdoctorlulu@gmail.com

Enjoy, and don't forget to share the info on the book and this podcast :)

Ciao!

When an ER physician has taken care of an 8yr old attempted suicide but has nowhere to send them, what does she do?

Dr. Leah shares her heartbreaking story of a suicide attempt that gets sucked into the world of hospital bureaucracy and inadequacies and inefficiencies. She also speaks passionately about her work with physician autonomy called HPAC, a company which she founded to help correct the decay in the present-day hospital systems and the system of "uncompensated administrative burdens" they impose on doctors daily that often lead to burnout and suicidal ideation as well as suicide. 

No stranger to depressive and suicidal symptoms herself, she tells us how she found answers by reaching out to online communities of doctors when the going got tough for her. 

Her sound advice is "If you are depressed and suicidal, ensure you are not surrounded by a** holes." She also advises us to "change our environments and try something new, shift our ways of thinking, and reconnect with our happy selves" when we find ourselves in a rut... No truer words.  

Dr. Leah can be found on most social media platforms. 

In this second part (I promise I don't cry quite as much), Angel paints the story of how things finally begin to turn around for her, but not before some more drama in true Angel-style. 

She shares how she met the love of her life, how she went on to have children and have multiple successful businesses.

She now realizes that all her life's traumas have been building blocks for her life today.

She also has an amazing giveaway for our listeners: 3 FREE hours of Energy reading for the first listeners to send me an email to askdoctorlulu@gmail.com telling me why you love my podcast and what your favorite episode has been till date.

Her favorite quote: "There is always light at the end of the tunnel". Favorite Book "Conversations with God" by Neal Donald Walsch.

Seatback, relax, and enjoy this week's episode. 

Dr. Lulu

Dear family,

What do you do when you are sexually molested by a family member at the age of five? Grow up with a verbally and emotionally abusive father? Are repeatedly sexually assaulted through most of your growing years? Are betrayed by the people you call your friends? And find yourself dealing with pain and suffering most of your life? ... You attempt suicide MULTIPLE times! That's what you do!

That is the summary of the life of this week's guest.

Ms. Angel Alvaro bares it all in part one of her two-part series. 

It promises to be an emotional rollercoaster. 

Come with your box of Kleenex and a bag of popcorn.

Call your girlfriends and let's have a nice tet-a-tet...

A Speaker, Life Activator and Accelerator,  a Life Business Coach and Energy Healer, she has been gracious to offer my listeners a free reading! All you have to do is send an email to askdoctorlulu@gmail.com. Tell me why you listen to the podcast and what your favorite episode is so far :) Hope you win!

Join us next week for part 2 and the conclusion of Angel's page.

Don't forget to share and subscribe and leave a comment if you can.

Dr. Lulu

Today we are speaking to another unicorn... a Black male, and this one actually endorses psychotherapy when one is hurting and needing to find their way. 

Our Guest Mr. B Lee is an educator in every sense of the word. He teaches high schoolers Government and Theatre. He also teaches and mentors his students on life, especially since some of them are Juvenile Offenders, who have had issues with the system due in part to gaps in their education and care.

After losing multiple family members in a short time span, he went through the tunnel of darkness and loss but eventually came out on the other side with a firm resolve to continue life's work in molding our teens. He is a truly remarkable man, who gives props to his father as the person who not only molded him but also molded others.

He admits that life is still a daily struggle, but he uses the arts to find the motivation to explore his feelings and carry on. He focuses his life on "where the rubber meets the road", because in his words, "the children want someone with a listening ear".

An excellent interview for anyone needing some motivation and some inspiration.

Find him on Facebook as B Lee, on IG as "Luv to hate B Lee"

Dr. L

A very happy Veteran's Day to all my fellow Vets out there. To all the servicemen and women in boots, I see ya'll. I appreciate y'all and much love. 

Today, we are going to examine some myths about suicide that I came across while researching for my second book about teens and their unique struggles. It is aptly called A Teen's Life.

The points are certainly food for thought. 

For instance, the fact that prescription antidepressants have quadrupled in the past few years, and if they work (as big Pharma would like us to believe), then why are suicide rates on the rise? Well, I will venture that it is because mental illness is only one of a myriad of reasons people choose to end their lives.

Listen, learn, enjoy, and share...

Talk to you next week :)

Today's guest is special in so many ways to me. We both are immigrants, both are authors and speakers, and we both have fibromyalgia.

Seema takes us on a journey through a childhood full of ill health, self-doubt, significant bullying and lots of other kinds of trauma, coupled with a difficult diagnosis. 

She attempted suicide 4 times as a result of lots of challenges in her childhood and we are thankful today that she did not end up dying because she is making so much of a difference today in other people's lives as a coach, and an international speaker with her message of survival and thriving. 

Notable Quotes

"You look perfectly normal on the outside, while a Tsunami is going on inside",  is one of her notable quotes today. 

"Go towards the light"

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step"

Today she combines nutrition, exercise, mindset changes and spirituality to help her clients.

From the very beginning, I knew Nya was my twin. Bear with me and my croaky voice in this episode, but she paints a picture that parallels mine so much, that I call her my twin!

An Author (a Poet), an Internal Medicine Physician, a survivor of childhood trauma, depression and suicidal ideation at the tender age of 11!

She now is adding her voice to other guests on my podcast that are speaking up about their personal struggles, and letting everyone know that silence kills and talk saves lives.

A child of Congolese diplomats, who "felt ignored" as a child and even cried all night asking for God to take her in her sleep, she shares now how she is dealing with life and her patients, and how she tells them to take it easy, and focus on what is right to avoid in order to not get sick.

Her book of poems is called "Letters from God" on Amazon and at Barnes and Nobles.

As always, many thanks for your downloads and subscriptions and reviews,,, they are well appreciated.

Dr. L

As a pediatrician and mother, this interview was hard at times. My guest, another unicorn has suffered the ULTIMATE loss of all, that of a child, and a tiny newborn at that. 

He shares his struggles with depression following a preterm delivery, and how support and love from his family, music, meditation, therapy, and blogging saved him from the darkness that followed. 

A mortgage company insurance tracker by day, Anthony is on the path of healing through blogging about his son, mental illness and these have led him to even writing a book.

He credits therapy so much for his journey back from the pain of the loss, that he mentions it repeatedly during the interview, and declares he will always use therapy as a means to continue healing.

"Focus on your focus" and "keep pushing" are his favorite quotes, and his favorite book is "think and grow rich"

I absolutely enjoyed speaking with this gentleman, and wish him all the very best. He can be found on FB/IG as Anthony Abrams Jr, and his blog is www.livingalways.org

His book title is "The Voices Behind Mental Health"

As always, thank you for your continued support of this podcast, join us next week for another interesting guest on Suicide Pages.

Dr. Lulu

When you are only 24 yrs old and have attempted suicide 3 times (between the ages of 19 and 21yrs) due to chronic depression, feelings of self-loathing, worthlessness and even admitting to a "stress memory block", you have been through worse than most people your age. That was the case with today's guest. 

She admits to growing up with a negative belief system in a toxic environment that culminated in hopelessness and "many days of simply crying and crying". 

"There is no look of depression, yet there is a face of depression", and that face was Sydney's for a long time. She admits that depression and suicide are real, and "no joke". She also admits that "depression was once her life", but all those days of pain have now turned into a blessing.

A former presidential scholar, you would never know that Sydney had the quadruple diagnoses of; ADHD, Seasonal Depression, Dyslexia and Anxiety all at the same time.

Thankfully, she has now found love and is on her way to owning her own business called "The Genuine Ones", where she can put all those feelings of not being good enough to good use by helping others who might be walking the path she has already trodden. 

Best quote "just because other people can't see your pain, doesn't mean it is not real..."

As always, thank you to my listeners for your patronage. Thank you for your downloads and thank you for your shares, subscriptions, and reviews. If you know anyone who could benefit from this podcast, please tell them about us, and share the love...:)

Blessings...

Dr. Lulu

We can all agree that losing a sibling is a very tough thing to deal with, now imagine losing not one, but two siblings, and a couple of other family members in the space of a few years. That is what our guest today had to deal with in his past.

The first of my #unicorns (Black males), Mr. Torriel Pauley is writing on our pages today.

He is a young man who has dealt with the loss unimaginable by many of us...still he stands. 

He is a living legacy of the power of hope in our lives. 

He is thriving today as a healthcare IT guru working with radiology software, but it wasn't always easy, like any of us, he had his own personal demons that he battled and won, and we can almost hear the hidden anguish in his voice as he shares his story.

He is a fellow brand new podcaster, his podcast is called "Careers in Healthcare", he showcases healthcare professionals and the good work we are doing. Let's find it on our favorite podcast platforms and show him some love, shall we? He also has a YouTube Channel called "Healthcare IT Solutions", again, please give him some love.

 With a story like his, it is easy to understand why his favorite quote is "If there is no struggle, there is no progress" by Frederick Douglas.

It is important that we share our stories, people, because, in the end, that is what we are connected most by.

Thanks again for the many subscriptions and shares... ciao!

Dr. Lulu

Earlier this year in March, Andrea's daughter's 14yr old friend died by suicide. It had a devastating effect on her daughter. What do you do as a mom to stop the kind of pain that ensues in your child? How do you make it go away? How do you make it stop? How do you get your child to move on with the knowledge that the death was not her fault? These and many more questions are what our brave and courageous guest this week has to try and answer.

As a mother, your primary job is to protect your young ones, but can you effectively do that from a place of empty? Faced with her own grief, Andrea pushes it aside and tries to be there for everyone else, but does that strategy really work? 

Listen to her powerful testimony, and find out the radical thing she did to finally find herself, those many years ago, and find out what she is doing now to fulfill her purpose and answer God's call to action.

As a multibook author, and entrepreneur, Andrea is taking a stand and proving that grief must be faced squarely, and people must be allowed to grieve in their own way. She is the brain behind the "Grief-Me-Not tour and author of a book with the same name as well as other books. 

Yours truly is blessed to be working with Andrea in 2020, I shall be joining her on tour for this worthy cause, so stay tuned!

Her books are available on Amazon, in Barnes and Nobles and other outlets. 

Best quote "I had to do something so unconventional that even my parents said, WOW"

As always, thanks for listening and don't forget to subscribe, share and leave us a rating and a review.

Ciao!

Dr. L

The last time she attempted suicide (her 5th) a few years ago, this week's guest, D'Tondja Foster aka Deedee did not think she would survive it. In fact, something told her it was going to be her last... She made sure she planned it out well, left no stone unturned, swept her house and cleaned up everywhere. However, fate was not done with her, the universe and our world still needed her, and she is here today to tell her story. 

After suffering multiple losses of close relatives all within a short time, Deedee started feeling like she was better off not being here, but through the "power of determination and prayers", she still stands and is walking taller than ever! 

She shares how on that fateful day, she called everyone in her immediate support group, but no one was available, they were all "busy". It goes to show you-you never know when someone will need you, so always stay ready.

After retiring from the healthcare industry,  she is now living her best life as a co-author of multiple books, like Voices Behind Mental Illness (available on Amazon) the bestselling anthology she refers to in her interview, and many other books, like "She Wouldn't Let Me Fall", another co-author work. She is simply enjoying her life as a wife, a mother, and a community activist, dedicated to spreading awareness for mental illness and its complications. 

She can be reached on Facebook @ Deedee McCoy Foster and on Instagram as Deafdiva01

Check out her episode, and please remember to share and subscribe, and oh, leave me a review if ya like whatchu hear, aaight? This doc appreciates it...:)

Ciao!

In this special episode, I am publishing one of my recent Facebook Live videos as a podcast in honor of September being National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.

I talk about the top 13 reasons why your teen might end their life through suicide. I also discuss the signs of suicidal behavior and who is at most risk.

It is a very special episode more so because my primary focus is teen suicide, and my primary avatar is parents and caregivers and they are the ones I am speaking with directly here. 

Suicide is, however, everybody's problem. The sooner we all see that, the better. 

For the rest of the month of September (and every day henceforth) do something to help lower the rate of suicide in the world. It is so easy to call someone, text someone, go to lunch with them, and look into their eyes, really ask them how they are doing, and LISTEN. Hug someone, smile at someone and offer to take them to get help in the event that they do confide in you.... Finally, tell them you love them, because, the greatest of the gifts is love. If they ask you why you are being so kind, empathetic and compassionate with them, tell them Dr. Lulu sent you :)

I am especially thankful to all the guests, and listeners of this podcast, as well as all my followers on social media and in real life, THANK YOU!

Thank you, thank and thank you again for over 1,200 downloads in 10 weeks!

Y'all, I had SO much fun interviewing Sharon! She is a HOOT! She describes herself as a wife of an Army Veteran, a mother of 2 and a grandmother. 

I describe her as a warrior, a survivor, a woman with a golden heart,  on a mission to give voice to the voiceless and the invisible. 

With her nonprofit movement, aptly called I AM INVISIBLE (I Am Invisible Bullying and Suicide Movement), she is reaching hearts and breaking barriers and creating awareness for (you guessed it) bullying. 

Once called a Cry Baby for crying too much, Sharon has turned her tears into jewels and is making a difference in the world. She travels all over the country spreading her message and changing lives every day. 

Her story is one of a kind, it spans decades of sadness, and suffering and survival. Once wanting to "disappear" from this earth, and thinking her "husband was going to save her", she is now keeping people, especially children grounded and saving them from themselves. 

Her favorite quotes are "It's OK to admit that I am not strong enough", and "kids actually hurt too".

Her take-home message is to first admit that we are not OK, then seek help both emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

She can be found on Facebook and on the web @ www.iaminvisiblebullying.org, 

Enjoy, and please continue to write your reviews, thank you for the 5star ratings, downloads and subscriptions...

Ciao!

Dr. Lulu

Beth Lopez, my first guest of Hispanic ancestry, was such a delight to interview. She calls herself a Universal Soul Coach, a Life Transformer, and CEO of Souls Awakening Academy. 

Growing up in a religious Hispanic house hold, her parents were very protective and had her life all planned out (who can relate?), and at one point she realized she was "living" her "parents' life".  Unfortunately, no matter how loving and protective we parents are, we cannot protect our children from life, and life did indeed happen to Beth. 

She talks about how "looks can be deceiving" and admits to have been a "functional broken person", who felt "displaced", and tied her "worth to" her "paycheck". She struggled with a loss of identity and at one point, drugs became her friend, especially when she felt she had failed in everything she touched, and ideations of suicide became her close companion. 

A true story of rising from grass to grace, Beth is now using lots of meditation and nature walks in order to connect with the earth elements, as she helps others find themselves and their purposes in life. 

Her quote and advice are "stay true to yourself". "You are loved, you are born whole and complete"

Her website is universalsoulcoach.com, and her IG handle is @igniteyoursanity

 I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed hanging out with Beth, and don't forget to share this podcast with friends and family, subscribe and download. If you find it within your heart, leave us a comment and maybe even sponsor an episode. 

Ciao!

Dr. Lulu

Unless you have been living under a huge rock, you must have heard about all the children and young people who have died from self-inflicted injuries lately. You must have heard that suicide is the second leading cause of death for our youth ages 10-34yr. Well, did you know that many of these suicides were as a result of bullying? Yes, a great majority of children who die by suicide are as a result of bullying... nearly 60%

This is appalling considering the fact that bullying is so pervasive now. Many people even think bullying is a necessary part of growing up, and think kids actually "deserve" to be bullied to make them somehow stronger. Well, I for one disagree, and I hope that if you are in that school of thought, you will have a change of heart after listening to this episode. 

Do you know who is at risk of being bullied? Do you know the different forms bullying can take, or what makes someone become a bully? Do you know that your child, yes, your precious "little angel" could be the bully? Are you aware that the LGBTQ family are at extremely high risk of not only bullying, but also suicide AND homicide? Do you know what role you can play in helping curb all of this?

We shall touch on a lot of aspects of bullying especially as it relates to suicide, our children, the schools, our homes and ourselves. We shall discuss characteristics of victims, bullies and even bystanders. We shall delve into the reasons why kids don't tell, and possible consequences of being each of these persons.

We shall also discuss what needs to be done, by parents, the schools, the government, our kids, their friends and, you, my listener in order to combat bullying. 

Log on to www.bullying.gov and many other anti-bullying sites out there for more information, and don't forget to subscribe and share this podcast, thank you.

Dr. L

What does Yoga, Buddhism, PTSD, The Marines, Wellness and Healing have in common? Eric Rishi of course! 

This gentle very polite war hero with a soft voice and a warm heart, shares his stories of determination, heartbreak, pain, anguish, and survival. He shares how he has transformed his hurt and pain into a thriving speaking career that has reached the International waters. He shares his work with veterans who have PTSD, his 7-books, his transformation from a boy-child who was looking for answers and a family in the marines, to a man who has conquered tragedy (3times over) and is now thriving as a trailblazer!

I am honored and blessed to have crossed paths with him. I hope you enjoy listening to him as much as I enjoyed interviewing him.

Please support his work with Veterans suffering from PTSD (a FB group on mindfulness), check out www.mindfulnessforveterans.com

Finally, don't forget to subscribe, download and leave a comment... Thanks!

Dr. Lulu

With a name like Estelle, one expects a beautiful person, and I was not disappointed. This woman is nothing short of a beautiful soul inside and out. She has the most soothing voice and most calming demeanor. It is extremely hard to reconcile that image with the story of heartache, pain, and self-destruction that she tells. A story so hard to live with that she subconsciously "buries" it deep down in her heart for years. 

As a pediatrician and mother, some aspects of Estelle's suicide page were very difficult for me to listen to, yet, she held her composure and went through with it. All the way from Zurich, we can feel her pain and her suffering. Thankfully, she is on a path to recovery and VICTORY! g

Notable quotes: "I was afraid of my mother, but in our culture, who isn't?" 

As a pediatrician and mother, some aspects of Estelle's suicide page were very difficult for me to listen to, yet, she held her composure and went through with it. All the way from Zurich, we can feel her pain and her suffering. Thankfully, she is on a path to recovery and VICTORY! 

Quote of the day by Estelle: "I was afraid of my mother, but in our culture, who isn't?"

Estelle's favorite quote by Iyanla Vanzant: "Feelings buried alive don't die"

Don't forget to download this episode, share and subscribe, then find it within your generous heart to click the donate button to support this podcast as we spread our message of awareness, and help Habitat for Humanity.

Enjoy, Dr. Lu

Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Kristin Norris, D.O. A fellow ex-lady in boots, a mom, a soft-spoken psychiatrist, entrepreneur, and friend. 

She speaks today about military life and suicide, touching on her own personal encounter with the suicide of a patient, a common thread between us...and the guilt that often follows us as doctors and providers when that happens. Did we do everything we could possibly do? Could we have done more? Would it have made a difference? Those are hard questions that may never get answered but will linger forever. 

She talks about the Air Force Zero Suicide Pilot program at her base, which was largely successful and is now being implemented Air Force wide. She implores us to "not be afraid to ask" the tough questions, whether we are providers or not, adding that "it is easier to say yes than to say I need help"...indeed it is.

Would you consider supporting this podcast? Simply click the link.

I can't wait to hear from you!

UU

In this episode, I discuss suicide in a broad overview. The causes and confounding factors. I discuss some statistics briefly, and the fact that the majority of people who die by suicide do not have mental illness, they do so as a result of a triad of Hopelessness, Helplessness, and Despair. Overwhelming anguish coupled with other societal ills like poor governance, racism, non-compliance with meds, etc.

Since suicide prevention is a global necessity, we must all roll up our sleeves and join in the fight and the movement to #endthesilenceshameandstigma of suicide. 

Indeed, silence kills and talk saves lives. 

Suicide is EVERYONE'S problem.

Happy listening.

Dr. L

At the young age of 20 yr, my beautiful, smart, articulate and talented niece, Khrystine, has already tasted betrayal, ostracism and learned some life lessons that will shape the rest of her life as an immigrant in the United States. In her interview she touches on a personal story that tested her emotional strength as a college student, a situation early in her Fresh-Man year which pushed her to the edge of depression and hopelessness. She however found strength in fellow immigrants, and has now grown from it.

She however bounced back and now always sees "the happy side of things". Her favorite quote is "STAY FROSTY" (don't ask me, listen to her explanation :)

She also has some words of advice for fellow Gen-Zeers; "Everything on the Internet is not real", and for Parents; "STOP being in denial where your kids are concerned, listen, listen, listen to your children". 

I was inspired by her story, and I think you would too.

Enjoy, and don't forget to download and share this podcast.

Ciao!

Dr. Lulu

At 67yr young, Dr. Lynette, and anesthesiologist and former Lt. Col in the United States Air Force would appear to be living her life out loud. She has gotten her second wind. If you consider the fact that she is a self-proclaimed Humorist (Stand Up Comedian), a TEDx Speaker; winner of a Toastmasters Championship competition in 2014, a budding author, and an all-around beautiful soul, you would never know that she once not only contemplated suicide, but actually climbed on a NY bridge about to jump...but didn't.  In this episode, she shares her story of overcoming a life-long battle with depression, suicidal thoughts, a toxic work environment, medical credentialing boards, and life in general. 

She describes our current medical environment as one that forces doctors to become "locked into a persona" that does not reflect our multifaceted natures...

"If I jump off this bridge before I call my mother, she is going to kill me" is the quote of the day from this amazing woman, fellow sista-doc and fighter whom I have essentially "voluntold" to become my mentor. 

It was a pleasure interviewing her.

Enjoy!

Antoinette is originally from the Caribbean Islands, and currently living in Canada. She tells us a story about trials and survival. Suicide attempts and victory. "I must say, I don't blame anybody" are her words when it comes to her circumstances and the decisions she has made. She is, however, quick to add that the decision to suicide is never one that comes easy or that comes over a short time. 

She is thankful and grateful for life, and adds that "life is for the living". Nowadays, she focuses on "DELETING NEGATIVITY" and along with owning a publishing company, her current work is all about that. 

Borrowing from her mentor, Dr. Miles Monroe (RIP), she would like to "die empty" and "leave a lighted pathway for others". 

I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with Antoinette, and I sincerely hope you do too. 

Find her on FB at her publishing company ALRP Publishing @https://www.facebook.com/ALRPublishingHub/

Much Love, Dr. Lulu

Hello and welcome to season 1, episode 1 of my brand new podcast, Suicide Pages.

Ever since I was introduced to the world of podcasts a few years ago, I have always wanted to have my own. I have multiple ideas for podcasts, but this one idea has won as numero uno.

I am thankful that I have been chosen to be a vessel of awareness to the world. My dream is to own my own TV show, be a guest on Oprah's Super Soul Sunday, Red Table Talk, Ellen, The Doctors, Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz, and the grand dream is to be The United Nations Speaker on Child Suicide! I firmly believe that if you dream it, and work at it, it will come.

In this episode, I introduce my podcast's mission in full. Why did I decide to do this? What do I want to do with it? Who's stories are we featuring and how can we all benefit from, and be a part of the movement to end suicide in today's world...especially in our youth...enjoy! 

Feel free to email me or contact me, my email is: askdoctorlulu@gmail.com, or check out my website, www.teenalive.com for more information. 

Links; Podcast; www.teenalive.com/podcast.

An ultra-brief intro to the podcast!