Why bringing in trained, trusted voices matters more than ever.

It usually happens after.
After the suicide note.
After the call from the school counselor.
After a friend breaks down or a parent finds the scars.

That’s when people call us; schools, churches, parents, companies; in shock, trying to figure out what they missed.

But what we’ve learned, over decades in this work, is that talking about mental health after crisis is too late. The time to start the conversation is before someone breaks.

I’ve spent three decades working with kids and their parents, and I can tell you without hesitation, there’s been a seismic shift. Parenting today is nothing like it was twenty or thirty years ago. The ground has moved beneath our feet, and a lot of parents haven’t realized it yet.

Positivity isn’t bad, but pretending you’re fine is. Real resilience starts when you stop faking it.

Let’s be honest, motivation online is a mess.

We are living in deeply divisive times, politically, socially, relationally. Everyone feels it. But the part that often gets overlooked is how much of this division is engineered. Most of us, yes, even the most self-aware adults, are being shaped by algorithms.

Anxiety is up. Confidence is down. And somewhere along the line, resilience—the ability to take a hit and get back up—started getting replaced with fragility.

But here’s the good news: resilience isn’t something you’re born with. It’s built. And it’s never too late to start.

This guide is designed to help you move forward with calm, clarity, and compassion—because the more informed you are, the more steady you can be.

You don’t need to have all the answers.
You just need to take the next right step.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how different my life could have been.
How close I was to not being here.
How none of this — the people I’ve loved, the places I’ve gone, the battles I’ve fought — would have ever happened if someone hadn’t stepped in at just the right time.

A simple guide for students, peers, and advocates who want to respond with hope.

So what’s your battle?
What’s the thing worth bleeding for?
What’s your reason to stay alive?

Find it.
Then give it everything you’ve got.

Real advocacy costs something. If your compassion never moves, it might not be compassion at all.

There are some things in parenting you can’t control.

You can’t control the genetic hand your child has been dealt. Some kids are born with a predisposition to anxiety, depression, or other mental health struggles. That’s not your fault. But there’s something you can control—the environment you create. And that? That changes everything.

Suicide is one of the most heartbreaking crises of our time. It’s the second leading cause of death among teens and young adults, claiming thousands of lives every year. But here’s the good news: you can help. You don’t need a degree in psychology or a big platform to make a difference. What you need is a compassionate heart and a willingness to take action.

Life gets hard—like, punch-you-in-the-face hard. And for some reason, when the hits keep coming, society has convinced us to suffer in silence. We’re supposed to be strong, to “push through,” to keep posting those filtered wins like nothing’s wrong. News flash: Nobody’s winning all the time. (Sorry, Ludacris, Rick Ross, and Snoop, but you’re full of shit on this one.)

The holidays can be hard. For single parents, they can feel like a minefield of emotions—joy, grief, loneliness, and everything in between. If that’s you, I want to take a moment to say: I see you.

What kind of person do you want to be?

As the holidays approach—Thanksgiving only about 21 days away and Christmas following close behind—we’re surrounded by messages about this being “the most wonderful time of the year.” Many look forward to celebrations filled with family, food, gifts, and the comfort of loved ones. But for some, this season is anything but wonderful.

When crisis hits, it can be hard to know where to start. This guide is for everyone—individuals, organizations, churches, and businesses—who want to make a meaningful impact but need direction on how to respond effectively.

When I was in crisis, I discovered I had two options: drown in it or claw my way up and out. It’s easy to say “rebuild,” but when the floor drops out, “rebuild” sounds impossible. So let’s get real: no amount of advice erases pain. But if you’re looking for a way forward, this is it—one step at a time.

A crisis doesn’t always make the news—it’s any event or situation that disrupts someone’s life, whether it’s sudden or ongoing. Often, those in crisis are right around us, maybe next door. When we respond with compassion, we create a profound impact in their lives. Here’s how you can make a difference.

It’s easy to feel moved when a crisis hits the news—whether it’s a natural disaster, refugees fleeing war, or a celebrity suicide, headlines make us pause and care. But what happens after the cameras stop rolling and the headlines fade? Does the need just disappear?