Suicide, Silence, and What Comes Next

For the first time since my dad's death in 2016, I spoke publicly about the effect his first attempt on his life (and subsequent, successful attempt) had on me, my family, and my creative process.

For the first time since my dad's death in 2016, I spoke publicly about the effect his first attempt on his life (and subsequent, successful attempt) had on me, my family, and my creative process.

This was no doubt a challenging conversation to have, but I'm grateful to Dr. Lindsay Weisner (Ten Steps to Finding Happy: A Guide to Permanent Satisfaction) for the chance to speak about it on Psychology Today's Neurotic Nourishment podcast.

No discussion of suicide is easy, nor is living with the stigma associated with the oft-invisible mental health challenges so many among us face every day. If you're struggling with feelings of hopelessness or thoughts of suicide, the suicide prevention lifeline is here for you twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-273-8255.

And, for what it's worth, some of that which is discussed during the below podcast conversation served as fuel for some of And Ampersand, specifically the collection's final piece, in which I explore the process of going through my father's jackets after his passing.

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"Reminiscent of Hemingway and De Lillo. I highly recommend this collection."
-Award-Winning Author Ivy Ngeow