Before You Kill Yourself: a suicide prevention podcast.

When a boss’s email, meeting request, or tone of feedback feels disproportionately intense, it may not be about the present moment alone. For many people, workplace dynamics can quietly reactivate older emotional patterns tied to childhood experiences of criticism, invisibility, powerlessness, or conditional approval. This episode explores how that happens—and how to recognize when the nervous system is responding to the past, not just the job.
In this episode:
Why authority figures at work can unconsciously resemble early caregivers
How simple workplace feedback can trigger shame, fear, or collapse
The role of childhood experiences in shaping adult stress responses
Why “professionalism” can sometimes override emotional self-protection
How to tell the difference between present-day feedback and old emotional memory
What it means to stay grounded when the body reacts before the mind can interpret

Thrive With Leo Coaching:
If you want to reduce your psychological pain, regain your purpose and forge your own path, go to www.thrivewithleo.com to begin your journey.
If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help:
In the US:
Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counseling.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988
The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
Outside the US:
International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

When intrusive thoughts feel like a war zone, the goal isn’t to defeat every thought—it’s to establish a ceasefire. Just as peace agreements are more likely to hold when neutral third parties monitor them, our mental peace is more sustainable when therapists, friends, journals, or mindfulness practices help us observe thoughts without escalating them.
Key Takeaways:
Intrusive thoughts can feel like repeated violations of an internal ceasefire.
A neutral third party helps monitor, interpret, and de-escalate mental conflict.
Therapists, trusted friends, journaling, and meditation can serve as peacekeepers.
The goal is not to eliminate thoughts, but to prevent them from triggering emotional retaliation.
Healing comes from creating distance between the thought and the response.

Thrive With Leo Coaching:
If you want to reduce your psychological pain, regain your purpose and forge your own path, go to www.thrivewithleo.com to begin your journey.
If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help:
In the US:
Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counseling.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988
The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
Outside the US:
International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

Hope is often mistaken for a feeling of optimism, but for many people it looks much quieter: the decision to stay alive and keep going even when nothing feels certain. In this episode, we explore how hope is less about feeling inspired and more about choosing, day after day, to remain open to the possibility that life can change. Sometimes the most meaningful act is not thriving—it’s surviving.
Key Takeaways
Hope is not a mood; it is a decision.
You do not need certainty to keep going.
Survival is a meaningful achievement.
Choosing “one more day” is an act of courage.
Staying alive preserves the possibility of connection, healing, and purpose.
Quiet hope often sounds like: “I’m not done yet.”

Thrive With Leo Coaching:
If you want to reduce your psychological pain, regain your purpose and forge your own path, go to www.thrivewithleo.com to begin your journey.
If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help:
In the US:
Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counseling.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988
The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
Outside the US:
International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

Why do some men spend an afternoon talking about sports, parenting, and work, only to drive home listening to The National or James Blake and cry a little? In this episode, we explore the hidden loneliness of “good” conversations and why being around people isn’t always the same as feeling seen.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why men can feel lonely even after spending time with friends
The difference between proximity and true emotional intimacy
Why tears often show up in the privacy of the car
How masculine social norms keep conversations safe but shallow
The grief of almost feeling connected
Small ways to make friendships 10% more honest and meaningful
Why authentic connection is one of the strongest protective factors against suicide

Thrive With Leo Coaching:
If you want to reduce your psychological pain, regain your purpose and forge your own path, go to www.thrivewithleo.com to begin your journey.
If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help:
In the US:
Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counseling.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988
The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
Outside the US:
International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

What happens after you finish the thing that gave your life structure and meaning? Whether it's writing a book, raising kids, winning a championship, or completing a major goal, the end of one chapter often leaves us feeling empty. In this episode, I explore why that emptiness isn't a sign that something is wrong, but a signal that you're ready to be challenged by life in a new way.
In this episode, I discuss:
Why achievement often leads to a surprising sense of emptiness
The difference between rest, recovery, and restlessness
The psychology of the “arrival fallacy”
Why the brain thrives on pursuit more than possession
How purpose gives shape to our discomfort
Why misery is trying to recreate the past
How to become “unhappy in a whole new way”

Thrive With Leo Coaching:
If you want to reduce your psychological pain, regain your purpose and forge your own path, go to www.thrivewithleo.com to begin your journey.
If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, there are people who want to help:
In the US:
Crisis Text Line: Text CRISIS to 741741 for free, confidential crisis counseling.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988
The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
Outside the US:
International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.