You know, I got the real acid test in asking for help a year ago.  I think the Universe had this planned for me especially because my husband, (Johnny), and I had been so ill that our housework and maintenance work was suffering badly. My back and hip had progressed to the point that I couldn’t walk even with my canes or my walker. The doctor would not operate until I lost a significant amount of weight. And even though I was doing the best I could to get there, I still could not move to help increase my metabolism.

More and more forensic research is being done in the name of suicide prevention and I am absolutely nonplussed at the conclusions that are reached by talking to the suicide victim’s PCP, their family, friends and by researching whatever writings or videos the suicidal victim left. First off, individuals in relationship to the person who died by suicide have a distinct and obvious reason for not delving into the situation. It has been found that many coroners are asked by family members to obscure the reason for death or just list it as accidental if no absolute evidence to the

The latest statistic for the suicides in the U.S. Army National Guard so far in 2013 is 71. Some popular reasons rolled out for military suicide are multiple deployments, financial difficulties, or disruption in personal relationships.  However, most of those who died by suicide had not been deployed to any war-involved theater and most were employed and had significant relationships. Still, seventy-one of our citizen soldiers have killed themselves in the last seven months. Devastatingly true but if the current rate continues the projected number of suicides will exceed more than any number of suicides in the Army National Guard

When I tell people that suicidal thoughts begin as a way to save your life, they recoil in disbelief. How could thinking about suicide preserve your life? The real truth is no one starts off thinking about actually killing themselves. Even though it might seem so even to the suicidal person, when asked, the patients I have surveyed reveal similar histories. When finding themselves in a no-win, non-alterable situation usually early in life, they have to find a way to withstand it in order to live through it. Bearing adverse situations requires mind over matter and one begins to think

This morning I awoke thinking about retirement and how my “retirement” has been the very opposite of what I originally imagined. Here I am now retiring from another position in my life, the directorship of The Soldiers Project WA, only to embark on another mission which I believe has been providentially bestowed on me, the directorship of The Jensen Suicide Prevention Peer Protocol, The JSP3©. As I move forward I want to thank you for believing in me and not judging me when I admitted suicidal thoughts.  In “Just Because You’re Suicidal Doesn’t Mean You’re Crazy”, I reveal suicidality is