In the Shadows

At just 19 years old, Sam felt the pain of anxiety and depression take over his life. His mom and girlfriend share his story and provide advice to family and friends of those living with a mental illness, as well those impacted by suicide. "Everyone wanted to be Sam, but Sam."  - Mary Jane Holmes Visit intheshadowspod.com for more information. Follow In the Shadows on Facebook, as well as Spreading Hope by Spreading Sam. If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-877-535-4357 or the Crisis Text Hotline at 741741.

At just 19 years old, Sam felt the pain of anxiety and depression take over his life. His mom and girlfriend share his story and provide advice to family and friends of those living with a mental illness, as well as those impacted by suicide. Representatives from NAMI Southwest Missouri tell us how they're helping our community with access to mental health care.

Musician and music teacher, Jason Spell, lost his life to suicide February 25, 2017. His mom and sister share his story of coping with anger.

Wendy Ryerson is a licensed professional counselor in Springfield, Missouri. In this episode of In the Shadows - suicide, she discusses social media and the impact it has on mental health, while providing tips on how to manage usage. She also discusses how to cope with anxiety, depression and anger. You can find links to resources at intheshadowpod.com.

Gage Coble, from Nixa, Mo., was 15 years old when he lost his life to suicide. His father shares his story and encourages us to bring the topic up in conversation.

At the age of 23, Stephanie lost her life to suicide. Although her childhood was filled with physical and mental abuse, her sister says Stephanie was a pinnacle of strength. Kayla shares her journey as she heals from this devastating loss and provides advice for communicating with those who struggle.

Dr. Mike Ferguson is a psychologist, suicidologist and mental health coach. In this episode, he explains mental health and teaches us where to seek help.

Dr. Mike Ferguson, suicidologist, discusses how to responsibly address the topic of suicide, along with when and how to take suicide threats seriously. "I wish I could say suicide intervention was rocket science, but it really isn't." - Dr. Mike Ferguson

After losing her best friend to suicide, Carli is going through her own journey of grief and healing. When her parents learned of her own suicidal thoughts, they immediately sought treatment. Carli wants to be an advocate for others who suffer with mental illnesses.

At 15 years old, Jacki identifies as gender fluid. Their mom, Brea shares her story and journey in supporting her child through their teen years. She discusses topics including acceptance, religion and social implications.

After graduating college, Aly found herself with some time to reflect on and assess her life. Assigned male at birth, she decided to embrace the fact that she was a woman.

Just a little over a year ago, Brooke, who was HE at the time, and new bride, Shannon, decided to embrace Brooke's deep, nagging feeling that something wasn't right - that he felt like a woman in a man's body. In this episode, they both share their story

Sharon Dunski Vermont, MD, pediatrics explains being transgender from a medical perspective and provides tips for parents. Dr. Vermont is a pediatrician at Wash U in St. Louis, MO and a board member for TRANSPARENT support group, which empowers children to live authentically.

Judy shares her story of domestic abuse and Rachel Carter from Harmony House provides tips on recognizing domestic abuse and education resources for our community.

Julia, just 21 years old, shares her story of sexual assault and an abusive relationship.