Before You Kill Yourself: a suicide prevention podcast.
When the pain feels unbearable and we feel alone in our suffering this podcast will sit with you. Let's rediscover our purpose, reduce our pain and regain our sense of belonging. Join comedian Leo Flowers M.A. as he shares his own journey through suicidality, interviews guests with lived experiences and discusses with experts on how to escape the flames and create a life worth living.
Episodes
In this episode, we explore the deep-rooted tendency to seek approval from the very people who criticize us most. Together, we unpack:
- Why we confuse critique with wisdom and validation
- How childhood dynamics and emotional wounds shape this pattern
- The emotional cost of chasing approval from naysayers
- Why breaking the cycle matters for our mental health and self-worth
- Actionable steps to turn toward compassion instead of cr...
In this episode, I explore Norman Rush’s Mating, focusing on the chapter “Guilty Repose” and the section “Weep for Me.” Through the narrator’s encounter with the waterfall, I unpack themes of noise, solitude, mediocrity, and companionship — connecting her revelations to my own experiences with silence, striving, and the human need for connection.
Discussion Highlights:
- How “the roar penetrates you” mirrors our craving fo...
In this episode, we explore why starting your day with effortful tasks can build momentum, meaning, and mental strength.
- Why your brain is primed for effort in the morning
- The science behind doing hard things early
- What happens when we only choose ease
- The Four Boxes of Action: Easy & Empty, Easy & Essential, Effortful & Enriching, Effortful & Draining
- How to build a daily rhythm that supports growth, not ju...
In this episode, we unpack a powerful distinction that shifts how we view conflict, commitment, and connection:
- The difference between fighting for your life (survival mode) and fighting for a life (intentional living)
- Why some relationship arguments aren't about breaking up—they’re about building something meaningful
- How setting boundaries, saving money, and making hard choices are all ways of fighting for a life
- Practica...
If you're a parent of pre-teen or teenage boy, today's episode is for you. Today's episode is:
- Exploring why heartbreak can lead preteen and teenage boys to suicidal thoughts
- Understanding the difference between what boys think they want versus what they actually need during emotional pain
- Signs parents and caregivers can watch for when boys are struggling silently
- Real stories of hope and healing beyond heartbreak
- Expert...
In this episode, we explore the quiet power of doing things with both hands:
- Why bilateral movement calms the nervous system
- Cultural and spiritual traditions that honor two-handed gestures
- Everyday tasks that ground us through full-body presence
- Real-world quotes and wisdom about giving, receiving, and connecting more deeply
- Simple ways to bring more intentionality and wholeness into your daily routine
Thrive With ...
THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE BOOK "STONER" BY JOHN WILLIAMS
SPOILERS...
In this heartfelt episode, we explore:
- How the novel Stoner reveals the hidden emotional lives so many of us carry
- Why Stoner’s death from esophageal cancer symbolizes the suffocation of unexpressed emotions
- The myth that stoicism means emotional emptiness — and the truth about deep-feeling people
- How modern culture still struggles to make spac...
In this episode, we explore why having a personal "Why Not" list can be a powerful tool for mental health and suicide prevention:
- How “Why not?” can lead to impulsive or harmful decisions
- Why having your own “why nots” can help you say no when it matters
- How a “why not” list can save a life during a suicidal crisis
- Examples of meaningful “why nots” that resonate deeply
- Backed by research: the science behind Reasons for Livi...
In this episode, we explore:
- What a manic episode actually looks and feels like
- How mania and depression can reduce grey matter in the brain
- Why overstimulation, lack of sleep, and creative pressure can trigger episodes
- How Kanye West’s story reveals the tension between brilliance and instability
- The difference between holding people accountable and holding them with compassion
- What it means to support mental health without ...
In today's episode we discuss the following questions:
What truth in you cannot be broken?
When do you feel most like you?
Who are you without your name?
What are you growing into?
Where does your courage live?
What is something small that feels big to you?
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 ...
In this deeply personal solo episode, I reflect on a moment at sea that stirred something primal—a desire to leap, not to die, but to feel fully alive. We explore:
- The difference between wanting escape and needing depth
- How “leaping” can be a cry for rest, touch, or meaning
- What it means to unplug, fast, and float
- A practice for staying grounded when you feel unspooled
- Why intensity sometimes masquerades as danger—but is re...
In this episode, we explore what happens when we withhold what’s true, raw, or real inside us:
- Why unexpressed thoughts and emotions don’t just disappear—they fester
- The difference between release and recklessness in emotional expression
- How to safely express anger, resentment, longing, and fear without hurting yourself or others
- What 365 Tao teaches us about drawing from our inner well before it stagnates
- Daily practices t...
In this episode, we explore seven powerful strategies that can help someone survive intense emotional distress and suicidal thoughts (from the book, THE SUICIDAL PERSON by Konrad Michel):
- Call a trusted doctor or therapist for personalized care
- Reach out to a 24/7 crisis line for nonjudgmental support
- Avoid alcohol to protect your judgment and emotional balance
- Resist writing a goodbye letter to keep options open
- Contact a...
In this episode, we explore the powerful symbolism of the zero — often misunderstood as "nothing" — and reveal how it actually represents connection, wholeness, and infinite potential. If you’ve ever felt invisible, isolated, or not enough, this conversation is for you.
Key Takeaways:
- How feeling like a "zero" can actually signal readiness for connection, not emptiness
- The role of circles in cultures around the world and ...
In today's episode we discuss:
- What we often do when suicidal urges rise
- Why small, immediate actions can be life-saving
- The psychology behind choosing connection over isolation
- How resistance, not resolution, can carry us through a crisis
- Simple decisions that protect life in the most fragile moments
If you want to reduce your psychological pain, regain your purpose and forge your own path, go to www.thrivewit...
In today's episode we explore the quiet but powerful human need for touch—and how its absence can deepen despair and loneliness, especially for those struggling with suicidal thoughts.
- Why asking “Who thinks about sex more?” misses the deeper question of touch
- How men and women often experience and imagine touch differently
- The evolutionary and emotional roots of skin hunger
- Why physical contact—non-sexual, non-romantic—ca...
Lauren Henry Brehm joined the podcast to discuss her book The French Court: Essays from One Family's Legacy of Mental Illness and her journey through mental health, family trauma, and personal transformation.
- Opened up about her grandmother’s undiagnosed OCD and its generational impact
- Shared her own suicide attempt and living with Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Reflected on her divorce after 29 years of marriage
- Described her e...
In this episode, we explore the subtle, often missed moments of human connection—and what they reveal about our deeper needs.
- A brief exchange with a mailman sparks reflection on communication and misunderstanding
- The physical sensation of a missed connection—what it tells us
- Why we often choose efficiency or comfort over connection
- How being unseen can create deep emotional pain
- The power of pausing, noticing, and trying a...
Thrive With Leo Coaching:
If you want to improve in the areas of health, wealth and/or relationships, 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.
In this episode, we explore how meaningful conversation can be divided into three emotional spaces — even if you live alone:
- 🛏️ Pillow Talk: A space for vulnerability, emotional honesty, and self-compassion
- 🛋️ Couch Talk: Reflecting on purpose, identity, and how we relate to the world
- 🍳 Kitchen Talk: Dynamic, messy conversations powered by movement, action, and emotion
- Historical, literary, and talk show examples that i...
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