Suffering from any type of trauma can change your life in an instant.
In this episode of From Survivor to Thriver, we sat down with Susan Snow, whose life was forever changed on a fateful Halloween night in 1985 when her father, a dedicated LAPD detective, was tragically killed. This led to PTSD, depression, and anxiety for Susan as she struggled to navigate what happened.
She shares the raw and emotional process of how she learned to bulldoze her fear and turned her profound personal trauma into a path of healing and empowerment.
Susan is passionate about changing the system and getting more support for the kids of fallen officers so they get the mental health support they need.
Susan Snow is the daughter of slain LAPD Detective Thomas C. Williams, who was ambushed and killed on October 31, 1985, when she was seventeen years old. She is a published author, speaker, and coach.
Susan's book The Other Side of the Gun was born out of her journey through the trauma she experienced with the death of her father. She wrote it specifically to heal herself and help others heal through her words and experiences.
These days, Susan works as a Realtor in the Denver Metro area.
In today’s episode, we cover:
- What happened after Susan lost her father and the grief and mental health issues she went through
- How Susan found her passion in making sure that children of fallen officers get the support they need
- Balancing fear when your loved ones work dangerous jobs
- The importance of taking away the stigma of needing help
- Susans struggle with PTSD, suicidal ideation, depression, and anxiety
- The impact Columbine had on Susan’s mental health
- The conversation that helped Susan finally get the health she needed
- Managing PTSD and the power of journaling
- How Susan bulldozed her fear and found healing
- The ripple effect trauma can have on those around us
We hope you enjoyed our conversation with Susan! We highly recommend you check out her book! You can find it here. If you want to learn more about her, you can visit her website.
Thanks again for tuning in. We are so grateful to each and every one of you. Please remember to leave a rating and review of our show. It helps us grow and reach those who need it. Also, make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!
Links:
Get in touch: amgits.reverse@gmail.com
Quotes:
“My therapist told me that anyone who has gone through a traumatic experience in their life can experience PTSD. And it was like the sky opened up and rainbows shot out because I finally had answers to what the heck was going on with me.” - Susan
“We don’t cure mental health issues. What we do is we work with them.” -Erik
“We think it's just part and parcel that you don't find healing as part of the suffering of the human condition without a community and it all starts with our partners.” -Marc
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