In today's episode, we continue our series with the men of Success Stories Program and one of their Transformational Coaches, Graham Finochio. Throughout this conversation, we discuss some of his early trauma, how he came to identify as a skinhead, how prison reinforced his beliefs around toxic masculinity and white supremacy, and the moment things started to change for him. He walks us through his personal transformation and his thoughts on forgiveness, amends, and what healthy love looks like. He shares more about the curriculum Success Stories offers to help guide men toward a similar path, and leaves us with tips on how to approach these types of conversations within our own relationships. Resources mentioned in this episode: Success Stories Program The Feminist On Cellblock Y Thoughtful Human x Success Stories Donate to Success Stories If you want to follow along in our journey or check out our products, find us at our website thoughtfulhuman.co, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! P.S. If you or someone you love needs access to a month of free online therapy: betterhelp.com/thoughtfulhuman.

Resources: The Body Project: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-involved/the-body-project National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) You can also call or text the NEDA helpline at (800) 931-2237.

It's National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and today's episide offers an exploration of suicide and the many ways we can support those who are struggling today. To help educate us on this subject are two guests, Dr. Meredith Sears — a clinical psychologist who specializes in suicide prevention and serves as the President of the Board of the Amerian Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), and Brittney Elko — an AFSP board member who shares her personal story of loss, and her expertise as a 988/TALK crisis line volunteer and organizer of ASFP's Healing Conversations program. In this episode, we discuss: 7:25: Specific vocabulary that may be helpful and harmful in conversations about suicide 18:20: Stigma and common misconceptions about suicide and suicide attempts vs. the true nature of depression and suicidal ideation 31:30: What you can say or do when someone discloses that they are having suicidal thoughts 48:30: Dialectical Behavior Therapy 55:20: Firearms, lethal means safety, and other effective prevention strategies 1:04:35: Postvention and the unique, complex nature of grieving a suicide loss 1:20:40: Three recommendations for anyone feeling suicidal today or supporting someone with suicidal thoughts today Resources: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Healing Conversations Safe Plan App Sources & mentions from this episode: AFSP statistics NAMI statistics Centre for Suicide Prevention: How Many People Are Affected by One Suicide If you want to follow along in our journey or check out our products, find us at our website thoughtfulhuman.co, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. P.S. If you or someone you love needs access to a month of free online therapy: betterhelp.com/thoughtfulhuman.

In today’s episode we round out our series with the Success Stories team, with a conversation with their Co-Executive Director, Mannie Thomas III. Mannie shares his personal story and how violence became his primary response to conflict and complex emotions. He describes his feelings in the face of a life sentence, and the ways in which this conflicted with his sense of self and role in his community. He walks us through his educational journey, and dives deeper into the broader systems of justice — the difference between punitive, restorative, and transformative models and what really drives accountability, safety, and healing. We also talk more explicitly about toxic masculinity’s role in women’s issues and sexual assault — how men participate in and perpetuate rape culture, and what genuine allyship and empowerment look like. Finally, we talk about the vision and future of Success Stories — early education for kids and parents, and what he’s most hopeful about when it comes to the work they are doing. Resources mentioned in this episode: Success Stories Program The Feminist On Cellblock Y Thoughtful Human x Success Stories Donate to Success Stories If you want to follow along in our journey or check out our products, find us at our website thoughtfulhuman.co, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! P.S. If you or someone you love needs access to a month of free online therapy: betterhelp.com/thoughtfulhuman.

In today's episode, we'll be kicking off a series of conversations with men of Success Stories, a nonprofit organization where men lead transformational feminist workshops with people who have caused harm. They discuss topics like toxic masculinity, patriarchy, incarceration, and social justice at large. Graham Finochio is a transformational coach at Success Stories. Throughout this conversation, we discuss some of his early trauma, how he came to identify as a skinhead, how prison reinforced his beliefs around toxic masculinity and white supremacy, and the moment things started to change for him. He walks us through his personal transformation and his thoughts on forgiveness, amends, and what healthy love looks like. He shares more about the curriculum Success Stories offers to help guide men toward a similar path, and leaves us with tips on how to approach these types of conversations within our own relationships. Resources mentioned in this episode: Success Stories The Feminist On Cellblock Y If you want to follow along in our journey or check out our products, find us at our website thoughtfulhuman.co, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! P.S. If you or someone you love needs access to a month of free online therapy: betterhelp.com/thoughtfulhuman.

In today's episode, we'll be kicking off a series of conversations with men of Success Stories, a nonprofit organization where men lead transformational feminist workshops with people who have caused harm. They discuss topics like toxic masculinity, patriarchy, incarceration, and social justice at large. Chris Johnson is a transformational coach and growth coordinator on the Success Stories team. Throughout this conversation, we discuss his pursuit of manhood, what it cost him, how he found his way to healing and integrity in the face of a 65-year prison sentence, and how he's helping other men transform harmful ideas and behaviors. Resources mentioned in this episode: Success Stories The Feminist On Cellblock Y If you want to follow along in our journey or check out our products, find us at our website thoughtfulhuman.co, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! P.S. If you or someone you love needs access to a month of free online therapy: betterhelp.com/thoughtfulhuman.

Janine is the owner and designer of Kwohtations, a Brooklyn-based stationery company that celebrates the diversity of identities and life experiences, with a distinct humor and empathy. She is also the author and illustrator of the forthcoming book Welcome to the Grief Club , which addresses many of the surprising, confusing, brutal, funny, and downright bizarre parts of grief. Throughout our conversation, we discuss the unexpected loss of Janine’s partner and the distinct challenges of navigating grief in your 20s, the evolution of grief from day 1 to year 5 and 10, to some of our most strange and inconsistent grief behaviors, moments of frustration and invincibility, and of course, some tips for those who are currently grieving and those who are supporting a loved one in this process. Resources mentioned in this episode: Kwohtations The Dinner Party If you want to follow along in our journey or check out our products, find us at our website thoughtfulhuman.co, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! P.S. If you or someone you love needs access to a month of free online therapy: betterhelp.com/thoughtfulhuman.

Ali talks with Jenelle, the founder and Executive Director of the STI Project and a fierce advocate fighting to dismantle the stigmas against STIs through awareness and education. In their conversation, they discuss Jenelle's personal journey with herpes, how to check in with those in your life with an STI diagnosis, trust and disclosure among relationships and friendships, the psychology of disgust and gauging people's capacity for conversations of this nature, and the importance of people to share their STI story. Resources mentioned in this episode: The STI Project American Sexual Health Association The STI Project Social Medias: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook If you want to follow along in our journey or check out our products, find us at our website thoughtfulhuman.co, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! P.S. If you or someone you love needs access to a month of free online therapy: betterhelp.com/thoughtfulhuman.

Ali talks with Dr. Elizabeth Franklin, President of the Cancer Support Community (CSC). CSC is the largest provider of social and emotional support services for cancer patients and their loved ones in the U.S. She earned her master's and doctorate degrees in social work and lends her expertise in professional social work, research, and public policy. In their conversation Ali and Elizabeth discuss the current cancer landscape, innovations in the colorectal cancer space, the stigma around colorectal and lung cancers, words that harm and words that heal, long-term needs of patients and caregivers, and how you can advocate for your loved ones. Resources mentioned in this episode: Cancer Support Community If you want to follow along in our journey or check out our products, find us at our website thoughtfulhuman.co, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

Ali talks with Ben, a former Navy helicopter pilot who was diagnosed with colon cancer at 26 despite having no family history with the disease. In their conversation, they discuss Ben's surprising cancer diagnosis, overcoming shame and navigating life with a colostomy bag, how he feels about survival rates and talking about death, the long-term impacts of treatment, the importance of caregivers, how having a life-threatening disease has changed his worldview, and how to show up for someone with a colorectal cancer diagnosis. Ali also shares more about testing, her first colonoscopy experience, and resources to turn to. Resources mentioned in this episode: Fight Colorectal Cancer American Cancer Society - Cancer Action Network (CAN) for Colorectal Cancer Ben Moon's “Denali” Ben White’s Instagram: @bennybruin If you want to follow along in our journey or check out our products, find us at our website thoughtfulhuman.co, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

Ali talks with Angelica Catalano, the Director of Social Impact at The Mighty, the world's largest digital health community. Angelica has lived with ulcerative colitis over 25 years. According to the CDC, in 2015 around 3 million U.S. adults reported being diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), either ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. In their conversation, they discuss Angelica's personal journey with ulcerative colitis, both physically and mentally, they chat about the differences and parallels between their experiences with ulcerative colitis, and they leave specific tips on how to navigate conversations with your loved ones impacted by ulcerative colitis and any health challenges. Resources mentioned in this episode: www.themighty.com The Mighty's Ulcerative Colitis Condition Guide Crohn's and Colitis Foundation Girls With Guts If you want to follow along in our journey or check out our products, find us at our website thoughtfulhuman.co, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

Hey, friends! Welcome to Thoughtful Human. We're going to be talking about everything from cancer and addiction, to more stigmatized topics like herpes, suicide, and more. We're here to explore why it's hard to talk about these things and try to break down communication barriers to get our loved ones the support they need. In the end we'll leave you with tangible tips to help you move through conversations in your own relationships. Stay tuned!