Before You Kill Yourself: a suicide prevention podcast.

Leo Flowers
  • 4.8 (193)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

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.

  1. 4D AGO

    The truth about loneliness, depression and despair

    Is the real crisis today economic — or architectural? In this episode, we challenge the idea that loneliness and despair come from a broken ladder of upward mobility. What if the problem isn’t that we can’t climb… but that we were taught to measure our worth by climbing in the first place? Drawing from Middlemarch, modern work culture, and personal experience, this conversation explores why craftsmanship, authorship, and daily building may be the antidote to vertical despair. In this episode: Why the “career ladder” mindset fuels anxiety and comparisonThe difference between climbing and buildingHow craftsmanship creates internal pride (and hunger)What Lydgate’s crisis in Middlemarch teaches us about collapsed ambitionWhy being seen — not promoted — can save a lifeThe power of asking: “Am I actually in danger right now?”Moving from passive consumption to generative actionHow to build meaning even when the system feels unstable 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 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.  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988 The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386 Outside the US: International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

    32 min

  2. JAN 26

    Poverty and suicidality

    In this episode, we explore how poverty affects mental health and increases suicide risk, particularly through relative deprivation, structural barriers, and unclaimed government aid. We look at why poverty is more than a lack of money—it’s instability, stress, and social exclusion—and what coping strategies can help. Topics covered include: How relative income deprivation can heighten feelings of hopelessnessWhy being poor in America is often more expensive due to fines, fees, and penaltiesThe $140 billion in unused government aid and barriers to accessing itCoping strategies that protect dignity, stability, and mental health 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 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.  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988 The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386 Outside the US: International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

    36 min

  3. JAN 19

    How to cope with the four types of emotional distress

    In this episode, we use the metaphor of turbulence to explore why intense moments in life can feel dangerous without actually being dangerous—and how the nervous system responds when stability feels lost. Through a grounding practice designed for “arrival,” we offer listeners a simple way to reorient their bodies after emotional, relational, or existential turbulence, without needing to fix or explain anything. In this episode, we cover: The four types of turbulence as metaphors for everyday life stress and emotional instabilityWhy the nervous system confuses intensity with danger—and how that fuels distressHow grounding is about orientation and arrival, not forced calmA single, practical grounding exercise listeners can use at the end of a long day or difficult period 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 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.  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988 The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386 Outside the US: International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

    13 min

  4. JAN 12

    What to do when meditation feels unbearable

    Have you ever been told to “just relax” when your body felt like it was on high alert? In this episode, we unpack why that advice fails—and how suicide prevention requires understanding stress physiology, not willpower, by meeting the nervous system with safety before insight. What we cover: Why “relax more” is a behavioral demand, not a biological solutionThe difference between calming thoughts and regulating a stressed nervous systemFour sequencing shifts that actually help:Rhythmic movement instead of stillnessConnection before introspectionPredictability before positivityRegulation before reflection 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 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.  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988 The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386 Outside the US: International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

    21 min

  5. JAN 5

    How to cope with a high high and low low

    We explore why emotional highs are often followed by sudden lows, especially after moments of achievement, transition, or loss. We look at how identity, nervous system biology, and meaning collide — and why the crash doesn’t mean something is wrong. Most importantly, we talk about how to build guardrails for the comedown. Key Points: Highs stress the nervous systemIdentity amplifies the swingEndings create emotional voidsGrief intensifies contrastThe drop is often biologicalGuardrails matter more than mindset 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 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.  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988 The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386 Outside the US: International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

    24 min

  6. 12/29/2025

    Power of Purpose

    Explore the power of purpose through the story of Velasco in The Samurai and research-backed insights: Velasco chose meaning over comfort, even at the cost of his life.Purpose drives resilience, stress tolerance, and mental well-being.Without purpose, life can feel stagnant and numbing.Discover why knowing your “why” is essential to truly being alive. 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 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.  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988 The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386 Outside the US: International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

    15 min

  7. 12/18/2025

    "Red" Isn't Red: Why is it so hard to describe what we're feeling?

    We often describe our feelings with one word — “fine,” “pissed,” “tired” — and wonder why others don’t get us. In this episode, we explore how to turn vague emotions into vivid, specific experiences. Learn how describing moments, sensations, and nuances can transform your relationships and self-understanding. We also discuss: Why one-word feelings aren’t enoughDescribing moments instead of labelsUsing sensory and metaphorical languageExpanding your emotional vocabulary 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 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.  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988 The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386 Outside the US: International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

    20 min

  8. 12/11/2025

    How to Unburden Yourself: The difference between talking, venting and unburdening

    In this episode, we explore the real difference between talking, venting, and unburdening—and why unburdening is the emotional release most people never realize they need. We break down what it means to carry invisible weight and how to finally set it down in ways that are healthy, human, and sustainable. You’ll learn: What makes unburdening different from ordinary conversation or ventingWhy carrying emotional weight alone is so exhaustingPractical, grounded ways to unburden yourself without collapsing or oversharingHow to create relationships where unburdening feels safe, not scary 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 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.  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988 The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386 Outside the US: International Association for Suicide Prevention lists a number of suicide hotlines by country. Click here to find them.

    24 min
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4.8
out of 5
193 Ratings

About

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.

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