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Suicide Prevention and Safety Planning

Episode 197 Sep 11, 2025
Suicide Prevention and Safety Planning

Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide, affecting individuals and families across all walks of life.

Therapist Jennifer Hudson shares practical insights on how to approach conversations about suicide with empathy and clarity, including how to assess risk factors like intent, plan, and means. She emphasizes the importance of peer support, setting realistic boundaries, and knowing when to connect someone to professional care or crisis services.

We also discuss the critical role of family members, friends, schools, churches, and communities in creating safety nets, and highlight evidence-based resources such as 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and MentalHealthFirstAid.org. From understanding high-risk populations, including older adults, to reducing stigma and expanding community training, this episode underscores that suicide prevention is not a political issue—it’s a humanity issue.

Above all, Jennifer reminds us that while suicidal thoughts can feel overwhelming, they are not permanent. Change is possible, help is available, and hope is real.

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 for immediate support.

This episode is dedicated in memory of Mahlon Kirk.

Jennifer Hudson, MS, LPCC-S, LICDC

MEET THE GUEST

Jennifer Hudson, MS, LPCC-S, LICDC

Jennie Hudson is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Ohio who has been practicing since 2009. She has an undergraduate degree in Sociology and a Master’s degree in Counseling with a focus of Marriage and Family, family systems. Jennie has worked in the field of counseling for mental health and addiction recovery since 2009 in nonprofit community settings. She has found her work to be incredibly rewarding and is honored to work with so many people of such diverse and challenging backgrounds as they work their way through recovery in one form or another. Jennie is eclectic in her interventions as she truly believes in meeting a person where they are, and taking the journey at the pace, they set offering the tools they need to achieve their goals. In her free time, Jennie enjoys walking everywhere she can, a love of all things nature and creatures of nature. She loves good music shows and laughter whenever she can find it. Helping people is a given in her life, it is what I do. She finds it a real honor to be a part of the therapeutic process with her clients.
View Jennifer's Profile

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