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How To Respond When Someone Discloses Suicidal Thoughts

In this deeply resonant episode of Therapists Unhinged, Tiffanie Trudeau, LMHC from Connected Thriving Counseling and Wellness joins the show during Suicide Prevention Month to discuss one of the most misunderstood and important topics in mental health. Tiffanie shares her expertise and lived experience around how to hold space when someone discloses suicidal thoughts. This is not about fixing or saving. It’s about listening with compassion, dropping the performance, and showing up in truth. Raw, wise, and totally unfiltered, this conversation is for anyone who wants to be a safe place for someone in pain.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Silence is not neutrality, it’s danger
• People disclosing suicidal thoughts do not expect you to fix it
• Listening and presence are more powerful than solutions
• Nonverbal empathy is a core part of holding space
• Not all signs of suicidality look like the checklist
• “I’m tired” or “I wish I could sleep forever” are often flags
• Asking directly about suicidal thoughts does not plant the idea
• Loved ones must resist the urge to personalize or panic
• Faith communities can sometimes shut down emotional honesty
• Safe spaces are built through consistent, authentic connection

BEST MOMENTS
00:00:03. “They’re not coming to you for a solution.”
00:00:58. “Silence is the real killer here and we need to talk about it.”
00:05:11. “I’m just so tired. I’m tired of doing this.”
00:09:31. “Thank you for trusting me with that part of your heart.”
00:14:47. “Secrets keep you sick. So we don’t keep anybody’s secrets.”
00:21:36. “Emotions are messengers. And even though they’re messy, they’re coming with a message.”
00:26:48. “Your siblings had a different experience in the same family.”
00:35:11. “They don’t feel like the world can withstand the messy wall behind the mask.”
00:40:05. “Silence increases the chances it will happen, not talking about it.”
00:50:14. “We don’t fear it so much that we push it away. We welcome it into the room.”

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Therapists Unhinged is where mental health gets real. Hosted by licensed therapists who tell it like it is, this podcast dives deep into the messy, meaningful, and hilarious parts of being human. From mastering resilience to navigating the chaos of everyday life, we bring raw conversations, expert insights, and unfiltered honesty...no jargon, no BS.

New episodes drop weekly. Subscribe, leave a review, and come unhinge with us.

This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

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An Apology Without Change is Manipulation

In this raw and relatable episode, the Therapists Unhinged hosts, Robin and Nella, get real about relationships and emotional intelligence (or the lack thereof). They share personal stories and professional insights on navigating the complexities of modern dating, divorce, and the patterns we often repeat. From the dysregulated nervous system that mistakes attachment for love to the importance of self-awareness, they offer a candid conversation that’s more conversational than clinical and packed with wit and wisdom.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• An apology without change is manipulation.
• A lot of people are confused about what is actually real in dating and relationships.
• People who get divorced and jump right back into the dating game are looking for something to fill a void instead of sitting in the loneliness.
• It is not my job to babysit your emotions.
• You can use the three C's from Al-Anon classes (I did not create it, I cannot change it, and I cannot control it) to help in a relationship.
• A person who is constantly talking about themselves is a red flag in a relationship.
• A red flag can be a person who wants to get serious very quickly.
• There's a difference between lust and love.
• If you have a lot of red flags, you're going to get a circus.

BEST MOMENTS:

00:00:28. "We are at episode 1919."
00:02:31. "It was tough because what we have to deal with and how people present themselves in the beginning are not always who they are."
00:05:09. "And the catfishing stuff too, you know, people oh my gosh, I'm catfishing now."
00:08:40. "This is the way I am. Yeah. There are certain things about you and about everybody as an adult that may not change."
00:13:43. "But now it's me pouring into, you know, people who are starting off relationships, no matter if they're young, middle age or old."
00:17:24. "And it won't find you in the broken spaces that the other relationship left you in."
00:21:26. "Yeah, absolutely. Because you do have to know who you are."
00:25:27. "They go through that cycle and and it's sad to hear and to listen, but to understand it, to allow them to understand and dissect where that comes from, a lot of that is, you know, comes from like their childhood and experiences and stuff."
00:32:05. "You're going to sit there and eat it till it's done. Yeah. See, that's traumatizing."
00:37:49. "I had no right then here when you come back, they're telling you exactly who they are 100%."

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Therapists Unhinged is where mental health gets real. Hosted by licensed therapists who tell it like it is, this podcast dives deep into the messy, meaningful, and hilarious parts of being human. From mastering resilience to navigating the chaos of everyday life, we bring raw conversations, expert insights, and unfiltered honesty...no jargon, no BS.

New episodes drop weekly. Subscribe, leave a review, and come unhinge with us.

This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

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Why Self-Care ISN'T Optional, It’s NECESSARY

In this honest and unfiltered episode of Therapists Unhinged, co-hosts Nella and TJ take the mic without Dr. Robin and dive deep into what self-care actually means. They call out how society has glamorized and twisted self-care into wine nights and massages while ignoring the deeper emotional, mental, and spiritual work it takes to truly show up for yourself. From burnout and boundaries to parenting guilt and season-of-life shifts, they keep it all the way real. If you’ve ever said “I don’t have time,” this episode is for you.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Self-care is not a checklist
• Culture often turns self-care into a toxic cycle
• Saying “no” is one of the most powerful self-care tools
• Everyone’s self-care package looks different
• Comparison creates unnecessary pressure
• Burnout happens when you don’t refill your own cup
• Spiritual self-care is just as critical as physical and emotional
• It’s okay to shift your self-care with each life season
• Moms especially need to stop sacrificing themselves
• You don’t need permission to prioritize yourself

BEST MOMENTS

00:01:12. “We’re actually kind of debunking some of the myths and things that society has really taught us to do.”
00:02:15. “For me, self-care is a lifestyle. It's not checking boxes.”
00:03:11. “Self-care starts in the mind first, and then it manifests in other ways.”
00:04:23. “You have to kind of look at all four of those layers and incorporate what you want your self-care to look like.”
00:06:05. “Sometimes I have to be like, you know what? I need my time.”
00:10:07. “I’m so big on taking little mini vacations because I have to check out of work mode.”
00:12:14. “Part of self-care is saying no to.”
00:15:19. “Creating that self-care package for you, designed just for you.”
00:25:00. “You may be doing really good with your mind and body, but what about your spirit?”

Support the show

Therapists Unhinged is where mental health gets real. Hosted by licensed therapists who tell it like it is, this podcast dives deep into the messy, meaningful, and hilarious parts of being human. From mastering resilience to navigating the chaos of everyday life, we bring raw conversations, expert insights, and unfiltered honesty...no jargon, no BS.

New episodes drop weekly. Subscribe, leave a review, and come unhinge with us.

This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com