AFSP Podcast Channel
Welcome to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Podcast Channel, the official podcast home for Strong Talk, Ask Dr. Jill, and Elevating Voices—three unique series focused on mental health, suicide prevention, and health equity.
Strong Talk is hosted by Vic Armstrong, AFSP’s Vice President for Health Equity and Engagement. Each episode features in-depth conversations with mental health experts, advocates, and leaders about the challenges and solutions to making mental healthcare accessible to all.
Ask Dr. Jill features Dr. Jill Harkavy-Friedman, AFSP’s Senior Vice President of Research, answering real mental health questions with the latest scientific research and help from fellow experts in the field.
Elevating Voices is a roundtable discussion series hosted by Vic Armstrong. Each episode brings together members of diverse communities to uncover the unique mental health challenges they face, and discuss strategies for solving them.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is America’s leading suicide prevention organization and the largest private funder of suicide prevention research, with local chapters in all 50 states., D.C. and Puerto Rico. AFSP offers education, loss support, and advocacy programs and events nationwide, including the Out of the Darkness Walks. You can learn more at AFSP.org.
For other forms of support, including resources for survivors of suicide loss, what to do if you’re worried about someone, and guidance if you’ve survived a suicide attempt, visit AFSP’s Get Help page: afsp.org/get-help
If you or anyone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 for free, 24/7, to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Episodes
25 episodes
Strong Talk: When Mental Health Care Gets Lost in Translation with Dr. Pierluigi Mancini
Most of the mental health care provided in the United States is in English. Yet many people in the US don’t speak English fluently. So, what happens when they need help? That’s the problem our guest, Dr. Pierluigi Mancini, has been solving sinc...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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46:38
Strong Talk: From Pain to Purpose: Transforming Lived Experience into Suicide Prevention Advocacy
Join the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Vice President for Health Equity and Engagement Victor (Vic) Armstrong, MSW, for a conversation with Founder and Executive Director of Wellness Action Recovery, Inc., Fonda Bryant. In this e...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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39:41
Strong Talk: Building a Path to Suicide Prevention in the Construction Industry
In the latest episode of Strong Talk podcast, AFSP Vice President for Health Equity and Engagement Victor (Vic) Armstrong, MSW, talks with AFSP Minnesota Chapter volunteer Ray Stenglein about mental health and suicide prevention in the...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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32:44
Strong Talk: Mental Health Court: A Conversation with Judge Ginger Lerner Wren
The podcast is now in session! Join the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Vice President for Health Equity and Engagement Victor (Vic) Armstrong, MSW, as he speaks with Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren about her role as the pioneer of Americ...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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27:45
Strong Talk: Bringing Faith-Based Suicide Prevention to Africa
In this episode of the Strong Talk, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Vice President for Health Equity and Engagement Victor (Vic) Armstrong, MSW, speaks with Pastor Dr. François Tchidjé about their shared experience in a unique ...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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39:50
Strong Talk: Asian in America with Richard Lui
As the first Asian American male to anchor a daily, national cable news show (at CNN Worldwide), Richard Lui knows what it’s like to achieve great success while occupying space in a complex cultural environment. In this episode of Strong Ta...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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1:01:48
Strong Talk: Funny Feelings (Part 2) with J.B. Smoove
We all know him as Leon, the outspoken and hilarious character on Curb Your Enthusiasm, his appearances in the Barbershop and Spiderman film series, Real Husbands of Hollywood, and as a wildly talented comedi...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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26:43
Strong Talk: Funny Feelings (Part 1) with J.B. Smoove
We all know him as Leon, the outspoken and hilarious character on Curb Your Enthusiasm, his appearances in the Barbershop and Spiderman film series, Real Husbands of Hollywood, and as a wildly talented comedi...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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34:39
Strong Talk: Man to Man
In this episode, in recognition of Men’s Mental Health Month, Vic and his guest Keon Lewis discuss why men are often unwilling to talk about mental health, the need to create more safe spaces to address men’s mental health concerns, and the uni...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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36:30
Strong Talk: Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
In this episode, Vic and his guest, Pata Suyemoto, discuss her lived experience and the unique challenges in seeking mental health care for Asian Americans and how it all motivated her to become a nationally recognized DEI expert.
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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33:57
Strong Talk: Keris Myrick - Owning It
In this episode Vic and his guest, Keris Myrick, discuss her journey as she has utilized her lived mental health experience to propel her to a career as an advocate and change agent in the field of mental health.
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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30:55
Strong Talk: Tia Dole - The Journey to 988
In this episode of Strong Talk, Vic and his guest, Tia Dole, discuss her role as Chief 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Officer with Vibrant Emotional Health. You’ll hear about the successes and challenges of 988 and what it could mean in the li...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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31:20
Strong Talk: Akemie Jones - A Day in the Life
In this episode Vic and his guest Akemie Jones discuss the role of working in a crisis receiving center, the importance of creating a trauma informed culture and incorporating the voice of lived experience in day to day operations.
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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35:07
Strong Talk: Philip Cooper - Second Chances
In this episode, Vic and his guest, Philip Cooper discuss Philip’s journey through addiction, incarceration, and reinvention and how this influenced him to find his purpose in helping other men re-enter society after incarceration.Sign ...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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26:50
Strong Talk: Arielle Sheftall - Numbers Don't Lie
In this episode, Vic and his guest, Dr. Arielle Sheftall, discuss the unique mental health challenges in Black and brown communities and what the data is telling us about research needs that address the nuances of race, culture, and ethnicity, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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32:38
Strong Talk: Kevin & Margaret Hines - Balancing Being a Caregiver and a Spouse
In this episode, Vic and his guests, Kevin and Margaret Hines, discuss the challenges and rewards of being a partner or caretaker of someone living with mental health challenges and the importance of caregivers being attentive to their own ment...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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37:47
Strong Talk: Rawle Andrews - Handle with Care
In this episode Vic talks with Rawle Andrews, Jr., Esq., Executive Director of the American Psychiatric Association Foundation, about new initiatives in improving access to care and addressing workforce issues in mental health.Sign up f...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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28:18
Strong Talk: Tonja Myles - Keeping It Real
In recognition of Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, in this episode Vic and his guest, Tonja Myles, discuss the unique challenges and opportunities experienced within the Black community in accessing culturally relevant mental health reso...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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27:52
Strong Talk: Angela Weeks - Allies United
In this episode Vic and his guest, Angela Weeks, discuss the unique challenges for those who identify as LGBTQ+ including accessing culturally appropriate mental health services.Angela Weeks is the Project Director of the Center of Exce...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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29:34
Strong Talk: Dr. Christine Yu Moutier - One Size Does Not Fit All
In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, in this episode Vic and his guest, Dr. Christine Yu Moutier, Chief Medical Officer at American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, discuss the state of mental health in America including strategie...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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32:43
Strong Talk: Douglas M Reed - Mental Health and Black Men
In this episode Vic Armstrong and his guest Douglas M Reed discuss the unique challenges of Black men as it pertains to mental health, and the opportunities for decreasing the stigma associated with mental health among Black men.
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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24:35
Strong Talk: Dr. Sosunmolu Shoyinka - Mental Health Is Health
In this episode, in recognition of Minority Health month, Vic Armstrong and his guest, Dr. Sosunmolu Shoyinka discuss the biggest challenges and opportunities in providing effective mental health care in Black and Brown communities.
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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28:17
Strong Talk: Shelby Rowe - From Surviving to Thriving
Shelby Rowe joins Vic Armstrong in Episode 3 of Strong Talk. In this episode, Vic and Shelby discuss her journey as a suicide attempt survivor, her work with the Suicide Prevention Research Center and how her heritage as an indigenous woman has...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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38:02
Strong Talk: Doug Middleton - From Athlete to Advocate
Vic sits down with former NFL player Doug Middleton to discuss the life changing event that led him to becoming a suicide prevention advocate, including how he uses his history as a professional athlete to reach young people and get them to ope...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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34:42