About Me

I didn’t choose this work.
Life chose it for me.

I know the devastating pain of losing a loved one to suicide. Losing someone you love for any reason is shattering—but suicide carries an added weight. Shame. Guilt. Anger. Disbelief. Endless questions that have no clean answers. These layers pile on top of grief until simply getting through the day feels like an act of courage.

My life was forever changed on July 22, 2014, when my father ended his life.

In the aftermath, I faced a choice. I could allow the shame, guilt, and sorrow to swallow me whole—or I could begin the terrifying, vulnerable work of understanding my pain and discovering who I was becoming on the other side of loss. I chose the second path. Not because it was easier—but because I wanted to live.

That choice changed everything.

My story is one of love, loss, redemption, and gratitude.
Love that does not end—even through tragedy.
Redemption through reclaiming a voice I didn’t realize I had lost.
And gratitude for the wisdom that emerged in the most unexpected way.

In the years following my father’s death, I began to see familiar signs of depression, anxiety, and emotional withdrawal in my teenage daughter. As a mother, my intuition told me I couldn’t ignore them. I knew what was at stake. I had lived the unimaginable once—and I was determined not to relive it again.

That experience gave me a rare and deeply personal perspective: I understand suicide from both sides—the devastation left behind and the fear of loving someone who is struggling to stay alive. It is from this place that I do my work.

Today, I am a best-selling author, international speaker, and mental health advocate, trained in Mental Health First Aid and certified in QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer), a suicide prevention method. I volunteer with NAMI DuPage, my local chapter, because support should not end with awareness—it must show up in real communities, for real families.

My daughter and I also co-moderate a monthly Parent Roundtable, creating a safe, honest space for parents and caregivers navigating the mental wellbeing of teens and young adults. Together, we offer something powerful: two perspectives—parent and child—working side by side. These conversations help parents understand that their role matters, that they are not powerless, and that their presence can truly make a difference in their child’s life.

My gift—and my calling—is helping others heal by honoring their own stories. I believe stigma dissolves when we speak openly, compassionately, and without judgment. Healing begins when people feel seen instead of silenced.

In my book, The Strength to Live, I share not only my journey through grief, but practical, supportive ways to move through loss and discover the resilience within yourself. My hope for you is this: that even in the most tragic moments of your life, clarity can emerge—and you may find the strength to transform, to heal, and to keep going.

You are not broken.
You are not alone.
And your story still matters.