"Hope lives, shame kills." - Diane Kaufman

In this episode of the Phoenix Wisdom Podcast, host Janet Sandberg interviews Diane Kaufman, a retired child psychiatrist and founder of the Hold On campaign for suicide prevention. Diane shares her personal journey through mental health struggles, including a suicide attempt during medical school, and how her experiences shaped her professional path. The conversation explores the power of art and poetry as tools for healing and connection, the importance of support systems, and the initiatives of the Hold On campaign to promote mental health awareness through creative expression. Diane emphasizes the need for open conversations about mental health and the role of community engagement in preventing suicide.Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Diane Kaufman

02:21 Diane's Journey in Psychiatry and Art

05:24 Personal Struggles with Mental Health

08:16 The Impact of Poetry on Healing

11:17 Tragic Losses and Their Effects

14:16 Creative Lifelines and the Hold On Campaign

17:22 Understanding the Roots of Mental Health Issues

20:40 The Weight of Shame and Isolation

24:31 The Birth of the Hold On Campaign

30:05 Art as a Healing Tool

35:24 Connecting Through Creativity

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In Crisis?

Canada:

Talk Suicide Canada call 1-833-456-4566 available 24/7. Between the hours of 4pm-midnight (Eastern time) you can text 45645 or text 988

In Quebec call 1-866-277-3553. Contactez un intervenant par texto au 535353. Service offert 24/7 partout au Québec

If you are under 18, call Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868. They offer 24/7 text service. You don’t need a data plan, internet connection or an app to use it.

If you’re in imminent danger call 911 or go to Emergency.

USA:

Call or text 988 (para ayuda en español, llame al 988). The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 24-hour, confidential support to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

Call 911 in life-threatening situations.

Keywords: mental health, suicide prevention, art therapy, poetry, child psychiatry, creative expression, healing, support systems, community engagement, resilience