Episode 23

full
Published on:

20th May 2025

A Journey of Growth: Christian Elliot on Homeschooling and Emotional Intelligence

9 23

A Journey of Growth: Christian Elliot on Homeschooling and Emotional Intelligence

Show Notes

Navigating Health, Grief, and the Impact of Homeschooling: A Conversation with Christian Elliot

In this episode, Elaine Lindsay speaks with Christian Elliot, a professional health coach with 20 years of experience focusing on holistic health. Christian shares his insights on mental, emotional, and spiritual health, recounting experiences of his homeschool community dealing with the sudden loss of a peer's parent due to suicide. They discuss the importance of integrating mental health conversations into daily life, the challenges of public schooling versus homeschooling, and the concept of building a robust and emotionally resilient educational environment at home. Elaine and Christian emphasize the need for support systems, community bonds, and the critical role of parents in their children's education and mental well-being.

00:00 Introduction and Mission

01:46 Meet Christian Elliot

02:14 Christian's Approach to Health Coaching

03:57 Dealing with Grief and Loss

05:08 Impact of a Community Tragedy

06:14 Changing the Language Around Suicide

11:03 The Importance of Conversations

15:58 Homeschooling and Community

20:14 Balancing Technology and Outdoor Play

24:54 Homeschooling During COVID-19

26:43 Overcoming Self-Doubt in Homeschooling

27:03 Building a Supportive Learning Community

28:20 Cultivating Patience and Virtue

29:28 Adapting to Different Learning Paces

31:37 Homeschooling Systems and Structures

33:58 Balancing Work and Homeschooling

34:28 Raising Competent and Independent Children

35:56 The Importance of Systems Thinking

41:21 Addressing Mental Health in Homeschooling

45:09 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Bio

Christian Elliot

Holistic health coach | Podcaster | Family man

Co-owner TRUE Whole Human and Healing United

Check out my podcast: Deconstructing Conventional


Christian has been full-time in the “alternative” health space since 2005, logging about 20,000 hours of 1-1 coaching—fitness, nutrition, life, and relationship coaching. He is a co-owner of a newly established organization called Healing United—a Private Membership Association that is a collaboration between doctors and coaches working to turn healthcare on its head by focusing on healing instead of treatment.

Christian's main focus is on creating holistic and personalized detox programs to help people overcome a myriad of otherwise "incurable" diseases. He also hosts a podcast called Deconstructing Conventional and has been a guest on dozens of shows. Christian is a husband and father of six, homeschooled kids. He also has a Master of Divinity from Fuller Seminary.

Links & Socials

Healing United - https://www.healingunited.today/home

Reverse Any Chronic Illness in Three Steps - https://truewholehuman.kartra.com/page/qvg274

Deconstructing Conventional Podcast - https://www.healingunited.today/podcast

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/truewholehuman/

Facebook - https://www.faceb ook.com/people/Healing-United/61558869901392/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/truechristianelliot/




Suicide Zen Forgiveness Stories re Suicide Loss | Ideation | Mental Health | Offering Hope |Empathy for All website

©2025-2018 Elaine Lindsay SZF42.com All rights reserved.

https://suicide-zen-forgiveness.captivate.fm/episode/a-journey-of-growth-christian-elliot-on-homeschooling-and-emotional-intelligence

Elaine Lindsay

Explicit

Transcript
Speaker:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: Shattering

stigma igniting Hope I'M, Elaine

2

:

lindsay and my mission is to end

the stigma and the shame surrounding

3

:

suicide ideation and mental health.

4

:

We talk about the hard stuff because

asking for help should be as.

5

:

ordering coffee.

6

:

Here we share real stories from

those who've lost someone survived

7

:

an attempt , live with ideation or

battle mental health challenges.

8

:

Because sharing your burden

can lighten the load . Please

9

:

note, suicide zen forgiveness.

10

:

The podcast is for education only.

11

:

Some of the subject matter could be

triggering for those who are either

12

:

grieving or having mental health problems.

13

:

If you are in North America, you can

text 9 8 8 for immediate support.

14

:

And if you are elsewhere, please reach

out to your local suicide hotline for

15

:

mental health service, you matter.

16

:

My aim is to normalize the

conversation so you feel safe

17

:

enough to speak up and ask for help.

18

:

So now let's start the show.

19

:

Hello there, and I'm very

happy to be back with you.

20

:

I am Elaine Lindsay,

and this is Suicide Zen

21

:

Forgiveness.

22

:

Today my guest is Christian Elliott.

23

:

Hi there.

24

:

Christian Elliot: Hello there.

25

:

Thanks for having me.

26

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: Oh I'm very

happy to have you come on the show.

27

:

We're going to jump right ahead in

and give you a chance to tell us a

28

:

little bit about you and what you

do, and then we'll get into the story

29

:

that you're gonna share with us today,

and we'll just we'll go from there.

30

:

So Christian, tell us about you.

31

:

Christian Elliot: Thanks

for the opportunity.

32

:

So yeah, so she said, my name's Christian.

33

:

I've been a professional health

coach for about 20 years.

34

:

My sweet spot is really just helping

people find the reasons why they're sick.

35

:

I go after root causes and.

36

:

One of the things I've identified over

the years is that it's often just the

37

:

mental, emotional, spiritual realm as much

or more than it is the physical realm.

38

:

And so my background is as much in

nutrition and fitness and then holistic

39

:

health with alternative practitioners.

40

:

And really, we built a

team of wellness people.

41

:

And then in 2017 we just transitioned

to virtual coaching and really

42

:

I grew my business around life

coaching and relational coaching

43

:

and helping people overcome.

44

:

The big mental and emotional

toxins that are often what bog

45

:

people down and steal their joy.

46

:

It steals their motivation.

47

:

It steals their will to try and it

fills with them instead with who cares?

48

:

Why bother?

49

:

What does it matter if I

do or don't do this thing?

50

:

And sometimes it's just simple little.

51

:

Motivation fluctuations

that people go through.

52

:

And other times it's, existential crises

and fear that there's no point and that

53

:

there's no believable outcome that's

good enough or that would be possible.

54

:

And so I just don't pursue with enough

intent or enough with energy, the things

55

:

of that would lead to a better life.

56

:

And so that is really a lot of what

I do on the day-to-day is we've got,

57

:

several different themed coaching

calls throughout the week, and

58

:

one of them is specifically for.

59

:

Emotional and relational intelligence

to help people have really just a

60

:

safe space to talk about the ups and

downs of life and where we got these

61

:

ideas that we live by and the core

stories we're telling ourselves.

62

:

And so that's a little window

into what I do on the day to day.

63

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: Thank you.

64

:

I appreciate that.

65

:

And I'm sure within that, that spirit

of influence you cover probably a

66

:

lot of grief with people as well.

67

:

Grief can hit us through something

as horrific as suicide loss or

68

:

ideation or our own mental health.

69

:

It can also be the loss of

a job, the loss of a pet.

70

:

All of these things can cause us to.

71

:

Allow grief to take over.

72

:

And that's why Thank you.

73

:

We need coaches and mentors and people

who help you deal with these things

74

:

that although our day to day can be.

75

:

A huge stopping block in our lives.

76

:

I'm definitely one who knows that

because I basically sat on the edge of

77

:

my life for almost 40 years and that's

no way to keep on living for sure.

78

:

I.

79

:

We talked for just a few minutes

before you came on, and we touched

80

:

on the fact that your community, I

guess it's children that are being

81

:

taught has recently suffered a loss.

82

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah, it was our,

we have a homeschool community that

83

:

we've belonged to for several years,

and recently there was a there's

84

:

a family that is part of that.

85

:

Community.

86

:

And during the school day, they

got word that the dad in the family

87

:

committed suicide and he had just

been, at church the day before.

88

:

And so there's this wave of shock

that went through a campus of,

89

:

dozens and dozens of people.

90

:

Wow.

91

:

And, it word spreads quickly and

leaves all sorts of question marks for.

92

:

So many people of so many ages.

93

:

And so yeah, we've had to we've had a

handful of conversations around here

94

:

that have been just reminding us of

what's important in life and to not take

95

:

things for granted, to not leave things

unsaid and to just have a little bit

96

:

more attunement to other people's needs.

97

:

And just the genuine recognition

that everyone you meet is

98

:

going through something and.

99

:

Just because they may put on a face on

the outside doesn't mean there's not

100

:

something significant going on underneath.

101

:

So yeah, that's, that one hit home in a

different way than hearing about it on

102

:

the news or hearing the statistics of it.

103

:

It's just that, yeah, it's

more personal that way.

104

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: I'm gonna

stop you there and do forgive me but

105

:

this is something we run into a lot

is the languaging around suicide.

106

:

Has.

107

:

Changed.

108

:

And sadly it's so recent that I've been

talking about this with our community

109

:

because it's been happening an awful lot.

110

:

The term committed suicide.

111

:

That was an actual fact.

112

:

It wasn't just something we said,

it was said because attempting

113

:

suicide was in fact a crime.

114

:

And in the United States, most

of the states gave it up as a

115

:

crime in this 1966, I believe.

116

:

And here in Canada, we gave it up in 72.

117

:

As people who watched the show know, I

t my friend new Year's Eve of:

118

:

And in fact, part of.

119

:

My angst and my reluctance to

deal with this was because people

120

:

still considered it a crime.

121

:

People are very easily triggered now,

and we all have to be more cognizant of

122

:

the things that hurt those that are left

behind because no one wants to feel that.

123

:

Their loved one is a criminal.

124

:

And the fact is, for those 40 years that

I talked about, the silence, the stigma,

125

:

and the shame surrounding suicide has

kept people like me, tons of people quiet

126

:

about the people that we have lost, and I

really thank you very much for allowing me

127

:

to share that with you and let you know.

128

:

You know what the changes are.

129

:

I will say this and the very sad

thing is it is still on the books in

130

:

Virginia to this day, and there are

many other countries around the world.

131

:

That attempted suicide is

still considered a crime.

132

:

We all hope that one day, that

in itself will change, but for

133

:

now we do what we can here.

134

:

And I'm sorry to interrupt you as I did,

do you deal with the children that are

135

:

homeschooled, I would assume are all ages.

136

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah,

there's quite a range.

137

:

It goes from, basically kindergarten

through 12, and so there's no I don't

138

:

think any age that was, I don't know

the, how all the families handled it,

139

:

but yeah, pretty much families of any,

or kids of any age had to deal with the,

140

:

the quick spread of concerning news and

sobs and yeah, and just questions of.

141

:

Why are people crying and what's going on?

142

:

And that's, yeah, it's

ever fun and ever expected.

143

:

And but it's, in some ways it's,

it has bonded people to each other

144

:

in ways that, you need support

when things like that happened.

145

:

And yeah it's, that was

a heavy one to deal with.

146

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: Oh, absolutely.

147

:

And I know.

148

:

I very quickly said to you before it's

one thing when you're coaching people

149

:

through grief and helping people with

loss and with challenges with their mental

150

:

health, but it takes on a whole different

nuance when it comes very close to home.

151

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah, no,

it floors you a little bit.

152

:

When I first heard that, it's

just you and they didn't drop the

153

:

phone, but you have a moment of.

154

:

I don't have words for this.

155

:

I don't know, I don't, there wasn't

a context for someone doing something

156

:

like that within our community.

157

:

And so you just, you take a deeper

breath, you take a breath where your eyes

158

:

water and you just shake your head and

say, what in the world just happened?

159

:

And yeah, there's initially for, at

least for me and probably my family,

160

:

there was more silence and questions.

161

:

Silence before questions even came and

just, the hug and the appreciation for

162

:

those of us that are still here and that,

wow, if none of us saw that coming, what,

163

:

who, are there any, is there anybody else

we know who may have something like that?

164

:

And what could we do to bring hope

and perspective and healing to our

165

:

community through something like that?

166

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: That is,

that's such a wonderful response because

167

:

the first response is always shock.

168

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah.

169

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna:

Know in, in denial.

170

:

And it just like, how could this

be asking the questions that people

171

:

will forever ask, what did we miss?

172

:

What did we not see?

173

:

How did we not know

174

:

That he felt that way.

175

:

And the fact is.

176

:

You are never gonna get the

answers to those questions.

177

:

We just don't.

178

:

But what it does do is open the

door for more conversations.

179

:

Even at the young child level

of what are the thoughts that

180

:

go through people's heads?

181

:

Because quite often in the case

of ideation, I was a child,

182

:

I didn't know what it was.

183

:

I had no idea why.

184

:

Sometimes if something went wrong, if

I burnt my toast or I didn't get a,

185

:

an a on an exam, part of me thought,

oh, then I should just exit this life.

186

:

There was, it didn't make any

sense to me, but I didn't know that

187

:

other people didn't feel that way.

188

:

And, I'm a baby boomer, so the time I

was a child, things were very different.

189

:

And you sure didn't say things out loud.

190

:

You saw what happened to people who did,

and that made us all that much quieter.

191

:

For now, it is so important.

192

:

I don't know about in your coaching,

but being able to speak about

193

:

suicide and being able to ask people.

194

:

How their mental health is

probably one of the biggest ways

195

:

you can help with prevention.

196

:

Just as a neighbor, a

friend, a schoolmate.

197

:

Just checking in on those around

you is one of those things.

198

:

I don't think we do enough.

199

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah

I would agree with you.

200

:

I like to think a large part of

my work is as much a dispenser

201

:

of hope as it is anything else.

202

:

And I I'm dependably positive.

203

:

I am very difficult to discourage,

and I think people can sense that

204

:

it's not manufactured, that there's

some place that comes from and.

205

:

For them to be curious, to have

a con, like if you're in that

206

:

funk, to have a contrary example

that people can live in that head

207

:

space and there is reason to hope.

208

:

And so part of what, if I have

any effectiveness in that arena,

209

:

it's as much holding space for and

listening to people's hard stories

210

:

and often those hard stories.

211

:

Go back to early childhood events.

212

:

That could be traumas, that could be

bullies, that could be self images or

213

:

scary things that happened that weren't

really, had nothing to do with them.

214

:

Just scared them.

215

:

And so often the will to try gets

beat down early enough in life.

216

:

And then when there's a fear to make

an effort it starts to, we shrink.

217

:

We live smaller lives and

we are afraid to take risks.

218

:

And part of the way I.

219

:

Out of that is seeing what I like to

collect what I call outlier stories.

220

:

I like to collect extreme examples of

people who overcame some of the most

221

:

difficult circumstances you could imagine.

222

:

And with enough of those kind of

almost at the ready you it's easier

223

:

sometimes to paint a picture for someone

of what the human spirit is capable

224

:

of overcoming and when they find a

strong enough why, when they find a.

225

:

Belief that, and maybe it's a long shot,

but it's still possible and people like

226

:

me have overcome something like this.

227

:

Maybe I could do it too.

228

:

And that often is the way into a, a little

bit different gear of will, a little bit

229

:

different juice for Life that will help

them find the will to go on for that day.

230

:

And a lot of times there's those

waves of overwhelming, you surf them

231

:

and they pass or those waves of.

232

:

Whatever that fear is.

233

:

Yeah.

234

:

It's, they're not permanent,

they're just, they just needed

235

:

space for somebody to listen.

236

:

They just needed belief that things could

be different and some sort of direction

237

:

of where to aim myself so that I can

increase my odds and find some hope.

238

:

And yeah I I, whether it's just

giving them examples or whether

239

:

I go from a Christian perspective

as well, so I can ground their.

240

:

I can ground a discussion in kinda the

first principles of life and what this

241

:

whole thing is about and what happens.

242

:

Where did we come from and where do we

go and what makes this life worth it?

243

:

And it makes it so much easier to find

the question because I know human nature

244

:

well, that can get somebody talking.

245

:

And often when they're, when they've just

been heard, suddenly they feel different.

246

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: That is so true.

247

:

Being seen and heard is truly

the most important thing you

248

:

can do for another human being.

249

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah, I agree.

250

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: And the other

thing is, of course, saying their name.

251

:

I think it was Andrew Carnegie who

said the sweetest sound to any human

252

:

being is the sound of their own name.

253

:

And sometimes that is simply.

254

:

The validation that you are seeing.

255

:

Music: Yep.

256

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna:

That you are heard.

257

:

And that can definitely be so powerful.

258

:

So I'm really I'm really

curious as to what got you into

259

:

the homeschooling space and.

260

:

Are you able to bring in your religion

as well as knowledge and teachings and

261

:

what have you for the children, it must

be rewarding to have a community in which

262

:

your children are thriving that way.

263

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah, I

think that's an accurate word.

264

:

It has been such a blessing

to us on so many levels.

265

:

It is a sacrifice.

266

:

It's not to say there is no difficulty

or it's not work, it is effort.

267

:

But we look at it there.

268

:

We jokingly say, and that's reason

number 468, why we chose homeschooling.

269

:

There's, there are so many things about

the public school system that just

270

:

make no sense to us, that just seem.

271

:

I get you.

272

:

It's like I, I now jokingly refer

to it as indoctrination daycare.

273

:

They just go away and you put in

18 years of hard work and then, and

274

:

they're gone and you missed a lot of it.

275

:

And so we get a lot more time

and influence and it's just

276

:

a very different experience.

277

:

Our kids run around this

neighborhood we live in and the.

278

:

Except people refer to

them as old fashioned kids.

279

:

They often don't have shoes

on, and they're not riding

280

:

e-bikes and staring at screens.

281

:

And they, at all different ages

will engage anyone at any age.

282

:

They're not intimidated.

283

:

They're just, yeah,

they're well adjusted kids.

284

:

And to watch them go through that.

285

:

It has been I wish I could go

back and be one of my own kids.

286

:

I, it just the education

they got or they get is.

287

:

So much different and they're so

much more confident and they don't

288

:

have it's like we, we skipped, we

traded some time for a lot of drama.

289

:

We don't have.

290

:

Drama.

291

:

I, my kids, so far, my teenagers

have never hit a rebellious face.

292

:

Like it's not a thing.

293

:

And part of that is, is, the curriculum

to your question about does my, do our

294

:

worldview or our values get interspersed?

295

:

Yeah.

296

:

That's we picked a, it's called Classical

Conversations and it is a Christian based.

297

:

Curriculum and they, there's a co-op

that meets weekly and they, we just have

298

:

a curriculum built around all of these

different disciplines are pointing us

299

:

back to the creator and that they develop

debate skills and reasoning skills

300

:

and they defend their topics and they

do mock trials and they've memorized.

301

:

More things than you could possibly

imagine that you'd want to have on recall.

302

:

And they have, as they grow, they

have context for these, this giant

303

:

timeline of history they've memorized.

304

:

So yeah it's a very different experience.

305

:

And that ability for them to bond, I

think in many ways is a, is would be

306

:

a bulwark against the heaviness of the

topic that we're talking about today.

307

:

Because they're in rich

community and they're.

308

:

Every week they get to, no matter the age,

they have to present something and they

309

:

just get so confident in front of other

people that it's not weird and they get

310

:

to push each other's ability to reason

and have people skills and on and yeah.

311

:

So yeah, it's been a

rich experience for us.

312

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: And how

long has the community existed?

313

:

Christian Elliot: This curriculum

is, it's all over the world, so

314

:

it's not unique to where we are.

315

:

Yeah.

316

:

But it's existed before.

317

:

My daughter is graduating

now in high from high school.

318

:

She's 18.

319

:

So it existed when we started, I don't

know how far back it goes before that.

320

:

But our campus is several years old.

321

:

We've been at this one for four years.

322

:

And so yeah, it's just been wonderful.

323

:

It's what you would want

education to be where families.

324

:

The families in our community

have bonded so well because you

325

:

don't, if you're homeschool, you're

already sharing a lot of values.

326

:

You, yeah.

327

:

You do it for the freedom, you do it to

be able to shape your kids' education.

328

:

You do it for so many reasons, and

yeah, so it's been a great experience.

329

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: Wow.

330

:

It sounds wonderful.

331

:

And I can relate to the no

shoes in summers as a child.

332

:

You

333

:

Music: know,

334

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: playing in

the ravines in Toronto we were out of

335

:

doors from the minute we could get out

until the very last little beam of light.

336

:

Christian Elliot: Good for you.

337

:

Yeah.

338

:

Yeah.

339

:

That sounds like my kids.

340

:

Yeah.

341

:

Where are they?

342

:

They're somewhere in the neighborhood.

343

:

Yeah.

344

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: Oh my God.

345

:

There was so much to see and do.

346

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah.

347

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: And so

they, there's no, they have no.

348

:

Electronics they have

none of that, or well,

349

:

Christian Elliot: well, personally,

my wife and I have, we've created

350

:

a more of a limited media diet.

351

:

You could, like we have our kids, our

teenagers more or less have dumb phones.

352

:

That're not, yeah, we don't.

353

:

But they have computers and they

have schoolwork they need to do,

354

:

so they do access the internet.

355

:

But we've curated a home where our

technology is not an appendage to us.

356

:

Our kids don't have electronic

bikes and scooters and whatever.

357

:

They have to power them themselves,

and they but they don't get

358

:

extended screen time privileges.

359

:

They get it confined into a

little box that's playful.

360

:

And so we don't watch a lot of

television and we, we can play video

361

:

games a little bit on the weekends

and but we're more interested in

362

:

quality time and growing them up with.

363

:

Privacy focused technology

that serves them rather than

364

:

mind controls and manipulates.

365

:

And they're just another commodity.

366

:

And I can't tell you the number of

places we go where you just see four

367

:

teenagers sitting at a table and they're

all looking at their phone and they, my

368

:

kids are just like the ones, you're like,

gee, I don't want one of those phones.

369

:

I don't wanna be that kid.

370

:

Yeah, just people just can't, even adults.

371

:

We can't get away from this.

372

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna:

Yeah, I was gonna say that.

373

:

I was gonna say it's

not even just the kids.

374

:

Yeah, it's the adults too.

375

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah.

376

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: Okay.

377

:

I can't tell you how many times

two days ago, we were out in the

378

:

car and we had to stop three times

because someone was crossing the

379

:

road who was looking at their phone.

380

:

They weren't looking at the cars that were

on the road, and they had earbuds in and.

381

:

I'm a real nervous Nellie.

382

:

There's no way I could walk around

with earbuds because if someone

383

:

came up behind me, I'd jump 40 feet.

384

:

But that whole concept

to me is just bizarre.

385

:

And although my grandkids have

all the bells and whistles,

386

:

they're into all the technology.

387

:

My daughter-in-law is a personal trainer

who specializes in pediatrics and what

388

:

have you, and the kids only get to

play video games or do anything like

389

:

that if they are on the trampoline.

390

:

Oh, there must be some exercise happening

if they're gonna be doing something.

391

:

And it's actually interesting

because they have incredible.

392

:

The hand-eye coordination and muscle

control because they're having

393

:

to do all this at the same time.

394

:

The kids always wanna go outside.

395

:

There's no, we're not seeing, I,

I do know people whose kids have

396

:

no interest in the out of doors.

397

:

It's, it's just, stick with the screens.

398

:

But I, I think that's, I think

it's important for parents to.

399

:

To limit all of that stuff.

400

:

For some people it's a babysitter.

401

:

It's not a, it's not

about the screen time.

402

:

It's about letting the

adults do what they wanna do.

403

:

And I don't think that's

viable either, but I think it

404

:

would be really interesting.

405

:

To see any studies done on kids that have

gone through homeschooling for all of

406

:

the formative years and see what their,

I guess what their life paths are like

407

:

and how much more centered they are.

408

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah, they are, and

it the curriculum that we've chosen, the

409

:

kids that go through that have no trouble.

410

:

Getting scholarships.

411

:

They're some of the most wooed

and wanted by the colleges because

412

:

they're, that's head and shoulders

above their peers from public school.

413

:

And their confidence, their

ability, their knowledge is deeper.

414

:

And yeah, some of that, just

by nature of homeschool.

415

:

You're going to be around different

ages, which is different from the public

416

:

school where you're just with one age.

417

:

And so you're used to relating to a lot

of people and especially in our, I have

418

:

six kids, so we have a lot of different

ages and they're used to being around

419

:

all it, so you just get, it sharpens you

faster, I think in a community where.

420

:

You're with different ages and

you have to, when you're older,

421

:

you have to manage your strength.

422

:

And when you're younger, you have to have

some confidence to speak up for yourself.

423

:

And Yeah.

424

:

And those, it just comes naturally

because you're used to talking and the

425

:

camp the classes are intentionally small.

426

:

So that every kid gets

floor time and that's, yeah.

427

:

Yeah.

428

:

It really does turn out a very

different kid and, so I can't

429

:

speak highly enough of it.

430

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna:

It sounds wonderful.

431

:

It really does.

432

:

I don't know.

433

:

I don't know what the feasibility

is for all communities to morph

434

:

into a more homeschooled system.

435

:

Based on.

436

:

Like in my head, it's fairly simplistic.

437

:

Covid allowed for people to work

remotely and work hybrid sometimes

438

:

at home, sometimes at the office.

439

:

I don't see why you couldn't extend

that to homeschooling as well.

440

:

So many parents were left

scrambling during Covid.

441

:

Because all of a sudden, they

still had to go to work, but their

442

:

children, one child had covid, which

meant the whole class went home.

443

:

For two weeks.

444

:

And the parents had to scramble and try

and see how they could manage that because

445

:

there's only so many sitters to go around.

446

:

And if you're

447

:

Not used to getting sitters all day,

if your kids are in, middle school.

448

:

This is not something that it falls

within your purview on a day-to-day basis.

449

:

There was an awful lot of scrambling,

certainly here in Canada and

450

:

and our friends in the states

say this said the same thing.

451

:

It was it was very difficult to deal with.

452

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah.

453

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: I

suppose it'd be a little different

454

:

within the community because.

455

:

It is a little more insular.

456

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah.

457

:

Yeah.

458

:

Our life was not disrupted

much at all by Covid.

459

:

It was, I work from home.

460

:

My kids are homeschooled, and

it was just, it was a little bit

461

:

different because there were fewer

people out and that, some of the,

462

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: yeah,

463

:

Christian Elliot: different places

were closed for a while, but yeah,

464

:

we were just, we're just used to

being together anyway, and so it

465

:

made life sweeter because we had.

466

:

Less stress and less crowds and

all the other, so that's true.

467

:

Yeah.

468

:

It, there's some updates.

469

:

A lot of people wonder if they

have what it takes to do it

470

:

or how I never could do that.

471

:

Yeah.

472

:

I'm not a professional educator,

but I would challenge those notions.

473

:

No one is going to love

your kids more than you do.

474

:

And you don't have to know everything.

475

:

You just have to know where to point them

and what the tools are and how to build

476

:

community and or where to find community.

477

:

And it is not easy to do it by yourself,

but you don't need to do it by yourself.

478

:

And each of our kids have different tutors

and that's baked into the experience.

479

:

And they largely become self-motivated

because they wanna do it for their peers.

480

:

They want to do it because they

represent themselves and their family.

481

:

And so we haven't had.

482

:

The lazy kid who just won't do the work.

483

:

That's just not a thing.

484

:

Who'd rather be on the phone and

watch cartoons or play games or

485

:

they just, it's not, it's you just

get a completely different culture.

486

:

Yeah.

487

:

And that they don't

know anything different.

488

:

So to them, the public schoolers

are the weird kids, they go, how

489

:

come they're always on their phone?

490

:

Why does nobody make eye contact?

491

:

How come they can't talk to people?

492

:

They're just all quiet and they

493

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna:

don't know how to say hello.

494

:

Christian Elliot: And to them it's

the majority is the weird part.

495

:

So yeah it can be if one when you don't

know anything different it's just, yeah.

496

:

A whole different ball game.

497

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna:

Actually, it sounds lovely.

498

:

It really does.

499

:

I know I'm not a patient person.

500

:

Music: Yeah.

501

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: So I don't

think I would make a good homeschooler.

502

:

Christian Elliot: You, you'd develop

patience because you would have to,

503

:

and you would lean into it because of

the mission is worth it because of who

504

:

you become in the process and because.

505

:

I, I'm not going to abdicate

a sacred duty because I tell

506

:

myself I'm not a patient person.

507

:

The patience isn't like something

that you are, you're either

508

:

zinged with it or you're not.

509

:

It's a virtue to cultivate.

510

:

It's like any other discipline or virtue.

511

:

It's not, you don't max it out.

512

:

You just get a little better at it.

513

:

You become a little more self-aware,

and you become a little bit more, you

514

:

be a little slower to speak, quicker

to listen, a little less judgmental.

515

:

You stop reasoning from

unverified assumptions and you.

516

:

Take a deep breath and

say okay, that happened.

517

:

Now what can I do about it?

518

:

And it is an invitation to think

about life at a systems level.

519

:

It's an invitation to think

about life from a different

520

:

angle or a different scenario.

521

:

Yeah.

522

:

Who would I have to become to

be patient in this scenario?

523

:

And sure enough, there's an answer

to those types of questions.

524

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: That

is, that's so interesting.

525

:

It's not something we,

we thought of for long.

526

:

Our kids or our kids are nine years apart.

527

:

So it, it was different with both of them.

528

:

I suppose it, it depends

on where you are as well.

529

:

It would be,

530

:

actually, it might be easier for people

to do it up here because we have six

531

:

or seven months of the year where.

532

:

There are days you can't

get out of your house.

533

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah, I bet.

534

:

As cold as it is where

you aren't Oh, yeah.

535

:

Might yeah.

536

:

It saves gas money, it saves the stress

of just whatever, PTA meetings, teacher

537

:

drama, bullies in school there's so like

just the whole health freedom puzzle

538

:

and navigating curriculum that you

may or may not want your kids seeing.

539

:

And there's just.

540

:

It's just a, it's freedom from

so many scenarios that you'll,

541

:

you can just like opt out, don't

have to bother with that one.

542

:

Yeah.

543

:

Yeah.

544

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: And is

this something you and your wife

545

:

had planned before you had children?

546

:

Christian Elliot: Not necessarily

my, so here it played out

547

:

my I'm the oldest of four.

548

:

My two younger siblings

finished out there.

549

:

Schooling as homeschoolers.

550

:

I didn't ever homeschool myself,

but my siblings did, and I started

551

:

seeing compelling arguments, like the

difference in the education quality

552

:

was remarkable from what I got.

553

:

And to see what

homeschooling could become.

554

:

There was a.

555

:

We went and visited a campus to just

get a sense of what is this and do,

556

:

is this something we would consider?

557

:

And there were a few

things that were said.

558

:

It was like, wow.

559

:

Like one of them was we're

redeeming two generations at once.

560

:

Like it's taking the education you didn't

get and you get to almost go through it.

561

:

And you get to take your kid through it.

562

:

And that spoke to me.

563

:

And then the recognition that

you can't mess up kindergarten,

564

:

you can't mess up first grade.

565

:

Like I definitely can teach that.

566

:

And so my wife said, okay, I'll do

this for a year and if I don't mess

567

:

it up, I'll consider a second year.

568

:

And umpteen years later,

we're still doing it because.

569

:

It's it the path that you just,

your skills grow as they grow.

570

:

Yeah.

571

:

And it's not like you don't need to

know how to homeschool a high schooler

572

:

when you only have a 5-year-old that

you'll figure that out on the way there.

573

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: Yeah.

574

:

Christian Elliot: And yeah, we're

graduating a senior this year and we have

575

:

a son in ninth grade and they're thriving.

576

:

And it's not because we became.

577

:

High school teachers, it's because we

found a system in a community where

578

:

they're largely self-directed and they

have peers that are responsible for the

579

:

same things and they have a di a a tutor

that works with the group of them and

580

:

keeps them on task and they get, they look

forward to meeting each other every week.

581

:

And so it's, yeah, it really is a very

different setting and a different mindset.

582

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: Yeah,

I was gonna say, it's not.

583

:

It's not, I think what people think of

when they think homeschool being stuck

584

:

at the table in the kitchen with your

four kids and like from kindergarten to

585

:

grade 12 which is obviously something

very different when you're talking

586

:

tutors and getting together and

587

:

You're talking about, about a

whole different system, which

588

:

I think is really interesting.

589

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah.

590

:

There were people that were, that

believed in it so much that I.

591

:

Not surprisingly, they took the time

to think of how to make this doable

592

:

for families or for large families.

593

:

And yeah, how to not pretend that mom can

teach six classes at once at the table.

594

:

That was never the model I.

595

:

But that's what we think of because

of what we know is public school,

596

:

and it's, that's what you do.

597

:

There's one sage and there's a 30

kids, and everybody hears the same

598

:

thing, and you go with the spade

of the slowest student in the room,

599

:

and we don't have to do any of that.

600

:

And some things they, what's fun too

is they're learning from each other.

601

:

Like the third grader helps the first

grader and they're, yeah, they see

602

:

the things that are coming and so

they're a little ahead when it's their

603

:

turn and it's just not that hard.

604

:

But they each, they have their worksheets.

605

:

My wife typically has.

606

:

The way our kids are spaced

about two at a time that involve

607

:

her day from about nine to two.

608

:

They're, she's working

with the two of them.

609

:

The other two were self directed.

610

:

The other two are too small to,

they're just there making messes

611

:

and we're cleaning them up.

612

:

So that's just part of the way it runs.

613

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: Yeah.

614

:

Wow.

615

:

That, that, you've given me so much

to think about because I obviously

616

:

had no concept what was involved here.

617

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah, I can keep

going, but I'll let you guide me.

618

:

Yeah.

619

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna:

Truly fascinating.

620

:

And you're your own work, obviously

you have time for that as well.

621

:

Christian Elliot: Yes.

622

:

Yeah, I have an office and sometimes it's

quiet in the house and other times it's

623

:

not as quiet, but I have noise canceling

headphones and there's a coffee shop

624

:

nearby if I really need to get away.

625

:

And yeah.

626

:

But we as a, I.

627

:

What's so fun about being a coach for

me is I've had to eat my own cooking.

628

:

I've had to solve problems for other

people that I need solved myself.

629

:

And one of those big ones is

a system that runs the home.

630

:

So it's not two versus six, and we're

just, my wife and I are responsible

631

:

for everything, and they're just

freeloaders who don't contribute.

632

:

And we wanna raise competent humans

who are well adjusted and have skills

633

:

when they leave the house, not.

634

:

Are, dependent and, expecting everyone

to just meet their needs all the time.

635

:

Now you have, you're a contributor in this

family, and we expect things of you, and

636

:

we're not gonna praise you for brushing

your teeth or for making us dinner.

637

:

And that's part of the gig and

taking out the trash is you

638

:

don't get, allowance for that.

639

:

That's called.

640

:

Contributing to the family and, but we've

figured out the systems that run the home

641

:

and they're, no, they're not perfect.

642

:

'cause kids are not always plantable,

but by and large they work and we do

643

:

get the trash out and the dishes do

get done and the laundry's folded and

644

:

the things it takes to run a home.

645

:

Done well distributed, leave

time for family and play and

646

:

yeah,

647

:

meaningful experiences.

648

:

And I had to solve that

problem as a coach.

649

:

And I had to solve it for myself.

650

:

And so what's so fun about being a coach

is when I see, oh, I needed that advice.

651

:

I just gave that person.

652

:

That happens all the time.

653

:

And it's just part of like eventually

you start to become a very quick study at

654

:

finding the challenges that people really

have, whether it's mental, whether it's

655

:

spiritual, whether it's physical, whether

it's logistical, it could be any of those.

656

:

And they're not impossible

puzzles to solve.

657

:

They're just.

658

:

The next one, but there what I love to

aspire to is to call myself a systems

659

:

level or first principle thinker.

660

:

I wanna operate from the first

principle where the idea being, there's

661

:

nothing that comes before this, right?

662

:

Yeah.

663

:

Water runs downhill is an easy one.

664

:

There will always be

things that are dependable.

665

:

With dependable things, as far as I could

tell, the kids get hungry every day.

666

:

They don't, there's no day off where

they don't like, just, dad, you

667

:

don't need to worry about Sundays.

668

:

We won't eat.

669

:

That's gonna happen every day.

670

:

I probably should have a system like

dinner should not sneak up on us.

671

:

Like what?

672

:

It's it, the kids are hungry again.

673

:

There ought to be a system for

otherwise we have no underwear and.

674

:

Food.

675

:

Yeah.

676

:

Yeah.

677

:

So anyway there's a lot of different

examples of that kind of thing, but

678

:

that, that has made me a better coach and

hopefully a better person in the process.

679

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: Yeah.

680

:

It, I'm laughing, but I'm laughing

because it's, it makes so much sense.

681

:

Yeah.

682

:

They don't stop.

683

:

They do eat every day.

684

:

They change their clothes every day.

685

:

They sleep every day.

686

:

All of those things

have to happen, whether.

687

:

Whether we enjoy them or whether

we're farming them out or not.

688

:

Yeah.

689

:

And it makes more sense to

have everybody contribute.

690

:

Yeah.

691

:

Because never lived in that

type of a community, but our

692

:

whole family always contributed.

693

:

Because that's how I was brought up.

694

:

And it just it makes the work easier.

695

:

But also it does, it gives you

more time for the fun stuff.

696

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah.

697

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: And my

grandmother used to say, needs must.

698

:

Christian Elliot: What

did she mean by that?

699

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: It always,

I always was what on earth is that?

700

:

She say, if something

really needs to happen.

701

:

Then you will find that it must go on.

702

:

It must happen for you and you will

find yourself doing what you need Yeah.

703

:

In order to go forward.

704

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah.

705

:

And

706

:

that's my sentiment saying,

707

:

and I

708

:

think almost anyone can homeschool.

709

:

It's you do it because I

need to figure this out now.

710

:

I, my kid can't read.

711

:

Okay.

712

:

I'm not just be like, nevermind.

713

:

It's probably not important.

714

:

Like you're gonna figure out Yeah.

715

:

What to do to teach them to read.

716

:

And that may mean you experiment,

but the beauty is it's your kid and

717

:

you are invested in their growth,

whereas maybe somebody else isn't

718

:

so invested or likely someone isn't.

719

:

So

720

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: it's true.

721

:

And we came from Scotland

722

:

To

723

:

Canada.

724

:

When I was three and before I ever

went to kindergarten, I came from

725

:

a place that expected the parents.

726

:

To teach you your name, your

address, how to write, how to read.

727

:

That was part of their job as parents.

728

:

And somewhere along the way I think we

messed that up or lost it in some form.

729

:

And so much has been put on teachers who.

730

:

Don't have any real skin in the game.

731

:

I'm, and I'm not saying

teachers That's not disparaging.

732

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah.

733

:

It's just real.

734

:

Or they can't have skin

in the game for 30 kids.

735

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: Exactly.

736

:

It's too many.

737

:

Yeah, exactly.

738

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah.

739

:

But at home, like we, we get

to invest in our kids and we

740

:

use that word intentionally.

741

:

It's, I really, it occurred to me

years ago that chore time and parenting

742

:

don't have to be separate things like.

743

:

Teaching our kids to do dishes

and yeah, and to do life with them

744

:

is parenting and it is modeling.

745

:

It does teach, and I want them to

struggle to scratch the crusty stuff

746

:

off a plate or a, clean out the trash

can because I want them to learn.

747

:

They can do hard things and they don't

get a free pass when something gets hard.

748

:

And I get to be there with them

more frequently because I'm home

749

:

and because they're home and there,

there's a confidence you get when you.

750

:

Realize you can do hard things.

751

:

It was fun.

752

:

My, my oldest son has

a lawnmowing business.

753

:

He's 15, he's had it for four years,

and he was the cute little kid that

754

:

was, half pine, running around the

neighborhood, pushing this giant lawnmower

755

:

and crying and sweating and this is

hard and it's hot and there's bugs

756

:

and I don't know if I could do this.

757

:

And there's too many

people and now he's fine.

758

:

But he wouldn't have had

that confidence had he not.

759

:

We didn't give him like,

sorry, you gotta mow the yard.

760

:

Sorry.

761

:

You better get going

'cause it's gonna get dark.

762

:

Yeah.

763

:

So you can cry about it, but

you still gotta get it done.

764

:

So should we just start?

765

:

And sure enough, it toughens them up.

766

:

They realize, okay, hard work is

valuable and now he's gotta buy

767

:

his own car before he is even 16.

768

:

So he's, yeah.

769

:

There's something beautiful about

being able to gift your kids.

770

:

The, another phrase that was

really helpful is the gift

771

:

of an extended childhood.

772

:

Yeah.

773

:

They don't have to grow up

and face the bully so fast.

774

:

They don't have to fit some other

mold of where they're supposed to

775

:

be, and they can grow their pace and

not get just the peer pressure that

776

:

comes in those giant institutions.

777

:

It just forces things into their

awareness that they don't need yet.

778

:

Absolutely.

779

:

Yeah.

780

:

So that's another gift

we found from homeschool.

781

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna:

Now, if you wanna ask a couple

782

:

of tough questions, so Sure.

783

:

Within this framework.

784

:

What about kids that have a mental health

issue, that struggle with something?

785

:

How does that work within

the community or within?

786

:

A family.

787

:

Is there collective help for that and

or is it less, happens less often?

788

:

Christian Elliot: Yeah.

789

:

That really would depend on

the campus, the curriculum,

790

:

the who's in what community.

791

:

So a special needs kid is, wouldn't

necessarily do as well in the

792

:

model that we're talking about.

793

:

But if I had a special needs kid,

I doesn't mean I, I wouldn't have

794

:

other options that I could pursue.

795

:

Okay.

796

:

For something like that, it just, I

don't have that scenario, so I don't,

797

:

I haven't had to find those options.

798

:

But I know they exist and I

know there are like friends in

799

:

our neighborhood that had have.

800

:

Type kids like that and you find other

caretakers, you find other ways to

801

:

support them, and they get to learn at

and grow at their pace and find the tutor

802

:

that, that can make all the difference.

803

:

So it's, it allows for a level of

personalization that is harder to find,

804

:

I think, in the arena of public school.

805

:

And if you if your listeners have not

read the, this will come full circle here.

806

:

The book Bad Therapy by Abigail Schreyer.

807

:

It is a damning look at the public

school system and their use of therapy.

808

:

And one of the worst examples is the

social emotional learning and the way that

809

:

they get kids to marinate and navel gaze

in everything hard and everything sad.

810

:

And they have questionnaires about

how often they think about suicide

811

:

and it's just, it's pointing kids

down rather than pulling them up.

812

:

And that is a sickening.

813

:

And you could get, conspiratorial

and say gross development.

814

:

That's weaponized against the populist

for an extraction model of just putting

815

:

kids on meds the rest of their life.

816

:

And as parents, we get to be the

bulwark against that and says, no,

817

:

if I have whatever kid I've got,

I got, that's the one God gave me.

818

:

And so I'll do the best I can with it.

819

:

But to put them in environments that are

dragging them down and traumatizing them.

820

:

I can't allow that to happen as a parent.

821

:

And this therapy world is, has in

many ways gotten a free pass because

822

:

they know the right buzzwords to

sound like they're helping and

823

:

they're actually creating, that's

the reason she named it bad therapy.

824

:

Like I used to think of therapy as this

kind of, this, it was neutral, not not

825

:

helpful at all to Wow, that's a, amazing.

826

:

Now I've expanded the spectrum to the

left, egregiously, weaponized and harmful

827

:

and destructive for kids all the way too.

828

:

Very helpful.

829

:

It, it can go that way.

830

:

And if parents don't have an eye for

what's going on in the school and what

831

:

kind of, whether it's social emotional

learning or any number of other

832

:

therapists that are at schools, they.

833

:

By and large, one of her most compelling

arguments in the book is that we have

834

:

gen developed a generation of snowflakes

and entitled kids and kids who are

835

:

fearful and mom and dad have to go

to their interviews with them because

836

:

they've never learned resilience.

837

:

They've never learned to toughen up.

838

:

And if we want to shift the culture

and diminish this suicide problem,

839

:

that would be a great place to start.

840

:

And some of us, enough of us

just opting out of the system,

841

:

developing a better way and.

842

:

Doing what we've done in homeschool,

and sure enough, you get well adjusted

843

:

humans who are gonna be a boost to

society rather than a drain on it.

844

:

Yeah.

845

:

So anyway, that's an

interesting full circle.

846

:

We came to there

847

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna:

and it certainly is.

848

:

It certainly is.

849

:

So well you've given myself and

our audience a lot to think about.

850

:

I wish you well with all six kids.

851

:

Wow.

852

:

That's thank you.

853

:

That's a whole family.

854

:

Christian Elliot: It is.

855

:

There's a lot of us.

856

:

Yeah,

857

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna: Yeah.

858

:

And there, there used to be.

859

:

In all families there used to be

an awful lot of kids and that may

860

:

be the way we're going back to.

861

:

Who knows?

862

:

I thank you so much for joining me today.

863

:

You're welcome.

864

:

Elaine Christian Elliott, and if you

have questions, you'll be able to

865

:

find down below all the information

about Christian and how to get

866

:

ahold of him and what he does.

867

:

And we'll make sure that you

know exactly how to find him.

868

:

I thank you so much.

869

:

I'm Elaine Lindsay.

870

:

This is suicide and forgiveness.

871

:

We will see you next time, and in the

meantime, I would like you to make the

872

:

very most of your today, every day.

873

:

Bye for now.

874

:

Voiceover: Thank you for being

here for another inspiring episode

875

:

of Suicide Zen Forgiveness.

876

:

We appreciate you tuning in.

877

:

Please subscribe and download on your

favorite service and check out SZF42

878

:

YouTube channel or Facebook community.

879

:

If you have the chance to leave

a five star rating or review,

880

:

it'd be greatly appreciated.

881

:

Please refer this to a friend you

know who may benefit from the hope

882

:

and inspiration from our guests.

883

:

Suicide Zen Forgiveness was brought

to you by the following sponsors.

884

:

TROOL social media, the

digital integration specialists.

885

:

Let them get you rocking page

one in the search results.

886

:

Canada's keynote, humorist Judy Croon,

motivational speaker, comedian, author,

887

:

and standup coach at Second City.

888

:

Judy has been involved for over

a decade in the City Street

889

:

Outreach program in Toronto,

890

:

Elaine @TheDarkPollyanna:

the ultimate podcasting pack.

891

:

This is great for you if you're just

starting your podcast or if you've

892

:

been running it for a while, it's

filled with tools, templates, and

893

:

trainings for starting, growing,

and monetizing your podcast.

894

:

Get access to time saving systems and

strategies for accelerating your process.

895

:

At each step, find new connections

and collaborations in the

896

:

uplifting podcasting community.

897

:

I look forward to seeing you there.

898

:

Voiceover: Do you have a story to share?

899

:

Do you know someone you

think would be a great guest?

900

:

Please go to SZF four two.com

901

:

and for our American listeners,

that's SZF four two.com.

902

:

Thank you for listening and

we hope to see you again.

💡 Tip Jar: Fuel the Mission

Every story shared on SZF42 takes time, tools, and a whole lot of heart. If something here helped you feel seen, heard, or a little less alone, a small tip can help keep this space going. No pressure—just possibility.
Keep the Mic On
A
We haven’t had any Tips yet :( Maybe you could be the first!

Listen for free

Show artwork for Suicide Zen Forgiveness Stories re Suicide Loss | Ideation | Mental Health | Offering Hope |Empathy for All

About the Podcast

Suicide Zen Forgiveness Stories re Suicide Loss | Ideation | Mental Health | Offering Hope |Empathy for All
Shattering Stigma Igniting Hope
Adding empathy and offering hope to end the silence, stigma, and shame. ~Elaine Lindsay©2021

Come along on the transformative journey of ’Suicide Zen Forgiveness,’ where host Elaine Lindsay, a suicide loss survivor and advocate, invites listeners to break the silence about mental health struggles. Elaine wants to remove the shame felt by all who are touched by suicide loss, ideation and mental health. With over 50 years of personal experience, Elaine offers candid conversations, heartfelt stories, and practical insights aimed at ending the stigma and offering hope. Each episode explores themes of resilience, gratitude, and growth, encouraging listeners to navigate life’s challenges with bravery and compassion. Tune in for a blend of wisdom, authenticity, and unwavering support on a group journey of healing, hope, and understanding.
Support This Show

About your host

Profile picture for Elaine Lindsay

Elaine Lindsay