Unspoken Grief

In this episode of the Unspoken Grief podcast, hosts Michael Vinton and Tina Chevalier talk with Eric Kussin, founder of Same Here Global and co-host of the podcast We’re All a Little Crazy, about mental health advocacy, grief, and the harm of simplified narratives. Eric shares his background in professional sports leadership, his debilitating mental health crisis, extensive medication trials, TMS, inpatient hospitalization, and ECT, and how integrative therapy helped him reframe his experience as accumulated chronic stress and trauma. He discusses his brother’s long medical ordeals, the “Five in Five” message that everyone has mental health, concerns about nonprofit and media messaging, and why deaths of despair should be discussed with nuance to support prevention. Eric explains the Same Here hand sign origins, previews his book Diagnosis (out around September), and describes hope through ongoing healing and somatic trauma release988 Lifeline number: https://988lifeline.org/ At the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, we understand that life's challenges can sometimes be complex. Whether you're facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or just need someone to talk to, our caring counselors are here for you. You are not alone. Didi Hirsch Mental Services: didihirsch.org Crisis Text LineText HOME to 741741 Free, 24/7 Mental Health Support  Eric Kussin Email:       eric@samehereglobal.orgWebsite:   https://samehereglobal.org/Instagram: @samehere_globalFacebook: @samehere_globalLinkedIn:  @samehere_globalPodcast:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/were-all-a-little-crazy/id1556305271YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@samehere_global Michael VintonEmail:                info@impactedsurvivors.com Website:    www.michaelvinton.com                  http://www.impactedsurvivors.orgPodcast:    Unspoken Grief IG:            @therealmichaelvintonFB:            Michael VintonLinkedin:   m/ichael-vinton-6702a373IDMB:                Michael Vinton (III)Headshot: Headshot 1                 Headshot 2 Tina ChevalierEmail:                Tina@impactedsurvivors.com Website:    www.impactedsurvivors.org Podcast:   Unspoken GriefIG:            @impactedsurvivorsofmsFB:            FacebookHeadshot; Headshot

Hosts Michael Vinton and Tina Chevalier welcome “Anonymous Daughter”, who lost her parents at 13 to a murder-suicide and originally told her story in a 2017 online essay, “I’m Finally Ready to Talk About How My Parents Died.” She describes loving memories of both parents and how the reality defies simple assumptions, then reflects on how her perspective has changed over nearly a decade, including becoming less dependent on others’ understanding and becoming a mother, which has raised questions about how to share this family history with her child in an age-appropriate way. She discusses years of secrecy, compartmentalization, and reluctance to be vulnerable, the influence of family privacy and her own personality, the value of her siblings as shared witnesses, and how she has built a fulfilling life while continuing to evolve in grief and hopeGuest's Buzzfeed Article:BuzzFeed “Anonymous Daughter” 988 Lifeline number: https://988lifeline.org/ At the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, we understand that life's challenges can sometimes be complex. Whether you're facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or just need someone to talk to, our caring counselors are here for you. You are not alone. Didi Hirsch Mental Services: didihirsch.org Crisis Text LineText HOME to 741741 Free, 24/7 Mental Health Support  Michael VintonEmail:                info@impactedsurvivors.com Website:    www.michaelvinton.com                  http://www.impactedsurvivors.orgPodcast:    Unspoken Grief IG:            @therealmichaelvintonFB:            Michael VintonLinkedin:   m/ichael-vinton-6702a373IDMB:                Michael Vinton (III)Headshot: Headshot 1                 Headshot 2 Tina ChevalierEmail:                Tina@impactedsurvivors.com Website:    www.impactedsurvivors.org Podcast:   Unspoken GriefIG:            @impactedsurvivorsofmsFB:            FacebookHeadshot; Headshot  

In this Unspoken Grief episode, hosts Michael Vinton and Tina Chevalier, speak with survivor Krista Schenck, who lost both parents, Mark and Bonnie, in a July 2021 murder-suicide in which her father was the perpetrator. Krista shares what it has meant to live in the aftermath, including shock, a roller coaster of grief, anger, dark humor as coping, and the challenge of returning to work and facing awkward interactions. She describes friends who rotated staying overnight, support during her eulogy, and how community support can drop off after the first weeks, prompting her to seek groups, counseling, and medication. Krista discusses identity shifts, struggling with holidays, rebuilding routines, using music and planned events to create “micro joys,” navigating estate issues and the slayer clause, and finding hope in good, caring people.988 Lifeline number: https://988lifeline.org/ At the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, we understand that life's challenges can sometimes be complex. Whether you're facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or just need someone to talk to, our caring counselors are here for you. You are not alone. Didi Hirsch Mental Services: didihirsch.org Crisis Text LineText HOME to 741741 Free, 24/7 Mental Health Support    Krista Schenck                    Instagram:ig/nebulana1 Michael VintonEmail:                info@impactedsurvivors.com Website:    www.michaelvinton.com                  http://www.impactedsurvivors.orgPodcast:    Unspoken Grief IG:            @therealmichaelvintonFB:            Michael VintonLinkedin:   m/ichael-vinton-6702a373IDMB:                Michael Vinton (III)Headshot: Headshot 1                 Headshot 2 Tina ChevalierEmail:                Tina@impactedsurvivors.com Website:    www.impactedsurvivors.org Podcast:   Unspoken GriefIG:            @impactedsurvivorsofmsFB:            FacebookHeadshot; Headshot

Unspoken Grief hosts Michael Vinton and Tina Chevalier welcome Dr. Denise Dailey, a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Our Daily Bread, LLC, to discuss insights from their APA Division 19 Society for Military Psychology symposium presentation, “Unseen Battlefields,” exploring the intersection of military-related violence and murder-suicide and the overlooked impact on families and communities. Dr. Dailey shares how her family’s multigenerational military service shaped her understanding that trauma doesn’t stay overseas, describes post-deployment stress, injury, and family-system effects, and explains overlaps among isolation, identity collapse, burdensomeness, and moral injury. The conversation examines limitations in data and public narratives about perpetrators, warning signs families can take seriously, the importance of curiosity and presence, and practical steps like asking direct questions and using 988 for guidance, while also addressing provider burnout, hope through connection, and survivor community support988 Lifeline number: https://988lifeline.org/ At the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, we understand that life's challenges can sometimes be complex. Whether you're facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or just need someone to talk to, our caring counselors are here for you. You are not alone. Didi Hirsch Mental Services: didihirsch.org Crisis Text LineText HOME to 741741 Free, 24/7 Mental Health Support    Dr. Denise Dailey                         Email: ourdaileybread@outlook.comWebsite: www.ourdaileybread.com and  Dailey, Denise | FacultyProfile | Adler UniversityLinkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/drdaileyptsdCauses: (Clinicaland Research Interest: PTSD Assessment and Treatment, Health Psychology,Military Clinical Psychology, Chronic Pain, Insomnia, Risk Assessment andSuicide Prevention ) Michael VintonEmail:                info@impactedsurvivors.com Website:    www.michaelvinton.com                  http://www.impactedsurvivors.orgPodcast:    Unspoken Grief IG:            @therealmichaelvintonFB:            Michael VintonLinkedin:   m/ichael-vinton-6702a373IDMB:                Michael Vinton (III)Headshot: Headshot 1                 Headshot 2 Tina ChevalierEmail:                Tina@impactedsurvivors.com Website:    www.impactedsurvivors.org Podcast:   Unspoken GriefIG:            @impactedsurvivorsofmsFB:            FacebookHeadshot; Headshot

In this episode of Unspoken Grief, hosts Michael Vinton and Tina Chevalier welcome survivor and advocate ChaRon Sattler-LeBlanc, who lost her cousin Julie (23) and Julie’s daughter Jacqui (5) in July 1990. ChaRon describes learning the news while in college, the isolation and shame of grieving before online communities or public language for murder-suicide loss, and the complex family dynamics shaped by Korean heritage, arranged marriage, domestic violence, and separation. She shares how trauma resurfaced during a later campus incident involving a firearm and how limited counseling support was in the 1990s. ChaRon discusses long-term impacts, secondary losses, and how advocacy (including Moms Demand Action), civic work, and community connection help her heal while emphasizing boundaries, self-care, and loving people in their wholeness, including families of perpetrators988 Lifeline number: https://988lifeline.org/ At the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, we understand that life's challenges can sometimes be complex. Whether you're facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or just need someone to talk to, our caring counselors are here for you. You are not alone. Didi Hirsch Mental Services: didihirsch.org Crisis Text LineText HOME to 741741 Free, 24/7 Mental Health Support  ChaRon Sattler-LeblancEmail:       charon.rochester.ny@gmail.comWebsite: Cha Ron VotesCauses: A Longing for Yesteryear MomsDemandAction Eoisode Resource Section                    Who Needs God                    When Bad Things Happen to Good People                     Please Call Me by My True Names  Michael VintonEmail:               info@impactedsurvivors.com Website:   www.michaelvinton.com                  http://www.impactedsurvivors.orgPodcast:   Unspoken Grief IG:           @therealmichaelvintonFB:           Michael VintonLinkedin:  m/ichael-vinton-6702a373IDMB:               Michael Vinton (III)Headshot: Headshot 1                 Headshot 2 Tina ChevalierEmail:               Tina@impactedsurvivors.com Website:   www.impactedsurvivors.org Podcast:   Unspoken GriefIG:           @impactedsurvivorsofmsFB:           FacebookHeadshot; Headshot

In this episode of Unspoken Grief, hosts Michael Vinton and Tina Chevalier talk about their survivor-led nonprofit community, ISMS (Impacted Survivors of Murder Suicide), which offers peer support spaces, awareness, and advocacy, especially for families of the person who caused harm. Michael and Tina share their experiences losing their loved ones five years ago, describing shock, sleeplessness, confusion, stigma, and the difficulty of grieving someone who also caused harm, while emphasizing that loved ones are “more than their final act.” They discuss ripple effects on friends, neighbors, witnesses, and first responders, the long journey after headlines fade, practical aftermath issues, and concerns about sensationalized media language and oversimplified explanations. They highlight hope found through community, expand support calls, and invite listeners to access resources at impactedsurvivors.org988 Lifeline number: https://988lifeline.org/ At the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, we understand that life's challenges can sometimes be complex. Whether you're facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or just need someone to talk to, our caring counselors are here for you. You are not alone. Didi Hirsch Mental Services: didihirsch.org Crisis Text LineText HOME to 741741 Free, 24/7 Mental Health Support  Michael VintonEmail:                info@impactedsurvivors.com Website:    www.michaelvinton.com                  http://www.impactedsurvivors.orgPodcast:    Unspoken Grief IG:            @therealmichaelvintonFB:            Michael VintonLinkedin:   m/ichael-vinton-6702a373IDMB:                Michael Vinton (III)Headshot: Headshot 1                 Headshot 2 Tina ChevalierEmail:                Tina@impactedsurvivors.com Website:    www.impactedsurvivors.org Podcast:   Unspoken GriefIG:            @impactedsurvivorsofmsFB:            FacebookHeadshot; Headshot

In this episode of Unspoken Grief, hosts Michael Vinton and Tina Chevalier welcome psychologist and researcher Dr. Thomas Joiner, whose work is widely cited in survivor communities and who authored The Perversion of Virtue, a book the hosts frequently reference in presentations about murder-suicide. Joiner explains how his research led him to conclude most murder-suicides are planned and rooted in a distorted, “virtuous” rationale tied to four perverted virtues—justice, mercy, duty, and glory—illustrating examples including Columbine and the influence of Timothy McVeigh. The group discusses stigma faced by survivors, language challenges around “perpetrator,” why families may not see their loved one as suicidal, the value of psychological autopsies, and how suicide prevention strategies like means safety and effective CBT may also prevent murder-suicide.988 Lifeline number: https://988lifeline.org/ At the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, we understand that life's challenges can sometimes be complex. Whether you're facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or just need someone to talk to, our caring counselors are here for you. You are not alone. Didi Hirsch Mental Services: didihirsch.org Crisis Text LineText HOME to 741741 Free, 24/7 Mental Health Support  Dr Thomas Joiner:Email:                joiner@psy.fsu.eduBook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0199334552?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_WTDG24DTBD8N6ZD1RAEB&bestFormat=trueWebsite: Thomas Joiner | Department of PsychologyGeorgia Commission on Family Violence Michael VintonEmail:                info@impactedsurvivors.com Website:    www.michaelvinton.com                  http://www.impactedsurvivors.orgPodcast:    Unspoken Grief IG:            @therealmichaelvintonFB:            Michael VintonLinkedin:   m/ichael-vinton-6702a373IDMB:                Michael Vinton (III)Headshot: Headshot 1                 Headshot 2 Tina ChevalierEmail:                Tina@impactedsurvivors.com Website:    www.impactedsurvivors.org Podcast:   Unspoken GriefIG:            @impactedsurvivorsofmsFB:            FacebookHeadshot; Headshot

In this heartfelt episode of the Unspoken Grief podcast, hosts Tina Chevalier, Kristina Faulkner, and Michael Venton dive deep into their personal stories as survivors of murder-suicides and wonder what life might be like if they had never had to face such tragedies. They go on to explore some of the positive and strange outcomes that have occurred since their loses as well. They also share updates from recent conferences, exciting developments in their nonprofit work, and the new grief course designed for children. Join them for a poignant discussion on turning tragedy into purposeful living, and discover how love, community, and being present in the moment have been crucial in their healing journeys. This episode is an invaluable resource for anyone affected by trauma and looking for support and understanding.988 Lifeline number: https://988lifeline.org/ At the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, we understand that life's challenges can sometimes be complex. Whether you're facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or just need someone to talk to, our caring counselors are here for you. You are not alone.  Didi Hirsch Mental Services: didihirsch.org  Crisis Text Line Text HOME to 741741 Free, 24/7 Mental Health Support   Michael VintonEmail: info@impactedsurvivors.com Website: www.michaelvinton.com                 http://www.impactedsurvivors.org IG: @therealmichaelvintonFB: Michael VintonLinkedin: m/ichael-vinton-6702a373IDMB: Michael Vinton (III)  Tina ChevalierEmail: Tina@impactedsurvivors.com Website: www.impactedsurvivors.org IG: @impactedsurvivorsofmsKristina FaulknerEmail: kbellatino@gmail.comWebsite: www.getinspiredtherapy.com                www.impactedsurvivors.org  CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction and Welcome02:03 Honoring Lost Loved Ones04:32 Conference Highlights and Updates10:50 Children's Grief Course Announcement13:02 Reflecting on Personal Loss and Growth27:40 Struggles of Stepping into New Roles30:05 The Importance of Community for Survivors39:48 Fears of Future Losses47:13 Coping Mechanisms and Personal Growth55:43 Closing Thoughts and Resources