Episode 26: Owning Your Story

What does it mean to truly own your story?In Part 2 of my conversation with D'Shonda Brown, we move into the specific language we use to describe difficult experiences. We specifically discuss why D'Shonda intentionally identifies as a suicide attempt survivor, and the distinction between saying someone “committed suicide” versus “died by suicide."We also explore why casual jokes about suicide can be harmful and how learning to tell your story can become an act of self-forgiveness. Drawing on her experiences as an advocate and public speaker, D'Shonda recounts the confidence that she herself has gained from owning her truth.Finally, we discuss how our language choices influences the way we interact with schools, workplaces, families, and the other institutions around us.Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide, suicide attempts, self-harm, and mental health.