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From Grief to Advocacy: Don Ryan on Suicide, Empathy, and Healing at Work
Manage episode 508161608 series 3550613
Episode Description:
⚠️ Trigger Warning: Suicide, grief, and trauma.
In this deeply human episode of The Elephant in the Org, we confront one of the hardest workplace conversations: suicide, loss, and mental health at work.
Our guest, Don Ryan — author of The Secret Struggle: Surviving the Suicide of a Loved One and veteran social worker — brings both professional expertise and personal experience, having lost three close family members to suicide.
Together with Marion, Danny, and Cacha, Don explores:
- Why grief can’t be treated as a “policy issue” with one-size-fits-all leave.
- Equity vs. equality in crisis support — and why flexibility matters more than fairness.
- How peers often notice warning signs first, and what leaders can do about it.
- The role of postvention: planning before tragedy strikes.
- The long-term impact of grief on trust, performance, and psychological safety.
Top Takeaways:
- Grief doesn’t end after a week of leave — it changes people for the long term.
- Psychological safety depends on trust built before a crisis hits.
- Empathy and equity are essential leadership skills, not “nice to haves.”
- Workplaces need a toolbox of supports, not blanket policies.
Guest Bio:
Don Ryan manages violence-reduction programs for Hennepin County, MN, and co-coordinates a veteran-specific suicide-prevention initiative. He is the author of The Secret Struggle: Surviving the Suicide of a Loved One (2024), written to help others feel seen, heard, and less alone.
🔗 Connect with Don: LinkedIn | thesecretstruggle.com
Resources:
If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out:
- U.S.: Dial 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
- U.K./ROI: Samaritans 116 123
- Canada: Talk Suicide Canada 1-833-456-4566
- Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14
- 🌍 Global directory: findahelpline.com
Because grief doesn’t clock out — and silence in the workplace is never the answer.
🐘 Connect with Us:
🚀 Follow The Fearless PX on LinkedIn: The Fearless PX
📩 Got a hot take or a workplace horror story? Email Marion, Cacha, and Danny at [email protected]
🎧 Catch every episode of The Elephant in the Org: All Episodes Here
🚀Your Hosts on Linkedin:
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Subscribe, leave a ★★★★★ review, and help us bring more elephants into the light.
🎙️ About the Show
The Elephant in the Org drops new episodes every two weeks starting April 2024.
Get ready for even more fearless conversations about leadership, psychological safety, and the future of work.
🎵 Music & Production Credits
🎶 Opening and closing theme music by The Toros
🎙️ Produced by The Fearless PX
✂️ Edited by Marion Anderson
⚠️ Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests, and do not necessarily reflect any affiliated organizations' official policy or position.
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