S5E5-Breaking the Silence: Men’s Mental Health, Heartbreak, and Healing with Billy Floyd on SAFE TALK, JR’s Hunt;for Life Suicide Prevention Podcast.

In this episode of Safe Talk, Jenny Hunter and Billy Floyd continue their important conversation on men’s mental health, exploring the emotional impact of relationship loss, depression, and the power of open conversation in suicide prevention.

Billy shares personal reflections on navigating heartbreak, career transitions, and rebuilding strength after painful life changes—offering honest insight into how vulnerability, connection, and healthy coping strategies can help men move forward. Together, Jenny and Billy discuss how depression often presents differently in men, why silence increases risk, and how friends, family, and communities can recognize warning signs and start supportive conversations.

Listeners will learn:

* Why relationship breakups are a significant mental-health risk factor for men

* Common emotional and behavioral signs of depression that may go unnoticed

* How simple, judgment-free conversations can save lives

* The importance of normalizing professional mental-health support

* Practical ways to support the men in your life—and yourself

This episode is a reminder that no one has to face difficult seasons alone. Healing begins with conversation, connection, and the courage to reach out.

Jenny Hunter is the founder of JR’s Hunt for Life, a suicide prevention nonprofit movement offering hope and support globally.
Billy Floyd is a podcast host, media broadcaster, and positive influencer.
Music: “Sounds of Soul” courtesy of Fearless Motivation.

Production: Angel Mountain Media

Learn more at jrshuntforlife.org.

Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and support our life-saving mission. “Safe Talk” is available on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, Audible, Spotify, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, and more.

🕊️ No judgments. Talk saves lives.

If Someone in Your Life Is Feeling Suicidal: Steps You Can Take

1. Stay calm and listen.
Approach the situation with a steady, compassionate presence. Listen without interrupting. Validate their feelings. No judgments.

2. Take it seriously.
Any mention of suicide or wishing to die should be taken seriously. Don’t dismiss it or promise confidentiality if safety is at risk.

3. Seek professional help.
Encourage connection with a counselor, therapist, or mental health professional. Offer to help schedule an appointment and follow through.

4. Call emergency services if there is immediate danger.
If someone is in imminent danger or has taken action, call 911 or go to the nearest ER. Stay with them if it’s safe.

5. Remove potential means.
If safe to do so, reduce access to firearms, medications, or other lethal items. If it’s not safe, inform emergency responders.

Important Note About 988 (U.S.)

* 988 is the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the United States

* 988 cannot track exact location like 911 and routes calls based on area code, not physical location

* If someone has already acted or is in immediate danger, call 911

* If someone is thinking about suicide, 988 can help determine next steps

For continued support, education, and a confidential, judgment-free community, join JR’s Hunt for Life on Facebook — where talk saves lives.

S5E4-Men’s Mental Health, Authenticity & Pushing Through Life’s Lowest Moments with Billy Floyd on SAFE TALK, JR’s Hunt;for Life Suicide Prevention Podcast.

In this heartfelt and deeply personal episode of JR’s Hunt; for Life Suicide Prevention Podcast, Safe Talk, host Jenny Hunter reconnects with longtime friend, former co-host, and media professional Billy Floyd for an honest conversation about men’s mental health, vulnerability, and resilience.

Jenny and Billy reflect on their shared history — from co-hosting Safe Talk on Wyoming television to building a podcast that centers compassion, connection, and suicide prevention. The conversation quickly moves into one of the most urgent realities in mental health today: men account for four out of five suicide deaths worldwide, yet are often the least likely to talk openly about emotional pain.

Billy speaks candidly about social pressure on men to “hold it together,” hide pain, and pretend everything is fine. He challenges that idea, offering a reframing that true positivity is not denial, but the willingness to see the good and do the work when life becomes overwhelming.

In this episode, Billy shares a pivotal chapter of his own life — a period marked by major transitions, including leaving Wyoming, ending a significant relationship, moving to a new state without a support system, and realizing a career change was not aligned with who he was. While he was not actively suicidal, Billy describes how these compounded stressors created triggers commonly associated with male suicide risk, including loss of identity, isolation, and emotional exhaustion.

Together, Jenny and Billy explore:

* Why men often struggle to express vulnerability and ask for help

* How social pressure and fear of judgment silence emotional expression

* The difference between pretending everything is fine and doing the internal work to heal

* Why authenticity can attract criticism — and why that’s often a sign of growth, not failure

* How comparison, status, and external validation can distract men from real fulfillment

* The importance of redefining strength as self-awareness, discipline, and connection

Billy also shares the practical coping strategies that helped him move through one of the lowest periods of his life, including:

* Staying connected through meaningful conversations with trusted friends and family

* Prioritizing physical movement — walking, running, lifting, and exercising to regulate mood and build mental resilience

* Embracing stillness and silence to reconnect with his inner self

* Staying creative through podcasting, writing ideas, and content creation

* Trusting that discomfort does not mean failure — it often signals transformation

Jenny reflects on witnessing Billy’s journey in real time and underscores how movement, connection, and honest conversation play a vital role in keeping people safe — especially men who may not outwardly show distress in the same ways women do.

This episode is a powerful reminder that mental health struggles do not discriminate by age, success, or personality — and that sharing real stories creates space for others to feel less alone and more willing to reach out.

Jenny Hunter is the founder of JR’s Hunt for Life, a suicide prevention nonprofit movement offering hope and support globally.Billy Floyd is a podcast host, media broadcaster, and positive influencer.Music: “Sounds of Soul” courtesy of Fearless Motivation.

Production: Angel Mountain Media

Learn more at jrshuntforlife.org.

S5E3-Surviving Suicide Loss: Healing Survivor’s Guilt with Verline Davis, LPC on JR’s Hunt for Life – Safe Talk Podcast

In this deeply honest and compassionate episode of JR’s Hunt for Life Suicide Prevention Podcast, Safe Talk, host Jenny Hunter is joined once again by Verline Davis, a licensed professional counselor with advanced training in trauma and child therapy, including EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). Together, they tackle one of the heaviest and least-talked-about experiences after suicide loss: survivor’s guilt.

Drawing from both personal and professional experience, Verlene shares her story of losing her first husband to suicide after years of attempts, safety planning, and trying everything she could think of to help him stay. She also talks about family members and clients who have been impacted by suicide, reminding listeners that “survivors” are not just spouses and parents, but also children, classmates, coworkers, church communities, and even people who have attempted suicide themselves and lived.

Jenny and Verline explore how guilt, “what ifs,” and self-blame can consume a survivor’s life, block healing, and even lead to their own suicidal thoughts. They discuss the reality that, no matter how much we love someone, we cannot control another person’s final decision, and that it is possible — and necessary — to move toward self-forgiveness, compassion, and post-traumatic growth.

In this episode, they explore:

​ What suicide survivor’s guilt looks and feels like in everyday life

​ Why our brains latch on to “What if I’d done more?” and “Why didn’t I…?”

​ The hard truth that someone who is fully determined may still find a way — and why that doesn’t mean you failed

​ How guilt can spiral into addictions, legal trouble, relationship struggles, and self-destructive choices

​ The importance of postvention (getting help after a suicide loss) through counseling, EMDR, and supportive community

​ Practical tools for healing:

​ Writing letters to the person who died and letting anger, pain, and love all come out on the page

​ Drawing or coloring to move feelings from the inside to the outside

​ Learning to reframe the story over time by looking at what you did do, rather than what you think you missed

​ Allowing tears, anger, and questions without judgment

​ How nutrition, protein, and B vitamins can support a grieving brain and body that often forgets to eat, or turns only to comfort foods

​ Ways friends and family can support a survivor with healthy food, presence, and patience

​ Why counselors are often a safe place to talk: confidential, nonjudgmental, and focused on helping you find your own path forward

Jenny also shares pieces of her own journey after losing her son JR, including exhaustion, moments of conflicted relief, and watching her daughter struggle under the weight of guilt — and how therapy, EMDR, and time helped open space for healing and self-compassion.

This episode is for anyone living with that quiet thought: “It’s my fault” — and for those who love someone carrying that burden.

Visit jrshuntforlife.org or join the private Facebook community “JR’s Hunt for Life” for confidential connection, education, and hope.

🎙️ Credits“Safe Talk” is hosted by Jenny Hunter, founder of the global suicide-prevention movement J.R.'s Hunt; For Life. Voiceover courtesy of Billy Floyd, media broadcaster and positive influencer. Featuring music by “Sounds of Soul,” courtesy of Fearless Motivation, this episode is produced by Angel Mountain Media.

Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and support our life-saving mission. “Safe Talk” is available on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, Audible, Spotify, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, and more.

🕊️ No judgments. Talk saves lives.

#ChooseHope #SupportAfterSuicide #TraumaTherapy #EMDRTherapy #CommunityHealing #BeTheLight