This week on Inner Monologue podcast is Thanatologist, Suicidologist and founder of L.O.S.S. Team (Local Outreach of Suicide Survivors). Frank shares about the different classifications of those who experience suicide. He talks about his passion for helping Suicide Loss Survivors in their Trauma Recovery and what inspired him to create L.O.S.S. We discuss the origins of taboo that surround suicide, how contemporary society is working to break that taboo and the importance of understanding and accepting paradox.

This week on Inner Monologue podcast we have psychiatrist, advocate and Medical Director of Onnit, Dan Engle. He is part of a team who are assisting in the psychiatric renaissance, working toward creating a new system that supports people in waking up via psychedelic tools. Trained in western medicine, he became fascinated with the art of medicine. He embraced all modalities as a sacred and integral part of health, which led him to a new perspective of traditional allopathic medicine. As an advocate, he educates other physicians about psychedlic research in order to build bridges for new perspectives in health, well-being and psychiatric care. He discusses the romanticizing of psychedelics in our culture and the misappropriation of plant medicine, considering that it reveals deep universal truths. He also shares about his dedicated Ayahuasca experiences, living in the jungle for a year and integrating back into western culture through a life altering dark night of the soul.

This week on Inner Monologue is artist, photographer and founder of LAR ART studios, Lanecia Rouse Tinsley. Lanecia shares how we connected on the RISE bike tour of 2012. Lanecia was the Project Manager of The Art Project Houston, where they create therapeutic art space and empowerment programs for men and women living on the street. Lanecia captures beauty in the mundane through photography, painting and ceramics while also taking captivating photographic portraits of people in her community. She is now a full time artist and art teacher where she also facilitates art workshops in her studio.

This week on Inner Monologue we have guest Stacey Barnes. She is the founder of a travel blog called Onword Journeys and Co-Founder of local Toffee Company, Goody Twos. Stacey and I begin our conversation by expressing our mutual love for photography. Stacey shares her passion for travel and how she loves finding special places off the beaten path that provide comfort for the body and mind as well as inspiration for the creative fire. She also discusses her experience in the modeling industry and how this inspired her passion for traveling. Besides being an amazing photographer and travel storyteller, Stacey also has a side passion for making unbelievably tasty toffee.

This week on Inner Monologue is photographer and tattoo artist at Old Town Ink in Scottsdale, Matthew Stella. Matt opens up about his first true artistic love, photography. As a self taught photographer, Matt took his time learning his craft with analog photography. Matt talks about his wild journey as a tattoo artist, becoming a tattoo mentor and our mutual love for comic artist, Todd McFarlane.

This week on Inner Monologue podcast we have writer and breast cancer survivor, Jenn Klein. She shares the powerful story of getting diagnosed with breast cancer in her thirties, as a mother, wife and advocate. She discusses the journey of how this experience affected her on a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level. As she walks us through the path of surviving through cancer, there is a strength and power in her story of coping with that reality, going through chemotherapy, mastectomy and handling the effects this had on her young daughter, her husband and closest members of community. We also discuss the after affects of having cancer on the body and the mind. As a survivor and now peer advocate, her story is a story of many and allows us to see how cancer can affect our culture in many ways.

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is Bryce Saint of Item 9 Labs, a commercially licensed Cannabis facility.  After being eight years sober from drug addiction, Bryce tested positive for Hepatitis C. During that time, he received treatment for liver failure and Bryce began to suffer with many side effects from the treatment. He was hesitant to take any doctor prescribed narcotics for pain, due to his history, and then his doctor finally talked him into the healing benefits of medical cannabis.  We discuss the history of cannabis, its medical benefits and the importance of intention. 

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is author, Suzanne Young.  She is the author of eighteen novels for teens and adults, including the critically acclaimed Program series, science fiction novels inspired by the topic of mental health. Suzanne shares the many layered process of how she organizes and works on book writing.  We also discuss her series, The Program, and how it began as one book and eventually developed into six. We also reflect on how to deal with taboo subjects and what initially inspired her to begin to write. 

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is Emotional Healing Coach, Author and Creator of Awaken With JP, JP Sears.  JP begins by sharing how he dealt with pain as a child through comedy. This tool eventually became a powerful piece in his work, honoring the magic in the moment of engaging with audiences. He also reflects on his college years and the realization  that the meaning he was seeking in life would not be found in that form of institution. We also discuss the power and purpose of having rites of passage through various life stages. 

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is photographer, suicide prevention activist and founder of The i'Mpossible Project, Josh Rivedal.  Josh's project began with his one man show focused on the suicide of his father.  After seeing how his show created a space for people to share their stories of struggle, Josh decided to take things to the next level with the i'Mpossible Project.  The project is a blog and book series that provides a space for people to talk about their experiences with suicide, mental illness and other traumas.  Along with the books, Josh provides a multitude of trainings and presentations from anti-bullying to educational staff and faculty training on how to approach mental health issues.  You can also hear Josh weekly on his podcast, The i'Mpossible Project Show.

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is photographer, suicide prevention activist and founder of Live Through This, Dese'Rae Lynn Stage.  After surviving her own attempt to end her life, Dese'Rae was compelled to find others  who lived through that experience. In her research, she only found communities of those who lost loved ones to suicide.  She had a challenging time finding other attempt survivors, so she decided to locate them in her own unique way.  Her project Live Through This has collected stories from all across the country in order to put a human face on the suicide epidemic.  After meeting and speaking with an attempt survivor, Dese'Rae photographs the individual only moments after they share their story.  Live Through This is a profound artistic view and social expression that is changing the conversation around mental health issues and suicide by giving a voice to the voiceless. 

This week on Inner Monologue Podcast we have guest Dana Hearn, Loss Survivor.  Dana shares her experience of losing her brother to suicide about a year ago.  She shares the journey of grief and even the practical details that are involved in that experience.  We also discuss the expression of loved ones through the dream world and the messages and symbolism one can receive in their life after losing a loved one. There is a comfort one can be gifted in their grieving process by sensing the presence or message from a loved one they lost.  She also discusses the necessity of having continued support from others and healthy outlets even after several weeks following the loss. She also shares the power of ceremony on the anniversary date of the loss and the beautiful ritual she did to honor that day. 

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is Horticulturist, Bill Artwohl.  Bill is the Lead Cultivator at a state licensed cannabis production facility.  We learn how Bill found his love for growing plants by working with a variety of plant types. We discuss the importance of knowing where your food comes from and the amazing health benefits from having a personal relationship with your food.

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is Holistic Health Wellness Coach, yoga teacher and founder of Au Naturel Wellness, Lindsey Smith.  Lindsey and I begin our conversation by discussing the importance of food, making healthy choices and being mindful of harmful eating habits.  Lindsey incorporates yoga into her practice to guide people physically, emotionally and spiritually toward wellness. Her purpose is to help to support people to find and nurture their true authentic self to its fullest potential. 

his week's guest on Inner Monologue is photographer and co-founder of the peer support group, Phoenix Rising, Sara Tiberio.  Dealing with her own issues of anxiety and panic attacks became the catalyst to the formation of the Phoenix Rising support group.  After putting an invitation on Facebook to see who was interested, the first group started with ten people and has slowly grown into a thriving community.  Each meeting, Sara and her co-founder, Ashley focus on different topics or themes for group discussion. The group has become a beacon of hope by creating a safe place for everyone to share their fears, anxieties and hopes within a supportive community. 

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is artistic renaissance man, Steve Dukes.  Steve's first love in creative expression was writing, which he uses in his improve sketch comedy crew and stand up acts. However, he also practices yoga and meditation.  Our conversation starts with Steve's experience in the army where he shares about his time in basic training while 9/11 happened.  After the millitary, Steve discovered his passion for writing in theatre.  He found his groove in comedy writing after working for a traveling cooking show. It was through the cooking show that he learned about nutrition and holistic methods for wellness. Each avenue of his life was truly inspiring him and leading to one creative expression after another.

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is Entrepreneur and Artist, Antoinette Cauley.  In this profoundly diverse conversation, we begin our conversation discussing our different struggles with mental health issues and even touch upon a discussion of race issues. We also share stories of frustration and inconvenience in terms of handling Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Social Anxiety. Antoinette shares her journey of success to becoming a full time artist. She talks about the stress of making ends meet, building confidence through each painting and art show and how she has ultimately used art as a tool for self discovery. 

This week's guest on Inner Monologue is Yoga Teacher, Meditation Guide and Sound Healer, Hamid Jabbar.  Hamid shares his experiences with spiritual drive-by, which he  considers to be a transformational life experience that alters your life course to a new chapter. Due to several of these experiences, he shifted his life from stressful living in Los Angeles as a lawyer to a meditative yogic lifestyle.  We also discuss the value of applying what one learns in yoga and meditation into real world scenarios.

This week on Inner Monologue podcast we have storyteller and organizer of Chatterbox Storytelling, Jessie Balli.  Chatterbox Storytelling is a local weekly storytelling event in downtown Phoenix. We begin our conversation  reflecting upon the function of the storyteller within society. Jessie also shares how she got involved with storytelling. There is a very profound community building that takes place in sharing stories, which ultimately allows us to learn from one another and connect.

This week on Inner Monologue podcast we have artist Andrew Morales. Andrew is currently a tattoo apprentice at Old Town Ink in Scottsdale, AZ. In addition to tattooing, Andrew is a painter, digital graphic artist and also involved in block carving for making his own customized t-shirts.  He shares his journey of apprenticeship as well as its origin. He has gained profound experience and knowledge through the wild antics and fellowship of the artists in the shop. He also reflects on an odd experience he had with a customer and their request for the most unconventional place to get a tattoo.

This week on Inner Monologue podcast we have filmmaker and creator of The Just Be Love Project, Ann Cabano. The Just Be Love Project is dedicated to education, awareness, and inspiring action for social justice and human rights issues through educational events and socially conscious films.  She is inspired by becoming your own hero, succeeding and achieving your own dreams while connecting to others authentically. With over a decade of being a holistic teacher at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, she shares the emotional responsibility that we need to have to find a balance for ourselves in self care. She opens up about the importance of taking care of yourself and healing your internal world in order to connect to the outside world. She also reflects on the projects she is developing, including a documentary film and the power of getting out of your own way to claim your greatness.

This week's guest on Inner Monologue podcast is musician, Rob Riccardo.  Born and raised in Long Island, NY, Rob found passion in skateboarding, surfing and music.  Living near beaches, he shares the potent influence the ocean had on him and its healing and meditative power. Rob opens up about his experience working at Fox News in New York City, his love for long distance running and the inevitable need to find a slower pace for his life by moving to the desert. We also discuss his recommitment to his music and the inspiration for his debut album, The Calm Within.