Michael and Gayle Zibilich- The Shocking Reality from their Only Child’s Suicide Leads to Life-Saving Conversations with College Students
Release Date: 02/01/2022
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Dr. Ran Anbar is a pediatrician board certified in pulmonology who offers hypnosis and counseling services in La Jolla, California, and Syracuse, New York. He’s past president, fellow, and approved consultant of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. He’s here today to discuss the power of hypnosis, which has long been looked upon with confusion and skepticism. He shines a light on this underutilized field of medicine and why it should be the first line of defense before medication for mental health symptoms. With 25 years of experience, Dr. Anbar is a leader in clinical hypnosis who...
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Jeanette Yoffe- From Foster Care to Adoption to Trauma-Informed Therapist Jeanette-ically Speaking
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Jeanette Yoffe believes family is so much more than our blood relations. Her strong desire to become a trauma-informed psychotherapist with a special focus on adopted and foster care issues began with her own experiences of moving through the foster care system and being adopted. Jeanette lived with her birth family for the first year of her life until she was put into foster care due to her mother’s schizophrenia. Her father was not willing to take care of his two young children and when he later had a new family, he never told them about his previous children, continuing the cycle of...
info_outlineMichael Zibilich is a commercial real estate executive who resides with his wife, Gayle Zibilich, in Atlanta, Georgia. Michael and Gayle had their only child later in life, an astonishing blessing. Keller was a dream come true and as good a kid as you could imagine- a combination of strength and kindness, very mature, an athlete and expert white water kayaker, highly intelligent, and well-loved by everyone. After a very painful relationship issue with his girlfriend, and that information being broadcast through social media, Keller had an uncharacteristic anxiety attack during his second semester of freshman year in college at LSU. Keller attempted to call five hospitals to get help with no luck. An hour after helping out a friend and hours before going to a wedding with his parents, Keller died by suicide, completely shocking his beloved family and friends.
Devastated by their inexplicable loss, Michael and Gayle have dedicated their time and resources to promoting suicide education and awareness to college students throughout America. With the help of family and friends, they partnered with the Sigma Chi Foundation to create a suicide prevention hotline and an in-depth suicide education and prevention curriculum, called Strong Arms, for all 17,000 active Sigma Chi’s across the nation. Ridding shame and stigma, especially among men who are in fraternities, sports, and the armed forces who may consider talking about feelings as weak, has been an important topic of discussion during Michael’s speeches. Michael is also a speaker for Active Minds, the nation’s premier nonprofit organization supporting mental health awareness and education with young adults.
Losing a child is the hardest thing a parent can ever go through, pushing Michael and Gayle into a state of post-traumatic growth, where their world was rocked so profoundly they can’t help but make the world a better place so others don’t have to experience the same heartache. They’ve found comfort and new friendships with the young adults who are the recipients of a scholarship they’ve formed to honor their son, Keller’s legacy. Michael and Gayle remind us we all must consider ourselves as first responders, in our own lives, and in the lives of those we know and love and that our mental health is so important.
SHOW NOTE LINKS:
Michael Zibilich at Greek Talks- Georgia Tech
Michael Zibilich with Active Minds
Suicide Prevention Hotline-1-800-273-8255
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