{"podcast":{"title":"Scars to Stars™ Podcast","slug":"scars-to-stars-podcast-6384270","podcast_index_feed_id":6384270,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/scars-to-stars-podcast/","website_url":"https://scars-to-stars-podcast.captivate.fm","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/9497f43d-d141-4add-9688-50c83ee3084e/W3d2C8ZV5V5jYW8fN1wDcKnu.jpg","author":"Deana Brown Mitchell","episode_count":131,"summary":"Welcome to the Scars to Stars™ Podcast, where we share stories of resilience and hope. Your host, Deana Brown Mitchell is the founder of the Realize Foundation whose mission is to reduce the number of humans who struggle with suicidal ideation by creating a world where having the conversation becomes commonplace. Like many, she kept silent about her own struggles with mental health for 23 years due to shame and stigma. It wasn't until she lost a friend to suicide that Deana realized the power of sharing our stories. In this podcast, we invite guests who have overcome adversity to share their journey and provide a safe space for vulnerability and openness. Our goal is to let other silent humans know that they are not alone and that there is always hope. Whether you are struggling with your mental health or simply feeling alone, this podcast is for you. Come join our community and let's inspire each other to turn our Scars to Stars.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-25T02:19:49.095846+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/scars-to-stars-podcast-6384270"},"episode":{"title":"From Shifting Paths to Shaping Purpose","slug":"from-shifting-paths-to-shaping-purpose","published_at":"2025-11-12T13:15:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/scars-to-stars-podcast-6384270/from-shifting-paths-to-shaping-purpose","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/scars-to-stars-podcast-6384270","url":"https://scars-to-stars-podcast.captivate.fm/episode/from-shifting-paths-to-shaping-purpose","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/21600a34-c89c-4270-a599-0210c663aa05.mp3","summary":"Dr. Patricia Timerman Barbosa da Silva shares how immigrating to the U.S. as a teen and “losing her voice” shaped her life’s work in mental health. Drawing on suicide hotline, prevention/intervention, and postvention experience, she explains why isolation fuels despair, how connection and clear communication reduce risk, and offers practical tools—like code words and her Intention-Action-Perception (IAP) model—to help people speak up, support each other, and grieve well. Key Takeaways Isolation is the accelerant; connection is the antidote. Depression often feels like a “500-lb invisible blanket” or a “seductive vampire” that distances us from love. Social interaction is kryptonite to that isolation. Start with the pain before the positives. When someone feels suicidal, asking why they want to die helps “drain the cup” before pouring in reasons to live. Say the word “suicide.” Avoid euphemisms (“hurt yourself?”). Ask directly and non-judgmentally. Notice behavior changes. Any meaningful shift—stopping a routine or suddenly adopting a new one—invites a caring question. Use code words to make asking for help doable. Co-create a simple word (e.g., “banana”) with clear instructions so support can be triggered without long explanations. Tears are a release, not weakness. Allowing emotion (rather than numbing) prevents it from “leaking” out in unhealthy ways. #scarstostars #suicideprevention #mentalhealthawareness #conversations #community #personalstory #havetheconversation #savealifechallenge #virtualevents #amazonbestseller #suicideawareness #mentalhealthmatters #kindnessmatters","meta_description":"Dr. Patricia Timerman Barbosa da Silva shares how immigrating to the U.S. as a teen and “losing her voice” shaped her life’s work in mental health. Drawin…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2770,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/scars-to-stars-podcast-6384270/episodes/from-shifting-paths-to-shaping-purpose/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/scars-to-stars-podcast-6384270/from-shifting-paths-to-shaping-purpose.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}