The suicide of a loved one can leave people mired in feelings of abandonment, betrayal, anger, and intense sadness. Those they have left behind usually feel confused and even guilty. They may wonder if they are to blame or if they could have done more to prevent it. If you are dealing with this, Jason Holzer knows how you feel.

Jason has grappled with his grief and uncertainty over his father’s suicide. In this episode, he shares how he was able to move forward, by not only forgiving his father but also himself. He also delves into how rewiring your thoughts and cultivating a positive mindset can help you achieve post-traumatic growth.

About Guest/Topic

Jason Holzer was raised in a loving family in Taos, Missouri. His parents were supportive of him and his two younger sisters, providing them with everything they needed. But at age 17, his father committed suicide, drastically changing Jason’s life.

Although dealing with such a devastating loss was difficult, Jason was able to rise above his pain. His hard work, dedication, and strong faith helped him regain his footing–and even go beyond where he used to be. Today, he is a certified teacher, an accomplished basketball coach, a best-selling author, and a transformational speaker.

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In This Episode

Who is Jason Holzer? [0:07]
What is post-traumatic growth? [1:40]
Learn about Jason’s traumatic experience [2:30]
How did Jason heal from his trauma? [7:01]
The role of spirituality and forgiveness in Jason’s growth [10:55]
Discover Jason’s initiatives for suicide prevention [15:55]
…and many more

Quotes

“A lot of people see forgiveness as what you do for the other person but the reality of it is, forgiveness is what you do for yourself.” [14:06]

“You allow yourself to feel the emotion of, maybe there’s a little bit of resentment, anger, but then you let it go. It’s like clouds passing through the sky.” [14:39]

“Life is gonna happen. It’s just your perception of what this situation means.” [19:26]

“Give life a chance to get better. It’s gonna get tough like you’re gonna through some hard things eventually but having that positive optimism like you know, what? I’m sad today, or you know what? I’m going through some things right now, but I know there’s gonna be some positive that’s gonna come out of this if I choose to have the right mindset going into this.” [21:18]