Hi everyone, thanks for coming along to listen to the show! I'd like to introduce you to my wonderful friend Alice Clarkson, who I have been lucky enough to 'virtually meet' on Instagram  - and who approached me about being a guest on The Plus Side Podcast. Of course, when she told me about her situation, I was extremely humbled by her offer to share something so intimate on this platform.  But I also knew that her message of speaking up and seeking help would resonate with so many of us - particularly towards men, who are 'typically' less open to doing so. In fact, according to suicide prevention charity The Calm Zone, 75% of all suicides in the UK are male... Sit with that.  Alice's story of losing her Dad to suicide is nothing less than tragic - but it's the way she has dealt (and continues to deal) with the situation with such strength and resilience that makes this conversation so eye openingly life affirming.  With therapy, which she accessed through suicide bereavement charity Cruse,  Alice has been able to deal with the trauma of losing her Dad under such unforeseen and horrendous circumstances head on. And now, two years on, she has been able to find peace with the situation; respecting her Dad's decision (although there are still no 'answers' what led him to it) - just as he always respected hers. As Alice so beautifully put, ‘it doesn’t get easier, but it does get lighter.’  This episode is going to be about finding that light through reaching out for help, talking, and building up the strength to carry on even after the biggest of life traumas. Thanks for listening. HELPLINES: Papyrus Samaritans Mind NSPCA SAMH The Calm Zone