Houston Father-Daughter Team Launch Suicide Awareness Podcast

A Houston father-daughter team are launching a podcast about one of the most difficult topics for families to address, suicide. Titled “Leaving the Valley: What You Should Know About Suicide,” the first four episodes are available in time for Mental Health Awareness Month in May. The show is hosted by Dr. Sam Buser, a staff psychologist for the Houston Fire Department, and Kimi Buser-Clancy, an actor and activist.

In its first four episodes, “Leaving the Valley” covers “What to do if you are suicidal,” “What to do if someone you care about is suicidal,” and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and suicide.

“We carefully planned out and produced the first dozen episodes of the show in a way we thought would best ignite a healthy discourse on suicide and suicide prevention and make it more accessible to the general public,” said Buser-Clancy, “And then the pandemic hit and our plans went out the windows.”

Episodes three and four deal specifically with the impact of the pandemic and isolation on mental health and what that means for those dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts.

“In the show, we talk about flexible thinking being a coping mechanism for anxiety, and we really had to practice what we preached from a production and release standpoint,” said Dr. Buser. “There is a real need for tools and resources right now for those who have battled depression for a long time, those who may be struggling due to current circumstances, and those in their lives who can help. We want to be a source of support and education.”

Through their podcast, Dr. Buser and Buser-Clancy seek to compassionately expand the conversation about suicide prevention and mental health by not shying away from difficult subjects, as well as fighting to remove stigma, providing practical guidance to those who are hurting, and offering resources and hope to their listeners.

The origin of the podcast stemmed from Buser-Clancy’s own struggle with trying to help a friend. “I witnessed a very obvious cry for help from a friend but found myself feeling powerless and afraid I would say or do the wrong thing,” she said. “I turned to my dad for advice because he’s always been there for me and because he happens to be an expert in mental health and suicide. Our resulting conversation was the spark for the entire show.”

Regarding the future direction of the show, Buser-Clancy said, “We are only beginning to scratch the surface of the content we want to cover. Too often suicide is discussed in broad strokes and addressed as a small part of the greater topic of mental health. We want to have nuanced conversations with a very specific and detailed look at numerous topics related to suicide – and we also want to bring in thoughtful experts to help with these deeper dives.”

New episodes of “Leaving the Valley” will release on the first and third Thursday of each month. Episodes are available to stream or download through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Radio or LeavingTheValley.com.

For more information about the hosts, Dr. Sam Buser and Kimi Buser-Clancy, click here.