47. Radical Acceptance, Army Deployment, and Suicide Prevention — SFC Monica Anderson

"You need to learn your identity. Really look in and find out if that’s an identity that you like. Even if you don’t like it, you have to accept it to start. And you have to learn your values. You do not realize those things until they’re tested. So it really is a lot of trial and error. It took me up until this point to be comfortable in my own skin, to understand the things that matter, the things that are worth fighting for.” - Monica Anderson

Our guest this week, Monica Anderson, is a Commanding Sergeant First Class in the US Army, who comes with a wealth of experiential knowledge and wisdom.

She courageously shares the story that placed her in the army - a family disownment due to her sexual identity - as well as her experiences deployed in Iraq.

Mental health is a huge theme of this episode, and she reveals how she navigated the challenges of deployment and supported her struggling friends & battle buddies.

We also dive into her experience as an athletic trainer, and how that has complimented her life as a mother and a commanding officer.

If you or someone you know has been struggling with mental health recently, give this one a listen and share it with a friend.

We get vulnerable and go deep in conversations with SFC Anderson.

We’d really appreciate it if you could leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, as it really helps the podcast grow.

We hope you enjoy this episode of Discover More, with us, and SFC Monica Anderson. 

Resources:

• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255 
• https://www.bridgestorecovery.com/blog/5-warning-signs-of-suicidal-behavior-that-are-easy-to-miss/ 
• https://afsp.org/risk-factors-and-warning-signs