Keynote speaker for mental health Josh Rivedal held a webinar for Long Beach City College students on May 6, 2020.
Rivedal talked about his childhood through the art and science of storytelling for LBCC’s mental health speaker series.
Rivedal has been a storyteller since he was 6-years-old and now, at 36 years old, he continues to tell his story.
He grew up in New Jersey, the middle of three children, and from a young age he realized his parents did not have a good marriage.
Rivedal’s father was a deacon and church was a very big deal in his community.
People treated his family as if they were perfect.
However, Rivedal’s father was mentally abusive to the family.
His mother tried to explain why their father treated them so awfully, but this resulted in a bad habit of Rivedal’s.
He began to think that keeping feelings to oneself was the solution to problems.
Another contribution to this mindset was the discovery of Revidal’s grandfather’s suicide, and how his father had never discussed it with the family.
At the age of 19, Rivedal became a professional actor on Broadway while living in New York.
After 30 years of marriage, Rivedal’s mother had left his father, resulting in his father’s suicide.
After his father died on March 31, 2001, Rivedal experienced a lot of trauma and his personal life had taken a nosedive.
Rivedal had stopped talking to his mother, his girlfriend left him and he had started to contemplate his suicide.
He thought no one loved him and the world would be a better place without him.
Rivedal thought suicide was inevitable because of his father and grandfather, but he reached out to his mother about what he was going through.
With the help of counseling, Rivedal learned that suicide is not the answer.
“Suicide is preventable and you and I, and all of us can get help and be helpers,” said Rivedal.
Remembering as young as eight years old, Rivedal knew he had two health conditions that he never talked about: clinical depression and anxiety.
Rivedal had to do a variety of things to manage his depression, like taking albuterol and seeing a therapist.
Rivedal has known about his depression for eight years and knows his triggers very well.
“I’m dancing with a prize boxer, and we are fighting,” said Rivedal.
“People who think of suicide are often overwhelmed by feelings of sadness and hopelessness that they think they have no other option.”
Practicing gratitude helps Rivedal manage his anxiety and depression.
“Practicing gratitude and listing things that are going well, I can honor the difficult stuff but also honor things going well,” said Rivedal.
Rivedal addressed the importance of recognizing warning signs of suicidal tendencies.
Warning signs include isolation, feelings of hopelessness, irritability, negative thoughts and reckless activity.
Rivedal gave an example of how to show support to someone in need.
Rivedal said asking questions like, “How can I best support you in this moment?” is one way to help.
“Speak up, speak often, telling your story helps somebody else who is going through the same thing,” Rivedal said.
The following resources were recommended in the webinar to those in need of help:
The National Suicide Hotline— (1-800-273-8255), Long Beach City College Counseling Services— (1-562-938-4210), text Courage to 741741, and The Trevor Project or LGBTQ National Hotline— (1-866-488-7386).