Anxiety and Grief with Samantha Ruth

SEEing to Lead

Samantha is a Psychologist, Speaker, Best Selling Author, and Host of The Be Ruthless Show, a podcast dedicated to Making Noise and Breaking Stigmas. She helps people around the world turn their pain into their power by guiding them to be their true selves, not who they think they need to be, by embracing their differences and recognizing that their perceived weaknesses are their biggest strengths, and by living life on their own terms. Samantha’s mission is to change the way the world views both grief and mental health, so people can speak about whatever issues they have and get the help they not only need but deserve without fear of judgment, labels, and repercussions Samantha is the proud founder of Griefhab, a 24/7 community open to anyone who has experienced a loss. After personally living through this, Sam realized just how much support she needed on a daily basis. She vowed to create these services so that others would have more support available in their times of need. In her free time, you can find Sam and her pups, Sassy and Dallas, on one of their outdoor adventures. They love living in Colorado and never miss an opportunity to explore their beautiful surroundings. Music fuels Sam’s soul, family means everything to her, and honoring her late husband, Jim, and making him proud gives her life daily purpose.

Summary:
In this episode, Samantha Ruth, shares her insights on transforming personal weaknesses into strengths, particularly focusing on anxiety and grief. Samantha discusses her mission to break the stigmas surrounding mental health and grief, emphasizing the importance of living authentically. She also highlights the critical role of schools in supporting students' mental health and talks about her creation, Grief Hab, a 24/7 support community for those experiencing loss. We get into into practical strategies to provide mental health support in educational settings, how to engage parents, and the importance of having emotional support systems like therapy dogs in schools. Samantha encourages leaders to embrace their unique approaches to making impactful changes in mental health advocacy.

Bookmarks:
00:00 Meet Samantha: Psychologist, Author, and Mental Health Advocate

02:16 Embracing Differences: Turning Weaknesses into Strengths

02:28 The Power of Anxiety: A Personal Journey

04:28 Navigating Grief and Loss: Samantha's Personal and Professional Insights

06:32 Supporting Mental Health in Schools: Strategies and Stories

20:16 Grief Hab: A Community for Healing

23:05 Empowering Students and Engaging Parents: A Call to Action

28:21 Final Thoughts: Advice for Leaders and How to Connect

Want the Transcripts? Get them on my Substack!

Don’t Forget to Review the Show!

I appreciate you checking out the episodes. I would mean a lot to me if you took a minute right now to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, or wherever you listen! It helps the show out a lot!

Who am I?

I’ve been an educator in Massachusetts for 23 years. I’m finishing my 16th year as a building leader. I’m a teacher centered Principal and passionate about continuous improvement and the idea that success is not a destination, but a process. I’m active on social media, vlog about continuous improvement on a weekly basis, and wrote a book also called SEEing to Lead as a way to help everyone improve education as a whole by promoting my “just cause”: improving the educational experience for as many people as possible by being purposeful, acting with integrity, and building character.

SEEing to Lead Extras!

Like the content, want to be a guest, or know someone who would? Reach out to me on Twitter at @DrCSJones

Have you taken the time to order and read my latest book! Seeing to Lead is filled with practical resources and personal stories to help you support, engage, and empower those you lead no matter your position!

Jimmy Casas said, "If you are a leader who is looking to support, engage and empower your staff, then SEEing to Lead, by Dr. Chris Jones, is a book you will want to pick up and read. Dr. Jones reminds us that building capacity and helping others achieve personal success is the key to elevating your organization and leaving a lasting impact."

Get your copy here! Don't forget to leave a rating and review for others. I would appreciate it!

Subscribe to My Newsletter! We are all busy, often unsupported, and struggle to stay engaged! Here is a weekly resource that has something to support, engage, and empower you. Not to mention it saves you time by getting to the point! Increase your focus and become a better leader; no matter your position. Check it out here!

Get in touch to schedule me for a workshop or presentation!

This show is part of the Be Podcast Network. Our podcasts go beyond education as we know it — in any learning environment, formal or informal — and help you be the change you want to see. Learn more about the network and all our shows at https://bepodcast.network

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.