T H E  P A R S O N S  C O M P A N Y,  I N C.  

presents 

TED Speakers

Now Scheduling 2016 Engagements    
Kevin "Grateful" Berthia
"The Impact of Listening" - TEDxUCDavisSF
 
Suicide Attempt Survivor, Suicide Prevention, Mental Illness & Depression

In 2005, Kevin attempted to take his life at The Golden Gate Bridge...for 96 minutes, with nothing to stop him from falling except a listening ear, Kevin spoke with a first responder who eventually talked him back over the railing. 


Today, Kevin Berthia is a grateful Suicide Prevention Advocate, encouraging period to talk through their problems rather than think about ending their lives. Kevin believes that depression may be a part of you, but it is not who you are. 

 

Jennifer Storm
"Resiliency & Recovery"- TEDxMuncyStatePrison 

jen storm headshot pink

Victim Advocate, Addiction and Recovery 

  • Author of Blackout Girl: Growing up and Drying out in America  
  • Author of Leave the Light On

Currently the Victim Advocate for the State of Pennsylvania, Jennifer Storm presents one woman's recovery from addiction, trauma and adversity and identifies key components of what can help a person turn their lives around.  An out of the box first responder, Jennifer has changed the rules and laws to support and protect both adult and juvenile victims of all crimes.  

 

Jennifer Storm is the ultimate survivor turned thriver having recently chronicled her own story of victimization and recovery in her memoirs: Blackout Girl: Growing up and Drying out in America and Leave the Light On. She actively discusses victims' rights, addiction and recovery, and civil rights.

Watch Now


 

 

Dr. Charles Hoge
"Transitioning Home From Combat"- TEDxLaJolla

Charles Hoge Headshot

PTSD, Veteran Affairs, War-related mental health issues, Trauma, Transitioning Home

  • Author of Once a Warrior, Always a Warrior
  • Blogger for The Huffington Post 
  • Interviewed for the documentary film, "Halfway Home"

Dr. Charles Hoge, Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.) is a nationally-known expert on PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), mTBI (mild traumatic brain injury) and other physiological reactions to war, as well as treatment strategies for war-related conditions. Dr. Hoge's expertise spans psychiatry, trauma, public health, health policy, and infectious diseases. His articles and book, Once  a Warrior, Always a Warrior , are the most frequently cited articles about the impact of the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and on the troops coming home.  

Watch Now


 

 

Dr. Edith Eger
"What My Mama Told Me"- TEDxLaJolla
The Art of Survival, Rising above Trauma, Surviving PTSD
 
Dr. Eger is a sought-after clinical psychologist &   lecturer, helping individuals discard their limitations,   discover their powers of self-renewal, & achieve things they previous thought unattainable. Using her past as a powerful analogy, she inspires people to tap their full potential & shape their very best destinies. It's a message of healing & personal growth, a message of freedom from self-imposed limitations, and a message that helps people build character and deal effectively with life's events.
Sgt. Kevin Briggs
"The Bridge Between Suicide and Life"- TEDTalks

Crises Intervention, Suicide Prevention, Practical Tools & Skills  

  •  Author, The Guardian Of The Golden Gate: Protecting the Line Between Hope & Despair 
Sergeant Kevin Briggs (Ret), also known as the Guardian of the Golden Gate Bridge, is a former California Highway Patrol officer who has stopped hundreds people from jumping off of the Golden Gate Bridge. As a member of the CHP for over twenty-three years, with the majority of those years patrolling the Golden Gate Bridge, Sgt. Briggs discovered early that his job required him to take on an unusual role for a police officer: suicide prevention counselor. Since 1994, through sheer compassion and expert listening skills, Sgt. Briggs has helped convince more than 200 people on the precipice of death not to take their lives.

 
Contact:
T H E  P A R S O N S  C O M P A N Y, I N C.

Main Office:
 
Phyllis Parsons
925.934.5300

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