Meet Lana Gruell

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lana Gruell a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lana, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
My journey to finding my purpose has been deeply influenced by the tragedy of losing my daughter, Cashleigh, to suicide. This heartbreaking experience prompted me to focus on making a difference in the lives of other young people. My desire to honor Cashleigh’s memory and prevent other families from experiencing a similar loss led me to establish The Cashleigh Foundation, where we are working to provide free telehealth talk therapy for youth in America. By doing so, we hope to make a significant impact on preventing youth suicide.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
We tragically lost our beloved Cashleigh Savannah to suicide in December 2022 at the tender age of 20. She struggled with PTSD stemming from childhood trauma. Regrettably, rather than receiving therapeutic interventions to aid her in processing these events, she endured a cycle of psychiatric medications that exacerbated her suffering. My hope is that by providing free telehealth talk therapy to youth, we will help prevent other young people from suffering a similar fate.

Our vision is to create a generation of emotionally resilient young individuals who have the tools and resources to navigate life’s challenges with confidence and purpose.

We are committed to ensuring that youth across the United States have equitable access to mental health support by facilitating connections between young individuals in need and behavioral health graduate students seeking internship opportunities. Grounded in principles of equity and compassion, we aim to proactively address mental health challenges by providing accessible talk therapy services, thereby mitigating the risk of crises among young people.

Additionally, our model addresses the shortage of mental health providers by offering interns a platform to fulfill their licensure requirements while making a meaningful impact in their communities.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I am hyper independent. I moved away from my hometown when I was 30 and raised my four children without the help of family. I realize it’s a trauma response, but it’s helped me more than it’s worked against me so I consider it a strength. I’m the type of person that, when faced with an obstacle, I just figure out a way to get over or around it. And if I can’t find a way, then perhaps it’s not meant for me. I’m also one of the most resourceful people you’ll ever meet. If you asked one of my close friends to describe me they’d most likely say strong or resourceful.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
Since losing Cashleigh, I honestly feel overwhelmed on a daily basis. Grief alone is difficult to deal with, but suicide adds many layers to grief and I’m also trying to work through trauma. I have learned to be kinder to myself and allow myself to feel whatever I’m feeling each day. Some times I have what I refer to as “trauma days” where I feel off. Those are the days where I don’t push myself. I do the bare minimum that day and rest, cry, read, or binge watch something to make me laugh.

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