The Story Of SOL
Suicide prevention is not just about recognizing and intervening when someone is already in a crisis. It’s about providing people with access to adequate resources, education, and care to prevent these crises. This is why we have to take a PROACTIVE approach to suicide prevention.
Laura & Dr. Lisa
In the winter of 2017, Dr. Lisa Herman Lovelace (a psychologist who owns Synergy eTherapy needed new photographs for her website. Lisa’s husband, David, knew of someone in his circle of friends who was really freaking incredible – Laura Dizon who at the time, owned Tiny Acorn Portraits. During their photo shoot, they started talking about mental health and the increase in stigma and suicides.
Laura lost her brother Aaron to suicide in 2014. He was a talented musician who was well-known in the Minneapolis music community. He was kind, smart, and had a lot of supportive friends in his world. However, he was struggling inside. What we know now is that he felt like he was “just existing, not living” and took his life. This was devastating and very confusing. After a few years of grief, Laura decided that she wanted to make it her mission to honor his memory by helping others in similar situations get the help and support they deserve.
In 2012 Dr. Lisa started offering mental health by phone and video to people as a way to increase access to mental health care. In 2017, she expanded by creating a group tele-mental health therapy practice, Synergy eTherapy, as more people were needing these services if they can’t or won’t go to a clinic to be seen. They see their patients by phone and video from anywhere in the state of MN and other states as well.
Our Mission
Laura and Lisa share the same mission, but one is from a personal experience and the other is from a clinical perspective. They teamed up and started a grass-roots charity called Shout Out Loud MN! Laura and Lisa volunteer their time to advocate for those who need them to Shout Out Loud for them!
In the spring of 2018, they decided to do something with their advocacy and planned a 12-hour charity event in just 3 months! They raised over 16K for NAMI MN and Canvas Health (two Minnesota non-profits with a similar mission). They only had volunteers to help put on this event, including speakers, the bands, music production, etc. that helped to make the first annual event a huge success!
Here’s what’s amazing and kind of fortuitous – all along the way, since Laura and Lisa first met or maybe even before!) there have been a series of fortunate events, meetings, experiences, etc that have connection and meaning that goes beyond happenstance.
What we’ve learned is….
Suicide prevention is not just about recognizing and intervening when someone is already in a crisis.
It’s about providing people with access to adequate resources, education, and care to prevent these crises.
This is why we have to take a PROACTIVE approach to suicide prevention.
Sharing hotlines and intervening once someone is in a crisis is absolutely crucial, but IT’S NOT ENOUGH.
For hotlines and crisis intervention to be effective it requires us to know that someone is in a crisis.
Suicide doesn’t have a ‘look’.
That’s why we NEED to normalize the conversation around mental health and suicide.
We NEED to be talking about suicide prevention in schools, in businesses, and in homes.
We NEED to make mental health care and community resources accessible to everyone.
We NEED to provide our communities with adequate resources, care, and education to prevent people from reaching a crisis.
Because the people who need help sometimes look a lot like the people who don’t need help…
2024
We plan to bring Shout Out Loud into schools with our Elementary, Middle School, & High School curriculum.
Our annual event is planned for Saturday 9/28/24
We would love your support and collaboration with this exciting community initiative and to help us SHOUT OUT LOUD!
With Gratitude,
Lisa & Laura
Aaron Lee Dizon
Too many years since you left us Aaron! We are all still devastated.
You had a smile that lit up a room.
You knew how to brighten someone’s day!
You had a family that loved you unconditionally.
You were popular with tons of friends.
You enjoyed your work.
You played hard.
You had access to mental health care.
But…. you suffered from depression and anxiety. You didn’t feel good enough.
I know more now. I know to ask if you are feeling suicidal. I know that asking you won’t make you do it. I know if I had taken more time to listen instead of talking I could have been a better supporter of you. I just know better now.
YOU are all that mattered. I wish you knew that. Your flaws and mistakes didn’t define you. Your heart did. We saw you Aaron. We were so proud of you. I wish I would have done a better job of showing you.
YOU are what drives me now. I see you in my sweet Mira. She is so much like you! With her I will do better and be better.
Every. Single. Day. I Shout Out Loud for you Aaron. ❤️
Love You forever!
-Laura
