The Son I Knew Too Late: Sally Raymond’s Mission to Prevent Suicide

What happens when a mother, armed with clinical training and boundless love, loses her gifted son to suicide? For Sally Raymond, it meant facing the most painful truth imaginable: despite her growing expertise as a psychotherapist, she missed the signs.

Her son Jon’s death shattered her world—but it also awakened a mission.

In her powerful book, The Son I Knew Too Late, Sally walks us through her journey of decoding the unspoken stories of her son’s life—the subtle cries for help, the deeply embedded trust wounds, and the silent struggles of a young man who felt too much. But rather than being consumed by grief, she transformed it into fuel for healing and education.

Drawing from the theories of Erik Erikson, Sally translates her experience into a guide that not only helps parents prevent tragedy but teaches us all how to better understand ourselves and those we love. She makes a compelling case for why emotional intelligence should be at the centre of our education system, not an afterthought.

In our podcast conversation, Sally opens up about the physical and emotional toll of loss, her path to healing, and why trust is the foundational block of every child’s emotional development. She doesn’t sugarcoat the pain, but she offers hope, clarity, and tools that can save lives.

This is more than a story of grief—it’s a wake-up call for all of us to look deeper, love more consciously, and build environments where emotional health is valued just as much as academic success.

Her story teaches us: it’s never too late to learn how to keep life worth living.

About Sally Raymond

Sally Raymond, a longtime Marriage & Family Therapist & inspirational Speaker (DTM), has authored a unique suicide prevention book, “The Son I Knew Too Late: A Guide to Help You Survive and Thrive” that would be more accurately titled, “How to Keep Life Worth the Living”. In it, the stories she was forced to learn the hardest way possible that took her superstar son Jon to suicide are told, then reinterpreted through the work of the late, great Dr. Erik Erikson to help the living know how to thrive all through life and to avoid what her son and she didn’t. 

Thirty years ago and halfway through my psychotherapist licensure, my genius “too good” 23yo son Jon committed suicide— proving I’d missed his pain. Devastated, but with the new clinical skills most parents never have, I was forced onto a quest to find the stories I obviously missed, that from his point of view, made perfect sense of his last, horrific choice. But first, I had to survive.

Website: https://sallyaraymond.com/ 

Jonathan Labman on Healing, Waking Up & Reclaiming Your Soul Mirror Talk: Soulful Conversations

This one is for anyone who’s ever felt broken, disconnected, or like they’ve just been surviving instead of living.Today’s guest, Jonathan Labman, knows what that’s like—because he’s lived it. A survivor of childhood abuse and religious cults, Jonathan turned his trauma into a path of deep healing and spiritual awakening. For over 24 years, he’s been helping others do the same—guiding people out of anxiety, burnout, and emotional pain into a more peaceful, present, and connected life.In this powerful conversation, Jonathan shares not only his incredible story but also the wisdom he’s gained along the way—from understanding ego and emotional patterns to discovering what it really means to "wake up." This episode is full of real talk, soul-level insight, and practical tools for anyone who’s ready to stop chasing and start healing.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Spiritual Awakening and Transformation03:00 Understanding Spiritual Awakening and Ego Death06:00 The Journey from Pain to Healing08:55 Overcoming Childhood Trauma and Abuse11:57 The Impact of Cult Experiences on Identity15:04 Finding Hope and Healing Through Therapy18:01 The Role of Spiritual Practices in Recovery20:57 Integrating Psychology and Spirituality24:03 Reflections on Healing and Ongoing Growth26:13 Healing from Trauma: A Personal Journey30:05 Understanding Trauma and Its Effects34:06 The Process of Healing and Self-Discovery38:02 Practical Tools for Managing Trauma Responses44:37 Finding Hope and Support in HealingWhat We Talk About:What it was really like growing up in a religious cult—and what it taught Jonathan about true spiritualityHow he turned trauma into transformation (and how you can too)Why we burn out trying to succeed—and what “success” looks like when you’re awakeThe simple, powerful basics of being human (and why we forget them)How to stop believing every thought and start trusting your deeper selfThe role of the body, breath, and energy in healing from traumaHow Jonathan stays grounded—even in a chaotic worldWhat he would say to someone who feels like they’ll never feel whole againA Few Soul-Stirring Quotes:“You are the divine in a body.”“Nobody ever taught us how to feel our feelings.”“If I can do it, so can you.”“You don’t need another self-help book—you need to come home to yourself.”Mentioned in the Episode:Jonathan’s book: Being Human and Waking UpHis column: Simply AwakeRecommended read: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der KolkLearn more about Jonathan & his work:🌐 simplyawake.comCONFESSIONS is now available: https://mirrortalkpodcast.com/confessions-book/Thank you for joining me on this MIRROR TALK podcast journey. Kindly subscribe to any platform. Please do not forget to leave a review and rating.Let us stay connected: ⁠https://linktr.ee/mirrortalkpodcast⁠ More inspiring episodes and show notes are here: ⁠https://mirrortalkpodcast.com/podcast-episodes/⁠⁠Your opinions, thoughts, suggestions and comments matter to us. Share them here: ⁠https://mirrortalkpodcast.com/your-opinion-matters/⁠Invest in us by becoming a Patreon. Please support us by subscribing to one or more of the offerings that we have available at ⁠http://patreon.com/MirrorTalk⁠ All proceeds will improve the quality of our work and outreach. To serve you better. Try out ElevenLabs for free: https://try.elevenlabs.io/8oveg6dyus8a 
  1. Jonathan Labman on Healing, Waking Up & Reclaiming Your Soul
  2. Chronos and Kairos: Mastering Time to Master Your Life
  3. Massimo Rigotti’s Journey from Addiction to Empowerment through the S.O.B.E.R. Method™
  4. Hello Fear, My Old Friend: Embracing & Overcoming Fear with Vulnerability
  5. Dennis Crosby: Why Do Most Marriages Struggle And How Can You Win?

If this episode touched your heart, share it with someone who needs it.

CONFESSIONS is now available: https://mirrortalkpodcast.com/confessions-book/

Thank you for joining me on this MIRROR TALK podcast journey. Kindly subscribe on any platform. Please do not forget to leave a review and rating.

Let us stay connected: https://linktr.ee/mirrortalkpodcast

More inspiring episodes and show notes are here: https://mirrortalkpodcast.com/podcast-episodes/⁠

Your opinions, thoughts, suggestions and comments matter to us. Share them here: https://mirrortalkpodcast.com/your-opinion-matters/

Invest in us by becoming a Patreon. Please support us by subscribing to one or more of the offerings that we have available at http://patreon.com/MirrorTalk

All proceeds will improve the quality of our work and outreach. To serve you better. 

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