Hope and #Livin with Kaitlin and PT
DeAnn and Craig (Sober Positive Workplace) discuss the intersection of substance use disorder and suicide prevention, highlighting the work of the Livin Foundation. PT, a media personality and founder, shares his personal loss to suicide and the foundation's mission to remember loved ones for how they lived. Kaitlin, a co-founder, emphasizes the importance of peer-to-peer support and the Livin Foundation's new program to facilitate workplace mental health support. They introduce the AI-powered mental health platform Livin Connected and discuss the impact of open conversations on reducing suicide rates by 79%. The foundation also offers free virtual suicide prevention training and financial support for those affected by suicide.
Info & Donate: www.livinfoundation.org
Find HOPE at: https://livinconnected.org
LIVIN Foundation Story/Overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrIWBJZVYnk&t=6s
About the Guests
Paul Thomas Hohag, Founder and Chairman of the Board
Paul Thomas “PT” Hohag is one of the founders of the LIVIN Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 whose mission is to raise awareness about depression/mental health issues in the hopes of preventing suicide.
On Jan 21, 2013, PT’s life changed when he was informed by a Bloomington police officer that his father had taken his own life. His father, Thomas Hohag, was a vital and influential figure in his life, and a cherished husband, father, neighbor, and friend. This tragic loss deeply impacted PT. Thomas, known as “Hawk,” had a remarkable ability to connect with people, leaving a positive impression on everyone he met.
Following his father’s death, PT navigated a range of emotions, including frustration, anger, sadness, and pain. Instead of focusingon the way he died, PT ultimately decided to embrace the way his father LIVED. PT committed to encouraging open conversations about depression and suicide, aiming to reduce the associated stigma, and other mental illnesses and maybe, just maybe, save a life in the process.
Through the LIVIN Foundation, the goal is to inspire people to appreciate life, pursue their dreams (big or small), laugh (or cry) with each other, and support one another. By raising awareness of the signs of depression, the foundation hopes to help those struggling to seek help. The message of the LIVIN Foundation is to embrace life and “GET BUSY #LIVIN,” reinforcing the belief that “it is ALWAYS a great day to be alive.”
Kaitlin Daeges, Co-Founder, LivinConnected
After losing her father to suicide, Kaitlin Daeges has turned her personal tragedy into driving passion to prevent suicide. She is a mom, wife, Entrepeneur and experienced operations and mental health non-profit leader. Kaitlin has been part of the LIVIN Foundation for 7+ years in various roles.
Kaitlin pursued a career in health insurance as an operations leader for 16 years before making a life-changing decision to completely switch gears and start chasing a career that aligns with her passion and purpose in life. She is a mom, wife, entrepreneur, and leader.
Her experience in startup companies and large corporations has made her who she is today. She has a proven track record of significantly increasing profitability and shareholder value within organizations. These results have been delivered by creating strong leadership teams and contributing to building vibrant organizational cultures that improve efficiencies and enhance processes.
The experience, skills, and knowledge that she has gained throughout her operations leadership career have prepared her for where she is today and readily transfer to building successful businesses and delivering outstanding customer experiences in every aspect of her life. Whether she is working on the real estate investment property company that she and her husband own, or the non-profit she runs, the common denominator in all aspects of life, is that the customer experience always comes first, always! Kaitlin has both her real-estate and insurance licenses.
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