Hufsa Ahmad, LCSW

09/14/2026

Su***de prevention begins long before crisis – and definitely before dialing 988, 911, or going to a psychiatric unit. ***dePreventionMonth

We don't hear often enough that su***de prevention also includes:
- connection to others (as people who think of dying feel alone)
- pets (which are very commonly the reason people find meaning and unconditional love) - and a major red flag is when a pet passes away.
- hobbies
- knowing how to calm themselves down when they are upset
- peer groups
- exercising regularly
- a meaningful role
- proper mental health support
- clinicians trained in managing both active and passive thoughts of su***de
- connection to resources
- being in positive spaces
- and more.

If we focus only on the crisis points, we see people suffer from a broken inpatient system and taken to the hospital in handcuffs.

DBT therapy is an evidence-based therapy that was originally created to help chronically suicidal patients who were considered beyond hope. It is highly effective in treating suicidality and helping people "build a life worth living" (the title of Dr. Marsha Linehan's book, who lives with Borderline Personality Disorder and developed this therapy).

As a certified DBT clinician, I strongly believe all clinicians should be trained in this therapy. And as a client, participating in an intensive DBT program led to lasting skills and change that have completely removed any thoughts of not wanting to live (as discussed in my TEDx talk - link in comments).

Thanks for reading,

Hufsa

P.S. Enjoy the photo I took in New York :)

hashtag ***dePrevention hashtag ***dePreventionSpeaker hashtag hashtag hashtag

IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Serene woodland garden with layered waterfalls cascading over rocks into a calm pool, surrounded by lush green foliage and moss.

09/10/2026

For World Su***de Prevention Day, I want to share my viral TEDx talk on suicidality and my 14-year career in su***de prevention.

First and foremost, if you are thinking about hurting or killing yourself, please know that you are not alone. You can text or call the Su***de Prevention & Crisis Hotline, 988, or call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. There is a comprehensive list of crisis and non-crisis mental health resources here: https://www.healthygamer.gg/mental-health-resources

TEDx Talks
My 2018 TEDx talk, “Relapse is Part of Recovery,” with over 250,000 views, was likely the first talk where someone openly discussed their history of suicidality. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVkL3glwL8g

By taking the lessons I’ve learned from my struggles and doing a mini-research study on other people who have struggled, the message is clear: pain propels us on a path to change, and since everyone has a “relapse” (whether it be drug, mental health, or a life setback like divorce), we must support each other in times of darkness.

Both of my TEDx talks are featured on TED.com website, an honor awarded to less than 1% of TEDx speakers.

Multicultural studies into su***de prevention
As a program director, I collaborated with 9 multi-ethnic communities and partnered with Dr. Miguel Gallardo to use Community-Based Participatory Research to understand how su***de is perceived and best prevented in each specific community. We developed a su***de prevention curriculum in 8 different languages with a 98% participant satisfaction rate. This was not me creating a training and asking people to translate it; it was a truly collaborative, culturally humble and inclusive way to develop high quality and targeted trainings for each community's specific needs.

We found that in minority communities, a direct approach is NOT always appropriate. A Cambodian man explained that asking someone if they are thinking of su***de is the greatest insult imaginable. It really brought to light that mainstream su***de prevention trainings are not always teaching concepts in transferable ways – and that we need to include the community’s voices collaboratively to best save lives.

You can find a summary of this research on Dr. Gallardo's website.

A clinical psychotherapy practice focused on treating suicidality, passive suicidal ideation, and death ideation
Nearly all of my psychotherapy clients have experienced some level of suicidality, and nearly all of them have said that they feared telling their therapist because of their therapists’ reaction. In fact, one of therapists’ major anxieties relates to their client sharing that they are suicidal.

I don’t know if it’s sampling bias, where people who match with me already know I specialize in helping folks with thoughts of not wanting to live. Or perhaps that people feel comfortable when I am very transparent about the conditions of calling 911 or involuntary hospitalization and very intentional about safety planning.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is one of my primary therapy approaches. As Dr. Marsha Linehan, the creator of DBT therapy, teaches, everyone can build a life worth living. She developed DBT to help patients who were chronically suicidal and considered beyond help, and it is a very robustly studied, evidence-based therapy that has also dramatically helped me too!

For free DBT lessons and peer support groups, please go to nowmattersnow.org.

I encourage you to follow Marcus Rodriguez PhD who is a leader in the DBT world. He posts valuable articles about this phenomenal and lifesaving therapy!

Rethinking su***de prevention
Su***de prevention begins long before crisis – and definitely before dialing 988, 911, or going to a psychiatric unit.

We don't hear often enough that su***de prevention also includes:

connection to others (as people who think of dying feel alone)
pets (which are very commonly the reason people find meaning and unconditional love) - and a major red flag is when a pet passes away!
hobbies
knowing how to calm themselves down when they are upset
peer groups
exercising regularly
a meaningful role
proper mental health support
connection to resources
being in positive spaces
limiting toxic social media
relapse prevention plans, and more.
Note: DBT therapy captures many of these quite well in the mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness sections!

If we focus too much on the crisis points, we also see people suffer from a broken inpatient system and even being taken to the hospital in handcuffs. When someone needs therapy to cope with how they've been treated by the mental health system... we've got a lot of work to do!

Follow me for more :)
Feel free to follow me as I post articles on su***de prevention. I’ll be digging quite hard into AI and safety, as ChatGPT told children to kill themselves and the present-day safeguards are not enough... but I want to warm up the audience :)

And I’ll end this with a third of my caseload having “Don’t use ChatGPT” on their safety plan. Food for thought!

Please leave a comment or any questions you have!

Upcoming posts:

how AI told children to kill themselves - and what we need to do as a society to prevent further harm
post-lawsuit AI safeguards are meaningless - and I proved it
why su***de prevention matters for everyone

***dePreventionDay ***dePreventionMonth

06/25/2026

06/24/2026

How an animated musical Sing help me understand the universality of setbacks: and what you can learn too. ✍️ what lesson did you learn from an animated movie?

06/22/2026

This clip is from 8 years ago, and after becoming a licensed therapist and entering my 30s - and going through more struggles myself - I have only seen this message reinforced. That our struggles bring us strength and insight.

What insights have you gained from the lowest points in your life?

Join the movement:

06/22/2026

“My struggles have made me the person I am today. If I did not struggle, I would not have found my passion to serve as a mental health advocate and smash the stigma of mental illness.” Clip from my viral TEDx talk, “Relapse is Part of Recovery” letting you know that you will get through your struggles and be stronger ❤️

Transcript:

I told you about four things, and those four things were the lowest points in my life, which I call relapses. Whether it was the first time I fell or if I got better and I fell back, it had the same effect. Yes, I suffered greatly, but I gained something from every relapse.

One: Empathy. What is it like to live with mental illness?
Two: I saw how much my friends cared about me—something I was so delusional I couldn’t see on my own.
Three: I witnessed what the illness took away from me, but I also saw what I could gain from it.
And four: That relapse is part of recovery.

I will fall over and over again, but the important thing is to be proactive about relapse, not reactive to it; to stay vigilant and take care of myself.

My relapses and my struggles have made me the person I am today. If I did not struggle, I would not have found my passion to serve as a mental health advocate and smash the stigma of mental illness.

Join the Movement:

11/25/2025

I am hosting a "You are More Than Enough" Women Professionals Workshop + Networking Event to tackle Imposter Syndrome and Build Community! I've got a powerhouse guest speaker who was a visiting professor at Harvey Mudd College! Info below:

**You Are More Than Enough: Women Professionals Workshop + Networking Event** (Virtual)
We create an environment that fosters lasting connections. You'll be motivated by our guest speaker, Dr. Jacqueline El-Sayed, CEO, who will share her powerful story of rising in a male-dominated industry while battling imposter syndrome fueled by both environmental and personal challenges.
The workshop will be facilitated by Hufsa Ahmad, LCSW, a valedictorian, former tech professional, and therapist who experienced crippling self-doubt before finding the right help.
We will incorporate interactive technology and activities to keep the experience engaging. This workshop will not be a typical "sit and listen" format.
Women professionals at all levels are welcome. Don’t miss this opportunity to build connections that will empower you and others!
Agenda:
11:00 am - Welcome & Introductions
11:10 am - Jackie’s talk
11:20 am - Breakouts - Connect, Collaborate, Exchange Contact Info
11:30 am - Reunite, share insights, re-ignite our sparks
11:40 am - Interactive activity
11:50 am - 12:00 pm: Closing
To sign up, click the Eventbrite link in the comments. Tickets are $5. Please let me know if you have questions!

10/31/2025

Therapist Answers: ELI5 DBT Therapy! I was on the Catalyst for Healing podcast explaining Dialectical Behavioral Therapy with an original analogy far better than ChatGPT (which I verified!). See the podcast on Youtube: https://youtu.be/0l-e1IMjx_g?si=0TAL3SY-1PV7o0f5