Urban Views will close this awareness month by introducing you to a Peer Support Professional. If you or someone you know would like to have a confidential conversation, feel free to reach out to Glenn Proctor. Email glenn@reddjobb.com or Text 804-678-8570
The reality of suicide has been with Glenn Proctor since his 20s when he heard the shot as his grandfather took his life in an adjacent room. A Vietnam veteran who lost “brothers” to suicide, Glenn suffers survivors’ remorse, asking why his name is not on the Vietnam Memorial Wall. He had ideations during decades of drinking binges and has written about suicide as a journalist and author.
Photo credit Richmond Times-Dispatch
Glenn’s move into mental health advocacy and training came after serving in the Marine Corps (13 years, active duty and reserve/broken time) and a lengthy journalism career. Glenn retired as vice president/executive editor of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. He shared in the Pulitzer Prize at the Akron Beacon Journal and is a five-time Pulitzer judge. Glenn founded REDDjobb Coaching, a leadership, communications and training collaborative, and Creative Writing Bootcamp/Charlotte, a six-month “writing as healing” program.
A dozen writers from the intensive writing program have become published authors. Glenn is the author of five books and co-editor of two collaborations. His next books are about suicide prevention and resilience and self-leadership.
As an executive coach, Glenn works with career professionals transitioning to retirement or entrepreneurship and with leaders in media, logistics, banking, Mary Kay, academia, manufacturing, and small business, especially startups.
Glenn was an adjunct professor at Kent State, the Donald Reynolds Distinguished Visiting Professor of Journalism at Washington and Lee and executive in residence for the Maynard Institute of Journalism Education at Northwestern.
A Mental Health America (MHA)of Central Carolinas instructor, Glenn is a regular contributor to NAMI’s Crisis Intervention Team training for Charlotte area law enforcement and regional first responders. Twice, he helped Charlotte police CIT teams with on-scene negotiations – “de-escalation” – with veterans in distress.
For 2022, Glenn is leading monthly Grief and Loss conversations for TIAA teams and has worked with NICU nurses following the suicide of a colleague, the NJ School Boards Association, the Bebe Moore Campbell Minority Mental Health Symposium, MHA, Veterans Bridge Home and Camino Health Services.
Glenn has almost-weekly chats with folks experiencing loss or “pandemic grief” and works with mothers – in Kentucky and Minnesota – who lost college-age sons to suicide and a mother whose 6-year-old twice tried to end his life.
“I am not a clinician. I am a peer support professional with decades of lived experience and evidence-based training to provide hope and support by listening and sharing my story. Peer supporters don’t judge, diagnose or replace therapy. My story: foster kid / single parent / alcoholic / combat vet / cancer survivor/ Agent Orange victim.” – Glenn Proctor
For a confidential conversation, email glenn@reddjobb.com or text 804-678-8570
Grief Support Specialist & Coach / QPR Suicide Prevention Instructor / QPR Suicide Prevention for Veterans / Youth & Adult Mental Health First Aid Instructor / North Carolina Peer Support Specialist / Certified Life Coach / Certified Professional Coach
*National Chair, American Association of Suicidology Lived Experience Writing Program
*Recipient, 2022 American Association of Suicidology Loss Survivor of the Year Award
