W E L C O M E  T O  T H E  G R I E F  G I R L 
My name is Kristi Hugstad, and I am on a mission to abolish the stigma of mental illness and suicide. I have first-hand experience with clinical depression, substance abuse and suicide. My husband, Bill, completed suicide by running in front of a train in Dana Point where we lived just 5 short years ago. Because of this life shattering experience, my passion for prevention has emerged. I don’t want anyone to experience the pain and heartbreak I felt after my husband’s suicide. My story may have ended differently if I had recognized the warning signs and risk factors of depression and suicide. But I was too late and I was unaware.

Suicide prevention must start with our teens. Teen suicide isn’t a new phenomenon, but unfortunately, it has become a tragic, disturbing epidemic in the United States – one that has the potential to claim the lives of America’s youth. 

My latest book, "R U OK? teen Depression & Suicide" is an educational suicide prevention tool for teens, parents, teachers, and anyone working with our youth. It includes issues our teens face today;  bullying, substance abuse, self-harm, technology addiction, peer, academic, parental, and self pressures, eating disorders, anxiety, depression and suicide.
T H E  L A T E S T  W I T H  K R I S T I 
Love, Loss, Grief and Mental Illness | AIRING JAN 2019
Any opportunity I can get to share my story, to hopefully then save lives, makes all the pain I have gone through worth it. It was my honor to share my story of love and loss with the great team and audience  at @thedoctorstv ... because of them, I relived some of the most painful memories of my life to in-turn help those who are suffering. Today and everyday I ask each and everyone of you, abolish the stigma of mental illness and start the conversation. This episode will air early fall 2018. Stay tuned!
Anonymous $1 million donation helps suicide-prevention author spread advice to teens

The Orange County Register got wind of my suicide prevention campaign where $1 Million dollars were donated to buy copies of my latest book, “R U OK? Teen Depression & Suicide”
D O N A T E  "R U OK?"  T O  Y O U R  L O C A L  S C H O O L
Thanks to a very generous donation from a local business of 100,000 copies of “R U OK? Teen Depression and Suicide”  we have been able to gift "R U OK?" to schools and organizations around the nation. We have 10,000 books LEFT!!
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Every year, more than 44,000 Americans die by suicide, making it the 10 th leading cause of death in the United States. And even with an average of 121 suicides a day, suicide remains the topic no one wants to talk about. 

As we seek to open up important conversations – and offer a much-needed beacon of hope – we need your help to get these books in the hands of teens across the nation.  
HOW TO START THE CONVERSATION ​
8 QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU START A LIFE-CHANGING CONVERSATION
How do you start what could potentially be the most important conversation of your loved one’s life? Well, you stop thinking about it like that. It’s easy to become overwhelmed at the idea of finding exactly the right words or offering the perfect advice. But in most cases, what you say doesn’t really matter all that much. What does matter is that your friend understands you’re there to listen – with love and without judgment.
The very first question you should ask anyone you are concerned for is ...

"R U OK?"
B O O K S  B Y  K R I S T I  H U G S T A D 
WHAT I WISH I'D KNOWN
Finding Your Way Through The Tunnel of Grief
​​Kristi Hugstad’s life wasn’t just on track, it was a dream:​ a loving marriage, two beautiful homes and a thriving fitness business she built with her husband Bill.

​Until, one day, it all went off the rails. What I Wish I’d Known shares Kristi’s tragic, painful, heart-rending and infinitely hopeful story of love, loss and the strength it takes to start over again. For anyone experiencing loss, Kristi’s words are a beacon of light on life’s darkest waters.
"I would recommend this book to anyone who is going through any type of loss, not just that of a loved one, but loss of a job, a marriage, any type of loss. I think this book can be impactful in more ways than one." Review by Insights into Books
B U Y  W H A T  I  W I S H  I' D  K N O W N  A T  Y O U R  F A V O R I T E  B O O K  S T O R E 
"R U OK?" Teen Depression & Suicide
Sometimes the thoughts we leave unsaid are the most dangerous. 
R U OK? is an educational suicide prevention tool for teens, parents and educators dealing with mental illnesses, depression, addiction and suicide. It addresses topics like cyberbullying, technology addiction, substance abuse, gender confusion and suicidal ideation. Asking the words R U OK? offers struggling teens the opportunity to ask for help.

With influences such as 2017’s most tweeted about show 13 Reasons Why, talking to teens about depression and mental illness is absolutely critical. R U OK? provides the knowledge and tools to productively tackle the conversation that could just save a life. 

"There is so much to this book, yet the book is short enough to read in a couple of sittings. If you have any inkling a teen might be in trouble please read this book yourself. It may help you save a life. And if your teen has a friend they are concerned about buy this book for your teen..."Review on Amazon
RETURNING TO JOY
Inspirational Thought Anchors for Your Journey Through Grief 
To grieve is to love. This book is dedicated to the beautiful souls who loved freely – despite knowing that loss is an inevitable part of life. May these words help you find joy, inspiration and the courage to move forward in your journey. As you do, I know that all the grief you feel – all that unspent love – will find a new and beautiful place to go. 
COMING WINTER 2019!
T H E  G R I E F  G I R L  P O D C A S T  -  T H E  L A T E S T  E P I S O D E 
 L I V I N G  A F T E R  L O S S
 ​Latest Entry

These 3 Things put you at a Higher Risk of Suicide & None of them are Mental Illness

By Kristi Hugstad
Before you’ve finished reading this paragraph, someone in the United States will attempt suicide. 

And by the time you’ve finished this page, it’s likely one person will have succeeded. In the next 24 hours, 123 Americans will be dead by their own hand.
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The thing is, suicide isn’t just about your health history. It can also be about who you are, as well as your current life circumstances. If you belong to any of the following groups, you’re statistically at a higher risk for suicide...

"You can't calm the storm. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass”
G R I E F  I S  N O T  T H E  E N E M Y  -  G R I E F  I S  T H E  T E A C H E R

Grief Counseling like no other

Grief Recovery Specialist. Offering an action plan for moving beyond death, divorce, and other losses.