How Leaders Can Prevent Self-Injury and Mental Health Crises with Lori Vann

Listeners discover how common self injury actually is, as Lori explains that it affects people far beyond the stereotype of teenage girls, including children as young as eight and adults well into their fifties. She highlights the strong correlation between non suicidal self injury and suicide, showing why early recognition and intervention are critical for safety and recovery. During the conversation, Lori describes how COVID intensified an already raging mental health crisis and pushed many people to seek counseling for the first time in their lives. We also explore how C suite and organizational leaders shape workplace mental health through their actions, their vulnerability, and the way they respond when employees ask for help. Finally, Lori reframes influence as servant leadership and service, sharing powerful clinical stories and the mission behind Van Wellness and the Institute for Non Suicidal Self Injury..

Summary:

Luke explains how Australian property prices have surged while rental yields and cash flow have fallen, making it harder for new deals to stack up. He shares how selling properties in Melbourne, paying capital gains tax, and reallocating into Brisbane produced far better long term growth than simply holding. Luke also describes his pivot from purely residential into commercial property, development, and other business ventures as the market shifts. Beyond money, he unpacks his eight year streak of running at least 7 kilometers every single day and how that consistency has inspired others to raise their own standards. Throughout the episode, Luke and Anton connect influence, leadership, and investing back to one core principle: consistent action that builds trust over time.From Single Properties To Strategic Portfolios The New Rules Of Investing

5 Takeaways:

• Self injury carries an estimated lifetime risk around 30 percent in the United States and has a very high correlation with suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
• COVID did not start the mental health crisis, it dramatically intensified it and drove many adults and young people into counseling for the first time.
• Organizational trust around mental health depends on how leaders and HR respond when employees disclose struggles or ask for time off and accommodations.
• Influence and leadership have the greatest impact when they prioritize service, ethics, and a willingness to refer clients or staff to other experts when needed
• Building strong rel,ationships and a recognizable brand helps you become the person others think of and reach out to when they are in crisis or seeking change.

5 Best Quotes:

• Influence comes with responsibility and is at its best when it is rooted in humility, service, and a focus on others rather than ego.
• Self injury is far more common than most people realize, and it is not just a teenage phase but a behavior that spans childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.
• The true attitude toward mental health in any organization starts at the top, where C suite actions speak much louder than polished memos.
• Real leadership is inseparable from being a servant who is willing to show vulnerability, share struggles, and model the hard work you expect from others.
• It is not who you know but who knows you, and how many people think of you first as a trusted resource when they need help and guidance.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Lori Vann Background

02:10 How Common Self Injury Really Is

04:57 Suicide Risk and Why Self Injury Matters

05:56 Covid and the Mental Health Wildfire

07:50 Are Companies Serious About Mental Health

08:59 How Leaders Can Influence Mental Health Culture

11:35 Vulnerability and Humanity in the C Suite

12:38 Redefining Influence As Service

14:58 Family Roots and Early Influences

17:34 Business Coaching and Relationship Capital

20:22 Life Changing Clinical Success Stories

23:58 Ethics, Limits, and Referring Out

25:03 Why Self Injury Chose Lori’s Career

27:20 Realizing Friends Had Also Self Injured

30:10 Leadership Through A Servant Lens

31:36 The Cost Of Disconnected Senior Leaders

32:57 A Message To Those Who Are Struggling

34:51 Where To Find Self Injury Resources

36:51 Closing Thanks And Future Connections

Conclusion:

This episode brings self injury and suicide risk out of the shadows and into an honest, compassionate conversation that leaders and everyday listeners need to hear. Lori Vann shows that while the statistics can feel heavy, there is real hope when skilled professionals and caring leaders commit to prevention, intervention, and stigma reduction. For organizations, the takeaway is that mental health is no longer optional, it is a core leadership responsibility that demands consistent, human centered action. For individuals who are struggling, Lori’s message is that you are not alone, what you are facing is more common than you think, and there are people and resources designed specifically to help you. As you finish this episode, consider how you can use your influence to serve others, support mental health, and help create spaces where asking for help is respected as a sign of strength