NBC Palm Springs | September 10, 2026 | Local & Community
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7.
Overview
For National Suicide Prevention Month, NBC Palm Springs reporter Maria Noble Valdez spoke with a Coachella Valley resident who shared his own experience with suicidal thoughts in hopes of helping others. He described realizing he was gay at a young age and struggling with the fear and shame he associated with accepting his identity, feelings he said contributed to suicidal thoughts during his childhood. He asked his parents for help repeatedly before he was eventually able to see a psychologist after coming out, and today he uses his story to advocate for others.
The report pairs his story with guidance from Jessica Steinman, LMFT, Chief Clinical Officer at No Matter What Recovery, on how friends and family can recognize when someone may be struggling and what to do about it.
Speaking Up When Someone May Be Struggling
Steinman told NBC Palm Springs that people should not be afraid to directly address suicidal thoughts when they believe someone may be struggling. Conversations about suicide, as the report notes, can play an important role in prevention.
She encouraged friends and family to pay attention to changes in behavior, including:
- Isolating from others
- Canceling plans
- Not answering calls
- Ignoring messages
According to Steinman, those signs can be reasons to make an extra effort to check on someone. The report closes on a message worth repeating: reaching out can be the first step toward getting support, and no one has to face a mental health crisis alone.
Context for No Matter What Recovery
The story at the center of this report will be familiar to many LGBTQ+ people: shame about who you are, fear of how family will react, and help that feels out of reach. That kind of internalized homophobia does not always fade after coming out. For some people it resurfaces later as depression, anxiety, or drinking and drug use that starts as a way to quiet feelings they have never been able to talk about.
No Matter What Recovery offers mental health treatment for LGBTQ+ adults in an affirming setting, and for people whose mental health struggles and substance use have become intertwined, our dual diagnosis treatment addresses both together.
Jessica Steinman’s inclusion in NBC Palm Springs’ Suicide Prevention Month coverage reflects the clinical expertise our team brings to conversations about mental health, stigma, and getting help early.
Source
Read the full article on NBC Palm Springs.
If you or someone you love is struggling with mental health or substance use, the team at No Matter What Recovery is here to help. Contact us to speak with our admissions team, or visit our locations in Los Angeles and Chicago to start the conversation. If you are in crisis right now, call or text 988.
