Dentist Kim Harm’s 19 year old son, Eric, looked like he had everything going for him. He was a smart, talented jazz pianist who had just finished his first semester at Columbia University. He had been elected to the student council, was getting excellent grades and had a girlfriend he adored. Two weeks into the second semester, his girlfriend broke up with him, and 45 minutes later, he died by suicide.
Kim and her family, as well as so many friends, were devastated. For Kim, this was the third suicide in her family. Her depression worsened as well as she struggled in her grief. She had now lost her mother, nephew and son to suicide. The guilt and second-guessing were overwhelming.
Now, 11 years later, she has been able to put those thoughts to rest, and replace them with a desire to help others. She is working to educate as many people as possible about depression, mental illness and suffering. After working a career as a dentist, she saw the effects of mental illness in the dental office, and felt that she could make a difference.
Through her work as an ADA spokesperson and consumer advisor, she has been featured on The Today Show, CNN, Fox News, NPR and other network affiliates. She has been quoted in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, USA Today, Chicago Tribune as well as many others. Some of her published articles will be attached below.
Dr. Harms writes and speaks nationally to dentists who have a much higher rate of suicide than the general population. Many dentist and other professionals struggle to seek help for mental illness for fear of what colleagues or patients might think. She attacks those ideas head on. Kim also discusses how to help staff members and patients who are suffering as well. Grieving, suffering people will come in as patients every day. Kim works to help offices understand how to work with those who suffer to make them feel as comfortable as possible in an environment that can cause anxiety.
For more information, visit her website, thedentalmediator.com. She can also be emailed at drkim@pinelakelawfirm.com.
Hi Kim
Thankyou for sharing your beautiful Eric with us. My son Luke also took his own life back in April 2010. I also lost my mother to suicide and my husbands best frond who was groomsman at our weeding. We talked about suicide to our children and never imagined this would happen to one of them. Like Eric Luke had dark curly hair a beautiful smile and was loved by everyone. He also broke up with his girlfriend and in what I can only imagine was a time of desperate sadness took his own life. He had an amazing future ahead of him and I cannot help thinking about what he would have achieved in his life. I hope you and you family are going ok we are sending love to you from Australia.
Thankyou to Marci for bringing our lives together with this podcast it gives me strength and hope.