66 | From Sunny to Ari: The Story Behind the Song

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STEPS 4 HOPE: Suicide Prevention Through Story, Song & Meaning

Welcome to PROTECT (Season 4), a podcast where suicide prevention meets story, values, and the quiet power of music. Hosted by Dr. Manaan Kar Ray, psychiatrist, educator, and creator of the STEPS and HOPE frameworks, this series blends narrative, metaphor, and original music to explore how we can respond with presence and purpose to life’s most fragile moments.

Each episode follows Ari’s story—a tapestry of struggle, meaning, and recovery—and invites listeners into the emotional and clinical landscapes of suicide prevention. Grounded in values-based therapy and ACT principles, STEPS for HOPE is both poetic and practical, designed for health professionals, lived experience advocates, and anyone walking alongside someone in pain.

You’ll hear:

• Story passages from the STEPS for HOPE books
• Original songs created to capture the soul of the story
• Reflections on how to notice, respond, and reweave meaning after distress

This is not a podcast of quick fixes. It’s a space for reflection, compassion, and learning to hold hope—even in the fray.

Visit ATLAS.

Connect with Assoc Prof Manaan Kar Ray on Linkedin
Follow us on www.progress.guide