Two Brothers Initiative

02/07/2022

One year without you 💔

02/06/2022

You can make it through this 💜

02/05/2022

You deserve to see your life get better. Please stay 💜

12/24/2021

Sending love to you this holiday season 💜
positive

12/23/2021

It’s hard to believe you’re both gone. It’s hard to believe you won’t be here for another Christmas or birthday.

I’ve been quieter on here… it’s just overwhelming and tough processing grief. Like walking through quicksand.

Reopening doors I’ve had to close to heal has been difficult too, and there are so many different stages and phases of grief. What used to help me was telling my story and surrounding myself with su***de prevention facts and knowledge to help others. But now I’m in a phase where it’s extremely difficult to wake up daily and remind myself about their deaths. It’s a trigger I’m working through to heal, and hopefully one day it will get easier to talk about again.

I love you all, I’m sending you support this holiday season 💜💜

12/10/2021

We will be taking over 1N5.org’s Instagram stories for today! Follow them or follow along on Instagram to see 😄

We will be on in a few hours!

Happy , Warriors! Julianna Porter, founder of the Two Brothers Initiative, is taking over our Insta stories to talk about mental health. Check out her bio below and follow along to see what she has to say!

Julianna Porter, better known as Jules, is the voice and creator behind Two Brothers Initiative- a su***de prevention community she started after losing both of her brothers to su***de. She is 27, and struggles with anxiety, depression and PTSD, but attends therapy weekly to help her cope with it.

Her two brothers, Stephen and Michael, died by su***de 9 years apart. When Stephen took his life is November of 2012, it left Jules’ family devastated. Over the years they tried to pick up the pieces left behind and recover from it, but Michael struggled to get back on his feet. In February of 2021, Michael took his life too, leaving Jules and her mom with questions and even more heartache. Now she has set out on a mission to advocate for mental health and su***de prevention in hopes that others can be saved along the way. This initiative is her way of keeping her brothers alive, and she hopes they are proud of her for it.

***deprevention

12/08/2021

TW: SU***DE
I often get asked what is the best way to approach communicating with someone who mentioned they are suicidal. This post can help guide you on what to say or do. It can be nerve-racking to think you’re saying the wrong things. Just know showing up, listening and talking to them helps so much already.

I have also added an additional slide regarding ‘immediate danger’ in case you need to act quickly! Saving resources in your phone now can save time when you need to contact a hotline or professional immediately.

Repost from:

12/07/2021

The world is better because YOU are in it!💜

Playing around with the idea of creating a new design for 2BI shirts… maybe someday soon 😋

12/02/2021

Have you tried writing them a letter? 📝 ✍️

I like many others, experienced a lot of anger in my grief. It was difficult to process and work through because I would bottle it up. I didn’t want to be judged for my anger, but I couldn’t help it. It’s so hard losing someone you love, especially when it happens tragically.

I heard a great piece of advice about writing a letter to the loved one you lost. Write down all of the things you wish you could have said to them. Write down the emotions you are feeling. Tell them you miss them. Say whatever comes to mind. Don’t be afraid to cry or get angry in the process just be safe, please!

This exercise can really help you get out all of the thoughts that keep spiraling in your head. It also helps you release the tension that has built up inside of you over time.
It’s okay to have complex emotions, in fact it’s human nature to feel them! But it is not natural to hold in these emotions and bury them deep inside.

If you want to consult with your therapist first, please do so. You could also aim to write this letter before your session so that you can process these difficult emotions together in your session.

Grief is not easy, but we need to express our emotions to work through them. Sending you love in your healing journey 💜

11/25/2021

Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃 💜
Therapy Thursdays will resume next week, but today I want to honor and validate those that have a hard time around the holidays. I love you. I’m sorry if today is hard for you. I hope you can spend it with someone you love. Whether it’s a pet, friend, or spending it with yourself and doing things you love! Please take care of yourself today.
Thinking of you 💜💜

11/22/2021

9 years ago today our lives changed forever.

I was 18 at the time, I had just graduated from high school. As mentioned, our family life has not always been easy. We were all very lost and broken already before Stephen died. Losing him was the most painful thing I had experienced at that time. My oldest brother and hero, gone? Never coming back? How does this happen? I never fathomed losing Michael to su***de too.

I miss them so much so much. I can’t even believe that this time next year it will be 10 years and that February will be 1 year since we lost Michael. Next year I will be 28, the same age Stephen was when he died. Life is weird. And grief can still hurt after all of this time. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Your grief is yours to work through. Be gentle with yourself if you’re still grieving too 💜 love you all.

11/19/2021

Today is International Men’s Day. As you know, I lost two brothers to su***de. Society teaches men to be tough, strong and to never cry. Why though? What is wrong with being human and feeling emotions? I think not being afraid to feel and express your emotions is one of the strongest things you can do. You should never feel like you have to bottle up your emotions to the point where it becomes life threatening. I’m sorry anyone ever made you feel like that was the only way. There are people out there that support you and want you to get the help you deserve. Please don’t be afraid to reach out 💜

You are so loved 💜💙💜

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