Some authors write books. Others live them. Suzanne K. Oliver is the latter. Her debut work, Right Now! Practical Strategies for Anxiety, Depression, and Suicidal Thinking, is not just filled with insights, it is a product of deep, personal pain transformed into powerful purpose.
When Suzanne lost her 21-year-old son Josh to suicide, her world shattered. When she later lost her husband to the same fate, her world was unrecognizable. But in the midst of heartbreak, something stirred in her soul. A calling. A mission. A refusal to let others walk through the same darkness alone.
In this blog, we explore how Suzanne turned grief into a life-saving guide, why she wrote Right Now!, and how her journey is inspiring thousands to keep going, even when life hurts most.
A Mother's Worst Nightmare
Josh was bright, sensitive, and kind. But he struggled quietly with anxiety, depression, and a growing sense of hopelessness. Despite Suzanne's efforts to support him with therapy and medication, she found herself, and her son, caught in a broken system. Long wait times. Limited options. No guidance for holistic care. And then, he was gone.
Years later, grief revisited when Suzanne's husband, overwhelmed by unresolved trauma and depression, also died by suicide. It would have been understandable for Suzanne to give up on life. But she chose something radically different.
“I could not save them,” she writes in Right Now! “But I can help someone else. That is the promise I made.”
From Grieving Parent to Mental Health Advocate
Suzanne began researching every healing method she could find, mainstream and alternative. She studied psychology, energy medicine, spiritual science, nutrition, and trauma recovery. Over the years, she earned her certification as a Science of Mind spiritual practitioner, and she began collecting every strategy that could support emotional wellness.
Eventually, she turned her years of notes, study, and experience into a manuscript. The result was Right Now! A handbook of real, usable, compassionate strategies for anyone facing the unbearable.
A Book for Anyone Who is Lost Hope
What makes Right Now! So compelling is its balance of personal story and practical action. Suzanne does not sugarcoat grief, nor does she glamorize struggle. Instead, she delivers tools to help readers:
- Understand depression, anxiety, and suicidal thinking
- Use cognitive tools like CBT and self-affirmations
- Improve physical wellness through nutrition, hydration, and sleep
- Explore emotional and spiritual healing techniques like prayer, forgiveness, and energy work
Each chapter is written in a clear, encouraging voice, as if Suzanne is sitting beside you, saying, “You are not alone. You can get through this.”
Expanding the Mission
Suzanne's vision goes beyond the book. She speaks at schools, churches, and mental health events. She leads grief recovery workshops and consults with families who have experienced suicide loss. Through SuzanneKOliver.com, she offers:
- Resource lists and support tools
- Online coaching and courses
- Blog content and community engagement
- Upcoming projects, including a mental health book for children
Her mission is clear: turn pain into prevention.
What Readers Are Saying
“This book helped me understand what my son is going through, and how I can actually support him.”
—Parent of a teen battling depression
“Right Now! Gave me hope when I had none. Suzanne's story is heartbreaking, but her strength is contagious.”
—Reader review on Amazon
Final Thoughts: When Your Purpose Finds You
Suzanne did not choose this mission. It chose her.
But what she is done with it, how she is used it to lift others, educate families, and fight the stigma of suicide, is a testament to what is possible when we turn our pain into purpose.
Her message to anyone who feels broken is this: “You are not too far gone. You are not alone. Healing is possible, and it can start right now.”
To learn more about Suzanne's story and her mission, visit Suzanne K. Oliver's website or get Right Now! On Amazon.
