Joshua Rivedal speaks at a suicide prevention event.
Housing and Residence Life partnered with Student Counseling Services to host a suicide prevention event with Joshua Rivedal’s “I’mpossible Project” on Jan. 22.
Rivedal has a background in acting and stand-up comedy, as well as a degree in organizational psychology. His focus is on mental health and suicide prevention, so he created a program that tells his own story and inspires others to prioritize their mental health.
“I want everybody to become cognizantly, more proactive about their mental well being, where we’re not waiting til the last minute, or til something goes bad for us to pay attention to it,” said Rivedal.
After losing his dad seventeen years ago to suicide, Rivedal himself struggled with thoughts surrounding suicide. He now travels the country and hosts up to 40 events each year, mainly on college campuses. 2026 marks his fifteenth year of spreading his message.
Being from up North in the New Jersey-NYC metropolitan area, Rivedal noted a few differences in the way mental health is addressed throughout the nation. For instance, northern states have more resources when it comes to treating and speaking about mental health, but he has witnessed the theme of religion is more prominent in the south. He advocates for there being “more structural mental health support” in every area of the country.
His shows bring awareness to mental health issues, and it also spreads information on how to better address peers that may be in a mental health crisis.
Rivedal opens his shows with a number of jokes to ease the crowd into the message. After a decent amount of laughter and some banter with the audience, he transitions to his main message: mental health matters now.
“I want people to know how to look after themselves differently, healthier, better proactively, and how to look after each other differently, healthier, and proactively,” said Rivedal. “And I want them to know that there’s hope and healing available to everyone.”
Rivedal also emphasized the human need for relationships, and how people can sometimes isolate themselves during tough times. He said we should instead “lean in” to others.
Towards the end of his speech, he explained to the audience how to help peers in crisis. The biggest and most important part of this is to be an engaged listener, but he gave a few specific examples of what that looks like: having empathy, showing no judgment, asking open ended questions and prompting them to seek professional help.
However, Rivedal followed this section up by informing the audience on how to prioritize their mental health first. To put this into perspective, he gave the analogy of flight attendants telling passengers that they need to put their own oxygen mask on first before helping others.
Rivedal explained that mental health can fluctuate as individuals grow and experience different seasons in their life. He showed the audience a few healthy coping skills that can aid in preserving one’s mental health, no matter the circumstances or time.
Having a support system, such as friends, family, and/or the help of a professional is essential for a positive mental health. Rivedal also explained that self-care, exercise, service based activities and even what you consume is helpful in maintaining a mind-body connection.
In the final minutes of his presentation, Rivedal spoke on a number of mental health resources, including suicide prevention hotlines. He even encouraged each member in the audience to take pictures of these slides.
For UNA students, UNA Student Counseling Services is available Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They are located on the first floor of Rice Hall. You can also call them at 256-765-5215 to schedule an appointment.
If you or someone you know is struggling with severe emotional thoughts, the Suicide Prevention Hotline is available 24 hours a day. Dial 988 to speak to a Lifeline Counselor.
“You are better off with your feet on this planet, and in fact, we’re better off because your feet are on this planet,” said Rivedal.