Ep7: Courage to Thrive — On today’s show, Rev. Dr. Robert Flanagan interviews Dr. Christine Yu Moutier, chief medical officer of the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention
May 2026: Welcome to Ep7 of Father Bob’s Courage to Thrive show!
Father Bob asks Christine about her background, path to running this foundation, and her advice for families and those struggling with thoughts of suicide
About our guest: Dr. Christine Yu Moutier (pronounced You Moo-tee-ay) knows the impact of suicide firsthand. While in medical training and in her early career at the University of California, San Diego, she experienced a series of tragic losses, igniting a passion to learn more about what science can tell us about suicide risk and prevention; how suicide affects communities and the role individuals, family members, colleagues and community leaders can play in reducing suicide risk. Since earning her degree, Dr. Moutier has been a practicing psychiatrist, professor of psychiatry, dean in the medical school, and medical director of the Inpatient Psychiatric Unit at the VA Medical Center in La Jolla, treating diverse patient populations.
A leader in the field of suicide prevention, Dr. Moutier joined the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) in 2013 as Chief Medical Officer. Her connection to the organization began earlier, as a volunteer in 2006, when she co-founded AFSP’s San Diego chapter and also co-led a successful suicide prevention program for health science faculty, residents, and students at UCSD, utilizing AFSP’s groundbreaking Interactive Screening Program (ISP). ISP has since been implemented by several hundred companies and health systems, and has received recognition from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the U.S. Surgeon General.
Her passion and commitment have been instrumental to AFSP’s ability to create lasting impact through research, education, advocacy and support for those affected by suicide, delivered to a diverse range of communities throughout the U.S. Throughout her career Dr. Moutier has focused on fighting stigma and optimizing care for those experiencing mental health conditions. She has prioritized equipping healthcare, law enforcement, media and other industry leaders with the knowledge and tools to change the culture related to mental health.
Dr. Moutier has authored Suicide Prevention, a Cambridge University Press clinical handbook. She has also contributed articles and book chapters for publications such as the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Lancet, Academic Medicine, the American Journal of Psychiatry, the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, Depression and Anxiety, and Academic Psychiatry. She has testified before Congress, presented at the White House and National Academy of Sciences, and provided Congressional briefings on suicide prevention. As a leading content expert, she co-anchored CNN’s Emmy Award-winning Finding Hope suicide prevention town hall with Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and regularly provides comment and guidance to journalists and top media outlets.
Her numerous awards include the National Alliance on Mental Illness’ (NAMI) Scientific Research Award; NAMI’s Outstanding Psychiatrist of the Year Award; the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology’s Media Award; and the Schwartz Center’s National Compassionate Caregiver Award, as well as being inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. Follow Dr. Moutier on Twitter at @cmoutierMD.
About the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP): Established in 1987, AFSP is a voluntary health organization that gives those affected by suicide a nationwide community empowered by research, education, and advocacy to take action against this leading cause of death. Dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide, including those who have experienced a loss, AFSP creates a culture that’s smart about mental health by engaging in the following core strategies:
- Funding scientific research
- Educating the public about mental health and suicide prevention
- Advocating for public policies in mental health and suicide prevention
- Supporting survivors of suicide loss and those affected by suicide
Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, with an advocacy and policy office in Washington, DC, AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico, with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report, and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
About our host: An esteemed Episcopal priest and author, Father Bob has dedicated his life to spiritual transformation and caring for others.
With a profound connection to his faith and an unwavering commitment to helping those in need, he has touched countless lives through his ministry, writings, and teachings. Bob’s book, “Letters of an Unexpected Mystic,” was a 2023 Selah Book Award finalist in the Bible study category.
Learn more: robertdflanagan.com
In his first-person spiritual journal, 
He knows that we do that by relating well to ourselves and others, the world and its various creatures and places—and God. “We thrive when we relate to who and what is around us in a healthy manner. We can discover ourselves—who we are—in beautiful, elegant, hope-filled, positive ways,” says 
