(Trigger warning: suicide and self-harm)

Jacob Gland is a motivational speaker, suicide survivor, life coach, mental health advocate, and a nationally certified interventionist. Having survived a self-inflicted gunshot in December 2017, he developed post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD as a result of this life-changing event, making his life even more challenging.

While the entire situation was unfortunate, the good thing is that he was able to meet Liberty, his PTSD service dog, and together, they are on a mission to leave a positive impact wherever they go. He met his soulmate through New Hope Assistance Dogs, and it is thanks to his presence that he was able to gather the courage to get his life back on track. With Liberty by his side, Jacob is able to open up about his most painful experiences and talk about the realizations he had after them.

Many people are fighting silent battles, and this passionate mental health advocate utilizes his past encounters to help others going through the same experiences. Having been diagnosed with major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, he has experienced the lowest of lows enough to the point of suicide. Still, he survived, and thanks to this, he is able to empathize and create a genuine connection by relating to other people with mental health disorders on a more personal level.

People in pain feel lonely and hopeless, and they commonly hear about how life is wonderful and how things will eventually get better. Still, the words may seem empty and disengaged when coming from those who do not understand what it feels like to be in their place. Thanks to the genuine connection Jacob is able to form in solidarity with these people, the same words hold a lot more meaning and become more believable.

Together, Jacob and Liberty have a mission to leave a positive impact wherever they go, as well as educate people about mental health illnesses and inspire them to see the positive influence they have on people around them. The world is a better place thanks to each of the many people contributing to it, and Jacob reminds everyone that they are a gift to the world. One has the ability to change their circumstances and live their best life, and Jacob and Liberty demonstrate this by documenting their journey together on Instagram, serving as a reminder that it is more than possible to get one's life back despite the struggles they may be facing.

There is a lesson to be learned in each event that occurs in life, and Jacob refuses to let the worst years of his life impact the way he lives the rest of it. Instead, he turns it into something beautiful, positive, and inspiring. He invites everyone to join him in his journey of relearning to love himself, realizing that anything he puts his mind to is achievable through hard work.

With these in mind, Jacob hopes to expand his reach and touch the lives of more people and spread awareness on mental health illnesses and how to cope by speaking to the youth in organizations, universities, and treatment facilities, among others. Mental health is becoming widely acknowledged, and given the stresses of current issues and the strain it has on the lives of people, there is a growing emphasis placed on mental health care as well.

He may have had a difficult past and nearly lost the battle a long time ago, but now Jacob is back up and ready to face life's challenges with Liberty by his side. He directs his energy into helping people through their battles and continues to inspire people to keep going, no matter what.

Visit his website to learn more about Jacob and Liberty and follow them on Instagram to keep up to date on their latest activities.

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