The Power of Sharing Your Story: What Ripley from Aliens Teaches Us About Helping Someone in Crisis
- Bruce Schutter
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
The other day, I was craving a chicken sandwich, so I headed to my favorite spot, expecting the usual lunchtime rush. But when I pulled in, the parking lot was deserted — except for one massive spaceship hogging every space. Clearly, this wasn’t your ordinary lunch crowd.
Inside, mystery solved: Ellen Ripley from the Aliens movies was standing at the counter, calm as ever.
Now, if there’s anyone who’d park a spaceship for a chicken sandwich, it’s Ripley. I placed my order, and since it was just the two of us, we started chatting. She noticed my Mental Health Warrior Program sweatshirt and asked what it was about.
I explained that for 20 years, I struggled with Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders and PTSD. This left me feeling so powerless that I tried to end my life. But in that dark time, I discovered something life-changing: mental health is the key to overcoming any challenge.
Armed with that truth, I created the Mental Health Warrior Program — a bold new SELF-HELP approach that puts YOU in charge!
Ripley leaned in, intrigued. “You know,” she said, “in all my spacefaring adventures, the thing that kept me and my crew alive wasn’t just firepower — it was emotional resilience.”
The Warrior Solution to Crisis
Managing emotions, according to Ripley, was crucial in overcoming the constant life-or-death challenges she faced.
“Absolutely,” I said, glad she understood the importance of emotional strength. “But here’s the tricky part — when friends or family struggle with mental health, we want to help, but we don’t always know how.”
“That’s why I wrote Mental Health Warriors RESPOND to Crisis,” I continued. “The RESPOND mnemonic gives people a clear roadmap. And this moment ties directly to the ‘E’ — Engage with Compassion. One of the most powerful ways to engage is by sharing your story.”
Ripley leaned back thoughtfully. “I agree. It opens the door for people to share their battles without feeling pressured.” She gave me a knowing look. “When someone realizes they’re not alone, it can make all the difference.”
She paused, then leaned in with a half-smile. “Let me give you three examples of just how powerful sharing your story can be.”
Example 1: Helping Hicks Face His Fears
Ripley recounted how her crew member, Corporal Hicks, carried his own quiet fears — especially the fear of losing people close to him. After surviving a terrifying xenomorph attack, he became more withdrawn, avoiding conversations about what he was feeling and keeping everything tightly locked inside.
Rather than pushing him to open up, Ripley chose a different approach.
One day, she shared her own story — the loss of her daughter while she was in stasis for 57 years. By being honest about how deeply that loss still affected her, Ripley didn’t demand anything from Hicks. She simply made space.
That vulnerability did what pressure never could. It opened the door for Hicks to talk about his own fears — not because he was told to, but because he finally felt safe enough to do so.
Our Turn:
I’ve seen the same power play out in my own life.
When I first opened up to a friend about my struggle with Bipolar Disorder, it wasn’t easy. I worried they wouldn’t understand — or worse, that they’d see me differently. But instead of pushing them away, my honesty did the opposite.
It gave them permission to admit they were struggling too, even though their challenges looked different from mine. From there, the conversations became real. Trust grew. Connection followed.
That’s the lesson: when you go first and share your story — or even share someone else’s — you show others it’s safe to share theirs. Vulnerability becomes the bridge that turns silence into support.
Example 2: Bonding with Bishop with Shared Humanity
Next, Ripley talked about Bishop, the android who struggled to understand emotions.
While Bishop couldn’t feel in the traditional sense, Ripley noticed he often seemed out of place when the crew bonded over shared experiences. One day, she decided to open up to him about her complicated relationship with trust — especially learning to trust again after Ash, another android, had betrayed her in the past.
By sharing that vulnerability, Ripley didn’t try to make Bishop more emotional. She simply treated him like he belonged.
That honesty made Bishop feel accepted as part of the crew and he responded by becoming fiercely loyal. “In a way,” Ripley laughed, “sharing made him more human.”
Our Turn:
I’ve found the same to be true in my own life.
When I’ve shared my experiences with Bipolar Disorder or PTSD, I sometimes assumed that only people who had been through similar struggles would truly get it. But I was wrong.
Even friends who couldn’t fully understand what it was like still connected with my honesty.
They told me my openness helped them think differently about their own challenges — and become more compassionate toward others.
That’s the power of sharing. It doesn’t just resonate with people who’ve walked the same path. It builds connection across differences, reminding us that being human means learning from each other’s stories.
Example 3: Turning Fear into Hope
Finally, Ripley shared a story about a young recruit on the mission to LV-426. He was terrified — all the training in the world hadn’t prepared him for the reality of facing xenomorphs.
Instead of giving him a pep talk about courage, Ellen Ripley pulled him aside and shared something far more honest. She told him how terrified she had been on her first mission to that same planet. She didn’t sugarcoat it. She was blunt about how overwhelming it felt.
“But,” she added, “I also showed him how I found my strength inside that fear. It gave him hope that fear wasn’t something to be ashamed of — it was something to build strength from.”
Our Turn:
I’ve faced that same kind of fear during emotional downswings with Bipolar Disorder, or in the middle of a PTSD episode. In those moments, it felt like I’d never find my footing again.
But when I’ve shared those vulnerable experiences with others, something surprising happened. Instead of pushing people away, it gave them hope. They realized they weren’t weak for being afraid — just human.
And more importantly, they saw that fear can become the very place where strength is born.
That’s why sharing isn’t just telling your story — or even mine. It’s offering a lifeline. Your honesty may be the hope someone else needs to face their own storm.
Wrap Up
As we wrapped up our conversation, our chicken sandwiches finally arrived. Ripley chuckled and glanced out the window. “I should probably move my ship before they tow it,” she said. “Spaceport parking tickets are no joke.”
I laughed and handed her a copy of Mental Health Warriors RESPOND to Crisis, so she could dive into the full 7-step RESPOND approach to helping others — and the SHIELD framework for taking care of yourself along the way.
As we headed out, one truth felt crystal clear: when we share our stories — whether Ripley’s spacefaring survival or my own Mental Health Warrior journey — we remind others they’re not alone.
The next time you notice a friend or family member struggling, don’t stay silent.
Share your story — or share mine! Engage with compassion.
Your honesty may be the spark that creates hope and connection — making both of you stronger and better equipped to triumph over whatever challenge comes next!
Bruce Schutter
Every day is a chance to choose strength — because YOU'RE IN CHARGE!