Episode Details

What does it mean to truly show up for another person?

Today’s guest is Dennis Q, who spent years volunteering as a mentor to young people, including a young man named Mike, whose life was profoundly affected by instability, mental illness, and a lack of consistent support.

Dennis shares how his relationship with Mike taught him about belonging, resilience, human dignity, boundaries, gratitude, and the power of simply being present when you cannot fix someone’s circumstances.

In this conversation, we explore:

• How Dennis became involved in mentoring
• Why consistency can matter so much to a child who has experienced instability
• What Mike’s early experiences taught Dennis about the fear of losing people
• Why Dennis chose to remain present even when Mike’s behavior became difficult
• The importance of separating a person’s behavior from the relationship itself
• How Dennis responded as Mike’s mental illness emerged during adolescence
• Why Dennis realized that love and support could not “fix” the illness
• The importance of knowing your own limits while still being supportive
• Why Dennis continued visiting Mike after he entered group homes and hospitals
• The simple power of showing up and reminding someone that people still care
• How his experience changed his understanding of the challenges faced by families dealing with serious mental illness
• Why Dennis believes communities need to talk more openly about mental illness
• How shame can prevent people from seeking support
• Why people considering mentorship may overestimate the qualifications required
• Why mentorship can begin with something as simple as sharing time and being present
• How taking a young person to a football or basketball game can create experiences they may never otherwise have
• Why Dennis believes mentors can give someone the gift of their presence
• How mentoring exposed Dennis to family circumstances very different from his own
• Why serving others gave him a broader perspective on life
• His experiences working with young people in juvenile settings
• Why he believes people should be seen as individuals rather than defined by their worst actions
• What Mike’s speech difficulties taught Dennis about resilience
• Why Dennis encouraged Mike to keep practicing and continue speech therapy
• How the relationship taught Dennis gratitude for abilities and opportunities he had taken for granted
• Why companionship and simple shared experiences can be enough to make life better
• The importance of boundaries—recognizing what you can and cannot do for another person
• Why small acts of kindness can affect both the giver and receiver
• His advice for people in their 20s and 30s who feel overwhelmed by questions about careers, homes, and relationships
• Why helping someone else can sometimes clear your own mind and open new pathways
• Why society has a responsibility to notice people who are struggling or living on the margins
• How volunteering can make a community better
• What Mike’s final perspective on his own life taught Dennis about gratitude

The conversation ultimately comes back to one simple idea.

Mike once told Dennis:

“I got a lucky life.”

For Dennis, that became a reminder that we all have opportunities to recognize what is good in our lives—and to use what we have to help someone else.

His final wish for listeners is equally simple:

Gratitude, and the inspiration to help somebody out.

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📖 Dennis’s Book

Dennis says his books are available on Amazon all over the world and through his website.

He identifies his pen name as:

DJ Quinn

He explains that