📢 Grief doesn’t look the same for everyone and for many men, it’s invisible.

In this powerful episode of Female Voices: Life and Loss, we welcome back licensed clinical social worker and mental health advocate Derrick Howell for a crucial conversation around Bereaved Fathers Day and the often-overlooked journey of fathers grieving the loss of a child.

With compassion, expertise, and lived experience, Derrick explores the emotional complexities of male grief, how societal expectations shape the way men express (or suppress) their pain, and what families, partners, and communities can do to truly support the men in their lives after loss.

Whether you’re a grieving dad, a partner seeking to understand, or a friend wanting to do better, this episode offers deep insight and practical tools to create healing spaces where fathers are no longer forgotten in grief.

Key Topics Discussed:

✔️ The unique grief experience of bereaved fathers

✔️ Why men’s grief is often minimized or overlooked

✔️ The societal expectations that hinder male vulnerability

✔️ How to honor Bereaved Fathers Day without emotional pressure

✔️ Tools for grieving dads who may not feel ready for therapy

Key Takeaways:

✅  Grieving fathers need space to feel without pressure to perform sometimes, simply asking what they need makes all the difference.

✅  Men often return to work quickly after loss, not because they’re ready, but because it feels like the only socially acceptable outlet.

✅  Creative tools like journaling, voice memos, or art can help men process grief in nontraditional ways, especially if they’re hesitant to seek therapy.

✅  Peer support and professional support can complement each other, group connection offers community, while one on-one work can accelerate healing.

✅  Active listening, avoiding assumptions, and not minimizing pain are key when supporting a bereaved father.

Quotes to Remember:

💭 “Men are often expected to provide and protect and when loss happens, it can shake their entire identity.” Derrick Howell

💭 “Care is usually reserved for the mother. Credibility is expected from the father.” Derrick Howell

💭 “Sometimes asking, ‘What do you need?’ is the most respectful and supportive thing you can do.” Derrick Howell

👉 Connect With Us:

Have a story to share?  Interested in being a guest?  Need Support?  DM us on social media or send an email.

Facebook, and Instagram: @Female Voices Life and Loss Podcast

Listen on YouTube:  https://shorturl.at/jjrie

Website:⁠https://femalevoiceslifelo.wixsite.com/female-voices⁠

Email: [email protected]

📢 Nobody told me the second year would be harder than the first.

In this deeply vulnerable and heartfelt episode, Teresa Reiniger and co-host LaWayna Berry reunite for an honest conversation about what grief really looks like after the first year, when the world expects you to be "doing better," and your heart still aches deeply.

LaWayna opens up about life in the second year following the loss of her son, Joshie. She shares how the initial fog of shock gave way to a heavier emotional reality where anniversaries sting deeper, marriage is tested, and loneliness can feel even more isolating. Together, Teresa and LaWayna explore the complexities of long-term grief, the differences in how people grieve (especially within a marriage), and the unexpected shifts in support systems that come with time.

From honoring her son through tattoos and taco traditions to navigating marriage challenges and finding her true tribe, LaWayna’s honesty is both gut-wrenching and life-giving. This episode offers a powerful reminder that grief evolves and so do we.

🎧 "The second year? I wasn’t ready for it. It caught me off guard." — Wayna Berry

Key Topics Discussed:

✔️The Unexpected Weight of Year Two in Grief: How the second year can feel lonelier, more emotionally intense, and physically draining as the shock wears off.

✔️Grieving Differently in Relationships:  Navigating grief within marriage, including communication breakdowns, emotional disconnection, and finding common ground.

✔️Shifting Support Systems and “Holding Space”:  How friendships and family dynamics change, and what it truly means to hold space for someone who is grieving.

✔️Honoring a Child Through Rituals and Memorials: Personal ways of remembering a lost child, including tattoos, traditions, and intentional moments.

✔️The Role of Faith, Mental Health, and Physical Wellness: The intersection of spiritual growth, therapy, and chronic illness in the grieving process.

Key Takeaways:

✅ The second year of grief can feel even harder than the first, the fog lifts, but the pain often deepens when the world assumes you’ve “moved on.”

✅  People grieve differently even in the same household and clear, compassionate communication is essential to stay connected.

✅  Your support circle may change after a loss. Be open to unexpected people who show up, and let go of those who can’t.

✅  Self-advocacy matters. Use your voice to ask for what you need emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

✅  Healing doesn’t come from time alone, it comes from awareness, rest, connection, and sharing where it hurts.

Quotes to Remember:

💭 “The second year I was out of shock and reality sank in that I’m never going to see my son again.” LaWayna Berry

💭 “We were both grieving, just in totally different lanes. I needed mental health support. He wanted to read books. We were saying the same thing but couldn’t hear each other.” LaWayna Berry

💭 “People assume because I’m not crying, I’m okay. And what they call ‘anger’ is me using my voice. Directness doesn’t mean I’m not hurting.” LaWayna Berry

👉 Connect With Us:

Have a story to share?  Interested in being a guest?  Need Support?  DM us on social media or send an email.

Facebook, and Instagram: @Female Voices Life and Loss Podcast

Listen on YouTube:  https://shorturl.at/jjrie

Website:⁠https://femalevoiceslifelo.wixsite.com/female-voices⁠

Email: [email protected]

📢 What if your greatest pain became your greatest purpose?
In this powerful episode, Sofia Carpenter shares her extraordinary journey of surviving a tragic accident as a child, navigating the foster care system, and ultimately becoming a fierce coach dedicated to helping others heal and rise. Her story is a testament to the unshakable strength of the human spirit and the healing power of faith, love, and inner work.

Sofia opens up about the layers of loss, trauma, and redemption that shaped her, and how she reclaimed her identity and calling. This is a must-listen for anyone seeking hope, healing, and a reminder that your story isn’t over, it’s just being rewritten.

Key Topics Discussed:

✔️ Surviving a tragic car accident and its long-term impact

✔️ Sofia’s experience navigating the foster care system

✔️ How loss, grief, and identity intersect childhood trauma

✔️ Rebuilding a life through faith, forgiveness, and fierce self-belief

✔️ Becoming a coach to help others process pain and find purpose

 Key Takeaways:

✅ Grief doesn’t define you and healing can refine you.

✅ Your voice matters, especially when it was once silenced.

✅ Foster care is a chapter, not the whole book.

✅ Faith and inner work can coexist and together, they empower.

✅ Your past pain can be the platform for someone else’s breakthrough.

 Quotes to Remember:

💭  "Good things are birthed in the dark times like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly."
💭  "Even in foster care, I knew I had a purpose, I just didn’t know what it was yet."

✨ Mentions

The Book: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.

🎧 Tune in If you’ve ever felt stuck in your loss or questioned your strength, this episode will meet you right where you are.

👉 Connect with Sofia Carpenter

https://www.facebook.com/sofia.carpenter.9?mibextid=kFxxJD

Mind Mastery: Hidden Secret to Become Powerful Release, Reclaim, Rise. FREE Gift- Ready to schedule your FREE 45 minute Breakthrough Session today.

👉 Connect With Us:

Have a story to share?  Interested in being a guest?  Need Support?  DM us on social media or send an email.

Facebook, and Instagram: @Female Voices Life and Loss Podcast

Listen on YouTube:  https://shorturl.at/jjrie

Website:⁠https://femalevoiceslifelo.wixsite.com/female-voices⁠

Email: [email protected]

📢  What do you do when life throws you grief, chaos, and change over and over again?

In this powerful episode of Female Voices, Life and Loss, Teresa Reiniger sits down with certified life and mindset coach Cindy Richardson to explore her deeply personal story of loss, growth, and reinvention. Cindy opens up about her childhood experience growing up with a mother who battled bipolar disorder and depression, and the heartbreak of eventually losing her to suicide. She shares the emotional toll of divorce, the grief of letting go of her identity after a 30 year teaching career, and how each loss became a catalyst for self-discovery and meaningful change.

Now, as a coach, Cindy helps women in midlife navigate their own transitions by focusing on mindset, self-care, and the power of personal reinvention. She’s the co-creator of the Your Midlife BFFs community and podcast, a space designed to support women who feel stuck and are ready to reclaim their voice, purpose, and potential.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that even in life’s hardest moments, we can choose to rewrite our story and design a life we truly love.

Key Topics Discussed:

✔️ Growing up with parents who faced mental health struggles and how it shaped her outlook on life.

✔️ The emotional impact of losing her mother to suicide and seeking counseling for support.

✔️ Navigating two divorces, the grief of lost dreams, and co parenting with intention.

✔️ Identity loss after retiring from a 30-year teaching career and the challenges of starting over.

✔️ Moving into life coaching, helping women in midlife envision new possibilities.

✔️ Mindset shifts and thought work to move from feeling stuck to feeling hopeful.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Childhood experiences shape us, but they don’t have to define our future.

✅ Suicide loss creates layered grief that requires compassion, support, and healing over time.

✅ Divorce is more than a breakup; it’s grieving the future you imagined.

✅ Career changes, especially after decades, bring identity loss that needs to be acknowledged and processed.

✅ Your mindset and the meaning you give to life events can either keep you stuck or move you toward growth.

Quotes to Remember:

💭  “Growing up, I knew my life was different. I could see it when I went to other homes, and I promised myself I wanted something different for my future.”

💭  “Retiring after 30 years of teaching was a huge identity shift. I had to grieve the safety of that career before I could step into something new.”

💭  “You can’t always change what happens to you, but you can change how you see it and that changes everything.”

✨ Mentions:

Quote by Wayne Dyer: “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”

👉 Connect with Cindy Richardson:

https://www.instagram.com/cindyrichardsoncoaching/

https://www.instagram.com/yourmidlifebffs/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/cindyrichardsoncoaching

https://cindyrichardsoncoaching.com/

👉 Connect With Us:

Have a story to share?  Interested in being a guest?  Need Support?  DM us on social media or send an email.

Facebook, and Instagram: @Female Voices Life and Loss Podcast

Listen on YouTube:  https://shorturl.at/jjrie

Website:⁠https://femalevoiceslifelo.wixsite.com/female-voices⁠

Email: [email protected]

📢  What happens when a child raised in chaos grows into a woman who leads with purpose, love, and vision?

In this gripping and soul-stirring episode of Female Voices: Life and Loss, we welcome Newoka LaShelle an advocate, author, speaker, and Executive Director of Senior Services of Eastern Missouri, LLC. From surviving childhood abuse, rape, and homelessness, to founding her own non-medical in home care agency that specializes in memory care management, respite care, and hospice support, Newoka’s journey is one of extraordinary courage and purpose.

She also speaks openly about her work as a mental health advocate with NAMI’s “In Our Own Voice” program and Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) for law enforcement, helping to break the stigma around trauma and mental illness.

🎧  If you’ve ever felt lost in the darkness, her voice will be a spark of light. This conversation is a reminder that healing is possible, purpose is powerful, and generational pain can be rewritten.

Key Topics Discussed:

✔️ Newoka’s harrowing childhood and journey through trauma, abuse, and abandonment

✔️ Her determination to survive: working at 13, creating fake birth certificates just to get a job

✔️ The impact of community, mentors, and those who saw her potential

✔️ Her healing work through poetry, spoken word, radio, and entrepreneurship

✔️ Self-care and setting boundaries in caregiver burnout

Key Takeaways:

✅ Generational trauma can be broken with intention, healing, and relentless self-empowerment

✅ Mentors and small kindnesses matter they can change a life

✅ Creative expression can be a vital path to healing poetry, music, and storytelling are medicine

✅ Boundaries are sacred, especially for survivors turned caregivers

✅ Survival isn’t the end goal thriving and giving back is

Quotes to Remember:

💭  “Do whatever you can to get out of that abusive situation.”
💭  “My story is about practicing the elements of self: self discipline, self-esteem, self-love.”
💭  “I wrote my book for closure. It ruffled feathers and it needed to.”

✨ Mentions & Shoutouts:

Senior Services of Eastern Missouri, LLC – Newoka’s private duty in-home care agency

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) – where Newoka and Wayna connected

Newoka’s Books:

• Karma’s Dirty Secrets   (Newoka’s memoir)
• Ode Poet Valley

👉Connect With Us:

Have a story to share?  Interested in being a guest?  Need Support?  DM us on social media or send an email.

Facebook, and Instagram: @Female Voices Life and Loss Podcast

Listen on YouTube:  https://shorturl.at/jjrie

Website: ⁠https://femalevoiceslifelo.wixsite.com/female-voices⁠

Email: [email protected]

📢  What happens when a mother loses her only child and discovers that love, connection, and even communication don't end with death?

In this week’s deeply powerful episode of Female Voices, Life and Loss, Teresa Reiniger sits down with Tara Blevins a bereaved mother navigating life after the devastating loss of her son, Keith.

Through raw emotion and radiant strength, Tara opens up about the pain of addiction, the burden of guilt, and the extraordinary healing that unfolded when she began to see and feel her son’s spirit all around her.

🎧  Whether you're grieving or holding space for someone who is, Tara’s story will remind you that healing is possible, connection never dies, and you're never alone in your grief.

Key Topics Discussed:

✔️ Tara’s story of losing her only child, Keith, and the emotional aftermath

✔️ Signs from loved ones after death: energy, music, physical sensations, and intuitive communication

✔️ Guilt, helplessness, and learning to forgive yourself and others

✔️ The power of grounding, nature, and creativity in grief recovery

✔️ The transformational journey through grief coaching, retreats, and support networks

Key Takeaways:

✅ Grief and healing are deeply personal and spiritual signs can bring profound comfort

✅ Emotional healing requires intentional action: journaling, grounding, water intake, affirmations, and connection

✅ Grief is not just about one loss, it often uncovers a lifetime of unprocessed pain

✅ Finding community and creating meaning from your loss can transform your journey

✅ Forgiveness, including self-forgiveness, is a foundational part of healing

Quotes to remember:

💭  “Music is my therapy – Tara

💭  “I wasn't the best version of me, but I did the best I could. And I'm OK with that.” – Tara

💭  “You don’t need to do this alone. Maybe you can but you don’t have to.” – Tara

✨ Shoutouts & Mentions:

The book Signs, The Secret Language of the Universe  by Laura Lynne Jackson

The Living After Grief Retreat that supports bereaved mothers

Well-building fundraiser in Uganda in honor of Keith’s compassionate spirit

👉 Connect With Us:

Have a story to share?  Interested in being a guest?  Need Support?  DM us on social media or send an email.

Facebook, and Instagram: @Female Voices Life and Loss Podcast

Listen on YouTube:  https://shorturl.at/jjrie

Website:⁠https://femalevoiceslifelo.wixsite.com/female-voices⁠

Email: [email protected]

📢 When a child dies, two hearts break and they don’t have to break apart.

In this deeply moving episode of Female Voices: Life & Loss, Teresa Reiniger sits down with LaWayna and Josh Berry, devoted parents who open their hearts about the devastating loss of their three-year-old son, Joshie. With grace, honesty, and deep vulnerability, they share how grief has reshaped their relationship, their faith, and their everyday lives.

Together, the Berry’s explore the raw and often unspoken complexities of grieving not only as individuals, but also as a couple. They speak candidly about how their different grieving styles have required compassion, communication, and patience, and how they continue to choose connection over isolation. From the comforting rituals that ground them to the support systems that carry them, they reflect on the painful but powerful path toward healing.

🎧Whether you’re a parent walking through loss, a partner trying to hold space for someone’s sorrow, or simply someone seeking hope in the midst of heartbreak—this episode offers tenderness, wisdom, and the gentle reminder that you are not alone.

Key Topics Discussed:

✔️ Understanding grief as a couple: grieving together separately

✔️ The role of community, support groups, and faith in processing loss

✔️ Grieving differently as partners and the importance of honoring those differences

✔️ Daily rituals: check-ins, gratitude practices, time for grief

✔️ Healing practices for parents: prayer, meditation, therapy, group participation

Key Takeaways:

✅ Support Matters: Lean on faith, friends, or groups, grief is too heavy to bear alone.

✅ Honor Differences: Recognize grief might look different for each partner and that's ok.

✅ Ritual and Routine: Set daily time to connect, reflect, and remember.

✅ Practice Faith & Gratitude: Simple morning routines can stabilize emotions.

✅ Stay in Community: Healing is often found through shared stories and walking alongside others who've been there.

Quotes to Remember:

💭 “Grief is not being okay with what has been lost…but allowing it to come and then letting it go.” Josh Berry

💭 “As long as he was working on his ‘areas of improvement,’ I was willing to stay and walk beside him.” LaWayna Berry

💭 “Men and women grieve differently—not wrong, just different.” Teresa

👉 Connect With Us:

Have a story to share?  Interested in being a guest?  Need Support?  DM us on social media or send an email.

Facebook, and Instagram: @Female Voices Life and Loss Podcast

Listen on YouTube:  https://shorturl.at/jjrie

Website:⁠https://femalevoiceslifelo.wixsite.com/female-voices⁠

Email: [email protected]

📢 What happens when the weight of survival becomes too much to bear?

Join LaWayna Berry and Teresa Reiniger as they unpack Tyler Perry’s emotionally raw film Straw. It’s a story of a mother's silent suffering, survival in the face of crushing sacrifice, and the last straw that breaks her. This episode is a journey through heartbreaking scenes, systemic injustice, and hopeful redemption in the most unexpected places.

In this episode, LaWayna Berry and Teresa Reiniger delve into Tyler Perry’s emotionally charged film Straw, exploring the deeply personal and systemic layers of grief, motherhood, and survival. Through raw conversation and thoughtful reflection, they unpack the silent suffering of Janiyah Wilkinson a mother pushed beyond her limits by relentless sacrifice, financial hardship, and emotional isolation.

LaWayna and Teresa draw powerful connections between the film’s most gut-wrenching scenes and the real-life struggles many women face when grief goes unspoken and support systems fall short. They examine how racial and gender injustice, generational trauma, and the pressure to “hold it all together” lead to a breaking point that feels all too familiar.

With empathy and spiritual insight, they also illuminate the quiet moments of redemption where community, compassion, and hope begin to surface even in the aftermath of pain. This episode isn’t just a review it’s a conversation on how grief shapes identity, how silence can fracture the soul, and how healing begins with being seen and heard.

Trigger Warning: The film includes the loss of a child and may be emotionally activating for some listeners.

Key Topics Discussed:

✔️ Motherhood in Crisis: The emotional, physical, and financial toll of survival mode and the pivotal moment that reveals the weight of it all.

✔️ Systemic Grief: How racism, gender bias, and daily microaggressions compound invisible wounds and erode trust in institutions.

✔️ When It All Breaks: Understanding the explosive breaking point as a human response to prolonged, layered grief not a failure.

✔️ The Power of Presence: How being witnessed, supported, and held in community can become a lifeline to healing.

✔️ Pathways to Healing: Simple, trauma-informed tools breathwork, grounding, and visioning a life beyond just getting by.

Key Takeaways:

✅ We carry emotional overload quietly and eventually; grief finds a way out.

✅ Systemic injustices, medical, racial, financial add layers to personal suffering.

✅ Compassion from strangers can be a turning point, empathy matters.

✅ Healing starts in a community: breathwork, journaling, grounding with care.

✅ Visualization gives permission to dream again even from the ashes.

Quotes to Remember:

💭 “That officer… what a jerk. Just beat someone while they're already down.”

💭 “If you keep suppressing those emotions, you will have a last straw—an explosion.”

💭 “Slowing down. Nothing’s gonna happen while you're rushing.”

 ✨ Mention:

Book; It’s OK That You’re Not OK by Megan Devine

📩 Connect with Us:
Email us to receive journal prompts for you to reflect on after you watch the movie and share how it landed with you and your insights.

👉 Connect With Us:

Have a story to share?  Interested in being a guest?  Need Support?  DM us on social media or send an email.

Facebook, and Instagram: @Female Voices Life and Loss Podcast

Listen on YouTube:  https://shorturl.at/jjrie

Website:⁠https://femalevoiceslifelo.wixsite.com/female-voices⁠

Email: [email protected]

📢 Even if the sky is clear, your heart may still feel stormy.

In this raw and reflective episode of Female Voices: Life & Loss, co-hosts Teresa Reiniger and LaWayna Berry open their hearts to discuss the emotional aftermath of the recent St. Louis tornado. This is more than a conversation about physical destruction, it’s about the invisible wounds that natural disasters leave behind.

Together, they explore the layers of hidden grief…the kind that lingers when homes are lost, routines are uprooted, and the very identity of “who we were” before the storm feels unreachable. From stories of community strength and loss to personal accounts of fear, compassion, and survivor’s guilt, this episode speaks directly to the hearts of those silently suffering.

With empathy and practicality, Teresa and LaWayna offer a blend of grounding practices, faith-forward encouragement, and real-world tools for moving forward, like journaling (even if it’s a voice memo), deep breathing, and reaching out for help without shame. They also hold space for spiritual grief that can follow disasters, inviting listeners to reconnect with their own strength, purpose, and hope.

Whether you’ve survived a storm, supported someone through one, or felt your life fall apart in other ways, this conversation is a heartfelt reminder: you are not alone. Healing doesn’t follow a timeline. But with care, connection, and compassion, it is possible to rebuild, heart first.

Key Topics Discussed:

✔️ Immediate Response and Shared Shock: How community, first responders, and local churches rallied physically and emotionally right after the storm.

✔️ Hidden Griefs of Disaster: Loss of home, identity, routine, and shaken faith even when life is spared.

✔️ Physical & Emotional Reactions: Trauma symptoms like nausea, feverish anxiety, or emotional numbness during and after the storm.

✔️ Coping Tools: Grounding & Support: Using breath, nature, journaling (even “word vomit”), and talking it out to regain a sense of control.

✔️ Path Forward: Action + Compassion: Blending practical next steps (bus vouchers, roofing aid) with emotional regulation, including self-advocacy and self-care.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Disaster grief often hides in identity, stability, routine, and spiritual trust.

✅ Physical symptoms (nausea, restlessness, tension) can mirror emotional trauma be present with them.

✅ Advocacy is healing: asking for help, saying what you need, and stepping into community support builds stability.

✅ Small practices like breathing, journaling, stepping into nature will anchor you when everything is topsy-turvy.

✅ Healing is nonlinear. Moving from survival to self-care to strategy restores hope one breath and one step at a time.

Quotes to Remember:

💭  “The storm came toward the roof from my shelter, but not the strength from my soul…I rise, soaked and shaken, but still I rise.” — Arthur W.B.
💭  “I want you to tell me what you need. They may want to respect your privacy but advocate for yourself.”
💭  “Grief will not be quiet or shushed, it will speak.”

✨ Shoutouts & Mentions

Rich Mamas networking group and Refresh (local Black‑owned beauty shop) for community generosity.

Tributes to volunteers, local restaurants, churches, andconstruction crews rallying to rebuild.

🎧 Need support? If grief after this or any disaster is hitting hard, know you’re not alone. Reach out locally or through us for guidance, resources, or just someone who cares. Until next time, may you rest in peace and rise in strength.

👉 Connect With Us:

Have a story to share?  Interested in being a guest?  Need Support?  DM us on social media or send an email.

Facebook, and Instagram: @Female Voices Life and Loss Podcast

Listen on YouTube:  https://shorturl.at/jjrie

Website:⁠https://femalevoiceslifelo.wixsite.com/female-voices⁠

Email: [email protected]

📢 He carried more than his uniform, he carried the weight of loss, love, and unspoken grief.

In this deeply moving episode of Female Voices: Life & Loss, Teresa Reiniger and LaWayna Berry welcome back Papi (Nathaniel Hill) devoted husband, grandfather, U.S. veteran to share his profound journey through military trauma, unresolved grief from his father's death, and the healing power of faith and familial presence.
With raw vulnerability, Papi opens up about the emotional burden of delivering heartbreaking death notifications to families during his military career, the coping strategies he learned in the military, and the transformative release he experienced after his father’s funeral. With raw honesty, he recounts how spiritual grounding and “rap sessions” with chaplains and brothers in service helped him maintain emotional resilience. As a father and grandfather, Papi reveals how showing up vulnerably and intentionally continues to shape those he loves.

🎧 A powerful thread throughout this episode is the grounding role of Papi’s faith, how it helped him navigate unimaginable pain, reframe his purpose, and become a steady spiritual anchor for his family. Whether you’re a veteran, bereaved parent, caregiver, or someone confronting grief, this conversation offers hope, actionable support, and encouragement to open up to healing.

Key Topics Discussed:

✔️ The Weight of Military Grief and Service: Papi shares the emotional toll of his military duties, including the heart wrenching responsibility of delivering death notifications and the silent grief that often follows service.

✔️ Unspoken Loss and the Power of Emotional Release: The episode explores the long-term effects of holding grief in, particularly in men. Papi opens up about the delayed grief he experienced after losing his father, and how private moments of release became turning points in his healing.

✔️ Support Systems that Make a Difference: From chaplain led debriefings to peer support sessions in the military, Papi discusses how intentional spaces for expression were crucial for emotional resilience and why these models are so necessary in civilian life too.

✔️ Faith, Family, and the Heart of Fatherhood: Papi speaks to the strength and vulnerability required to lead with love. He reflects on his role as a husband, father, and grandfather, and how faith continues to shape his approach to presence, patience, and emotional openness.

✔️ Creating Safe Spaces for Male Grief: The conversation highlights the cultural silence around male grief and the need to dismantle shame. Through personal stories and honest dialogue, the episode advocates for deeper compassion, support, and emotional permission for men navigating loss.

Key Takeaways:

✅Healing begins with release—holding in grief only deepens pain

✅Emotional support systems are crucial, especially for men

✅Vulnerability is strength: sharing your truth creates connection

✅Faith, family, and intentional love can reshape our grief journey

✅Even after deep loss, we can rediscover hope and purpose

Quotes to Remember:

💭  “When I give the flag to them… I had to be strong… That was emotional time for me.”

💭  “Once you release that burden, you feel that much better. Then God can heal you.”

💭  “No man is an island… we all need each other.”

✨ Mentions:

NAMI – Support resources for veterans and caregivers

Upcoming Bereaved Father’s Day event in the St. Louis area

👉 Connect With Us:

Have a story to share?  Interested in being a guest?  Need Support?  DM us on social media or send an email.

Facebook, and Instagram: @Female Voices Life and Loss Podcast

Listen on YouTube:  https://shorturl.at/jjrie

Website:⁠https://femalevoiceslifelo.wixsite.com/female-voices⁠

Email: [email protected]