Judging Meghan

In this episode I’m joined by mental health advocate and speaker Heidi Ambrose for an honest conversation about suicide, grief, and finding hope after loss. Heidi and I first met when I was a speaker at a women's event, there we connected over our shared experiences with loss. She opens up about growing up in New York City with emotionally distant parents and feeling lonely despite having financial privilege. At just 17, Heidi lost her mother to suicide following her parents’ divorce, an experience that changed her life forever.

Heidi shares the shock, guilt, and stigma she experienced after her mother’s death, including how difficult it was to talk openly about what happened. Without therapy or much support at the time, she had to navigate her grief largely on her own. Through therapy and a determination not to let her loss define her, Heidi eventually found purpose in helping others. She became a mental health advocate, pursued a master’s degree in social work, and raised her two sons with an emphasis on honesty and emotional support. We also discuss spirituality, warning signs, and why people struggling with depression may feel their loved ones would be better off without them.

This conversation is a reminder of why we need to talk openly about suicide and grief without shame or judgment. We discuss the importance of connection, support, and reminding those who are struggling that they are not alone. I hope this episode offers comfort to anyone who has experienced loss or is going through a difficult time. 

Help is available, and there is always hope. If you or someone you know is in crisis in the United States, call or text 988 for support.

I’d love to hear from you. If you have questions for me, topics you’d like discussed, or stories you want to share, please reach out through my website at judgingmeghan.com or send me a message on Instagram at @judgingmeghan. Your questions may be featured and answered in an upcoming episode. And if you’re enjoying the podcast, leaving a review really helps support the show and helps more people find these conversations.

This podcast is a place for trauma survivors as well as their friends and family. This is a safe environment to be vulnerable but it's also a place for celebration and moving forward. Let's all start to embrace who we are becoming by #mentalhealth #selfcare #self #judgingothers #judgingmeghan #suicideawareness #suicideprevention #survivor #HeidiAmbrose #SuicidePrevention #SuicideAwareness #SuicidePreventionMonth #SuicideLoss #SuicideLossSurvivor #GriefAndHealing #GriefJourney #LosingAParent #MentalHealthAwareness #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAdvocate #BreakTheStigma #EndTheStigma #YouAreNotAlone #HopeAfterLoss #FindingHope #HealingJourney #GriefSupport #SuicideSurvivors #EmotionalHealing #Resilience #TurningPainIntoPurpose #LifeAfterLoss #SpeakUp #StartTheConversation #HopeAndHealing #988Lifeline

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Today, you’re going to hear a revisited conversation from 2022 between my Mom and me. We talk about her experience being attacked as a young girl and how it forever impacted her life. She has experienced unimaginable loss, including losing both a child and a husband, and has had to learn how to live again after these traumatic experiences.

I have experienced my own trauma through the many losses in my life, and my relationship with my Mom has had its ups and downs over the years. But through everything, the love has always been there. I wanted to share this conversation for anyone who may be going through something difficult, as a reminder that even after unimaginable loss and trauma, there can still be hope. I realize how incredibly lucky I am to have my Mom, and I will always treasure this conversation with her.

Listen, cry, and be inspired to love your family even harder and stronger.

I’d love to hear from you. If you have questions for me, topics you’d like discussed, or stories you want to share, please reach out through my website at judgingmeghan.com or send me a message on Instagram at @judgingmeghan. Your questions may be featured and answered in an upcoming episode. And if you’re enjoying the podcast, leaving a review really helps support the show and helps more people find these conversations.

This podcast is a place for trauma survivors as well as their friends and family. This is a safe environment to be vulnerable but it's also a place for celebration and moving forward. Let's all start to embrace who we are becoming by #mentalhealth #selfcare #self #judgingothers #judgingmeghan #suicideawareness #suicideprevention #survivor #MyMomsStory #MomAndDaughter #MotherDaughter #SpecialEpisode #Revisited #LossAndHealing #GriefAndHealing #GriefJourney #HealingJourney #TraumaHealing #TraumaRecovery #Resilience #FindingHope #HopeAfterLoss #LifeAfterLoss #OvercomingAdversity #Survivor #Strength #Courage #Family #FamilyLove #LoveAndLoss #EmotionalHealing #PersonalGrowth #NeverGiveUp #HopeAndHealing #Mothers

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In this episode, I sit down with Lizzie Semmer, a former pre K teacher who left the classroom and started a new chapter of her life in Portugal. Lizzie shares what it was like growing up between Chicago and Manhattan Beach with a father who worked in Hollywood, and how she eventually began her own career in entertainment, working with her father. After years in the industry, she followed a calling into teaching and spent a decade working with young children before the demands and exhaustion of the post COVID classroom led her to make the difficult decision to walk away.

Lizzie also opens up about losing her father to stage four cancer at just 55 and the profound impact his illness and death had on her. Afterward, genetic testing revealed that she carried the same cancer related mutations, leading to ongoing screenings and the removal of a benign colon mass. We talk about grief, the communities that supported her through some of her hardest moments, and the signs she felt along the way, including receiving her Portugal visa on September 11, a date that held deep personal meaning for her.

Today, Lizzie is building a quieter life in Portugal while working in the travel industry and embracing the uncertainty that comes with starting over. Her story is a beautiful reminder that sometimes life forces us to change direction before we are ready, but a new chapter can still hold meaning, purpose, and hope. We talk about grief, resilience, trusting yourself, and finding the courage to create a life that feels more aligned with who you are.

Learn more here: https://thefascinatedtraveler.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAcGRvZgJzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAaf-hWBP1MfRiUJR_jX9E75Lq9oSYPNEMime4wji80wAi5O84Zi4sdQ62yLhKg_aem_8JEHDM1P94RM7X7kxkWfbg 

I’d love to hear from you. If you have questions for me, topics you’d like discussed, or stories you want to share, please reach out through my website at judgingmeghan.com or send me a message on Instagram at @judgingmeghan. Your questions may be featured and answered in an upcoming episode. And if you’re enjoying the podcast, leaving a review really helps support the show and helps more people find these conversations.

This podcast is a place for trauma survivors as well as their friends and family. This is a safe environment to be vulnerable but it's also a place for celebration and moving forward. Let's all start to embrace who we are becoming by #mentalhealth #selfcare #self #judgingothers #judgingmeghan #suicideawareness #suicideprevention #survivor #LizzieSemmer #StartingOver #StartingOverAbroad #LifeInPortugal #PortugalLife #MovingToPortugal #NewChapter #GriefAndHealing #GriefJourney #LosingAParent #LossAndGrief #GriefSupport #Resilience #FindingHope #FindingPurpose #LifeTransitions #MajorLifeChanges #LifeAfterLoss #CareerChange #LeavingTeaching #FormerTeacher #TeachersOfInstagram #TeacherLife #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #HealingJourney #TrustTheJourney #SignsFromTheUniverse #FollowingYourCalling #JudgingMeghan #JudgingMeghanPodcast #Podcast

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Two-time Emmy-nominated director/producer of TV and Broadway, Riaz Patel isn’t here because of his credentials. He’s here because of his unusual perspective: a man who has spent virtually his entire life in female-dominated worlds. He grew up surrounded by women — two sisters, countless female cousins — then spent years making television about women, for female-led networks, on female-majority teams, for female audiences. And now, as a gay dad raising two kids, he finds himself once again in a world largely populated by moms.

He comes to motherhood as an “interloper”: close enough to see it intimately, but outside enough to see it differently. He’s not here to tell women how to mother. He’s here to talk about what he’s witnessed — the expectations, the judgment, the competition, and the extraordinary pressure women put on themselves and each other.

This is a blunt, unfiltered conversation about motherhood — and one I think a lot of mothers need to hear.

Follow Riaz here: https://www.instagram.com/riazrpatel/?hl=en 

I’d love to hear from you. If you have questions for me, topics you’d like discussed, or stories you want to share, please reach out through my website at judgingmeghan.com or send me a message on Instagram at @judgingmeghan. Your questions may be featured and answered in an upcoming episode. And if you’re enjoying the podcast, leaving a review really helps support the show and helps more people find these conversations.

This podcast is a place for trauma survivors as well as their friends and family. This is a safe environment to be vulnerable but it's also a place for celebration and moving forward. Let's all start to embrace who we are becoming by #mentalhealth #selfcare #self #judgingothers #judgingmeghan #suicideawareness #suicideprevention #survivor #RiazPatel #Motherhood #MotherhoodUnfiltered #MotherhoodJourney #MotherhoodRealTalk #MomLife #MomTruths #MotherhoodMatters #ThePressureOfMotherhood #MomPressure #MomJudgment #MomGuilt #MomShame #MomCompetition #Parenting #ParentingPressure #ParentingJourney #ModernMotherhood #WomenAndMotherhood #WomenSupportingWomen #WomenSupportingMothers #BreakingTheMomJudgment #NoPerfectMothers #MotherhoodWithoutJudgment #MentalHealth #SelfCompassion

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As I celebrate my sixth year of podcasting and approach my 300th episode, I’m excited to welcome angel communicator, author, speaker, and podcaster Alisha Das. During a time when the world can feel especially divided and difficult, Alisha and I have a conversation about spirituality, purpose, angels, and finding light during challenging seasons. Alisha shares her story of growing up in rural Indiana, experiencing a traumatic childhood, and encountering archangels from the age of four. 

After briefly pursuing acting, she eventually embraced her gifts and became a spiritual intuitive. Alisha explains how connecting with our angelic ancestry can help us better understand our purpose. We also discuss discernment, skepticism, connecting with loved ones who have passed, and how to approach spiritual experiences in a way that feels personal and grounded.

Alisha shares insights from her book, Your Angelic Ancestry, including how to connect with angels and discover your angelic name. We also talk about navigating darkness and uncertainty while holding onto hope and trusting that difficult seasons are temporary. As we continue through Suicide Prevention Month, I want to remind anyone who may be struggling that they are not alone and that there is always the possibility of finding a new path forward. I hope this conversation with Alisha offers a little comfort, curiosity, and hope when you need it most.

Learn more about Alisha here: https://alishadas.com/ 

I’d love to hear from you. If you have questions for me, topics you’d like discussed, or stories you want to share, please reach out through my website at judgingmeghan.com or send me a message on Instagram at @judgingmeghan. Your questions may be featured and answered in an upcoming episode. And if you’re enjoying the podcast, leaving a review really helps support the show and helps more people find these conversations.

This podcast is a place for trauma survivors as well as their friends and family. This is a safe environment to be vulnerable but it's also a place for celebration and moving forward. Let's all start to embrace who we are becoming by #mentalhealth #selfcare #self #judgingothers #judgingmeghan #suicideawareness #suicideprevention #survivor #AlishaDas #YourAngelicAncestry #AngelicAncestry #ArchangelMichael #Angels #AngelCommunication #AngelCommunicator #GuardianAngels #Spirituality #SpiritualIntuition #SpiritualJourney #FindingPurpose #LifePurpose #FindingHope #HopeAndHealing #SpiritualAwakening #Intuition #DivineGuidance #SignsFromTheUniverse #Afterlife #LovedOnesInHeaven #PersonalGrowth #HealingJourney #FaithAndHope #MentalHealth #SuicidePrevention #SuicidePreventionMonth #JudgingMeghan #JudgingMeghanPodcast

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This episode is especially meaningful as I celebrate my podcast’s six year anniversary during Suicide Prevention Month. I’m joined by Riaz Patel, a two time Emmy nominated director and producer and Broadway producer, who shares his story of growing up Pakistani, Muslim, and gay in rural West Virginia and Maryland. He opens up about feeling like an outsider, constantly navigating prejudice, experiencing hostility after 9/11, and a pivotal moment when the film Maurice helped him see a different future for himself during one of the darkest times in his life.

Riaz shares how that experience led him into entertainment, the unexpected path that brought him to reality television, and the story of meeting his husband, Miles, and building a family. We also talk about the importance of hope, connection, and finding a reason to keep moving forward when life feels overwhelming.

Riaz is also the creator of Connect Effect, a 53 minute entertainment based experience designed to create "on demand belonging" and help people find common ground. We talk about loneliness, our increasingly screen driven world, political division, and how easily we can focus on anger while missing the light around us. This conversation is a reminder to listen, stay connected, and remember that even in our darkest moments, there can still be hope and a path forward.

Follow Riaz here: https://www.instagram.com/riazrpatel/?hl=en 

Learn more about ConnectEffect here: https://connecteffect.us/ 

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I’d love to hear from you. If you have questions for me, topics you’d like discussed, or stories you want to share, please reach out through my website at judgingmeghan.com or send me a message on Instagram at @judgingmeghan. Your questions may be featured and answered in an upcoming episode. And if you’re enjoying the podcast, leaving a review really helps support the show and helps more people find these conversations.

This podcast is a place for trauma survivors as well as their friends and family. This is a safe environment to be vulnerable but it's also a place for celebration and moving forward. Let's all start to embrace who we are becoming by #mentalhealth #selfcare #self #judgingothers #judgingmeghan #suicideawareness #suicideprevention #survivor #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #EndTheStigma #YouAreNotAlone #HopeAndHealing #ChooseConnection #Community #TogetherWeCan #SupportMatters #ReachOut #KeepGoing #LifeAfterCrisis #SuicideAwareness #SuicidePreventionAwareness #PreventSuicide #CrisisSupport #EmotionalWellness #Wellness #Resilience #PersonalGrowth #AuthenticConnection #SocialConnection #BuildingCommunity #CommonGround #ListenWithEmpathy #Compassion #KindnessMatters #LessLonely #ConnectionOverDivision

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I’m repeating this episode to honor Will Jimeno, all of the victims of 9/11, the survivors, the first responders who ran toward the danger, and all of their families. This episode originally aired in 2021, but Will’s story is one I believe should never be forgotten. September 11, 2001, is a day so many of us remember exactly where we were when we heard the news. It was a day that changed our country and countless lives forever.

Will was a rookie Port Authority police officer when he saw the shadow of American Airlines Flight 11 moments before it struck the World Trade Center. He and his fellow officers knew they had to go in and help. Will shares what it was like to walk into the towers knowing a plane had hit the building, never imagining what was about to happen. When the South Tower collapsed, Will became trapped beneath the rubble alongside Sergeant John McLoughlin and Officer Dominick Pezzulo. Only Will and Sergeant McLoughlin survived. Trapped for hours with little hope of being rescued, the two men shared deeply personal conversations about their families and the people they loved. Will even asked Sergeant McLoughlin to tell his pregnant wife that he wanted their baby girl to be named Olivia.

Eventually, Will and Sergeant McLoughlin were found and rescued by former Marines Jason Thomas and Dave Karnes. Both men suffered devastating injuries and faced a long road of surgeries, rehabilitation, and recovery. It was an absolute honor to speak with Will, hear his story, and learn how he chose to move forward from such an unimaginable experience. Will has dedicated his life to serving others, and his courage, resilience, and commitment to service are a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit. I’m grateful to revisit this conversation and share Will’s story again as we remember September 11 and everyone whose lives were forever changed that day.

I’d love to hear from you. If you have questions for me, topics you’d like discussed, or stories you want to share, please reach out through my website at judgingmeghan.com or send me a message on Instagram at @judgingmeghan. Your questions may be featured and answered in an upcoming episode. And if you’re enjoying the podcast, leaving a review really helps support the show and helps more people find these conversations.

This podcast is a place for trauma survivors as well as their friends and family. This is a safe environment to be vulnerable but it's also a place for celebration and moving forward. Let's all start to embrace who we are becoming by #mentalhealth #selfcare #self #judgingothers #judgingmeghan #suicideawareness #suicideprevention #survivor #mentalhealth #selfcare #self #judgingothers #judgingmeghan #suicideawareness #suicideprevention #survivor #abuserecovery #traumahealing #mentalhealthawareness #WillJimeno #911 #September11 #NeverForget #911Memorial #911Survivor #PortAuthorityPolice #FirstResponders #Heroes #HonorAndRemember #Resilience #Courage #Service #NeverForget911 #Remembering911 #911Anniversary #JudgingMeghan #Podcast

NOTE: This Revisited Series is the re-release of my favorite most important episodes.

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I’m joined by Jacob Cooper, an author, therapist, speaker, and past life regression expert, for a fascinating conversation about near death experiences, spirituality, and what may exist beyond this life. Jacob shares the stories behind his two books, Life After Breath, which explores his own near death experience, and The Wisdom of Jacob’s Ladder, which explores the lessons and insights he took from that experience.

Jacob recounts experiencing a near death experience at just three years old in 1993 after suffocating from undiagnosed pertussis. He describes seeing a tunnel and a light, experiencing an overwhelming sense of love, encountering guardian angels and numerous other angels, entering what he calls a “soul pod,” and experiencing a life review that included memories of past lives. He also describes the profound feeling of choosing to return to this life with a service oriented purpose.

Together, we explore questions about consciousness, spirituality, purpose, and what happens when we come face to face with the possibility of death. Jacob encourages listeners to remain open and curious while still maintaining healthy skepticism, and ultimately to focus on finding joy, serving others, and making the most of the life we have.

Find out more here: https://jacoblcooper.com/ 

I’d love to hear from you. If you have questions for me, topics you’d like discussed, or stories you want to share, please reach out through my website at judgingmeghan.com or send me a message on Instagram at @judgingmeghan. Your questions may be featured and answered in an upcoming episode. And if you’re enjoying the podcast, leaving a review really helps support the show and helps more people find these conversations.

This podcast is a place for trauma survivors as well as their friends and family. This is a safe environment to be vulnerable but it's also a place for celebration and moving forward. Let's all start to embrace who we are becoming by #mentalhealth #selfcare #self #judgingothers #judgingmeghan #suicideawareness #suicideprevention #survivor #JacobCooper #NearDeathExperience #LifeAfterBreath #TheWisdomOfJacobsLadder #Spirituality #Consciousness #Afterlife #LifeAfterDeath #PastLifeRegression #PastLives #SpiritualAwakening #SoulJourney #Angels #GuardianAngels #LifePurpose #FindingPurpose #Gratitude #Healing #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #TraumaHealing #PersonalGrowth #SelfDiscovery #MindBodySpirit #Faith #Hope #Podcast #MentalHealthPodcast 

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This episode I sit down with therapists and coaches EJ and Tara from the Relationship Renovation podcast and a counseling center in Tucson. They share their own relationship story, including meeting, marrying quickly, and then facing intense challenges after having colicky twins while blending a family with four young children. Sleep deprivation, postpartum struggles, constant conflict, and a loss of intimacy put tremendous strain on their marriage and ultimately became the catalyst for a deeper understanding of relationships.

Their experience inspired them to create the research based Relationship Renovation Model and eventually train other therapists in their approach. We talk about emotional safety, attachment, family systems, nervous system regulation, and why you sometimes need to “regulate before you communicate.” They also share their “burnt toast” code word, which allows couples to call for a time out during conflict while creating a clear plan to come back together and continue the conversation.

We also discuss the importance of men doing their own emotional work, honesty, empathy, appreciation, and finding specialized couples therapy when you need more support. From major life transitions like empty nesting to the rise of “gray divorce,” we explore how relationships can change throughout the years and what it takes to keep choosing each other. Most importantly, this conversation is about being real, doing the work, and creating a relationship where both people feel safe, heard, and valued. You can learn more about EJ and Tara at relationshiprenovation.com.

Listen to the ‘Relationship Renovation’ Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all podcast platforms.

Find out more through their site here: https://relationshiprenovation.com/staff/tarah-kerwin-staff/ 

I’d love to hear from you. If you have questions for me, topics you’d like discussed, or stories you want to share, please reach out through my website at judgingmeghan.com or send me a message on Instagram at @judgingmeghan. Your questions may be featured and answered in an upcoming episode. And if you’re enjoying the podcast, leaving a review really helps support the show and helps more people find these conversations.

This podcast is a place for trauma survivors as well as their friends and family. This is a safe environment to be vulnerable but it's also a place for celebration and moving forward. Let's all start to embrace who we are becoming by #mentalhealth #selfcare #self #judgingothers #judgingmeghan #suicideawareness #suicideprevention #survivor #RelationshipRenovation #EJAndTara #Relationships #RelationshipAdvice #MarriageAdvice #Marriage #HealthyRelationships #CouplesTherapy #CouplesCounseling #RelationshipTherapy #EmotionalSafety #AttachmentTheory #NervousSystemRegulation #RegulateBeforeYouCommunicate #Communication #ConflictResolution #RelationshipGoals #Intimacy #EmotionalIntimacy #MarriageAfterKids #ParentingAndMarriage #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #SelfWork #MensMentalHealth #Empathy #HealingRelationships #LongTermRelationships 

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In this episode, I’m joined by Nicole Sciacca, a fitness professional and host of Shockin’ Y’all, for a deeply personal conversation about spirituality, “exit points,” divine protection, and the signs we may receive from the other side. We talk about how trauma and major life experiences can create clarity, shift our perspective, and ultimately lead us toward a deeper sense of purpose and faith.

Nicole shares her journey from growing up as a dancer in Birmingham, Alabama, to moving to Los Angeles and navigating a major back injury that completely changed her identity. She opens up about transitioning into fitness, mobility, and training women through midlife, with a focus on longevity, recovery, stress, and learning to care for our bodies through every stage of life.

Nicole also shares the devastating losses she has experienced, including finding her partner Matt after he passed away in his sleep and later losing her ex-husband. We talk about grief, the signs she continues to experience from those she has lost, and how therapy, EMDR, community, and faith have helped her heal while raising her 13 year old son. This is an honest and emotional conversation about loss, spirituality, healing, and finding meaning and purpose even when life takes us somewhere we never expected.

Find out more about Nicole’s fitness classes: https://www.sweatandstillness.com/ 

Follow Nicole here: https://www.instagram.com/nicolesciacca/?hl=en  

I’d love to hear from you. If you have questions for me, topics you’d like discussed, or stories you want to share, please reach out through my website at judgingmeghan.com or send me a message on Instagram at @judgingmeghan. Your questions may be featured and answered in an upcoming episode. And if you’re enjoying the podcast, leaving a review really helps support the show and helps more people find these conversations.

This podcast is a place for trauma survivors as well as their friends and family. This is a safe environment to be vulnerable but it's also a place for celebration and moving forward. Let's all start to embrace who we are becoming by #mentalhealth #selfcare #self #judgingothers #judgingmeghan #suicideawareness #suicideprevention #survivor #NicoleSciacca #Grief #GriefJourney #GriefSupport #HealingAfterLoss #Fitness #Spirituality #SignsFromTheOtherSide #SignsFromLovedOnes #DivineProtection #Faith #HopeAfterLoss #FindingPurpose #Signs #TraumaHealing #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #EMDR #HealingJourney #Resilience #PersonalGrowth #SelfDiscovery #MidlifeWellness #WomensHealth #MindBodyConnection 

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