Life Shift | True Stories of Healing, Grief & Loss

The Life Shift Podcast is a long form interview podcast about the moments that turn our lives into before and after.

Each episode centers on one defining life shift. A moment that changes how someone sees their life and what it takes to live differently after it.

This is not a show to offer solutions or advice. These are thoughtful conversations about real experiences, shared by people navigating loss, burnout, identity, grief, and major life changes.

Hosted by Matt Gilhooly.

Listen to episodes and learn more at

https://thelifeshiftpodcast.com

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This episode is part of The Things We Carry, a solo series shaped by the themes that stay with me after the conversations on The Life Shift.

Today, I am talking about identity and what happens when the life you have been holding together finally cracks open. Identity is not fixed. It shifts and bends. It breaks down and rebuilds. It grows through fear and through honesty. And most of us do not realize how much we have been holding until something inside us asks for change.

In this reflection, I talk about the messy work of letting old selves fall away, the long, slow unwinding of perfection, and the courage it takes to face the parts of you that have been hiding for years. Growing into yourself is not clean or linear. Some days you feel brave. Some days you fall back into old patterns. The important part is noticing the opening. Noticing the small truth that something old is no longer working.

If you are standing in that breaking open, I hope this episode meets you gently. You do not have to rush toward clarity. You do not need to fix everything at once. You can sit with the crack for a moment. You can let the rawness be real. Because inside that openness is the beginning of who you are becoming.

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Content note: This episode includes discussion of childhood sexual abuse and trauma. Please listen with care.

Sometimes the light we find is born in the darkest places.

In this episode of The Life Shift, Suzanne Roberts shares what it was like to grow up in a home that looked perfect on the outside but felt unsafe within. After surviving childhood sexual abuse, she dissociated into something she did not yet have language for. A quiet presence. A sense of holiness. A light that never left her.

This conversation holds grief and wonder side by side. It explores what it means to live after trauma, to slowly feel safe in your own body again, and to loosen the grip of self-hatred that never should have been there in the first place. Suzanne’s story is not about erasing the past. It is about remembering the part of you that stayed whole, even when everything else felt shattered.

Suzanne Roberts is the Founder of UnifyingSolutions and a transformational speaker, facilitator, and author with over four decades of experience guiding leaders and organizations toward sustainable, systemic change. She is the creator of Polarity System Design, a methodology that helps individuals and teams reclaim inner capacity, lead with clarity, and design cultures rooted in purpose, equity, and lasting impact. Suzanne creates spaces where people can thrive and contribute with clarity and purpose. Her book and documentary, It’s Deeper Than That: Pathway to a Vibrant, Purposeful Life, premiered in October 2025.

Book a free coaching session with Suzanne:

https://unifyingsolutions.com/schedule/

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www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com/follow

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This episode is part of The Things We Carry, a solo series shaped by the themes that stay with me long after the conversations on The Life Shift.

Today, I am talking about the way grief shows up differently for each of us. Grief is not a single feeling. It is not one path or one expression. It shifts. It breaks open. It softens. It surprises you. And sometimes it says the opposite of what you think it should.

In this reflection, I talk about the pressure many of us feel to grieve a certain way, the fear of getting it wrong, and the quiet shame that comes from comparing our grief to someone else’s. Some days you may cry. Some days you may laugh. Some days you may be numb or angry or exhausted. All of it is real. All of it is allowed. Grief has no finish line and no proper form. It simply becomes part of who we are.

If you are carrying grief in any shape, I hope this episode gives you space to be honest about what it looks like for you. You do not need to perform it. You do not need to justify it. You can name the feelings, even the unexpected ones, and let them belong. There is room for your version of grief. There always has been.

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In this episode of The Life Shift, we explore a pivotal life shift and the before and after moments that shaped Katie Grimes’ journey toward self-awareness, healing old patterns, and learning to trust herself again.

There are moments in life when you look around and realize you have been carrying the weight of everyone else’s expectations. Maybe you know that feeling. The quiet pressure to keep it all together. The fear that if you slow down even for a second, everything you have been outrunning will finally catch up.

Katie Grimes knows that place well. She grew up trying to earn belonging, trying to stay safe in a home shaped by addiction, fear, and silence. For years, she filled her life with noise and motion and relationships that echoed her earliest wounds. But somewhere inside the chaos, something steady began to rise. A small voice that said it was time to stop pretending and start healing. That voice became her line in the sand moment.

This conversation holds all of that tenderness. The grief she carried. The patterns she had to unlearn. The deep self-awareness she fought for. And the peace she has found in finally listening to herself. I hope that as you hear Katie’s story, you feel a soft reminder that you are not alone in the places that feel messy or unfinished.

Katie Grimes is a business coach, podcast host, and entrepreneur who helps busy business owners build routines they can actually keep. After growing a relationship coaching business to $550,000, she shifted her focus to business coaching, guiding people as they learn to set boundaries, build confidence, and create work that supports a life they love. Through her podcast, Anything for Love, and her digital courses, Katie has helped more than 100,000 people feel their feelings, speak up for what they need, and step away from the constant pressure to do more.

https://www.katiegrimes.com/

Listen and follow: www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com/follow

Support the show for ad-free and early-release episodes: www.patreon.com/thelifeshiftpodcast

Subscribe to the newsletter: https://thelifeshiftpodcast.beehiiv.com/

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This episode is part of The Things We Carry, a solo series shaped by the themes that keep showing up after more than two hundred conversations on The Life Shift.

Today I am talking about self trust and what it means to rebuild it after years of doubt, shame, or fear. Trusting yourself is not a single moment. It grows slowly through messy progress, small choices, and the courage to keep showing up even when you feel uncertain.

In this reflection, I talk about the back-and-forth nature of healing, the quiet bravery it takes to listen to your own voice, and the way small wins can slowly rewrite the stories you once believed about yourself. Self trust is not perfect confidence. It is the willingness to face your own feelings, try something new, set a boundary, or simply stay with yourself when things feel hard.

If you are in a season where trusting yourself feels out of reach, I hope this episode gives you some gentleness. You do not have to be fully healed to begin. You do not have to silence every doubt. You can start small. You can take one step. You can remember that the younger version of you deserved care, and the current version of you does too. You have always been enough.

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Some moments reshape us before we even have words for them.

Erin Snow carried one of those moments for most of her life. What began as a buried truth became a quiet weight she learned to navigate on her own. And somewhere along the way, that silence started to turn into something else. A nudge. A voice. A call to reclaim the parts of herself that had been taken.

Her story is not only about what happened. It is about the slow return to her own strength, the tenderness of being heard at the right time, and the courage it takes to tell a truth that once felt impossible to say. Erin reminds us that healing is not tidy. It grows in seasons. It begins in small ways. And often it starts with listening.

What You’ll Hear:

Guest Bio:

Erin Snow is a transformative listening strategist who turns the art of hearing into a powerful tool for personal and professional empowerment. As the founder of Seacoast Listening Lounge, she has pioneered a revolutionary approach that creates a sanctuary where women can not just survive, but truly reclaim their narrative and inner strength.

With sixteen years of frontline experience as a legal advocate for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, Erin has witnessed firsthand the life changing power of authentic, compassionate listening. She made history as the first paralegal in New Hampshire to represent clients directly in family court, breaking barriers and reshaping traditional legal norms.

Her work bridges trauma-informed advocacy with deep emotional intelligence, offering individuals, leaders, and organizations a pathway to genuine, transformative connection. Erin can be reached at seacoastlisteninglounge.com.

Listen and follow: www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com/follow

Support the show for ad-free and early-release episodes: www.patreon.com/thelifeshiftpodcast

Subscribe to the newsletter: https://thelifeshiftpodcast.beehiiv.com/

Content note: This episode includes discussion of childhood sexual abuse, trauma, and healing. Please listen with care.

Some moments reshape us before we even have words for them.

In this episode of The Life Shift, we explore a pivotal life shift and the before and after moments that shaped Erin Snow’s journey toward reclaiming her voice, worth, and sense of self.

Erin Snow carried one of those moments for most of her life. What began as a buried truth became a quiet weight she learned to navigate on her own. And somewhere along the way, that silence started to turn into something else. A nudge. A voice. A call to reclaim the parts of herself that had been taken.

Her story is not only about what happened. It is about the slow return to her own strength, the tenderness of being heard at the right time, and the courage it takes to tell a truth that once felt impossible to say. Erin reminds us that healing is not tidy. It grows in seasons. It begins in small ways. And often it starts with listening.

What You’ll Hear:

Guest Bio:

Erin Snow is a transformative listening strategist who turns the art of hearing into a powerful tool for personal and professional empowerment. As the founder of Seacoast Listening Lounge, she has pioneered a revolutionary approach that creates a sanctuary where women can not just survive, but truly reclaim their narrative and inner strength.

With sixteen years of frontline experience as a legal advocate for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, Erin has witnessed firsthand the life changing power of authentic, compassionate listening. She made history as the first paralegal in New Hampshire to represent clients directly in family court, breaking barriers and reshaping traditional legal norms.

Her work bridges trauma-informed advocacy with deep emotional intelligence, offering individuals, leaders, and organizations a pathway to genuine, transformative connection. Erin can be reached at seacoastlisteninglounge.com.

Listen and follow: www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com/follow

Support the show for ad-free and early-release episodes: www.patreon.com/thelifeshiftpodcast

Subscribe to the newsletter: https://thelifeshiftpodcast.beehiiv.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is part of The Things We Carry, a solo series shaped by the themes that keep showing up in the conversations on The Life Shift.

Today I am talking about the belief that you have to be fully healed before you can change your life. I do not think that is true. Healing is not a finish line. It is not a requirement you have to meet before you are allowed to grow or move forward.

In this reflection, I talk about why healing and change often happen together, and why waiting to feel whole can keep you stuck for years. Change is messy. Healing is slow. Sometimes you start showing up for yourself long before you feel ready. Sometimes the shift begins in the middle of the grief or confusion or fear. You do not need to be perfect or certain to take a step toward the life you want.

If you are sitting in a season where you feel broken, overwhelmed, or unsure, I hope this episode helps you breathe a little easier. You do not have to fix everything first. You do not have to have it all sorted out. You can start right where you are, even in the mess, even in the doubt. That small beginning counts.

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What if the hardest thing you’ve ever faced became the reason you kept going?

In this episode of The Life Shift, we explore a pivotal life shift and the before-and-after moments that shaped John Ulsh’s journey through trauma, recovery, and the rebuilding of a life with purpose.

After surviving a horrific car accident that left him with a three percent chance of survival, John Ulsh spent years relearning how to live, move, and believe in the life ahead of him. Across 45 surgeries and 17 years of recovery, he found that healing wasn’t about getting “back” to normal. It was about building something new — one intentional day at a time.

In this conversation, we talk about:

John’s story reminds us that survival can be just the starting line — and that even the hardest chapters can fuel something good.

John Ulsh knows what it means to rebuild. In 2007, he, his wife, and their two young children were in a catastrophic head-on collision. While his family suffered serious injuries, John took the brunt of the impact and was given less than a three percent chance of survival. After enduring over 45 surgeries and years of relentless recovery, he discovered that true resilience isn’t about avoiding hardship — it’s about learning to rise from it. Now, as the author of The Upside of Down, a speaker, and a coach, John helps others overcome adversity and turn setbacks into success. Learn more at www.johnulsh.com.

Listen to this episode and more at www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com.

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