In Part 2 of this powerful two-part conversation, registered psychologist and grief coach, Ashley Mielke, shares what she’s learned after years of sitting with people in their darkest moments. Building on her personal story in Episode 28, Ashley offers compassionate and clear insights into how we can better understand, support, and walk with those who are grieving.

We explore toxic positivity, the myth of the ‘five stages of grief’, and why so many people feel unseen in their suffering. Ashley helps reframe grief not as something to fix—but something to honour, validate, and slowly work through.

This episode is for anyone wondering how to care well for the grieving—or how to walk through their own loss with gentleness and grace.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. Why ‘toxic positivity’ often causes more harm than good
2. Why the ‘five stages of grief’ don’t tell the full story
3. What to say (and what not to say) when someone you love is grieving
4. Why presence and permission are more powerful than advice
5. How grief can become stuck in the body if it isn’t acknowledged
6. How Ashley found a calling through her own deep loss
7. Practical ways to walk with others in their pain—without rushing them

Relevant Links from the Episode:
Ashley Mielke is a Registered Psychologist, grief coach, and founder of Ashley Mielke Coaching. She uses her lived experience and professional training to support others through deep personal loss and emotional healing.

Follow Ashley on Instagram: @ashleymielkecoaching

Websites:AshleyMielkeCoaching.com

HealMyHeart.ca

Grief Recovery Method

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Ashley Mielke is a psychologist, grief coach, and woman of deep faith. But long before any of that, she was a young girl navigating the quiet ache of having a father who was facing his own struggles—and learning to stay strong in ways no child should have to.

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Ashley shares her personal story of growing up with a parent who struggled with addiction, the complex emotions that came with that, and the eventual loss of her dad to suicide. It’s a raw, tender, and deeply relatable account of the kind of grief that often starts early in life—before we even realise we’re grieving.

This episode is for anyone who’s ever tried to stay strong for others, wondered why certain wounds never quite heal, or carried silent sadness into adulthood.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

How grief can begin long before a death or major loss

Why perfectionism and people-pleasing often mask deeper pain

The impact of growing up with a parent working through their own deep emotional needs

Why we sometimes need to ‘unbecome’ in order to properly begin the healing journey

How her father’s death changed everything—and awakened a calling

The role of faith in finding comfort, calling, and peace

Relevant Links from the Episode:

Ashley Mielke is a Registered Psychologist, grief coach, and founder of Ashley Mielke Coaching. She uses her lived experience and professional training to support others through deep personal loss and emotional healing.

Follow Ashley on Instagram:

@ashleymielkecoaching

Websites:

AshleyMielkeCoaching.com (website coming soon!)

HealMyHeart.caGrief Recovery Method

Explore More from Resilient Souls:

Resilient Souls Website

Resilient Souls Podcast or search ‘Resilient Souls’ wherever you get your podcasts

Resilient Souls Blog on Substack

Stewart’s Book 

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Join the Community

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Bec Riley always dreamed of becoming a mum. But when infertility shattered those dreams, she and her husband began a long and lonely IVF journey filled with heartbreak, disappointment, and unexpected complications.

In this honest and deeply personal conversation, Bec reflects on the emotional and physical toll of IVF, the loneliness that often comes with it, and how her faith evolved along the way.

Eventually, a path she hadn’t planned—adoption and later embryo adoption—brought deep joy and began a healing journey in her life. This is a story of raw emotion, spiritual depth, and hard-won hope for anyone facing detours, delays, or heartbreak in their own story.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. Why infertility is often an invisible and misunderstood grief.
2. How Bec stayed anchored in her faith even when God didn’t answer her prayers as expected.
3. What it looked like to stop hoping ‘in the thing’ and start hoping ‘in God’.
4. The beauty and complexity of both inter-country adoption and embryo adoption.
5. Why being present and silent might be the best support you can give someone walking this road.
6. How to find light and take the next step when life feels too heavy.
7. Bec’s gentle encouragement for those feeling like there’s no way forward.

Relevant Links from the Episode:

Follow Bec on Instagram: @becjriley

Learn more about her church: @rivieracc_

Bec's recommended reading:

• The Common Thread by Catherine Sylvester
• Praying Through Infertility by Sheridan Voysey
• He Remembers the Barren by Katie Schuermann

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In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Sam Hearn returns to share how the pain and trauma of his early life became the foundation for a life of empathy, purpose, and service.

Picking up where we left off in Part 1, Sam reflects on key turning points—his decision to choose healing over bitterness, the slow and redemptive restoration of his relationship with his father, and how his lived experience now fuels his work supporting others through trauma and disconnection.

Whether you're a parent, teacher, youth leader, or someone who simply wants to be present for others, Sam’s story will leave you encouraged, grounded, and ready to make a difference.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. How Sam’s relationship with his father was restored after years of pain
2. What helped him choose healing instead of bitterness
3. The power of safe, consistent adults in a young person’s world
4. What trauma-informed care looks like in everyday relationships
5. How small acts of noticing and encouragement can change a child’s path
6. Why resilience grows best in community—not in isolation
7. How to support others without needing to 'fix' them

... and much more!

Links to:

• The Resilient Souls ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Get hold of Stewart's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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In this powerful first part of a two-part conversation, Stewart sits down with Sam Hearn—a community leader and pastor whose deep compassion for others is rooted in his own lived experience. In Part 1, Sam shares openly about his upbringing, including poverty, generational trauma, family violence, and mental health struggles.

Despite these hardships, Sam’s story is filled with moments of beauty, hope, and a growing awareness of God’s presence, even in the mess.

This episode explores the formative impact of trauma in childhood, how faith can evolve through pain, and what it looks like to begin a journey of healing. In Part 2 (coming next ), Sam will share how his story shaped his passion for helping others and how he now walks alongside people facing similar pain.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. How childhood poverty and family dysfunction shaped Sam’s early life
2. The lasting impact of generational trauma and mental health struggles
3. How a child’s view of faith is shaped by their home environment
4. The tension of experiencing both love and fear in a family setting
5. Why moments of beauty and connection can anchor hope
6. How Sam began to make sense of his story and begin the healing journey

…and much more

Links to:

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Get hold of Stewart's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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In this powerful follow-up to our conversation with their mother, Belinda Peters, Stewart sits down with Matt, Josh, and Ben Peters—three brothers who grew up as their father battled early onset dementia, leaving their mother to take on far more responsibility as a parent, carer, and wife than she had ever expected.

After hearing Belinda’s story of faith and strength as a parent, this episode offers a moving and deeply insightful perspective from the children navigating that same storm.

Matt, Josh, and Ben open up about the impact of their father’s illness on their upbringing, the quiet strength they witnessed in their mother, how their faith helped them find resilience amidst the pain, and what it was like to lose a parent at such a young age.

They reflect on the role of their church community, the importance of showing up for others, and why it’s possible to emerge from hardship with both hope and purpose.

Their story highlights the power of vulnerability, the value of ongoing support, and the strength that comes from holding onto faith and hope through life’s hardest moments.In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. What it’s like to grow up with a parent facing a deteriorating illness and ultimately death.
2. How a parent’s faith and intentionality can provide stability and hope.
3. The importance of showing up for others—even when you don’t know what to say.
4. Why having a strong community around you matters for young people.
5. How each brother found purpose in helping others through their own experiences.
6. Practical insights for parents and youth leaders supporting young people through trauma.

…and much more

Links to:

The Resilient Souls ⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠

Get hold of Stewart's ⁠⁠⁠⁠book⁠⁠⁠⁠

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In this heartfelt episode, Belinda Peters shares her deeply personal journey of navigating her husband’s early onset dementia diagnosis while raising their three young sons. As she faced uncertainty, loss, and overwhelming responsibility, Belinda leaned on faith, community, and practical wisdom to sustain herself and her family.

She opens up about the challenges of parenting through grief, the importance of clear communication with her support network, and how small moments of joy helped her find resilience in the storm. Her story is a testament to the power of perseverance, trust, and choosing to embrace life even in the hardest seasons.

Whether you’re walking through grief, supporting a loved one, or seeking wisdom on parenting through life’s toughest seasons, this episode offers hope, practical insights, and encouragement for the journey.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. The emotional and practical realities of parenting while navigating grief
2. How Belinda found strength in faith and community during seasons of loss
3. The role of faith in building resilience through uncertainty
4. The power of small momentsof joy in the midst of hardship
5. Why guiding those around you on how to help can make all the difference
6. The importance of listening to children and respecting their unique grief journey.... and much more!

Links to:

The Resilient Souls ⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠

Get hold of Stewart's ⁠⁠⁠⁠book⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Links to getting help (locally and overseas): ⁠⁠⁠Help section⁠⁠⁠ on the Resilient Souls website

In this insightful episode, Stewart sits down with Natasha Rae, a psychologist with her own lived experience of trauma. Natasha opens up about growing up in a dysfunctional family and the profound impact it had on her mental health. She discusses the importance of having a strong support system and finding meaning and purpose in life, even in the face of adversity.

Natasha introduces the concept of positive psychology and explains the PERMA model, which focuses on cultivating positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishments. She emphasizes that despite experiencing trauma, it’s possible not only to survive but to thrive and live a fulfilling life.

The conversation also delves into the concept of ‘mattering’ Natasha explains this as the glue that connects us to others. She explores how feeling like we matter to someone, and helping others feel the same, fosters a sense of belonging and connection. She sheds light on the societal issue of the lack of significant adults in children’s lives, which can lead to feelings of insignificance.

Whether you're on your own healing journey or seeking to support others, this episode offers wisdom on building resilience, embracing growth, and finding meaningful relationships that contribute to healing.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. The significance of having asupport system and finding meaning in life after trauma.
2. Insights intopositive psychology and thePERMA model: positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishments.
3. How trauma is a deeply personal experience and there’sno one-size-fits-all approach to working through it.
4. The power of ‘mattering’ in building connection and belonging.
5. Why thelack of significant adults in children’s lives is a societal issue and how it impacts development.
6. Howcommunity andmeaningful relationships contribute to resilience and growth.

… and much more

Links from the Episode:

Information about Positive Psychology and the P.E.R.M.A. model - link

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Links to getting help (locally and overseas):⁠⁠⁠Help section⁠⁠⁠ on the Resilient Souls website

In this heartfelt and deeply personal episode, Doug Miller shares his journey as a husband, father, and caregiver in the wake of his wife, Barb’s, life-changing accident in Malawi. With raw honesty, Doug recounts the fear and uncertainty of the day everything changed and reflects on his role in supporting his wife and children through the aftermath.

Doug opens up about the challenges of balancing his own emotions while being a steady presence for his family. He shares how his faith, prayer, and the support of his community sustained him during this incredibly difficult season. His story offers profound insights into the power of trust, surrender, and resilience in the face of life’s hardest moments.

Whether you’re a caregiver, a spouse, or someone seeking hope and strength in challenging times, Doug’s reflections provide wisdom, encouragement, and practical guidance.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

…and much more

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Resilient Souls: (Click ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠)

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Links to getting help (locally and overseas): ⁠⁠⁠Help section⁠⁠⁠ on the Resilient Souls website

In this inspiring episode, Barb Miller, a retired missionary, shares her extraordinary story of resilience and faith after a devastating accident in Malawi. During a bike ride with her daughter, Barb fell from a bridge into a ravine, resulting in paralysis from the chest down. Despite this life-changing event, Barb and her family chose to stay in Malawi, embracing their new reality with faith, creativity, and determination.

Barb reflects on the emotional and spiritual challenges she faced, the strength she found in her faith, and the unwavering support of her family and community. Her story is a testament to the power of resilience, surrender, and trust in God amidst life’s most difficult moments.

Whether you’re navigating your own challenges or seeking ways to support others, Barb’s story offers hope, wisdom, and practical encouragement.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

…and much more

Links to:

Links to Resilient Souls Socials:

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Links to getting help (locally and overseas): ⁠⁠⁠Help section⁠⁠⁠ on the Resilient Souls website