I had an inspiring conversation with John Trautwein about his journey from personal tragedy to creating a foundation focused on youth mental health and community support. He shared how his story shaped his mission, and the proactive steps he’s taken to help prevent future tragedies. We talked about the importance of awareness, connection, and what it really takes to support young people in meaningful ways.John’s website:  www.johntrautwein.comAnd the Will To Live Foundation website: www.willtolive.comJohn’s book : The Will To Live: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Will-to-Live/John-Trautwein/9780757326141 Connect with Alexandra on her website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠forwardtojoy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or send her an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Portions or topics on this show may be triggering. Please seek professional help or assistance if needed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I had a deeply personal conversation with Michelle Bray about her journey after losing her husband to suicide. She shared openly about the emotional trauma, the systemic challenges she faced, and even the ways she’s experienced ongoing connection. We talked about grief, mental health, and what it can look like to find purpose in the aftermath of such a profound loss. Connect with Alexandra on her website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠forwardtojoy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or send her an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Portions or topics on this show may be triggering. Please seek professional help or assistance if needed.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I had a profound conversation with Sarah Hanson about her journey through grief, loss, and finding meaning in the face of death. She shared what it was like to lose three friends in a short period of time, and the experience of walking alongside one of her best friends at the end of her life. We talked about how those losses both tested and deepened the bond within her close circle of friends in such a meaningful way. This conversation explores how we can navigate grief with humor, community, and a sense of acceptance, and what that can look like when you’re in it. Connect with Sarah: https://www.sarahhansonwrites.com/Instagram: @sarahhansonwritesOrder Sarah’s book: Conjuring the Hurricane: The Best Way to Save Your Life is Any Way You Can     https://a.co/d/01OCAZI8 Connect with Alexandra on her website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠forwardtojoy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or send her an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Portions or topics on this show may be triggering. Please seek professional help or assistance if needed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I had a deeply meaningful conversation with Rhonda Kelly about her journey through grief after losing her daughter to suicide. She shared how she’s turned that loss into advocacy—working to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and push for better mental health resources in her community. We talked about the role of education, the power of community, and what healing and prevention can look like in the wake of such profound loss. Connect with Rhonda: https://www.facebook.com/AddisonKellyButterfly5kInstagram - @honouringaddikellyWebsite - https://alexpantonfoundation.ky/addison-kelly-mental-health-education-fund/ Connect with Alexandra on her website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠forwardtojoy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or send her an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Portions or topics on this show may be triggering. Please seek professional help or assistance if needed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I had a really heartfelt conversation with Joe Nery about his journey through love, loss, and healing after the suicide of his partner, Christina. He shared pieces of their story, along with what he’s learned about recognizing signs of mental health struggles and how complex grief can be. We talked about coping strategies, the role of support systems, and what it looks like to find your way forward after such a devastating loss.  Connect with Alexandra on her website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠forwardtojoy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or send her an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Portions or topics on this show may be triggering. Please seek professional help or assistance if needed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I had a powerful conversation with Sarah Hanson about her journey of leaving an unsafe relationship and finding her way back to herself. She shared how creative expression became a lifeline in her healing, and how she’s been able to transform her pain into purpose. We talked about resilience, what it means to rebuild after rupture, and where hope can begin to re-emerge.  Connect with Sarah: https://www.sarahhansonwrites.com/Instagram: @sarahhansonwritesOrder Sarah’s book: Conjuring the Hurricane: The Best Way to Save Your Life is Any Way You Can https://a.co/d/01OCAZI8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I was honored to chat with Kelly Owen. We had such an honest, expansive conversation about what it really looks like to question your beliefs and come back to yourself. She shared her journey of leaning into authenticity, and how exploring plant medicine, including ayahuasca, became part of her healing and growth. We talked about trust, patience, and the role community plays in supporting deep transformation.Connect with Kelly: https://kellycole.substack.com Connect with Alexandra on her website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠forwardtojoy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or send her an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Portions or topics on this show may be triggering. Please seek professional help or assistance if needed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this heartfelt interview, I sit down with Stacey Johnson to explore her personal journey through profound loss and how it inspired her to help women navigate grief, trauma, and self-discovery through coaching and energy work. She shares practical tools, mental models, and powerful insights on managing grief, healing limiting beliefs, and finding joy again after tragedy.Connect with Stacey: Email: [email protected] Tube: Welcome to Calm Mom ConversationsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/stacey.v.johnsonInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/staceyjohnsoncoaching/Download free reset guide: https://stacey-johnson-coaching.kit.com/c8f2662cfc Connect with Alexandra on her website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠forwardtojoy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or send her an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Portions or topics on this show may be triggering. Please seek professional help or assistance if needed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I interviewed Ashley about her journey from personal tragedy to founding the Memento Foundation. She shared how her own experience with loss led her to discover the healing power of photography and inspired her to create an organization that supports others through grief. During our conversation, Ashley talked about the importance of holistic grief support and the role community plays in helping people feel less alone in their pain. She also offered thoughtful insights on processing grief and shared practical tools that can help people navigate loss in meaningful and compassionate ways. Connect with Ashley: momentofoundation.org                                   ashleynicolejones.com Instagram: @momentofoundation Order a copy of Ashley’s book: https://a.co/d/01UCmUs6 Connect with Alexandra on her website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠forwardtojoy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or send her an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Portions or topics on this show may be triggering. Please seek professional help or assistance if needed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I interviewed Dr. Jenn Rapkin about her journey into naturopathic medicine and the work she does helping people reconnect with their bodies. During our conversation, she shared the importance of embodiment and how tuning into our physical sensations can help us better understand and process our emotions. Dr. Rapkin also offered practical tools for managing difficult feelings through bodywork and mindfulness. We talked about how building resilience, learning to trust yourself, and allowing space for your emotions can support deep healing and overall well-being.Connect with Dr. Jenn: www.drjennrapkin.com Connect with Alexandra on her website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠forwardtojoy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or send her an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Portions or topics on this show may be triggering. Please seek professional help or assistance if needed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices