Eric Mikszta reflects on a time where he was trying to make it work with a girlfriend who was in the middle of following her dream. He was going to join her in this dream so that they could be together. And where did this dream take them?... The Circus. Nobody likes to relive heartbreak, but he takes it on the chin like a champ and maybe it had something to do with him correcting his focus and finding his now wife. He now describes it as “the kick in the head that I needed.” I fully admit that I can relate! Thank you for sharing with transparency and humor. Originally this was intended to be the finally of the series and was going to be “Dating Disasters.” Audio to follow Eric’s story supports this. They can be seen along with other pictures supporting previous stories on Instagram @troubledhandspodcast

Abby Harkness lost both parents to cancer at a young age. She takes the time to remember fondly how her parents, home and surroundings were precious and unique. Though she faced an oddly unfair start, she expresses gratitude for what was special, remembers those who supported her and shares how she maintains tradition & memories. She tries to live life unapologetically and I believe she makes her parents proud every day. In her words: There will always be hard days when it comes to loss. Remember the good and what amazing things this person brough to your life and try to live on that. Know that they will want you to be happy and not dwell on them being gone. It can be hard to share memories but that is the best way for those who are gone to live on in our hearts and minds. Abby can be seen with her family as well as other pictures that support previous stories on Instagram @troubledhandspodcast

Ryan Krause is a longtime friend who shares memories about his sister Kellie, her fight with small cell ovarian cancer and gives a heartfelt thank you to all the support received through this battle. Though Ryan speaks about the complexities of having a family that works together and showing support for her personal battle while being states away, he doesn’t shy away from the hurt of the loss and proudly shows how much he loves her and how much others do as well.  Her family extends sincere thank you to her family, friends and social media “army.” For those with questions about this particular disease, you can find out more at smallcellovarian.org. Research funding is a way to show support, as this particular cancer is difficult to treat. Kellie left us on September 25th of 2021 and pictures of her, Ryan, their family and friends can be seen on Instagram @troubledhandspodcast.

Annie finds herself paired with someone losing a battle to alcohol abuse. Their relationship goes from happy to a state of constant sacrifice, avoidance, being subjected to aggression and eventually puts her in a position where her only choice is to leave. Annie references Turning Point (Turnpt.org) for assistance in exiting a dangerous situation and The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (samhsa.gov) that makes info, research and services more accessible to those in need. There is always hope! “Annie” is an alias and the only pictures on the Instagram account shows a inspirational book she strongly suggests; The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore and a picture of Vasquez played by Janette Goldstein because the episode was recorded on her birthday…and she is a bad-ass woman just like Annie! They can be seen along with other pictures supporting previous stories on Instagram @troubledhandspodcast

Chris is a longtime friend who is a family man and a retired soldier. He shares a story of injury that occurred during one of his deployments. This gives insight to somethings rarely considered by those of us who have not served or seen battle. He urges us to have the conversation or at least check in with someone who is struggling. Chris expressed “people see through stories” and that it helps us be “a shield to the person to the left of us.” He is a true protector and always has your back. For those of us who would like to contribute in some way, Chris vouches for: support.woundedwarriorproject.org and homesforheroes.com Chris chose to maintain private by last name and photos.

Kellie Fraser is a wife, mother, daughter & professional… she’s also busy in all of these roles. But life doesn’t slow down. Confronted with a unique trail of clues to follow, it would have been easy to miss a beat or lose track of time that could have been costly. Kellie will tell us how in her fight against cancer, she was sensitive to family history, took advantage of BRCA testing and leaned into her community. Details of upcoming Crystal Lake events to follow Pictures can be seen on Instagram @troubledhandspodcast

What matters most- Ross walks us through his story about surviving toxic surroundings, finding new belonging and developing a deep relationship with it. Though he is still learning to draw the line, he is still answering “The Call.”  Ross touches on intergenerational trauma, general awareness and addiction while still wanting everyone to just fight through and do better for themselves and eachother. A truly kind and strong hearted person. If you are interested in becoming aware or would like to find a way to contribute, Ross suggests looking up The Bear Project -Pine Ridge Reservation or Ground Control (each on Facebook) or going to any of these sites: www.olceri.org www.upijataartscompany.org Pictures can be seen on Instagram @troubledhandspodcast

Kellie Campbell Holmes reminds us that one loss is still too many. She shares the story of how even though she built a home of love for her boys and a safe space for their friends, some signs can be missed. Jordan was loved by many who didn’t put clues together in time. Following the loss she found purpose in counseling and instead of staying quiet, Kellie wants to encourage us to look for the signs. If you or someone you love is fighting addiction and going to get clean, please educate yourself on PAWS. She also vouches for The Recovery Centers of America.  Pictures of Jordan and Kellie can be seen on Instagram at troubledhandspodcast.

Mathius Carter is a U.S Army veteran, veteran community outreach coordinator and a proud father. In this episode, he explains his path out of high school into war and back home again. The years to follow put him on a separate journey focused on healing his PTSD, fighting for that same cause in others while being aware of how this was tied to his responsibilities as a father. He wrote a children’s book to aid in explanation and is looking to complete a few more, as the surrounding community has shown a need for these forms of help. Please copy these links to support programs and Mathius’ book; https://roadhomeprogram.org/ https://veteranspathtohope.org/ Instead of Sheep: A Soldiers Way of Explaining PTSD to his Son  https://a.co/d/eXPDfr9

Colleen Davenport tells her story of faith in her family by showing that family trees have roots that run deep and sometimes the network is expansive. Her story is proof that roles do not have to be traditional and that love has many forms. Colleen is a proud wife, mom of three and daughter times two. Though she can acknowledge that some situations in the adoption process may make for gray area, she shares how her family became more of a two for one blessing. This is a story of love, light and possibility. For pictures of Colleen and her family go to; troubledhandspodcast on instagram