Facing Tomorrow

"Take a deep breath... and go get checked out. Even if the slightest thing feels wrong, go get checked out... That's what matters most - your health, your safety - whether that's your physical health or emotional health - be honest about it." We had the pleasure of chatting with Alex Rohn - mental health therapist and suicide prevention advocate - about her experience with HELLP Syndrome during the birth of her daughters, and the subsequent personal and career journey she went through in the months and years ahead.

Every once in a while, we will have the pleasure of checking in with our Facing Tomorrow guests. Our conversation today will allow us to get reacquainted with our guest from October 25, 2019 - Courageous Fire.  On that date, Courageous was about two years out from her turning point. There were three key mission goals for the Courageous Fire movement as part of that podcast episode. Our follow up allowed us to check in on her progress toward those goals and what a journey it has been! Please consider listening in, joining in the conversation, and most importantly always remember, you are loved, you are needed, you are appreciated, and you should never feel like you have to walk alone! See additional resources on our Facing Tomorrow website.

"I cannot put to words how that felt being a nurse and not being able to help; there's a level of helplessness when you're taking care of a baby who is dying, but it is even worse when you can't impact their experience in a positive and healthy way. All of those experiences together sparked Walk with You." We are proud to be joined by the founder and president of Walk with You, Kylie Collins. This episode tells the story of Kylie's work within a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and how this experience shaped Walk with You's creation. Walk with You is an organization dedicated to walking with families as they experience the loss of a child from pre-birth through 18+ years of age.

Nearly one in four pregnancies ends in loss. The sadness, guilt, self-blame, sense of failure and worthlessness, anger, and uncomfortable envy can surprise or even shock the bereaved, who bear all this with no sure sense of how or how long to grieve, nor confidence to talk about an experience that has been relentlessly silenced. So, why is it that only 25% of employers have pregnancy loss as part of their bereavement leave package? In this thought-provoking episode, Alison Cate describes her experience with her loss and with the support she fought for herself and continues to fight for other families.

"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen." - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. Struggling to find the support she needed after her best friend was murdered, Buffy was determined to not let Sarah's death be in vain. Hear her story on forging a path to honor Sarah and give hope and support to others! Be sure to check out facingtomorrow.org for more information and resources.

This episode centers around Danny's decision to leave a job where he had created a successful career - a leap of faith in order to save his mental health. A "nagging in the back of (Danny's) mind" was the impetus for Danny's recentering of his priorities and an important conversation with his wife while in France. This decision was not an ease one. The transition from the job he had built from the ground up to a job with no promises other than a chance was one filled with sacrifices. Like Danny shared, "To go from being needed, to being wanted, to having emails, to having flyers, to having requests... to nothing... over the course of six months was nerve-wracking, anxiety-driving, terrifying." Ultimately, Danny's message is clear: "No matter where you are in life, no matter how much you think you've got your life together, everybody needs a counselor... they are a life changer."

“Life is a wonderful adventure… you never know what adventure is going to be presented to you… take the risk on what this adventure will hold for you!” From the stone of the Alhambra, overlooking the majesty of Granada, Spain, Dennis Markway made a decision that would change the course of his entire life. 

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” Learn learn more about the Why along with how Maslow got the why wrong in our chat with Chief Executive Officer of Greater Des Moines Supportive Housing, Emily Osweiler.

After a bit of a hiatus, Facing Tomorrow has returned! Our website has gotten a refresh, our intro music, as you can hear, is also a change. What will not change is the same great storytelling you have grown accustomed to from Facing Tomorrow. Check out all the episodes at FacingTomorrow.org and stay tuned for our first episode of this new kick-off: Maslow Got it Wrong, featuring Emily Osweiler.

Listen in on a conversation between my middle school student and her mother regarding the topic of loss and grief due to suicide.