Life Beyond Loss

In this deeply moving episode of Life Beyond Loss, host Kelly Chandler sits down with Lisa Picker, a mother whose life was forever changed by the tragic loss of her son, Liam. Lisa takes us on a profound journey, sharing intimate moments of Liam’s life—his vibrant personality, his love for music and Japanese culture, and the immense challenges he faced due to mental health struggles. Despite the unimaginable heartbreak, Lisa has ch...

In this deeply moving conversation, Carrie Breen reflects on her life as a mother and the profound loss of her son, Sam, who died by suicide. Carrie shares her journey from raising a large family with six children, navigating the unique challenges of parenting a free-spirited child like Sam, to the painful realization that despite her love and efforts, she could not save him from his struggles. Sam was a vibrant and curious child, ...

In this powerful episode of Survival in the Trenches Presents: Life Beyond Loss, Gina Schuster shares her deeply personal journey through grief, mental health struggles, and the tragic loss of her husband, Corey, to suicide. Gina, a medical social worker, reflects on how her professional expertise in crisis intervention and end-of-life care intersected with the personal challenges she faced as Corey, diagnosed with bipolar disorder...

This episode of Survival in the Trenches: Life Beyond Loss delves into the experiences of a veteran firefighter and paramedic who has faced unimaginable loss both on and off the job. Sharing his journey of resilience, he discusses the challenges of balancing grief, trauma, and the physical demands of his career. From the personal tragedy of losing twins to the daily trials of saving lives, his story is a testament to human strength...

This episode of Survival in the Trenches: Life Beyond Loss features Steve Kiefer, founder of the Kiefer Foundation, who shares his heartbreaking yet inspiring journey after losing his son, Mitchel, to a distracted driving accident. Steve discusses the mission of his foundation, which works to raise awareness, advocate for legislation, and promote technology to eliminate distracted driving. Through resilience and purpose, Steve turn...

In this heartfelt episode of Survival in the Trenches: Life Beyond Loss, Stephanie Battelle opens up about losing her son Dale to suicide and the profound journey of grief, healing, and advocacy that followed. Stephanie shares her personal story, from Dale’s early life and struggles with mental health to the devastating moment that changed her world forever. Through candid reflections, she highlights the importance of mental health...

In this episode of Life Beyond Loss, Jasen Jones shares his deeply personal journey of coping with the loss of his infant son and how he has transformed his grief into a mission to help others. Through practices like yoga, mindfulness, and the Healing Hearts class he created, Jasen opens up about finding peace, resilience, and purpose in the face of unimaginable pain. His story is a testament to the power of vulnerability, communit...

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Sara Joern, a dedicated therapist specializing in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy, to explore her deeply personal and professional journey. Sara shares the profound impact of losing her sister to suicide and how it shaped her belief in the healing power of therapy, particularly the importance of boundaries in fostering love and resilience. Through her story, we...

Eric Rios is a father who faced the devastating loss of his son, Caleb, to suicide. In this powerful episode of Life Beyond Loss, Eric shares his raw and honest journey through grief, the shock of losing Caleb, and the painful yet necessary process of healing. Through personal stories, deep reflection, and unfiltered emotion, he speaks about the challenges of navigating life after loss, the role of therapy, and how he keeps his son...

Melissa Wandall is a woman of incredible resilience who turned profound personal tragedy into a mission of advocacy and hope. After losing her husband, Mark, to a red-light runner just weeks before the birth of their daughter, she made a powerful promise—to raise their child in love and light, not in the shadow of loss. Through her work in traffic safety legislation and grief support for children, Melissa has dedicated her life to ...

In this groundbreaking episode of Life Beyond Loss, host Kelly Chandler sits down with Dr. Rebecca Lester, an anthropologist and licensed clinical social worker at Washington University's Healthy Mind Lab and CHIRP (Center for Holistic and Interdisciplinary Research in Psychedelics). Drawing from her personal experience with eating disorders and her academic expertise in culture and mental health, Dr. Lester is pioneering research ...

In this powerful episode of Life Beyond Loss, we sit down with Leo Cabassa, MSW, PhD, a Puerto Rican social worker and researcher who has dedicated his career to fighting health inequities in marginalized communities. As a key leader at Washington University's groundbreaking CHIRP (Center for Holistic Interdisciplinary Research and Psychedelics), Leo brings his expertise in implementation sc...

In this groundbreaking episode of Life Beyond Loss, we sit down with Dr. Ginger Nicol, a leading psychiatrist and psychedelic researcher at Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Nicol takes us inside her team's revolutionary work using advanced brain imaging to study consciousness during peak psychedelic experiences. She shares how her research is revealing the biological mechanisms behind...