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How do you hold onto hope after the worst kind of heartbreak? My guest on this episode of About Your Mother channeled her heartbreak into creating solutions for others. In 2012, Carrie Meghie experienced a parent’s worst nightmare: after months in the NICU, her 10-month-old son passed away. Listen as she shares how she navigated the loss and continues to live with a broken heart.  Carrie and her husband used their experience to help others by founding the Jackson Chance Foundation, an organization that covers parking costs for parents visiting their children in Chicago NICUs.  Resources Mentioned Carrie’s CNN Hero feature story Jackson Chance Foundation

Meet Travis Helms, a local priest in Jackson whom I've had the pleasure of getting to know. We talk about just about everything in this conversation, including his mom's mysticism, her early death, and what she taught him about faith. We also dive deep into an extremely polarizing topic: religion. Travis shares what he thinks the church gets wrong, the universal struggles people face today, and the importance of storytelling in faith. You're going to love this profound conversation. Resources Mentioned: Jesus and the Samaritan WomanCarl Jung Christian WimanInternal Family Systems12 StepsMichael Pollan

Here’s something we can all agree on: nature is healing. My guest on this episode of About Your Mother, Scott Schumaker, speaks from firsthand experience about nature's healing power. He explores this topic and more on his podcast Love, Loss, and Hallucinations.  After retiring as a professional athlete, Scott lost his identity, and his marriage was on the rocks. Listen as he shares his journey in nature to rebuild his life and rediscover his inner emotional life. Resources Mentioned Super Soul Sunday with OprahCarl JungMark AllenThe Wild Trees by Richard PrestonA World Appears by Michael PollanStrangers by Belle Burden Connect With the Guest Scott’s Podcast: Love, Loss, and Hallucinations Scott’s author websiteInstagram

How do you know when you can repair a relationship versus when it’s time to walk away? My guest on this episode of About Your Mother, Kate King, shares the difference between a difficult relationship and a toxic one, and how to know what you should do next. Kate is a licensed professional counselor and board-certified art therapist. Her latest book, Mend or Move On, dives into the details of dealing with difficult relationships of all types.  Listen in as she shares her own experience as a “wounded healer,” the seven relationship traps, and why it’s important to maintain relationship tiers.  Resources Mentioned The Gottman Approach to Couples Therapy Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown Connect With the Guest Book: Mend or Move On by Kate King Website: https://theradiantlifeproject.com/

How do you make peace with what your family has given you, both the good and the bad? My guest today is Bridget Crocker, a trailblazer in the outdoor industry and author of The River’s Daughter.  In her incredible memoir, she writes about breaking the cycle of abuse in her family and relying on nature as a guide. Our conversation will inspire you to face your past and look to nature to help you find answers for the future.    This episode is extra special because it was recorded live in front of an audience in partnership with an organization I love, Jackson Hole Writers.  Resources Mentioned Jane Goodall Spiegel & Grau Publishing Connect With the Guest Bridget’s Book: The River’s Daughter

Life changing conversations can happen at any time in our lives—but what if you are 14 and your mother reveals a secret that upends your adolescence and sends you on a decades long journey to untangle from the world she brought you in, the world you were happy to be a part of? Adrienne Brodeur's best selling book, Wild Game, examines the price she paid to be her mother's confidant and helper in an epic affair with her husband's closest friend. The story doesn't end there.  Connect with Adrienne https://www.adriennebrodeur.com/ instagram.com/adriennebrodeur adriennebrodeur.com/little-monsters Learn more about the podcast at byjennifergriffith.com/category/podcast If you're loving this podcast, comment. You'll also love my book, Both Sides of Then, inspired by the conversations I have on this podcast. Grab your copy today: https://byjennifergriffith.com/the-book/

Immersing ourselves in a culture is exhilarating and can change our view of the world. What happens when you are an American marrying into a Chinese family? What could go wrong? Good Chinese Wife is a memoir that explores Susan Blumberg-Kason's life integrating into a Chinese family and her thrilling search for agency. Connect with Susan susanbkason.com Good Chinese Wife Learn more about the podcast at byjennifergriffith.com/podcasts

I’m honored to have a hometown hero from Jackson, Wyoming, on this episode of the About Your Mother podcast. Lindsay Linton Buk is a photographer and storyteller originally from Powell, Wyoming. Her dream took her to New York and back, where she learned photography from the best in the industry before being called back home.  Lindsay and I sat down in person for this conversation about art, her roots, and how she forged a space for her creative career in The Cowboy State.  Lindsay’s book, Women Shaping the West, tells the story of 25 diverse women who make up the heartbeat of Wyoming. Listen in to learn about the process of bringing this project to life and what Lindsay learned from her subjects along the way.  Resources Mentioned Donna Howell-SicklesPaul NicklenGov. Nellie Tayloe RossEsther Hobart MorrisPeter HurleyRodney SmithJessie Allen Gottwald Connect With the Guest Women Shaping the West book

How do you turn your trauma into growth? I’m thrilled to share my conversation with Dave Sanderson, a leadership expert, motivational speaker, and one of the passengers on the flight that became the infamous Miracle on the Hudson event. Listen in as Dave shares about his experience on the harrowing day, how his mother’s voice guided him, and how he turned a traumatic event into one of the best things to ever happen to him. If you’re struggling with processing your own traumatic experiences, Dave’s advice will teach you how to process and reframe your emotions so you not only survive, but thrive.  Resources Mentioned Miracle on the HudsonDave’s TED Talk: Bouncing Back: An Experience With Post-Traumatic Growth SyndromeTony Robbins’ State ManagementThe Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan Connect With the Guest Dave’s books, including From Turmoil to TriumphDave’s Website

Is the foster care system in the US broken, or is it even worse than that? According to Rob Schreer, my guest in this episode of About Your Mother, the system is shattered and must be rebuilt. A child enters foster care every two minutes, totaling around 700 children a day. Eighty percent of death row inmates were foster children, and only 54% of foster children graduate high school. As a foster kid himself, Rob knows the system and its faults all too well. Listen in to learn about Rob’s story, how he turned pain into purpose through his nonprofit Comfort Cases, and the forever family he’s created with his husband and five kids.  Resources Mentioned Rob’s Viral Upworthy VideoRob’s Interview With Ellen DeGeneresNelson Mandela QuoteEducated by Tara Westover Connect With the Guest Rob’s Book: A Forever FamilyComfort CasesRob’s Instagram

Ann Fessler's critically accompanied book, "The Girl Who Went Away," gives voice to the millions of women forced to surrender their babies in the decades before Roe v Wade. As an artist and a teacher, listening to Ann tell her story feels like you are walking into a lecture hall about to learn something new, and you are. This episode originally aired in December of 2022. Connect with Ann Website The Girls Who Went Away A Girl Like Her Learn more about the podcast at byjennifergriffith.com/category/podcast

This is the story of a mother who made the ultimate sacrifice for her and her daughter’s freedom. In this episode, I’m joined by Namratha Stanley, author of Vineyard Melody, and wine entrepreneur. Namratha shares about her own mother’s sacrifices and the example of unconditional love she set throughout her upbringing. At age 24, Namratha married into an abusive family and lost her sense of self. Twelve years later, after a near-death situation, Namratha escaped with her daughter and started her life over. With the support of her entire family, she made the ultimate sacrifice to live without her daughter so she could establish a new life for them in France.  Listen in as Namratha shares the challenges of her journey to freedom, the contradictions of life in India for women, and how her family supported her throughout.  Resources Mentioned Gloria: In Her Own WordsPierce’s Pledge: Life After Tragic Loss With Lesley Hu Connect with the Guest Namratha’s websiteNamratha’s book, Vineyard Melody

What happens when the places that are supposed to feel safest become the places that wound us most deeply? In this episode, I sit down with Stephanie Maley to talk about her memoir, No Longer That Girl, and the extraordinary path she’s taken from childhood trauma to a life rooted in faith, resilience, love, and purpose.  Stephanie shares her journey through grooming, sexual abuse, illness, shame, abandonment, and family instability—and how she rebuilt her life with intention, honesty, and strength. We talk about how the COVID-19 pandemic resurfaced buried trauma, how the Me Too movement sparked long-suppressed grief, and how writing became a critical tool in her healing. This is a deeply honest conversation about what it really takes to heal—and how to create a meaningful life on the other side of trauma. Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of trauma, grooming, and sexual assault. 🎙️ Listen to This Episode If You’re Wondering: How do you heal from childhood trauma?Why does trauma resurface years later?Can writing help process emotional pain?How do you move from victim to survivor—and beyond?What does healthy love look like after trauma? Connect with Stephanie: Website: stephmaley.com Book: stephmaley.com/memoir

How do you discover your sense of belonging when your culture and background have been erased? In this episode of About Your Mother, I’m joined by Brittany Penner, author of Children Like Us: A Métis Woman's Memoir of Family, Identity and Walking Herself Home. She shares her story of being adopted as an infant, the history of indigenous children being taken from their families in the Sixties Scoop, and her struggle with finding where she belongs. Brittany also shares about her writing process, how writing her memoir changed her, and how she writes about traumatic experiences. You’ll love this honest conversation about rediscovering your roots and integrating each part of your identity into a whole person.  Resources Mentioned The Sixties ScoopPercentage of Indigenous Children in Foster Care in Manitoba2021 Canadian Census ReportTruth and Reconciliation Day Connect with the Guest Brittany’s Book: Children Like Us

We've pulled a special episode from the vault for you to take a listen to! One of my favorite stories I've had the honor of sharing on About Your Mother, is that of Peter Mutabazi — a remarkable human being who survived a traumatic childhood, only to use that experience to transform lives.  This episode originally aired in May of 2021. He ran away from an abusive father at the age of ten and was homeless on the streets for four years until a stranger asked him his name. That gesture changed his life forever. However, that isn't Peter's story. His story is so much more than that. He has used his experience to lift the lives of those who need our help most. It started with global relief efforts, and now he has been a foster dad to sixteen kids. His mission is to make sure every child is known. Prepare to be in awe of Peter Mutabazi: his courage, empathy, and will to change the lives of the four hundred thousand foster children in our system. Joining me during this episode is my partner in Adoption/Foster Stories, Jeff Forney. If you want to learn more about Jeff's story and work, please listen to episode 010. Connect with Peter Website: NowIAmKnown.com YouTube: @nowiamknown Instagram: @fosterdadflipper Facebook: fb/fosterdadflipper Learn more about the podcast at byjennifergriffith.com/category/podcast