A Mother’s Honest Guide To Loss And Opioid Addiction, with Katie Rizzo

Send us Fan MailGrief can make you feel like you’re living on two planets at once, still here but also somewhere else entirely. I’m Yusuf, and I sat down with author Katie Rizzo for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had on Healthy Mind Healthy Line. Katie speaks openly about losing her son Nicholas to opioid addiction, and about the exhausting pressure people face to package pain into something palatable. We name what so many grieving people hear and hate: that it “happened for a reason,” that you’ll “understand one day,” that you should be “doing better” by now. Katie offers a different kind of permission: tell the truth, even when it’s messy.We also talk about writing as survival. Katie shares how books, poetry, and language helped her make sense of the unsurvivable, and why honesty becomes a practice, not a personality trait. One of the most powerful parts of our conversation is her metaphor of grief mirroring pregnancy in three trimesters: the early physical shock, the isolating middle stretch when the world keeps moving, and the later shift toward carrying grief differently. We explore ideas that helped her, including the image of asking grief to sit beside you rather than inside you, and how support groups can break the “disease of isolation” that both grief and addiction can create.Finally, we go somewhere many people are afraid to go: can you still have a relationship with someone after they die? Katie shares what that ongoing connection looks like for her through poems, daily rituals, and moments that feel like undeniable nudges. If you’re grieving, loving someone in addiction, or trying to support a friend without saying the wrong thing, this conversation gives you language, clarity, and a little more room to breathe. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review if the show helps you keep showing up.Connect With Katie Rizzo:Website: https://www.katierizzo.com Instagram: @katierizzo007 — https://www.instagram.com/katierizzo007/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rizzoboysandagirl/ Book (The Trimesters of Grief, pre-order June 12, releases October 6): https://www.koehlerbooks.com Poetry Collection (None of Them Are You, releases November 1): https://www.katierizzo.comSupport the showWant to Be a Guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life? 👉  DM me on PodMatch 💬 Want to come on the show? Be a Guest 🌐 Explore the full network  | 📨 Newsletter | 👥 LinkedIn CommunityThis isn't self-help. It's self-honesty.💼 Sponsor Our Show | 🎬 Check Our Services📌 Disclaimer This episode is for educational and informational purposes only. Guest views are personal and do not represent the host or Healthy Mind by Avik™. The Network does not verify or endorse guest statements. Nothing here is medical, legal, financial, or professional advice, please consult a qualified professional. Engage critically. Third-party content referenced under fair use. Guests are responsible for their own statements. Concerns? Contact us | Full disclaimer.By listening, you accept this disclaimer in full.