My Mom Saved Me At That Funeral | Episode 479

My Mom Saved Me At That Funeral | Episode 479A funeral can be a strange kind of trigger, even when you think you’re prepared. I share what it felt like to walk into a service with my anxiety running high, why grief-heavy spaces are hard for me, and one simple choice that made it more manageable: I didn’t go alone. If you deal with stress, panic, or emotional overload, this conversation offers something practical and human, not polished advice from a distance.That day also brought me back into a church I hadn’t been inside for about 20 years, and it forced a comparison between who I was then and who I’m fighting to become now. I talk about a powerful moment from therapy and a question that reframed the whole experience: can it help to actually see how far you’ve come? We get into self-judgment, shame, and the way old environments can pull up old identities, especially when you’ve lived through addiction patterns, trauma, or seasons of feeling lost.From there, I connect the personal story to the bigger mission behind Voices for Voices. We’re building a mental health and recovery community grounded in storytelling, books, and upcoming audio, and I explain why sharing the show can be just as meaningful as a donation. I also open up about where some of my confidence cracks started, including sports pressure, baseball tryouts, setbacks after surgery, and how binge drinking became tied to acceptance.If you need a reminder that you’re unique, you matter, and quitting isn’t your only option, press play. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this with someone who needs support today.*Donate Today: LoveVoices.org, CashApp and Venmo**Find our book here:Amazon: https://voices-for-voices.org/3ZhJ6AWPublisher: https://voices-for-voices.org/3LKL1uN***Website: https://voices-for-voices.org/4byLXgbInstagram: @voicesforvoicesTikTok: @voices_for_voicesFacebook: Voices for Voices*Voices for Voices is a 501c3 nonprofit charity. All donations are 100% tax deductible.Chapter Markers0:00 Welcome And How To Support3:05 Funeral Anxiety And Stress5:20 Bring Someone With You6:55 Returning To A Church After Years9:15 Therapy Perspective On Progress11:35 Why Voices For Voices Exists14:10 Donations Books And The Big Goal17:15 You Are Unique Do Not Quit20:10 Self Judgment And Sports Pressure22:35 Tryouts Politics And Lost Confidence26:45 Surgery Setbacks And Anxiety Roots28:55 College Identity And Binge Drinking31:05 Mortality Health Fears And Anger33:55 Lucy In The Background And Closing#justiceforjustin #justiceforvoicesforvoicestiktok #VoicesforVoices #AnxietySupport #MentalHealthJourney #CopingWithAnxiety #FamilySupport #MentalHealthMatters #SelfCareTips #AnxietyRelief #TalkAboutIt #EmotionalWellbeing #MindfulnessMoments #OvercomingFear #ParentingThroughAnxiety #MentalWellnessCommunity #HealingTogether #JustinAlanHayes #JustinHayes #help3billion #TikTok #Instagram #truth #Jesusaire #VoiceForChange #HealingTogether #Episode479Support the show