The Loss No One Prepares You For | Facing Grief

In this episode of the Guiding Tides Podcast, we sit down with Josh Smith — a high school senior and soon-to-be graduate — for one of the most powerful conversations we’ve ever had.Josh opens up about losing his mother to suicide at just 15 years old. He shares what it was like to immediately shift into caregiver mode for his younger siblings, suppress his own grief to protect the people around him, and slowly unlearn the people-pleasing and conflict avoidance that took root in the aftermath. He talks about what it means to process trauma not in a straight line, but in waves — and how he’s found purpose, direction, and healing on the other side.We talk about:• Losing a parent to suicide in early adolescence and the immediate aftermath• Taking on a caregiver role as a teenager — and what that costs you emotionally• Suppressing grief and what happens when you bottle it up too long• The grief ball analogy — a counselor’s tool that changed how Josh sees loss• People-pleasing, conflict avoidance, and self-blame after suicide loss• How Josh avoided drugs and alcohol and kept his eyes on the light ahead• Supporting siblings through shared trauma when everyone heals differently• Why Josh is pursuing a career in law enforcement to help others in crisis• Setting healthy boundaries while still showing up for the people you loveThis is the conversation a lot of people need but rarely get to hear. If you’ve ever carried someone else’s pain before your own — this one is for you.If you or someone you love is struggling, you are not alone. Please reach out to a mental health professional, or in the U.S. call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.—🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every other week💬 Drop a comment — what hit home for you?👍 Like & share to help these conversations reach more people📩 Have a story to share or a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at [email protected] —FOLLOW GUIDING TIDESInstagram: @guidingtidesofficialTikTok: @guidingtidesofficialEmail: [email protected]