When Addiction Steals a Child: Katie Rizzo on Grief, Shame, and Choosing Compassion

What happens when the unimaginable becomes your reality? In this deeply moving episode of Walk With Me – Conversations With Real People, Stephanie Bloom sits down with author, educator, and grieving mother Katie Rizzo to talk about surviving the loss of her oldest son, Nicholas, to opioid addiction. Katie shares the journey that led her from scientist and biology teacher to writer and advocate after tragedy forever changed her family's life. Together, Stephanie and Katie explore the devastating impact addiction has on families, the hidden shame so many parents carry, and why healing begins when we stop suffering in silence. Katie also introduces her powerful books, The Trimesters of Grief and None of Them Are You, born from journal entries and poetry she wrote while learning to live alongside unimaginable loss. This conversation is honest, vulnerable, and ultimately hopeful—a reminder that compassion is often the first step toward healing. In this episode we discuss: Katie's childhood and the people-pleasing patterns that shaped her life Losing her son Nicholas to opioid addiction Why addiction affects the entire family—not just the individual The role Al-Anon played in her healing Breaking the stigma surrounding addiction and overdose Why shame keeps families isolated Learning to live with grief instead of trying to "move on" How writing became a lifeline through loss The healing power of movement and exercise Building community after unimaginable tragedy Why compassion—not judgment—is essential in addressing addiction Key Takeaways Addiction is a disease—not a moral failure. Families deserve support instead of shame. Grief changes us, but it doesn't have to isolate us. Writing can transform overwhelming emotions into something meaningful. Healing is rarely linear and looks different for every person. Community often becomes one of the greatest sources of resilience. We cannot control another person's choices, but we can choose how we respond with love and compassion. Memorable Quotes "I'm half here and half with Nicholas." "There are over eight billion people on Earth, and none of them are you." "We need less shame and more compassion." Resources Mentioned Al-Anon Family Groups Love in the Trenches Finding the Words by Colin Campbell David Kessler's grief work Nick Cave's The Red Hand Files Connect with Katie Rizzo 🌐 Website: https://katierizzo.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/katierizzo007 Facebook: https://facebook.com/rizzoboysandagirl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-rizzo-098978280 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katie.rizzo007 Katie's Books 📖 The Trimesters of Grief (Memoir) Purchase: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Trimesters+of+Grief+Katie+Rizzo 📖 None of Them Are You (Poetry Collection) More information: https://katierizzo.com If this conversation encouraged you, challenged your perspective, or reminded you that you're not alone, please share this episode with someone who may need it. To discover more conversations about healing, resilience, trauma recovery, and the remarkable strength of the human spirit, visit: https://WalkWithMeConversations.com While you're there, explore hundreds of conversations with survivors, therapists, advocates, authors, and everyday people who have found hope on the other side of hardship. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your community. Every conversation shared helps someone else realize they don't have to walk alone. My favorite guests book through PodMatch: https://www.joinpodmatch.com/stephaniebloom   We couldn't do it without the support of our listeners. To help support the show: CashApp- https://cash.app/$WalkWithMeSteph Venmo- https://venmo/StephanieBloom5280 Click here to purchase my book on Amazon   Purchase the supplements you already use at a discount here: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/roottobloom