Breaking the Silence: Conversations on Grief, Addiction and Healing

Courtney Weidner is a Connection Catalyst and the founder of ALIVE, a global Village of people on purpose.She brings together humans who share a common core, creating spaces where people are fully self-expressed, share their gifts, and grow alongside others who are evolving exponentially.ALIVE is a community where meaningful connection turns into friendship, friendship into collaboration, and shared experiences into global impact.ALIVE isn’t about finding belonging — it’s a deep knowing: you belong here.https://www.skool.com/alive/about?ref=f4e8889557ce4059b173975cd26cfab4

Courtney Weidner is a Connection Catalyst and the founder of ALIVE, a global Village of people on purpose.She brings together humans who share a common core, creating spaces where people are fully self-expressed, share their gifts, and grow alongside others who are evolving exponentially.ALIVE is a community where meaningful connection turns into friendship, friendship into collaboration, and shared experiences into global impact.ALIVE isn’t about finding belonging — it’s a deep knowing: you belong here.https://www.skool.com/alive/about?ref=f4e8889557ce4059b173975cd26cfab4

When Matthew Melvin started working at a car dealership in South Burlington, Vermont, he never thought that one mistake would lead to a life-changing stint in prison.Feeling he wasn’t being paid his full commissions on car sales, he made an impulsive decision to get what he felt he was owed. He hatched a badly-thought out plot to steal a car, sell it as his own and keep the profits.However, a basic reference and background check quickly revealed that the vehicle’s title was not in his name, but still belonged to the dealership. He was arrested andsentenced to prison.While Matthew has taken responsibility for his poor life choices, hebelieves he has been treated unfairly due to his sexual orientation,religious and political affiliations, and his adult diagnosis ofautism.While he and his lawyer argued that his punishment would bebest served in a mental health facility, Matt was unfortunatelysentenced to 18 months in prison to be served in general population.Terrified and alone, Matthew began his prison term with the best of intentions—to keep his head down and serve his time as uneventfully as possible.But being a gay, Christian, Trump supporter brought him unwanted and negative attention. He was bullied by cellmates, targeted by gangs and even raped in one facility. The months he was imprisoned felt like decades and there were times he doubted he would make it out alive.Bullied Behind Bars chronicles Matthew Melvin’s life feeling like anoutcast, enduring a lonely and friendless childhood, and beingpunished for a crime that began with the honorable goal of him just trying to make a living.Website https://bulliedbehindbars.comFacebook https://www.facebook.com/matthew.melvin.5621Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bulliedbehindbars

Craig Thompson is the founder of "Ascendant: The Warrior’s Path" as well as "The Comeback Crucible", breakthrough coaching programs for men recovering from divorce, burnout, or emotional collapse. After his own journey through loss, reinvention, and rebuilding, Craig now specializes in helping men reclaim inner strength, emotional mastery, and a new sense of purpose. With a unique blend of psychology, spirituality, and warrior philosophy, he teaches men how to rise—not through dominance, but through depth, courage, and self-command.

Dr. Tanya English inspires women to go from grief to grace and find treasure in tragedy.Dr. English has been working for over 35 years in healing, first as a massage therapist, then as a chiropractor and energy healer. She helps women who have experienced loss at any time in their lives and are stuck, to move forward.Dr. English is also an accomplished blues singer. After experiencing her first child’s stillbirth in 1994 she had a profound healing experience through blues music. She then went on to practice chiropractic and energy healing for the next 30 years.Dr. English started her blues band in 2012 and witnessed more healing with her audience and with her clients online internationally. She knows that the darkest tragedy can hold an endless well of blessings!

Nilzara Rivera is your favorite light language channeler and healer, effortlessly blending love and light with a touch of thug.As a master guide for perfectionists, Nilzara specializes in those who have devoted too much time to perfecting the lives of others while neglecting their own. With a sharp eye for identifying the self-imposed shackles of an all-or-nothing mentality, she empowers women to shed their emotional straitjackets and embrace a journey of internal freedom and self-acceptance.Equipped with a unique mix of wisdom, humor, and a touch of thug, Nilzara diligently works to attain a frequency that facilitates healing for women, helping them overcome the wounds that prevent them from feeling “enough.”Nilzara

Becky Ogden is a podcast host, interviewer, and messaging clarity strategist who works with entrepreneurs navigating trauma, grief, and nervous system dysregulation. Through her C2C Sessions and Slightly Unhinged podcast series, she helps people who freeze, ramble, or go blank when they try to talk about their business alone uncover a message they’re finally proud to share.Drawing from her own lived experiences—including loving (and ultimately leaving) a partner struggling with substance use disorder, moving through divorce, and rebuilding after profound loss—Becky blends sharp insight, irreverent humor, and nervous system safety to help others navigate the intersections of business, healing, and self-worth. She speaks with unflinching honesty about post-traumatic growth, attachment wounds, and the practices she’s using to heal her own soul and rewrite limiting beliefs.

My nurturing yet blunt guidance is rooted in personal experiences, Tony Robbins Training, Akashic Records, and Reiki training, and more, I tailor to uplift busy parents, especially navigating special needs children.A little bit about me, at a young age, I lost 2 brothers to a genetic deficiency, at the age of 23, I lost my best friend, my mom. Unaware of belief systems I had taken on from life's experiences, I had a jovial personality but kept people at arm’s length. At the age of 34, I had my first child, she was GORGEOUS! (as most parents would/should say about their babies LOL). When she was 2, we lost her grandad on my husband’s side to cancer complications, and a few years later, her grandma was at his side due to health complications. Between all this, we had moved across the country over 5000 KM away from all our family and most of our friends. At her age of 13 our daughter was diagnosed with high social anxiety, ADD, select mutism, and later was assessed for high-functioning autism. All while I was working a full-time at a high-stress job.Needless to say, my healing and spiritual journey was much-needed and timely. At the age of 46, my journey had taken a deep dive, then Covid hit and shit got real! Fast forward, my spiritual, training journey and it has all led me to heal from high stress, anxiety, overwhelm and chaos. The resilience has been a blessing. I was introduced to cellular health and targeted health with high quality natural ingredients and my entire health journey felt like it was a complete package. I now offer that package to you in multiple ways!  / annoickledynamiclivinglifestyles  

I am a survivor, storyteller, and advocate who has faced abuse, systemic failures, and unimaginable heartbreak while raising and protecting my family. Eight years ago, I lost my son, a grief that has shaped every part of my life and continues to influence the work I do today.Through my work with Soulful Resilience Journey and my podcast, I create spaces where survivors and grieving parents can share their stories, process pain, and find strength. I speak openly about my loss and my journey through trauma to show that even in the darkest moments, it’s possible to survive, reclaim your power, and help others do the same. My story is about resilience, truth, and transformation, and my mission is to lift others while navigating a grief that has lasted years

Bobby's is the school of knowledge that we must all remain students in life, and teach a life of learning to others.We take what it is useful and discard what is not. We adapt it and make it uniquely our own.I am a spiritual conduit and a satellite of love and light here to raise the vibration of each other while we help others.My mission for this life is to positively affect every soul who knows me or experiences me.To work with Bobby https://nhdalumni.co/

FROM BROKEN TOBRAVE, YOU DESERVE TO GLOW....After decades in silence,I found my voice andnow I help others findtheirs.

I am solo for this special tribute episode. Today is 1 year since my middle son, James' heart stopped beating after several days in the Neuro-trauma ICU with an irrecoverable brain injury. I was nudged to do a solo episode to honor his life, his death, his gift of donation and just to share about who my beautiful boy was.

Cindy Burns is a grief coach and advocate for those who have lost loved ones. After being widowed after 33 years of marriage, Cindy realized that she needed to rediscover who she was and what her purpose was in life. As a result, she founded Finding Purpose, a platform that helps widowed individuals and others who are grieving find new passion and purpose. Cindy understands the complexities of grief and the struggles that come with loss. Through her personal experience and professional work, she has become a source of support and inspiration for others who are navigating the grieving process.

This is a very special episode for me, Kassidi knew my James (Earl), he worked for her for a short time, but she made a huge impact!She has her own story which relates to why she is so compassionate even when people are going through struggles! 🙏 💙

Jessie Rothman-Church is a champion for women ready to get their mojo back and create a life that feels deeply fulfilling. A certified Soul Contract Reader, Shamanic Practitioner, and Energy Codes® Coach, she helps women who feel stuck reconnect with themselves through a powerful mix of ancient wisdom and embodiment practices. Having walked the path herself, Jessie is devoted to helping others release emotional blocks and reclaim a life of joy, meaning, and purpose.https://www.jessierothmanchurch.com/M...

Denise Porter is a heart-centered, intuitive guide, therapist, and teacher devoted to helping souls come home to themselves. Her own healing journey led her to one of life’s deepest lessons: that true transformation begins with learning to accept and love yourself as you are. Through Rapid Transformational Therapy, energy healing, and somatic practices, Denise gently holds space for deep release, healing, and remembrance. She believes we are never broken, only called to remember the wholeness and light that have always been within. With compassion and wisdom, she empowers others to recode their limiting beliefs, rewrite their story, and step boldly into a life they can be obsessed with.

Mother of 3, grandmother of 9, lover of chocolate, hugs and people. I am a retired family law lawyer - people have always mattered to me. I feel their feelings intuitively, always have. This can sometimes be a blessing and sometimes be a curse. A blessing because I am a gift to people - I am deeply intuitive. I can be too involved or too caring. Sometimes, others don't want or need my help.Grief came in 2016 when my Dad passed away. Then again in 2017 when my marriage of 37 years ended. It was a raw and very difficult time. I have spent the past 8 years looking for me. I can say that I have found parts of me long hidden and am honouring all parts nowadays.Healing has come in many forms - from online groups that I ran as Kathleen, Your Personal Cheerleader and others I have joined. I have a big tribe of women who support me and have helped me heal. Whether it is through Reiki healing, talking, energy healing or other modalities of healing, I am blessed to be here today in a good place.

As a Holistic Nurse & Quantum Facilitator working 20 years in healthcare, I have many modalities in my medicine pouch, including quantum keys, metaphysical anatomy, primordial movement & a complete water transformationLINKSIG   / tashmccormick  FB https://www.facebook.com/share/1Chth3...FB GROUP https://www.facebook.com/share/g/V7nQ...

V & Brian Against the World:Our podcast is about our experience in the world. From work life to our personal life. We talk about anything and everything. We don’t sugar coat things we talk and banter with each other and we share real life experiences. What makes us unique is we are raw and unfiltered. We share relatable content and it’s real talk. 100% Authentic.Apple podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/.../v-bria...Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/3jcMsxp....Castbox:https://castbox.fm/.../V-%26-Brian-ag....YouTube:   / @vbrianagainsttheworld.  .Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/v_and_brian...

As a Death Doula, Leanne Jones provides compassionate end-of-life support, ensuring individuals and their loved ones feel seen, heard, and comforted during life’s final transition.Passionate about holding space for meaningful goodbyes, she walks alongside those in their final chapter with presence, dignity, and care.A spiritual crow at heart, she finds deep meaning in life’s cycles, transformation, and the wisdom of nature.

Sally Anne Saint is the founder of Wise Woman Guide.Supporting women in reconnecting to the wisdom within .She is deeply passionate about empowering and elevating women with her own personal journey and the skill set she offers.She recently had her dear soul dog pass over rainbow bridge and with this recent grief she comes to share her journey, realisations and understanding .A very real woman with a very real mission, to SHARE.Her website is www.wisewomanguide.co.ukShe offers a free 30 minute session via Zoom so do step in deeper with Sally.