Alexandra Wyman was faced with immense grief when her husband died by suicide in 2020, instantly leaving her a widow and single mom. Since then, she has been finding ways to work through her grief, navigate parenthood and take steps to finding joy again. Join Alexandra on her continued grief journey, find some tips and tricks, hear from others about their grief journey and know you are not alone. Alexandra is an advocate and public speaker for resources in the aftermath of suicide.
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Come join Melissa and her guests on the Chats from the Blog Cabin Podcast! From North Carolina, this podcast will have you feeling like you've known these folks for years. Listen in as they chat about life, culture, current events, and more - all with a special Southern flair! Curl up with your favorite beverage and get ready to be entertained. Tune in now for a unique experience that's fun and insightful!
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The Life Lessons podcast focuses on a wide variety of topics designed to help us live our best lives, including life hacks, tips, how-to segments, inspirational stories, & more... and let's have some fun along the way! Gin Stephens is a retired teacher and New York Times bestselling author. Sheri Bullock has worked in healthcare for more than 26 years, is active in volunteerism, and she has always been interested in discovering the most effective life hacks to simplify her life. They are bot ...
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Chatting about the start of a new series to honor women during Women's History Month
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384: Chatting about The Power of Faith and Support in Overcoming Challenges with R.H. Bird
47:50
47:50
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47:50Ray, the author of Prom-Posal, shares his personal journey of moving to Las Vegas after witnessing the 9/11 attacks in New York. He also discusses his battle with multiple sclerosis and how it led him to retire early from Wall Street. Ray explains how he found solace in writing and how he discovered his voice as a young adult romance author. He emp…
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This week, Alexandra has an enlightened conversation with Mary D’Agostino. Mary’s wisdom is inspiring and a must listen. She has handled so much of life with grace and imparts her knowledge. Mary has taken all that she has learned and offers this guidance through a variety of opportunities. Connect with Mary: marydagostino.com Connect with Alexandr…
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This week, Alexandra discusses the unanswered questions that come along when someone dies. No matter how much notice we have that someone may be dying, there is a part of those we love that we won’t know. Finding out about the parts we didn’t know before someone died, will lead to those unanswered questions. The hope is that as we heal, the desire …
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383 : Chatting about Exploring the Depths of Trauma and Healing with Lynette Louise
52:29
52:29
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52:29In this episode of Chats from the Blog Cabin, Melissa Vera welcomes back Lynette, who discusses her new book, 'In Search of Teresa.' Lynette shares her personal journey, including her experiences with trauma, her work with children, and her insights into mental health, particularly Dissociative Identity Disorder. The conversation delves into the et…
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This week Alexandra talks about sadness in grief. Sadness requires time so we can grow around it. It will still morph and change. Often around sadness are other feelings such as anger, frustration and even joy. We can still use our other strategies to help us manage our sadness. Connect with Alexandra on her website, forwardtojoy.com, or send her a…
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This week, Alexandra chats about feelings of being a burden. Grief is isolating and it can be difficult to work through without a community. Grief is not something to take on alone. It is helpful and important to find a community to help you. Connect with Alexandra on her website, forwardtojoy.com, or send her an email at [email protected]…
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This week, Alexandra talks about feelings of hopelessness and helplessness that are common when dealing with grief. Losing a loved one can make us question what our life’s purpose is and where to find meaning. Our trajectory changes which can make us feel helpless and hopeless. Finding a community and an anchor to help us take one step at a time, i…
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This week, Alexandra talks about the importance of working through anger. Referencing Dr. Hawkins’ book Letting Go, she discusses how anger can serve us and also limit us. Pick up Letting Go as an audiobook here. Connect with Alexandra on her website, forwardtojoy.com, or send her an email at [email protected]. Portions or topics on this s…
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This week Alexandra dives into the activating feelings that come with grief. Betrayal can be experienced in different ways. It is typical and necessary. It is also important to find ways through the feelings rather than stay with them for too long or to ignore them. Connect with Alexandra on her website, forwardtojoy.com, or send her an email at al…
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382: Chatting about Heartfelt Reflections on Loss and Legacy
24:04
24:04
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24:04In this heartfelt episode of Chats from the Blog Cabin, Melissa shares a deeply personal story about the loss of her childhood mentors, Miss Paula and Mr. Tony, who were tragically murdered. Through her reflections, she highlights the impact they had on her life, the importance of expressing gratitude to those who influence us, and the need for com…
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This week, Alexandra talks about how when going through grief, the rules of what we have followed for the structure and trajectory of our lives changes. We get to make up our own rules when we take the blank canvas we become during grief and rediscover who we are and who we want to be. Connect with Alexandra on her website, forwardtojoy.com, or sen…
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This week, Alexandra chats about how she likes to bring in the new year and set intentions for the upcoming year. She reflects on things to leave behind in 2024 and what she would like to do in 2025 as an encouragement to all listeners. May this new year bring abundance, light and love. Connect with Alexandra on her website, forwardtojoy.com, or se…
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No matter where you are or what you are doing Alexandra wants you to know that you are not alone. No matter where you are in your process, it is right. Many blessings, joy and comfort in this holiday season. Connect with Alexandra on her website, forwardtojoy.com, or send her an email at [email protected]. Portions or topics on this show m…
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This week, Alexandra talks about the pressure to get over the loss of a close one. There is the idea of moving on, getting back to life, be grateful for what you have. And yet, after a major loss, there’s no getting over it. We move forward and can take steps to heal but that loss will always be felt in one way or another. Reach out to Alexandra at…
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This week, Alexandra chats about triggers or activators. When we are activated by what others are doing, it can be a reflection of ourselves- something we need to heal and most likely is from our childhood. It can scary to look at ourselves especially when upset by the activation but it is an opportunity for more awareness. Books: Letting Go: The P…
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This week Alexandra dives into what does regulation mean, what are the different types of regulation and what is this thing called co-regulation? It is all so important and the first step is to become aware of when we are dysregulated. Once we do that, we can start taking steps for how to respond versus react. Connect with Alexandra on her website,…
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This week Alexandra circles back to chat about the importance of understanding that we never really know what is going on for someone, especially children. Things can look great on the outside and yet, someone can still be struggling on the inside. Rather than compare, let’s work on true connection. Connect with Alexandra on her website, forwardtoj…
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This week, Alexandra shares about a manifestation that came in and how it did in an unexpected way. We don’t get a say in how it will happen but we certainly set things in motion when we declare what we desire and it comes from an aligned place. Connect with Alexandra on her website, forwardtojoy.com, or send her an email at alexandra@forwardtojoy.…
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This bonus episode has some tidbits from Alexandra in response to the US election. This is not an episode about who is right or wrong. This is an episode encouraging connection, love and finding ways to realize we are all humans just trying to figure out life. Jenna Zoe Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/human-design-with-jenna-zoe/id16…
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This week Alena and Alexandra come back together and jump into their ideas about generational trauma. They share tips on how they have each started working on identifying their ancestral patterns and healing from them. It’s especially hard to realize what we have already passed on to kids and Alena and Alexandra talk about that as well. Connect wit…
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This week, Alexandra chats about a recent reminder she received that sometimes we can do all the things, and still things can go wrong. We can use all the strategies, set everything up well, do whatever we can... and things can still go wrong. It’s a harsh life reminder, but a good and necessary one. Connect with Alexandra on her website, forwardto…
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This week, Alexandra chats with Tara Simpson who also lost her husband to suicide. Tara talks about her process after he passed, especially with her 4 children who were young. Tara is vulnerable and raw, truly letting the listener feel the emotional rollercoaster that loss can bring. Connect with Tara- [email protected] Connect with Alexandra …
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This week, Alexandra talks about her experience with Thought-Field Therapy. She has been working with her TFT therapist for 5 years now and it has completely changed her life. Alexandra gets a little woo as she talks about her recent experience and session. Connect with Alexandra on her website, forwardtojoy.com, or send her an email at alexandra@f…
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381: Chatting about Life Lessons from a Great Man
22:56
22:56
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22:56In this heartfelt episode of Chats from the Blog Cabin, Melissa Vera pays tribute to Bill, a significant figure in her life and her family's journey. She shares personal stories of how Bill impacted her life, from helping her and her husband meet to providing support during challenging times, including immigration struggles. The conversation reflec…
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This week, Alexandra gets to chat with Melissa Vera, podcast host of Chats From the Blog Cabin. Melissa has taken so many of her experiences and personal growth to help others. Through her own loss experiences, Melissa has gained so much wisdom and shares it with the Forward to Joy community. Connect with Melissa: Instagram- @frugalmom Website: adv…
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This week, Alexandra shares how she has entered a new phase where she is able to start making choices for herself rather than for hours she and Shawn would have done things. Instead of being reactionary, she is more responsive. DABDA Info: https://rootrisetherapyla.com/blog/2022/5-stages-of-grief?format=amp Connect with Alexandra on her website, fo…
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This week, Alexandra talks about the third phase she experienced where started to see joy and beauty around her. To do this meant to zoom out and be open to moments that showed that she could keep moving forward. Connect with Alexandra on her website, forwardtojoy.com, or send her an email at [email protected]. Portions or topics on this s…
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This week, Alexandra talks about the next phase in grief she experienced. She had to start working through her grief while also having to engage in more “normal” things like work, daycare, house maintenance, car maintenance. All these things needed to be handled while also trying to start working through grief emotions. She felt like she was stuck …
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This week, Alexandra rewinds a bit to talk about the experience of shock right after a major event. It is different for every person and is really an automatic protective measure for us. She talks about her own experience and wants to ensure everyone knows that it is different for every person. Connect with Alexandra on her website, forwardtojoy.co…
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380: Chatting about The Long Road to Recovery from Toxic Mold with Laura Knight
47:30
47:30
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47:30In this episode of Chats from the Blog Cabin, Melissa Vera speaks with Laura, the author of 'The Toxic Mold Solution.' They discuss Laura's personal journey with mold exposure, the symptoms and health issues it caused, and the importance of awareness and testing for mold. Laura shares insights on functional medicine, mindfulness practices, and the …
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379: Navigating Grief and Healing After a Suicide Loss with Alexandra Wyman
45:57
45:57
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45:57In this episode of Chats from the Blog Cabin, Melissa Vera interviews Alexandra about her book, The Suicide Club, and the topic of suicide prevention. Alexandra shares her personal experience of losing her husband to suicide and the challenges of raising their son as a single parent. She discusses the importance of open conversations about suicide …
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This week, Alexandra chats about the different types of signs that loved ones can send us. It’s different for every person and some people don’t believe in signs. It’s about being open to them and seeing what messages our loved ones are sending. Connect with Alexandra on her website, forwardtojoy.com, or send her an email at alexandra@forwardtojoy.…
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This week, Alexandra chats about how stressful managing stress can be. When we embark on healing and changing ancestral patterns while also handling our daily lives, things can feel overwhelming. This week is a reminder to take things low, have compassion for ourselves and start with one thing at a time. It’s not easy but doable. Connect with Alexa…
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This week, Alexandra talks about how the past does not have to be an indicator for the future. Rather, it can build the trust we have in ourselves to handle things when life happens. Life events can feel daunting and overwhelming and yet it is possible to trust ourselves to be resilient and resourceful to handle what comes our way. Connect with Ale…
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Bonus Episode: Irene Interviews Alexandra
1:03:13
1:03:13
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1:03:13Enjoy this extra episode of Alexandra being interviewed by Irene Weinberg of the Grief and Rebirth Podcast. Connect with Irene at her website: https://ireneweinberg.com/ Books: They Serve Bagels in Heaven: https://a.co/d/apiPOhb Good to the Last Drop: https://a.co/d/3Ig26Cr Connect with Alexandra on her website, forwardtojoy.com, or send her an ema…
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This week, Alexandra gets to chat with podcast host and author, Irene Weinberg. Irene and Alexandra met when Alexandra was on Irene’s podcast as a guest. They hit it off immediately and just knew they were supposed to be in touch. Irene has definitely taken a very difficult situation and turned it around to find meaning and purpose in her life. She…
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378: Chatting about The Importance of Home Care in Skincare with Emily Trampetti
44:37
44:37
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44:37In this episode, Melissa interviews Emily Trampetti, a licensed esthetician, about skincare. They discuss topics such as virtual skin coaching, the importance of home care, the impact of different climates on the skin, Emily's journey to becoming an esthetician, the role of marketing in skin care, the concept of clean beauty, and the signs to look …
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This week, Alexandra discusses her ideas about forgiveness, which is that it is a choice that does not involve the other person. This does not mean that when we forgive we condone what has happened or that no one involved can be held accountable. It means that we want to release the intensity and severity of our emotional and potentially physical r…
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377: Chatting about Gratitude: The Superpower That Transforms Perspectives with Victoria Lowery
45:49
45:49
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45:49In this episode of Chats from the Blog Cabin, Melissa interviews Victoria, a spiritual therapist and author of the book Polly Parker Meets Her Shadow. They discuss the power of emotions and the importance of embracing them. They also talk about the concept of manifesting and how putting emotion behind our desires can help us attract what we want in…
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This week, Alexandra chats about compassion. The moments that call for compassion are those when we feel called to negatively judge another. We don’t know what is happening before a scenario. We don’t know what the context is of what is going on around us. We don’t know what is going on under the surface. Those moments are when we can be more compa…
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This week, Alexandra talks to Callie, one of the first people she was put in touch with after Shawn died. Callie also lost her partner to suicide and shares her story on Tom’s death and how she has found meaning and purpose through launching a new program to help children learn healthy coping skills. To connect with Callie: www.mindfulmusicians.org…
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This week, Alexandra jumps into the idea of love and what she feels it truly means to love others. It’s not just about romantic relationships or friendships. To truly love is to understand human connection and bridge the gap of division to see people for who they are and their experiences. Love is about zooming out and truly being there for others …
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This week, Alexandra chats with her good friend Amy who made a decision on her own to start healing childhood wounds. Amy shares about the tools she uses to help her release and surrender old patterns and family dynamics. She embraces vulnerability to share about her childhood home and how her healing journey continues while her parents still live …
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This week, Alexandra talks about how to change a perspective when it feels like things are just not going well. She references the children’s book When Things Aren’t Going Right, Go Left by Marc Colagiovanni. The idea is that when things are tough take off the feelings that are hard- fear, worry, frustration- to zoom out and see the big picture. Th…
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This week, Alexandra welcomes back one of her favorite people and guests, Advanced Certified Yoga Instructor Avery Rich. Alexandra follows up on her yoga practice, the benefits she is experiencing and what she has noticed emotionally. Avery continues to provide her expert guidance in an accessible and encouraging way. Connect with Avery: Journey In…
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This week, Alexandra talks about the ideas around doing versus being. So often we fill our days up with doing and can miss opportunities for embracing our being. When we slow down and sit in quiet we can start thinking about and feeling into our being. Who we are changes and evolves. We can get caught up in the busy, losing who we are becoming. Con…
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How often do you describe yourself as busy? Life is just busy. The thing about busyness is that it can also be a tactic to avoid looking at ourselves, our feelings and events that have impacted us. It’s not necessarily a conscious decision. It can be a protective mechanism. Connect with Alexandra on her website, forwardtojoy.com, or send her an ema…
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This week, Alexandra dives into the differences between apathy and surrender. She has been working on surrendering more which led to questions around apathy. Apathy tends to have feelings of helplessness and hopelessness with a “What’s the point?” attitude. Where surrender still has action attached to it. True surrender still requires us to trust o…
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This week, Alexandra chats with Licensed Professional Counselor, Erik Petersen about the importance of emotional and mental wholeness when working through grief. All the thoughts and feelings associated with grief can be very overwhelming and difficult to manage. Erik gives some great guidance on how to start working through the grief process. Conn…
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