Arik Housley 
The primary question that I am asked when I am speaking: How do you do this? What helped you get through? My response is always the love of our communities. Whether here in Napa Valley or at Pepperdine University. When life hits you with the kind of tragedy that leaves you breathless, your first instinct … Read more
Here’s something nobody tells you about grief: sometimes you’ll laugh so hard your stomach hurts, and then you’ll feel guilty about it for the next three days. I’ve been there. You’re at a funeral, someone makes an unintentionally awkward comment, and suddenly you’re fighting back laughter that feels completely inappropriate. Or you’re a week into … Read more
I recently sat down with my long-time friend Julie Gebhardt. I’ve known her family since I was 8, but hearing her story of resilience was something else. Julie lost her husband and mother-in-law within two weeks of each other, and then her step-son not long after. Now a single mom raising two young men, she’s … Read more
Look, I get it. Someone you care about has lost someone important, and you’re completely frozen. Your brain goes blank. You convince yourself that saying nothing is safer than saying the wrong thing. Here’s what I learned the hard way: silence feels like abandonment. The Truth About “Not Knowing What to Say” When my daughter … Read more
Let’s be real…Are you at a point, if one more person tells you “everything happens for a reason” or “stay positive,” you might scream. You know what? That’s completely valid. Here’s the truth about resilience after loss that nobody talks about enough: it’s not about being positive. It’s about being real. Positivity can come when … Read more
There’s a phrase that gets thrown around a lot when people talk about healing: “push through it.” I get it. It sounds strong. Determined. Like you’re not going to let anything hold you back. Yet here’s the thing I’ve learned, pushing through often means pushing past. And when you push past your story, you’re not … Read more
I love stories of resilience that aren’t surrounding the loss of a loved one. Julie has such a great story of her families journey after her husband was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome. As always, I’d love your feedback on the topics I cover. I’m continually considering new guests and new stories of resilience, loss, and … Read more
There’s a phrase I come back to often: living with tragedy, not in it. It sounds simple. Maybe even a little too neat. Yet that distinction, those two little words, changed everything for me. When loss hits, survival mode kicks in. You wake up. You breathe. You get through the next hour, the next day, … Read more
I had the privilege of sitting down with my dear friend Kathy Rogers—an author, speaker, and entrepreneur. She carries a powerful story of resilience, along with an abundance of love, hope, joy, and unshakable faith. Her book Look for Good releases on February 16, 2026. Here is her link thekathyrogers.com As always, I’d love your … Read more
The UK just made a move that’s got educators, parents, and policymakers talking around the world. Starting in September 2026, grief and bereavement education becomes mandatory in British schools as part of their Relationships, Sex and Health Education curriculum. This isn’t just another checkbox on an already packed educational agenda: it’s a recognition that we’ve … Read more