Are you a Mom who constantly feels overwhelmed and chaotic?
Today's guest, Susan Heid, has built a following on social media of over half a million women and shows them every day how to turn their "chaos to calm."
In this episode, we discuss the following:
-Parenting struggles are often tied back to a lack of systems and routines in the home
-There is no "cookie cutter" home routine that will work for everyone; it's important to develop what works for you
-The homemaker is the manager of the home, not always the "doer" of all the tasks; get your children involved
-No matter your season of life or what your "9-5" looks like, you are the homemaker and it is a sacred role
-We are not victims to our schedules; we always have a choice and don't have to do it all just because we are moms
-Saying "yes" to everything our children want to participate in often requires unseen sacrifices that lead to an unfulfilled life at home
-Relieving anxiety, overwhelm and chaos in our lives, starts with how we run our homes
-Susan's TOP THREE things to beat overwhelm in your home
We hope this episode inspires you to take ownership of your sacred role as a homemaker and truly changes your life from the inside out.
Follow Susan on Instagram: @confidentmom
Grab her FREE "Start Here" Checklist on Instagram
2025 Weekly Household Planner - now only $5!
2026 Weekly Household Planner coming soon!
Feeling anxious during your pregnancy after loss?
In this episode, I come to the mic by myself to give you a real and raw look into my current fears and anxieties around my current pregnancy (after a full term stillbirth 3 years ago). But I don't just leave you hanging in fear. I also am thrilled to show you what I'm currently doing that brings me so much hope and helps me feel more in control.
During this episode, I discuss:
-My frustrations with the traditional medical field in dealing with loss moms (and how I'm protecting my peace through it)
-The scary thought of having no "safe zone" in pregnancy and how every living child is a miracle
-How to deal with others around you who aren't speaking your same "loss language"
-How learning to take (and release) control is the ultimate hack to finding inner peace
I hope this episode brings you encouragement and inspiration to find hope and joy among deep pain and anxiety.
There are few things that are harder for a mother whose first conceived child was stillborn after a perfectly healthy pregnancy, than to put on her brave face during her subsequent pregnancy.
Today on the show, I am joined by Serena Zaicos who decided to start her own podcast, The Still Hopeful Podcast, to document her own pregnancy after loss journey after her first born son Christopher was stillborn. On this week's episode, we talk about the following topics:
-Serena's preexisting fears of stillbirth and how they manifested during her first pregnancy
-The "before" and "after" of loss (and how we change because of it)
-The mix of devastation and relief when facing your monthly period after loss
-The emotional roller coaster of clearing out your late child's things to make room for a new baby
-How to recognize the difference between our hopeful days and fearful days and learning what to do on those days
-Choosing to parent our late children in our own unique way
-The loss of identity as a "loss mom" when finding out you're pregnant again
-Navigating how to answer triggering questions and deciding how much to share
If you are currently pregnant after loss, trying to conceive after loss or maybe you're early on in your loss and not quite ready to even think about trying to conceive again.. I hope this episode brings you some hope and encouragement, no matter where you are in your journey.
You can find Serena on Instagram:
@thestillhopefulpodcast
You can find "The Still Hopeful Podcast" wherever you listen to podcasts
In just 11 short months, Bethany went from having a completely normal life with her husband and children, to burying her husband. How does one learn to live after something like this? How does one pick themselves up after a tragedy like this?
In this episode, Bethany and I talk all about her journey from finding out her husband was sick, to 5 years later (current day) - remarried and continuing to honor her late husband every day. We also talk about:
-Finding a witness to your grief is monumental
-Struggling with your faith and the lack of tools the church often has to help grievers
-Grief is a series of ongoing choices
-Honoring our past loved ones coexisting with new relationships
I hope you are encouraged by this week's episode with Bethany. Here is how you can connect with her:
Instagram: @bethany.ann.spencer
For those of you who are learning to lament and bring your grief before God in a way that honors what you've been through, without sugar coating it - you can take her course called "Sorrow + Song."
Sign up for Bethany's weekly "Hope Note" - every Sunday morning, Bethany sends out a note of tools, resources and encouragement, completely for free.
Join Bethany's "Exhale Retreat" - your sacred invitation to rest, remember who you are and celebrate who you are becoming. Happening January 2026.
You can find more information about all of these things and even shoot Bethany a DM right on Instagram!
Does medication have a role in TRUE health and wellness?
In the last 4.5 years, my husband and I have gone from 0 to 3 children overnight, lost a healthy child at 39 weeks after trying to get pregnant for 6 years and spent all of 2024 in and out of the hospital, navigating and treating my husband's very serious case of Crohn's & Colitis, including major surgeries and medications.
Through these many difficult challenges we have faced, the number one lesson we have learned is that our physical, mental and emotional health is OUR responsibility - NO ONE ELSE'S. After taken complete ownership of our health, we have learned a lot along the way, including what place medication has in our lives and when it's simply just a distraction. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE BEST HEALTH OF OUR LIVES!
In this episode, I cover the following topics:
-The medication mindset shift
-Finding the root cause of medical issues
-How to take ownership of your health and wellness
-My foundational habits that keep me medication free
I hope this episode inspires you to take ownership of your health and live the best and healthiest life you can!
Check out the following profiles I reference DAILY:
@DrChatterjeeRangan (@drchatterjee on Instagram)
@drjamesdinic
@drjoshaxe
@drmarkhyman
@crohnscolitislifestyle (crohnscolitis_lifestyle on Instagram)
@716synergy
If you’re feeling the heaviness of Charlie Kirk’s death and wondering if it’s possible to grieve someone you never even knew, the answer is YES.
In this episode, I break down what it truly means to “know” someone and how their influence in their life has a direct effect on the weight of their loss.
I also discuss:
-The unfair comparison between Charlie Kirk and Melissa Hortman
-People’s responses to a political figure’s loss vs. any other kind of loss
-What to stop doing if you are truly grieving the loss of Charlie
My goal for this episode is not to debate politics, but to bring awareness and shed light on the controversial topic of Charlie Kirk’s death from a perspective of grief education.
I hope this episode inspires you. Thank you so much for listening.
In honor of Charlie Kirk: 1993-2025 <3
After a few month hiatus while I dealt with extreme first trimester fatigue and sickness, I am back to share with you how 20 weeks of pregnancy after loss has been thus far.
Here are all the things I share:
-How I stick to my routines through changing seasons
-A big life update for my husband and I
-Traveling with grief and how it's changed over the years
-What my current priorities are and where I'm spending my time
Thank you for continuing to be such a huge part of my journey and I hope this episode (and podcast) inspires you to continue to fight for joy.
As a mother of 5 and dedicated homemaker, Instagram Influencer Stephanie Dulgarian has mastered the art of home organization! Stephanie has over 400,000 followers on social media and her specialty is showing people how to create systems and routines in their home so you don't have to spend every waking moment stressing about it.
In this episode, we talk about..
-How clutter in a pretty bin is still just clutter
-Most things in your home are processes, not one time projects
-Consistency is the key to her success
-All of her tips and tricks on how she keeps her home tidy (even with a husband and 5 kids!)
-How to get started no matter what season of life you're in
-You can have a big family and make lots of amazing memories, all while living in a tidied home that is a well-oiled machine!
Be sure to follow Stephanie on Instagram @somewhatsimpleliving
Feeling completely unequipped and wildly uneducated on how to handle the devastation of your profound loss? So did this week's guest after her father passed away, even as a licensed therapist.
In today's episode, licensed therapist & (now) grief coach Rio Richards shares her knowledge and expertise on the affects that grief has on all aspects of our lives and why it is so disorienting when it strikes. Here are a few topics we cover:
-Rio's light hearted social media videos about grief to bring awareness to how society handles grief & loss
-Why grief is specifically hard for those that identify as a perfectionist
-How the simplest of tasks become the hardest after loss
-Where to start if you're ready to get "unstuck" and start healing
-The kind of "processor" you are will greatly impact what kind of support you need, especially early on
Below are all the ways you can connect with Rio!
Follow her on instagram @andthatsgrief
Subscribe to her weekly newsletter on Substack called "Touching the Fire"
Join her 8 week program starting in August (DM her on Instagram to get on the waitlist!)
PREGNANCY AFTER LOSS.
After losing my daughter full term, I hoped one day I would fall into this category. And the time has finally come.
I am pregnant.
This episode is simply my initial thoughts on being pregnant after loss very early on (somewhere between 7 and 8 weeks). How I found out, how my heart is finding peace and what I plan to do differently this time around.
I say all of this with the utmost excitement but also with the most gentleness to the women who follow me who have suffered their own baby loss and ache to have another child. My goal for this pregnancy is to perfectly balance both excitement for this child and a humble heart towards those watching whom it may affect. Thank you for listening and being on this journey with me!
Today I welcome BACK to the show incredible trauma-informed certified coach, Mike-Ayala White. Because of his past experience and coaching training, Mike has brought so much wisdom and knowledge to the Beyond The Pain Podcast.
In this episode, Mike and I dissect and discuss for the first time John Onwuchekwa's famous phrase "Grief is not a journey that we finish, but a language we become fluent in." Here are the key takeaways from this week's episode:
-Our interpretations on grief as a language
-The BEST thing you can do for someone if you can't relate to what they're going through
-Debunking the 5 stages of grief
-Grief is circular, not linear
-Holistic solutions (instead of spiritual platitudes)
-Grief vs. trauma
-Grieving is a daily choice
Connect with Mike:
Wayward Coaching
www.wayward-coaching.com
mike@wayward-coaching.com
@waywardcoaching
Are you sick of dieting, "falling off the wagon" and relying on willpower to be healthy? So was I. Until I came across this best selling author and her book entitled "Healthy AF" that simplified EVERYTHING for me. While everyone was gaining weight during the pandemic, I was losing weight, simply because I was implementing the principles of this book.
On today's episode, I interview author and fitness expert Oonagh Duncan who cuts all the BS out of what the health industry is telling you and simplifies it all down to the basics. And guess what? It actually works and if you implement Oonagh's strategies, you'll never have to stress about being healthy again! Here are the key points we'll talk about today:
-Oonagh's 7 healthy habits that basically guarantee weight loss & better health
-Her TOP most important habit to adopt for FAT loss
-Three concrete steps to creating long lasting habits (PS - it's not discipline or willpower)
-An overlooked area of fitness that has enormous benefits
-Debunking the myth of self care
-Doing it imperfectly is actually the secret to your success
-Your ONLY job is to be at peace with your decisions when it comes to effort to results ratio
And the best part?? These principles can be applied to ANY area of you life, not just health and fitness! If you are looking to better your life in ANY way and you're sick of relying on willpower to do so, this episode AND Oonagh's book is for you! Enjoy!
"Healthy AF" available at:
Fitfeelsgood.com/book or Amazon
Oonagh's FREE resources available at:
Fitfeelsgood.com/free
DM Oonagh on Instagram:
@oonaghduncan
I'm so excited to have my personal doctor on the show this week, Dr. Joseph Riccione, D.O.
Dr. Joe left the traditional medical field after several years of caring for patients because one year, while celebrating the 4th of July with his family, his son was bit by a tick. He ended up contracting Lyme disease and no other doctor, methods or medications were bringing his son the reprieve he and his wife were desperately searching for. So Dr. Joe decided to take measures into his own hands to start getting to the ROOT of his son's issue, with lots of holistic measures. This led him to Synergy Nutrition & Wellness, which is a wellness center located in Buffalo, NY, where he now treats patients holistically, working to get to the root of the issue, rather than simply prescribing medications to manage symptoms.
In this episode, Dr. Joe talks about how frustrating it can be to feel like you are spinning your wheels with your health in the traditional medical field (like they were with his son). He offers his TOP holistic practices that are absolutely FREE to anyone looking to better their health. We even take a deep dive into my healing story and how Dr. Joe was able to take into consideration my current circumstances (loss, grief, trauma, chronic stress & caretaking) and help me create a completely personalized plan, to regulate my nervous system and bring me back to health, completely medication free!
I'm so grateful to Dr. Joe for being such an integral part of my healing journey post loss. If you are someone who is intrigued by the holistic world of health and how it works, this episode is for you!
This episode is EVERYTHING you need to hear in order to HEAL your body, mind and soul.
I urge you to listen to my interview with Dane Johnson, the Founder & CEO of Crohn's Colitis Lifestyle. He was on the brink of death with Crohn's & Colitis in 2014. He lived in a hospital. Every doctor and drug failed him. Until one day, everything changed for him. Dane became the CEO of his own health and decided to take complete control of not only his health, but his HAPPINESS. He went from 122 pounds, in a wheelchair to a healthy 185 today and is completely symptom and surgery free!
If you are feeling stuck in your health (physical, emotional or mental), this episode is for YOU. Allow Dane to empower you to take control of your own health and your own life by becoming your own CEO. Get a pen and paper ready.. because this episode is going to blow your mind!
In this week's episode, I have the honor and privilege of chatting with Instagram Influencer, Leslie Burris, who is a mother of 7, an entrepreneur and YES, she's the woman who gave birth LIVE on Instagram, THREE TIMES.
Leslie is an incredible example of how women can be both a homemaker and an entrepreneur, without sacrificing your sanity and peace. Enjoy this super fun episode as we talk about the challenges AND joys of childbirth, trying to conceive, running a beef liver bites for children business and standing firm in our faith in the face of adversity.
Connect with Leslie:
All social media platforms: Leslie Burris
*Most active on Instagram*
leslieburris.com for all resources, including "Elbee's" - beef liver bites for kids!
This episode is a super personal "update" on mine and my husband's journey of trying to conceive while still dealing with the grief of losing our daughter. I wanted to present a super real and raw monologue of what this time is like in our lives, completely unscripted with no notes in front of me. Thank you for always letting me be so vulnerable with you. I hope this episode can bring someone just a little bit of hope in their journey.
In this episode of Beyond the Pain, host Emily Smaczniak interviews Craig Ballantyne, a renowned author and entrepreneur, discussing his latest book, The Dark Side of Discipline. They explore the importance of discipline, the concept of level 10 problems, and how to effectively implement habits for success. Craig emphasizes the need for reflection, planning, and the significance of subtracting negative influences from our lives to achieve true discipline and productivity. The conversation also touches on the distractions posed by social media challenges and the importance of maintaining a healthy routine, including sleep. In this conversation, Craig Ballantyne discusses the critical difference between having discipline and establishing unshakable standards in life. He emphasizes the importance of setting clear standards to eliminate decision fatigue and make life choices easier. The discussion also touches on the challenges of balancing family responsibilities with personal ambitions, the necessity of saying no to non-essential commitments, and the urgency of living fully in the present, especially in light of life's unpredictability. The conversation concludes with a powerful reminder to honor lost loved ones by pursuing one's dreams and living life to the fullest.
Takeaways
To purchase "The Dark Side of Discipline" go to www.darksideofdiscipline.com or get directly off Amazon (audio book available).
DM Craig on Instagram @realcraigballantyne
Connect with Craig on LinkedIn - Craig Ballantyne
In this episode, Emily shares her personal journey through grief after the loss of her daughter, Layla. She reflects on the profound changes that grief brings, including a reevaluation of faith, relationships, and personal identity. Emily discusses the struggle of returning to church and the impact of worship music on her healing process. Ultimately, she emphasizes that while grief is painful, it offers a unique opportunity for introspection and growth, leading to a more authentic and fulfilling life.
Takeaways
In this episode, grief coach Rachel McGonigle returns to discuss various aspects of grief with Emily, including how to handle unexpected emotions, the importance of self-care, and the impact of cognitive distortions on healing. The conversation also explores different types of grief beyond loss of life, navigating relationships during grief, recognizing when to seek professional help, and the significance of surrounding oneself with caring individuals. Rachel emphasizes that healing is an active pursuit and that understanding and managing grief requires intentionality and self-compassion.
Takeaways
In this episode, Emily discusses the profound impact of fear on our lives and how it often prevents us from pursuing our dreams. She shares her personal journey of focusing on health and fitness while confronting the fears that arise when stepping out of one's comfort zone. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing that many fears are not based on real threats and encourages listeners to overcome these barriers to live authentically and without regret.
Takeaways
