The Empowered Grief Journey

Illumination Through Grief: Shaleem Dzon Healing Journey from Darkness to Light

In this illuminating episode of The Empowered Grief Journey Podcast, host Chris Mamone sits down with Shaleem Dzon—registered nurse, grief counselor, and author of the powerful memoir Illumination: A Griever’s Journey Through the Darkness.
With over two decades of experience in healthcare and her own intimate walk through profound loss, Shaleem brings raw honesty, wisdom, and compassion to the conversation. She opens up about what it truly means to sit with grief, the misconceptions we hold about healing, and how writing her story became both a tool for processing pain and a light for others finding their way through it.
Through both her professional insight and personal truth, Shaleem reminds us that while grief can feel like darkness, it also holds the power to awaken us—to purpose, meaning, and the deepest parts of who we are.

God Doesn’t Waste a Thing: RJ Johnson’s Miraculous Journey from Prison to Purpose

In this powerful and faith-filled episode of The Empowered Grief Journey Podcast, host Chris Mamone sits down with RJ Johnson—author, speaker, and living testimony to the redemptive power of grace.
RJ shares his awe-inspiring story of serving seven years of a 20-year prison sentence and how that time became sacred ground for healing, miracles, and divine transformation. Through his book God Doesn’t Waste a Thing, he invites listeners into the raw moments of pain, redemption, and awakening that reshaped his life from the inside out.
Today, RJ dedicates his work to bringing hope, mentorship, and restoration to incarcerated communities—reminding us that no experience, no matter how broken, is beyond God’s reach.

Leading Through Loss: Sheila’s Journey Through Widowhood and Renewal

In this heartfelt episode of The Empowered Grief Journey Podcast, host Chris Mamone is joined by Sheila Kamuda, founder of Live Out Loud Coaching—an empowerment coach who helps women lead with confidence and authenticity.
Sheila shares how the devastating loss of her husband became the catalyst for profound transformation and a mission to help others rise through adversity. With over 15 years of leadership experience and deep emotional insight, she reveals how grief became a mirror for self-discovery—showing her the difference between leading from fear and leading from love, trust, and worthiness.

When the System Fails: A Mother’s Fight to Protect Her Daughter With Sydney Curtin

In this profoundly emotional and courageous episode of The Empowered Grief Journey Podcast, Coach Chris speaks with Sydney Curtin, a mother who faced the unimaginable — being forced by the court system to relinquish custody of her daughter in order to keep her safe.
Sydney shares her harrowing journey through abuse, trauma, and a legal system that failed to protect them. What unfolds is not a story of choice, but of survival — a mother’s grief, resilience, and relentless fight to do what was right, even when the system silenced her voice.

From Despair to Meaning: Laurel & Tim’s Journey After Losing Their Son to Suicide

In this profoundly moving episode of The Empowered Grief Journey Podcast, returning guest Laurel O’Sullivan and her husband Tim open their hearts about the unimaginable loss of their son to suicide.
Together, they share the raw truth of navigating life after such a traumatic loss — the questions, guilt, silence, and the gradual rediscovery of meaning and connection. Laurel, a grief educator and former public interest lawyer, and Tim, a lifelong educator, speak vulnerably about how their individual grieving processes unfolded, how the loss tested their marriage, and how they now carry their son’s legacy with honesty and grace.

Anger as a Messenger: Talya Pardo Ricardo on Healing and Emotional Power

In this transformative episode of The Empowered Grief Journey Podcast, host Chris Mamone welcomes Talya Pardo Ricardo, an anger coach and emotional empowerment guide, who shares how her own explosive patterns became the doorway to deep inner healing.
Through years of self-awareness, inner child work, and emotional integration, Talya discovered that anger was never the enemy — it was the guide. Now she helps others navigate their emotions with curiosity, compassion, and conscious expression.

Awakening the Intuitive Path: Terrie Christine on Healing, Energy, and Listening Within

In this episode, intuitive energy healer Terrie Christine shares the story of her spiritual awakening, the moment she realized she was living a life out of alignment, and how reconnecting with her intuition became the doorway to deep personal transformation. From a past marked by disconnection and emotional control to a present guided by spiritual truth, Terrie walks us through the process of reclaiming inner power and learning to trust what we feel—even when the world tells us not to.
Terrie’s story is a beacon for anyone ready to step out of survival mode and into soul-led living. Her message is clear: your intuition is never wrong—you just have to learn how to hear it.

A Father’s Grief: Ed Owens on Loss, Healing, and the Grief Recovery Method

In this deeply moving episode of The Empowered Grief Journey Podcast, Ed Owens shares the heartbreaking story of losing his 3-year-old son, Eddie Ryan, to a tragic gun accident caused by a faulty lockbox. The loss shattered his life — and eventually his marriage — but also began a long journey of healing, purpose, and transformation.
Ed speaks candidly about guilt, loneliness, and the moment he found hope again through The Grief Recovery Method — a framework that not only saved him but now helps him guide others through their own grief.