The Empowered Grief Journey

From Survival to Self-Worth: Brooke Bownes on Overcoming Trauma and Reclaiming Power

In this powerful episode of The Empowered Grief Journey, host Chris Mamone sits down with Brooke Bownes—accredited trauma coach, therapist, and #1 best-selling author—to explore her extraordinary story of resilience and transformation.
From a traumatic birth and childhood abuse to homelessness and single motherhood, Brooke’s path is a testament to defying the odds. She shares how she turned pain into purpose, rewrote the narrative of limitation, and learned to stand fully in her worth.
Today, Brooke empowers women worldwide to overcome self-doubt, heal from trauma, and reclaim their confidence. A moving conversation about courage, healing, and the power of self-belief.

Holding Space for Grief: Finding Healing Through Loss with Lori Sase

In this heartfelt episode of The Empowered Grief Journey, host Chris Mamone sits down with Lori Sase—life coach, grief tender, and host of The Imaginal Podcast. Drawing from the loss of both parents within months and the death of a beloved student, Lori shares her journey of grieving in a world that rarely makes space for it.
Together, Chris and Lori explore the importance of slowing down, creating space for mourning, and discovering the quiet wisdom that can emerge from life’s most painful transitions. This gentle conversation is a reminder that even in the heaviest moments, healing is possible.

Childless Not by Choice: Redefining Life and Grief with Carrie Brauninger

In this eye-opening episode of The Empowered Grief Journey Podcast, host Chris Mamone welcomes Carrie Brauninger—licensed clinical social worker, co-founder of the Saunders Sisterhood, and proud Great Dane mom—for a deeply personal conversation about the unspoken grief of being childless not by choice.
Carrie opens up about navigating invisible loss, societal expectations, and the quiet ache that often goes unseen. Together, they explore breaking free from the “life script” and creating new visions of purpose, connection, and fulfillment beyond parenthood.

From Unseen Struggles to Open Conversations: A Mother’s Mission After Suicide Loss

In this deeply moving episode of The Empowered Grief Journey Podcast, host Chris Mamone sits down with Jane Johnson, founder of Bright Futures Coaching. After the sudden and devastating loss of her teenage son, Leo, to suicide in 2023, Jane has dedicated her life to helping parents and teens foster open, authentic emotional connection.
Jane shares her powerful story—from the shock of losing a child who showed no visible warning signs, to navigating the depths of grief, and finding purpose in turning pain into prevention. Together, Chris and Jane explore the hidden realities of mental health struggles, the importance of daily emotional check-ins, and the hope that can emerge even in life’s darkest moments.

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.