Moving Forward with Mia and Julia

​Catherine Newman is the New York Times bestselling author of the memoirs Catastrophic Happiness and Waiting for Birdy, the middle-grade novel One Mixed-Up Night, the kids’ craft book Stitch Camp (co-authored with Nicole Blum), the best-selling how-to books for kids How to Be a Person and What Can I Say? and the novels We All Want Impossible Things, Sandwich, and Wreck . She writes the Substack newsletter Crone Sandwich and has been a regular contributor to the New York Times, Real Simple, O, The Oprah Magazine, Cup of Jo, and many other publications. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts. For more information and to buy her books, visit https://www.catherinenewmanwriter.com.

Leslie has lost many loved ones, including two babies in infancy. When her twenty year old son, Austin, died in 2016, she began to speak out suicide prevention and awareness. Leslie's story continues to impact and inspire many and we know that her story has something that we can all learn from. For more about Leslie and her work, visit https://leslieshope.org/.

Sarah Annese is a writer who lives with her husband in California. Sarah was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2022. Sarah is raising funds for the National MS Society through Walk MS, an event happening in April in San Francisco. If you're able to make a donation, you can do so here: https://shorturl.at/UTgLH.Additionally, we will be donating $2 from each of our books that we sell in April to this cause as well.

Marcee Doherty is a full-time healthcare analytics professional, a full-time PhD student, a part-time professional actor, and a full time dog mom. Both Dr. Mia Johnson and Dr. Julia Porter are adjunct professors in the PhD program in Global Leadership, where Marcee is a student. Once she heard their presentation on Grief, Trauma, and Leadership at a residency weekend, she realized she fell into the category of compound grief, or a "grief cluster," where multiple things happen at once. Following the loss of her dog, Marcee also got divorced and lost her father. In this episode, she candidly shares her story and how all of this grief combined affected her.

oday, we are joined by journalist, Allison Gilbert, who shares more about her work with connection. Allison Gilbert is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and one of the most influential writers and speakers on how to find the inner resources to overcome life’s biggest challenges. Through research and lived experience, Allison helps audiences transform grief and loss and find connection amid the growing public health crisis of social isolation and loneliness. She is co-author of Dr. Ruth Westheimer’s final book, The Joy of Connections: 100 Ways to Beat Loneliness and Live a Happier and More Meaningful Life.Allison writes regularly for The New York Times, has been interviewed on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and NPR, has presented hundreds of talks to audiences at Amazon, Google, Hearst, Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, and many other wellness retreat centers, companies, and organizations.Allison is the author of numerous books and hosts “Making Connections,” a monthly conversation series with Reimagine on overcoming loneliness, and previously hosted “Passed and Present,” named after her beloved book, about death and maintaining family bonds. Allison lives in New York with her family. You can connect with her on Facebook and Instagram. Visit her website at AllisonGilbert.com.

This week, on Moving Forward with Mia and Julia, Cara Bastone joins us to talk about grief in her new book, Promise Me Sunshine. Cara Bastone is a full time writer living and writing in Brooklyn with her husband, sons, and an almost-goldendoodle. Her goal with her work is to find the swoon in ordinary love stories. She's been a fan of the romance genre since she found a grocery bag filled with her grandmother’s old Harlequin Romances when she was in high school. She's a fangirl for long walks through Prospect Park and love stories featuring men who aren’t hobbled by their own masculinity.

Rebecca Soffer is cofounder of Modern Loss, which offers creative, meaningful and encouraging content and community addressing the long arc of grief. She is also the bestselling author of  The Modern Loss Handbook: An Interactive Guide to Moving Through Grief and Building Your Resilience (Running Press, 2022), which Gayle King named a favorite book of the year. Rebecca is also coauthor of the book Modern Loss: Candid Conversation About Grief. Beginners Welcome (Harper Wave, 2018), which The Strategist named a best book on loss for a younger generation.Rebecca writes the Modern Loss newsletter, a Substack bestseller that provides intimate interviews with notable figures on their experiences with loss, including actors Cynthia Nixon, Jessica Williams, and Rachel Bloom; poet Saeed Jones; comedians Jena Friedman and Alyssa Limperis; transgender rights activist Raquel Willis; stylist Stacy London; and many more. She hosts the monthly “Light After Loss” Facebook series for 1800Flowers.com and has partnered with several organizations developing tailored projects that promote their mission, including a six-month campaign with the Seleni Institute that raised awareness around perinatal mental health support. She is also an expert contributor for Help Texts.Rebecca is a Peabody Award-winning former producer for The Colbert Report and an alumna of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.You can follow Rebecca on Instagram at @rebeccasoffer and @modernloss.

Today, Autumn McNichols joins us to talk about grieving after the loss of a pet. Autumn is a faculty member at Ivy Tech Community College. Her professional career has also included more than 15 years of therapy work with hospice patients and their families, memory care units, adolescent inpatient and outpatient, schoolbased counseling, and intensive outpatient care utilizing DBT. Autumn's work experience includes the Department of Child Services, Adult and Child Mental Health Center, Indiana University/Riley Hospital, and private psychological practice as a clinical evaluator and therapist. By remaining active in the psychology field, she can marry the real-life experiences with the textbook theories and applications to create a better learning experience for her studentsAt Ivy Tech, you will find her in the psychology, human services, and criminal justice classrooms, but she also teaches Saturday courses to several union apprenticeship programs in Central Indiana and created an anti-harassment training program for IBEW 481 that has been delivered to more than 900 apprentices. She was invited to be a keynote speaker at HSAC (Hoosier State Apprenticeship Conference) last summer, where she presented on the critical need for DEI education and curriculum in the building trades programs.Autumn is an avid reader and believes that there are so many life lessons to learn from the wisdom of others' words and experiences. She and her husband reside in Indianapolis, where they enjoy hiking, working out, spending time with their sweet dog, and cheering on the IU football and basketball teams. She is also obsessed with The Golden Girls, iced tea, and leopard print. 

Ann Shoket is CEO of TheLi.st and Founder of TheLi.st (https://theli.st/), the Founder of New Power Media, and the Founder of 10 Minutes to Togetherness. (https://www.10minutestotogetherness.com/). She is a Media Brand Builder, a Women’s and Next Gen Expert, Bestselling Author and past Editor-in-Chief of Sevententeen Magazine. With each achievement in her career, it has been Shoket’s mission to help women and the next generation of leaders stem into their power and to redefine success-on their own terms. Shoket made her mark launching iconic media brands including Seventeen and CosmoGIRL. Most recently, as owner and CEO of TheLi.st, a nationwide community of high-impact women and non-binary leaders, she is using her platform to  shine a light on the impact of the loneliness epidemic on women at work and the solution that will help them rise--togetherness. Shoket wrote a widely acclaimed book, The Big Life, which was hailed by the New York Times as “a guide for women in their 20s and 30s who are hungry for a job they love, a supportive network of friends, respect from their bosses and partners who want all those things for them as badly as they do.”We invited Ann to speak about connectivity as we noticed in our own research that after a loss, people who are grieving tend to feel isolated, and this can be made even worse if they don’t already have a strong network both personally and professionally to help them navigate moving forward.

NFDA.org Spokesperson, Stephen R. Kemp, CFSP, is the owner of Kemp Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. His professional journey began in scientific research, working as a research associate at the Henry Ford Heart and Vascular Institute, VA Medical Center, and Biosan Laboratories. Transitioning to funeral service, Stephen earned his mortuary science degree from Wayne State University and has since dedicated his career to serving families with compassion and professionalism.At the national level, Stephen represented Michigan on the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) Policy Board and served as an at-large representative on the NFDA Board of Directors. His national service also includes work on the Professional Development and Advocacy Committees and the Environmental Workgroup. Stephen’s expertise has been recognized through invitations to lead workshops on embalming and risk management at the NFDA International Convention & Expo.Stephen has played a significant leadership role within the Michigan Funeral Directors Association (MFDA), serving on numerous committees and the association’s board of directors. Notably, he made history as the first African-American president in MFDA’s 125-year history, demonstrating his commitment to advancing the profession and fostering inclusivity. In addition to his leadership in Michigan, Stephen has contributed to funeral service education as an instructor and clinical preceptor at Wayne State University, mentoring the next generation of funeral professionals. Learn more about funeral homes like Stephen's at https://www.rememberingalife.com/.

Keith Sampson believes that business is the greatest untapped vertical for personal purpose and fulfillment. For over 20 years, he has been helping people and organizations choose to grow through life instead of choosing to go through life, unlocking their potential, building culture, and inspiring action.At the age of 19, Keith experienced a life-changing moment that shaped his life, laying the foundation of his mission: to change the world through business, one person at a time. That moment fueled his passion for leadership, sales, and culture, and continues to guide every stage, session, and conversation he leads today.You can learn more about Keith and his work at https://iamkeithsampson.com/.

At the age of nine, Laura was diagnosed with an eye disease and faced the difficult reality that she would become blind. Over the next ten years she experienced the traumatic transition of adjusting to life without sight. She is the author of the book, Harnessing Courage. Laura founded Ubi Global, which is an organization that provides speaking and coaching to empower all people to overcome challenges and obstacles with grit and gratitude.

Rick and Clancy Denton of The Loud Quiet (https://www.theloudquiet.com/) joined us today to talk about the good, the bad, and the sad that happens when your children move out. The two started their podcast, "The Loud Quiet-Empty Nest Living" when their youngest went to college. You can listen wherever you get your podcast. Watch out for their book in 2026!

Susan Shaw is a writer, speaker, and a mother who is learning to live following the profound loss of her son, William, who died in a ski accident in 2019. Susan shares her story, writing prompts, and resources and tips to move forward following loss on https://www.bereavementmom.com/. She also supports families who are grieving through https://www.williamsbeyourselfchallenge.org/.

Ellen O’Clover writes stories about love, identity, and belonging for both teens and adults. Her debut romance, The Heartbreak Hotel, was a Book of the Month selection and a regional indie bestseller. Her debut young adult novel, Seven Percent of Ro Devereux, was named a Best Book of the Year by The Bank Street Center for Children’s Education and a finalist for both the Colorado Book Award and the Florida Sunshine Young Readers Award. Ellen lives near Boulder, Colorado with her rocket scientist husband and two perfect bulldogs. Read more about her and get signed copies of her books at ellenoclover.com.

Jane is a highly experienced and trained professional nurse, holistic health coach, health and wellness advocate, grief educator, speaker, and workshop presenter. As a master facilitator of lifestyle change, Jane knows that certain approaches and techniques bring about the changes people want and need to feel healthy and whole. This perspective and practices come directly from integrating her professional and personal life as Jane has experienced health challenges throughout her life and most recently as a bereaved parent after her middle son died 2 years ago. These experiences along with her educational experiences have created methods and techniques she now shares with her clients and her audiences. If you are looking for a proven presenter who will connect with and engage your audience—all while educating them around how to find ways to move forward in their life with greater health, compassion, and meaningful experiences everyday - you’ve come to the right place.

Malisa Hepner is a therapist, podcast host, and public speaker who helps people quiet the noise of trauma, reconnect with themselves, and embody the light. She’s the host of Emotionally Unavailable and one of the hosts of Unquiet Soul, two shows that open space for deep, real, and transformative conversations. Malisa is also the creator of healing workbooks like Safe to Be Seen and The Beauty of Imperfection: Good Is Enough. Drawing on both her professional expertise and her lived experience as a survivor of complex PTSD, she’s passionate about helping people move beyond overthinking, perfectionism, and fear of visibility to live more grounded, authentic, and joyful lives.

Kanika is a Radiant Empowerment Coach and Akashic Records Reader. She guides spiritual entrepreneurs, leaders, and changemakers who are ready for more—more radiance, more freedom, more soul. Kanika helps clients break through invisible ceilings, awaken their unique gifts, and step into a new level of clarity, self-trust, and authentic leadership. Through her work, clients move into joy in everyday living, where inspired action flows naturally, opportunities align with purpose, and their voice and presence are finally seen and valued in their field.

Nicholas Ruchlewicz was in a single vehicle motorcycle crash on March 15, 2016, and suffered a separated pelvic circle, broken Sacro-iliac, crushed left orbital, massive concussion, and a right-side brain bleed and hematoma. He was in ICU, for 2 weeks, non-cognizant, then in an acute rehab hospital for 2 weeks, learning how to focus, move his left side, and see.His trauma and brain injury have allowed him to become an advocate, he calls it “A Gift of Perspective”. He is very vocal about his mental health, and advocates for males, and others for mental wellness. He is a volunteer for https://www.traumasurvivorsnetwork.org/, a Peer Mentor” at an Acute Rehabilitation Hospital, as well as a political advocate for accessible mental health and support. He believes we all have emotions, and its “Okay to not be OK”. He has done a lot of work with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) before his trauma, and that is a reason, he believes, he is “still here.” He believes that, "Our minds can be dark, and it's important to look at the corners for the light. Life is a 4-letter word, it depends on how you use it.”

Angie Hawkins is an Inner Glow Coach who transforms high-achieving, spiritual women from chasing love and approval to radiating fierce confidence so they can finally feel happy, free, and loved for who they are.She works with women who’ve done therapy, read the books, tried the spiritual path, but still feel like something’s missing. Through deep inner work and identity transformation, she helps them break the cycle of not feeling “enough,” so they can experience real love, confidence, and peace without having to change who they are.She is the author of Running in Slippers, a raw and vulnerable memoir about finding resilience after emotional rock bottom.Angie has moved from Chicago to Hawaii on her own, jumped out of a helicopter and into the ocean Navy SEAL-style, bungee jumped, skydived, and cliff jumped, yet is still terrified about allowing herself to be seen.