📢  What happens when life delivers back-to-back losses, and the weight of grief collides with burnout and identity shifts?

In this episode Teresa Reiniger and LaWayna Berry sit down with Women’s Empowerment Coach, Stacey Johnson. A licensed clinical therapist for more than 20 years, Stacey’s life changed dramatically when she experienced two profound losses just weeks apart, her stepfather and her husband. Suddenly navigating grief, single parenthood, and the demands of daily life, Stacey found herself moving from survival mode into transformation.

Stacey opens up about how her professional background both helped and complicated her grieving process, and why she ultimately transitioned from therapy into coaching to reach women beyond the walls of her Ohio practice. She shares insights on “silent grief,” the unspoken losses that often show up as burnout, anxiety, or physical symptoms and how women can begin to befriend their emotions instead of suppressing them.

🎧 This conversation shines a light on identity, resilience, and the power of sisterhood. Stacey reminds us that you don’t have to hold it all together, and you don’t have to do it alone.

Topics Discussed:

✔️ Stacey’s journey from therapist to women’s empowerment coach

✔️ Experiencing back-to-back losses in 2021 and how she coped

✔️ The difference between therapy and coaching in supporting women

✔️ Understanding “silent grief” and how it shows up in the body

✔️ Learning to befriend emotions instead of suppressing them

✔️ Rediscovering identity outside of roles like wife, mom, or employee

Key Takeaways:

✅ Grief is not only about funerals, but it also includes the silent, hidden losses we often ignore.

✅ Burnout, overwhelm, and even physical symptoms can be rooted in unprocessed grief.

✅Coaching allows women to move from crisis to transformation, with greater commitment to their healing journey.

✅ Befriending emotions, naming them, sitting with them, and giving them permission creates freedom.

✅ Rediscovering your identity beyond the roles you play is a powerful step in healing and empowerment.

Quotes to Remember:

 💭 “I don’t apologize for my tears anymore. They’re a release of emotion, and that’s okay.” - Stacey

💭 “I realized I had lost my own identity long before I lost my husband, I was always someone’s wife, someone’s mom, someone’s employee. Now I’m rediscovering who I really am.” - Stacey

💭 “You don’t have to hold it all together, and you don’t have to do it alone.” - Stacey

👉 Connect With Stacey:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stacey.v.johnson

Listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StaceyJohnsonCoaching  

TikTok: tiktok.com/@staceyjohnsoncoaching

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staceyjohnsoncoaching/

Email: stacey@staceyjohnsoncoaching.com

👉 Connect With Us:

Have a story to share?  Interested in being a guest?  Need Support?  DM us on social media or send an email.

Facebook, and Instagram: @Female Voices Life and Loss Podcast

Listen on YouTube:  https://shorturl.at/jjrie

Website:⁠https://femalevoiceslifelo.wixsite.com/female-voices⁠

Email: femalevoiceslifelosspodcast@gmail.com