Losing a Son to Addiction, Grief, and Learning to Keep Living | Katie Rizzo

Losing a Son to Addiction, Grief, and Learning to Keep Living | Katie Rizzo

What happens when the person you love is struggling with addiction, and the life you thought you understood changes forever? Katie Rizzo joins Travis White to share the story of her son Nicholas, his battle with addiction, and the traumatic grief that followed his accidental overdose. This conversation is honest, tender, and deeply human. It is about the way addiction affects an entire family, the shame so many families carry in silence, and the difficult work of learning how to live with grief instead of trying to escape it. In this episode of Overcome with Travis White, Katie talks about Nicholas beyond his addiction: his love for soccer, his close friendships, his anxiety, his humor, his love for his brothers, and the beautiful life that grief could never erase. She also shares what Al-Anon taught her, why addiction is not solved by willpower alone, and why families need community, grace, and support when they are trying to keep someone they love alive. Katie also opens up about losing Nicholas, the support groups, therapy, EMDR, journaling, exercise, and community that helped her and her husband survive the earliest waves of grief, and the framework behind her book The Trimesters of Grief. She describes grief as something that changed her body, her identity, and her way of seeing the world, while also teaching her how to be brave, present, and connected to Nicholas in a new way. If you have lost someone to addiction, love someone who is struggling, or are carrying grief that other people do not understand, this episode is a reminder that you are not alone, your love still matters, and healing does not mean getting over the person you lost. WHAT WE DISCUSSED * Katie Rizzo's life before addiction changed her family * How Nicholas became addicted to prescription painkillers after sports injuries * The anxiety, injuries, college transition, and pain that shaped Nicholas's story * Why addiction affects the entire family, not just the person using * What Al-Anon taught Katie about the three Cs: you did not cause it, you cannot cure it, and you cannot control it * The shame and isolation families often feel around substance abuse * Why people struggling with addiction are not defined by their addiction * The limits of willpower, tough love, rehab, and one-size-fits-all advice * How Katie and her husband tried to keep Nicholas alive while navigating impossible choices * The day Katie lost Nicholas to an accidental overdose * Why grieving parents may need to talk about the hardest parts of their loss * How support groups, therapy, EMDR, journaling, exercise, and community helped Katie survive traumatic grief * The idea behind Katie's memoir, The Trimesters of Grief * How grief can mirror pregnancy, change over time, and become something you learn to carry differently * The stigma around addiction and what it means to say, "my son is an addict and I love him" * Favorite memories of Nicholas, including soccer, his humor, his recklessness, and his love for his brothers * What Nicholas continues to teach Katie about bravery, presence, music, love, and being a loving witness * What Katie wishes people understood about talking to grieving parents CHAPTER MARKERS * 00:00 - Intro: addiction, grief, and Katie Rizzo's story * 00:44 - Katie's family, Nicholas's injuries, addiction, and journaling through grief * 06:55 - Remembering Nicholas beyond addiction * 10:17 - What people misunderstand about substance abuse * 16:14 - Advice for families loving someone with addiction * 22:50 - The day Katie lost Nicholas * 28:56 - Support groups, therapy, EMDR, exercise, and community * 34:01 - The Trimesters of Grief and learning to live with loss * 39:46 - Breaking addiction stigma and speaking honestly about grief * 42:35 - Favorite memories, what Nicholas still teaches, and being a loving witness LEARN MORE ABOUT KATIE RIZZO * Katie Rizzo is a mother, former public school teacher, writer, and author of The Trimesters of Grief. * Through her writing and poetry, Katie shares openly about losing her son Nicholas, surviving traumatic grief, and breaking the shame around addiction and overdose loss. * Author website: https://katierizzo.com [https://katierizzo.com/]. * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/katie-rizzo-098978280 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-rizzo-098978280]. * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rizzoboysandagirl/ [https://www.facebook.com/rizzoboysandagirl/]. * Instagram: @katierizzo007 [https://www.instagram.com/katierizzo007/]. * Get The Trimesters of Grief on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Trimesters-Grief-Katie-Rizzo/dp/B0H6GTLHN8 [https://www.amazon.com/Trimesters-Grief-Katie-Rizzo/dp/B0H6GTLHN8]. CALL TO ACTION If this episode helped you think differently about addiction, grief, overdose loss, or loving someone who is struggling, please follow the show, share it with someone who needs encouragement, and leave a review. Your support helps us continue bringing real conversations about resilience, mental health, recovery, grief, and personal growth to more people. Visit Blog: https://overcomepod.com [https://overcomepod.com] Workbook: https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook [https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook] Shop Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth [https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth] Follow Overcome - a Mental Health Podcast * Instagram: @overcomepod [https://www.instagram.com/overcomepod/] * Youtube:  @overcomepod [https://www.youtube.com/@overcomepod] Listen to us * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7hbxEyFwwdJvCFLWBNQQiD?si=c1d9e72d21f84eaa] * Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overcome-a-mental-health-podcast/id1788714869?itscg=30200&itsct=podcast_box&ls=1&mttnsubad=1788714869] Want to have a real conversation about your mental health? Fill out this form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfiwSo1mnDFwqcKCmQNk5_d4yIpNwMku7QwXNGHIyl4-qm56g/viewform?usp=header]!

Chronic Stress, People Pleasing, and Learning to Trust Yourself | Lolita Guarin

What if the stress you feel today has less to do with your workload and more to do with patterns you have been carrying for years? Lolita Guarin landed in the emergency room because of chronic stress. What she discovered afterward changed the way she understood burnout, people pleasing, self-trust, and healing. In this episode of Overcome with Travis White, Travis sits down with stress management coach, speaker, author, and BeAmazing You founder Lolita Guarin to talk about the deeper roots of stress and why simple stress management tips are often not enough when old survival patterns are still running the show. Lolita shares her journey from Lithuania to the United States, the childhood and generational patterns that shaped her relationship with stress, and the moment she began recognizing how people pleasing, fear of saying no, and a lack of self-trust were impacting her body, relationships, and purpose. Together, Travis and Lolita explore why so many people wear stress like a badge of honor, how burnout can become normalized, why telling the truth can feel unsafe, and how learning to trust yourself can make future stressors feel less overwhelming. They also talk about writing, inner child healing, self-kindness, and the small choices that help people move from survival mode into a more honest and peaceful life. If you have ever felt burned out, afraid to disappoint people, stuck in chronic stress, or unsure how to start being honest about what you need, this conversation offers a gentle and practical reminder: healing does not have to be another stressful thing to manage. What We Discussed * How chronic stress led Lolita Guarin to the emergency room * Why stress is often connected to long-standing patterns, not just current workload * How moving from Lithuania to the United States shaped Lolita's story * The connection between childhood experiences, generational patterns, and adult stress * Why people pleasing can become a survival strategy * How fear of saying no can keep people stuck in burnout * Why society often treats stress as a badge of honor * The difference between quick stress management bandages and deeper healing work * How self-trust changes the way we respond to future stressors * Why telling the truth can feel scary when your nervous system expects conflict or rejection * The role of writing, books, and storytelling in healing * How inner child work can help people understand their reactions with more compassion * Why stress management does not need to feel stressful * How small acts of self-kindness can support bigger emotional change * What it can look like to move out of survival mode and back into yourself Learn More About Lolita Guarin * Lolita Guarin is a stress management coach, speaker, author, and founder of BeAmazing You. * Through her coaching, classes, videos, books, and mentoring, she helps people understand stress more deeply, build self-trust, and create a kinder relationship with themselves. * Lolita also supports authors and mentors people who want to write and self-publish their books. * Learn more at https://beamazingyou.com [https://beamazingyou.com]. * Find stress management and self-publishing videos on YouTube at BeAmazing You. Call To Action If this episode helped you think differently about stress, burnout, people pleasing, or healing, please follow the show, share it with someone who needs encouragement, and leave a review. Your support helps us continue bringing real conversations about resilience, mental health, recovery, and personal growth to more people. Visit Blog: https://overcomepod.com [https://overcomepod.com] Workbook: https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook [https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook] Shop Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth [https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth] Follow Overcome - a Mental Health Podcast * Instagram: @overcomepod [https://www.instagram.com/overcomepod/] * Youtube:  @overcomepod [https://www.youtube.com/@overcomepod] Listen to us * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7hbxEyFwwdJvCFLWBNQQiD?si=c1d9e72d21f84eaa] * Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overcome-a-mental-health-podcast/id1788714869?itscg=30200&itsct=podcast_box&ls=1&mttnsubad=1788714869] Want to have a real conversation about your mental health? Fill out this form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfiwSo1mnDFwqcKCmQNk5_d4yIpNwMku7QwXNGHIyl4-qm56g/viewform?usp=header]!

Breathwork, Addiction Recovery, and Finding Purpose After Rock Bottom | Jon Paul Crimi

What if the thing that finally helps you heal is not another attempt to outrun your pain, but learning how to sit with it, breathe through it, and come back to yourself? Jon Paul Crimi spent years running from emotional pain through alcohol, drugs, partying, and self-destruction. After hitting rock bottom, he found breathwork, a practice that helped him reconnect with his body, release stored pain, and begin building a life rooted in purpose instead of survival. In this episode of Overcome with Travis White, Travis sits down with Jon Paul to talk about addiction, trauma, grief, anxiety, depression, shame, and the unexpected path that led him from personal pain to helping thousands of others through breathwork. Jon Paul shares why he believes breathwork can help people quiet the mind, access emotions they have buried, and move through the nervous system patterns that keep them stuck. He also explains the difference between different styles of breathing, why circular breathwork can feel intense, and why the goal is not to force healing, but to create space for the body to release what it has been holding. This conversation is honest, practical, and deeply human. It is about recovery, emotional release, finding purpose, and learning that you are worth the work it takes to heal. What We Discussed * Jon Paul's early life in Massachusetts and the pain he tried to escape * How alcohol, drugs, and self-destruction became coping mechanisms * What changed after Jon Paul hit rock bottom * How breathwork entered his life and helped him begin healing * The difference between box breathing, Wim Hof-style breathing, and circular breathwork * Why breathwork can bring buried emotions and trauma to the surface * How the body can hold grief, stress, fear, and unresolved pain * Why therapy and breathwork can work together * How people can feel stuck even when they understand their problems intellectually * The connection between purpose, self-worth, and emotional healing * Why men and high performers may resist slowing down long enough to feel * What someone can expect from a breathwork class * Why Jon Paul teaches people to trust the breath and stop overthinking the process * How healing can change the way you show up in your life, work, and relationships * Why living authentically often starts when you stop caring so much about other people's opinions Learn More About Jon Paul Crimi * Jon Paul Crimi is a breathwork teacher who helps people use breathwork to navigate addiction, anxiety, grief, trauma, stress, emotional pain, and feeling stuck. * Through his work, he teaches people how to use the breath to quiet the mind, reconnect with the body, and create space for emotional release and healing. * Learn more at https://breathewithjp.com [https://breathewithjp.com]. Call To Action If this episode helped you think differently about addiction, trauma, breathwork, or healing, please follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope, and leave a review. Your support helps us continue bringing real conversations about resilience, mental health, recovery, and personal growth to more people. Visit Blog: https://overcomepod.com [https://overcomepod.com] Workbook: https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook [https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook] Shop Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth [https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth] Follow Overcome - a Mental Health Podcast * Instagram: @overcomepod [https://www.instagram.com/overcomepod/] * Youtube:  @overcomepod [https://www.youtube.com/@overcomepod] Listen to us * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7hbxEyFwwdJvCFLWBNQQiD?si=c1d9e72d21f84eaa] * Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overcome-a-mental-health-podcast/id1788714869?itscg=30200&itsct=podcast_box&ls=1&mttnsubad=1788714869] Want to have a real conversation about your mental health? Fill out this form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfiwSo1mnDFwqcKCmQNk5_d4yIpNwMku7QwXNGHIyl4-qm56g/viewform?usp=header]!

Why You Keep Having the Same Fight With Your Partner: Anger, Resentment, and Repair | Davina Hehn

What if the same argument keeps coming back because neither of you is actually fighting about what you think you are? So many couples get stuck in the same painful loop: one person gets angry, the other shuts down, resentment builds, and the relationship starts to feel unsafe even when both people still love each other. In this episode, Travis White sits down with Davina Hehn to talk about anger intelligence, relationship conflict, parenting pressure, postpartum depression, emotional shutdown, and what it really takes to repair a damaged relationship before resentment takes over. Davina shares how her own marriage nearly fell apart after parenting exposed patterns neither partner knew how to handle. Through anger management training, radical transparency, and a willingness to rewrite the story they were telling about each other, she and her husband began rebuilding their relationship from the ground up. Together, Travis and Davina explore why anger is often misunderstood, how men and women can express anger differently, why new parents can become more reactive, and how couples can stop outsourcing their regulation, confidence, and self-control to each other. They also discuss the mental health stigma that keeps people from asking for help and why healing often starts with radical self-responsibility. If you are tired of repeating the same arguments, feeling reactive, shutting down, or wondering if your relationship can actually change, this conversation offers a grounded and honest look at what repair can look like. What We Discussed * Why couples keep having the same argument over and over * How anger can show up externally and internally * The difference between anger management and anger intelligence * How Davina realized her own role in relationship conflict * Why parenting can expose hidden cracks in a marriage * The emotional weight of postpartum depression and unmet expectations * How sleep deprivation makes parents more reactive * Why comparison can damage connection between partners * How resentment builds when couples do not feel seen or understood * The importance of radical transparency in repairing trust * Why rewriting the narrative about your partner can change the relationship * How emotional shutdown and numbness can be a protective response * Why couples often wait too long before getting help * How to take radical self-responsibility without blaming yourself for everything * The connection between suppressed emotions, the body, and mental health * Why seeking support does not mean something is wrong with you Learn More About Davina Hehn * Learn more at A Steady Space [https://www.asteadyspace.com/]. * Take Davina's "Are You Wired for Parenting or Partnership?" quiz: https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/6360a042f6e2c50016d6c94e [https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/6360a042f6e2c50016d6c94e] Call To Action If this episode helped you understand anger, conflict, or relationship repair in a new way, please follow, share, and leave a review. Your support helps us continue bringing real conversations about mental health, resilience, relationships, and healing to more people. Visit Blog: https://overcomepod.com [https://overcomepod.com] Workbook: https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook [https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook] Shop Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth [https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth] Follow Overcome - a Mental Health Podcast * Instagram: @overcomepod [https://www.instagram.com/overcomepod/] * Youtube:  @overcomepod [https://www.youtube.com/@overcomepod] Listen to us * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7hbxEyFwwdJvCFLWBNQQiD?si=c1d9e72d21f84eaa] * Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overcome-a-mental-health-podcast/id1788714869?itscg=30200&itsct=podcast_box&ls=1&mttnsubad=1788714869] Want to have a real conversation about your mental health? Fill out this form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfiwSo1mnDFwqcKCmQNk5_d4yIpNwMku7QwXNGHIyl4-qm56g/viewform?usp=header]!

Brain Cancer Survivor Defies the Odds After 11 Brain Surgeries and a Stroke

Scott Cook was preparing for a bodybuilding competition when his life changed without warning. In 2009, he collapsed at home and was rushed to the hospital, where doctors found a plum-sized tumor at the base of his brain that was blocking drainage and causing dangerous pressure. What followed was a long and painful road through brain cancer, 11 brain surgeries, shunts, a stroke, time in a wheelchair, and the slow work of learning how to move, speak, and trust his body again. Scott was told he may never walk again. He was also told he may never have children. But Scott kept going. In this episode of Overcome with Travis White, Scott shares how bodybuilding, discipline, nutrition, fatherhood, faith in the human spirit, and a refusal to give up helped him rebuild his life one step at a time. His story is not about pretending recovery was easy. It is about choosing to keep showing up when life becomes heavier than you ever imagined. Scott's message is simple and deeply human: when life gets terrible, we are often stronger than we realize. What We Discussed * How Scott discovered a brain tumor while preparing for a bodybuilding competition * The emergency surgeries that began his fight for survival * Living through 11 brain surgeries, shunts, and brain cancer recovery * How a stroke left Scott in a wheelchair and forced him to rebuild again * The emotional weight of being told he may never walk or have children * Why bodybuilding became more than fitness for Scott * How discipline, nutrition, and small daily actions helped him recover * The role of fatherhood, purpose, and family in his resilience * Relearning speech and navigating invisible challenges after brain injury * Why Scott believes every small victory matters * The difference between giving up and learning how to keep going * How sharing his story can help others believe they can overcome hard things Visit Blog: https://overcomepod.com [https://overcomepod.com] Workbook: https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook [https://overcome68.gumroad.com/l/you-are-not-broken-workbook] Shop Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth [https://www.etsy.com/shop/OvercomeMentalHealth] Follow Overcome - a Mental Health Podcast * Instagram: @overcomepod [https://www.instagram.com/overcomepod/] * Youtube:  @overcomepod [https://www.youtube.com/@overcomepod] Listen to us * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7hbxEyFwwdJvCFLWBNQQiD?si=c1d9e72d21f84eaa] * Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overcome-a-mental-health-podcast/id1788714869?itscg=30200&itsct=podcast_box&ls=1&mttnsubad=1788714869] Want to have a real conversation about your mental health? Fill out this form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfiwSo1mnDFwqcKCmQNk5_d4yIpNwMku7QwXNGHIyl4-qm56g/viewform?usp=header]!