Hope Comes to Visit

When Grief Creates Purpose | Michelle Valiukenas on Pregnancy Loss, NICU Life & Hope

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2517457/fan_mail/new] This week on Hope Comes to Visit, I’m joined by Michelle Valiukenas — founder of the The Colette Louise Tisdahl Foundation and mother to Sweet Pea, Colette, and Elliott. Michelle’s story begins with what she believed would be a typical pregnancy. Instead, at just 21 weeks pregnant, she was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia and hospitalized immediately. Three weeks later, her daughter Colette was born at 24 weeks and 5 days and spent nine days in the NICU before Michelle and her husband lost her. What Michelle created in the aftermath of that loss is extraordinary. On Colette’s due date, Michelle launched a nonprofit dedicated to helping families facing high-risk pregnancies, NICU stays, and pregnancy and infant loss — particularly the financial realities that exist outside the walls of the hospital. Since then, the organization has provided more than $2 million in direct assistance to thousands of families nationwide. But this conversation is about more than grief. It’s about what happens when women finally begin sharing the stories they were taught to whisper about. It’s about how common pregnancy complications and loss truly are — and how isolating silence can become. It’s about motherhood, advocacy, survival, healthcare, and the powerful reminder that telling the truth about our experiences helps other people feel less alone. Michelle’s honesty, compassion, and strength moved me deeply, and I’m so grateful she trusted me with this conversation. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts. The Colette Louise Tisdahl Foundation [https://colettelouise.com/] YOUTUBE CHAPTER MARKERS 00:00 Introduction  02:08 Michelle’s nonprofit background  03:20 A normal pregnancy until everything changed  06:26 Severe preeclampsia diagnosis at 21 weeks  08:50 The financial realities families face  13:31 Delivering Colette at 24 weeks  15:18 Hearing Colette cry for the first time  16:08 Losing Colette after 9 days in the NICU  17:25 Turning grief into purpose  21:23 “Director of Hugs” and family healing  25:47 Why sharing our stories matters  27:12 How the foundation helps families  32:30 Financial crisis and medical trauma  35:59 Pregnancy loss statistics and isolation  37:37 Reproductive healthcare and Roe v. Wade  46:41 How Michelle defines hope  47:52 Where to find the foundation  48:45 The power of storytelling I couldn’t agree more. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you for listening to Hope Comes to Visit. If this conversation helps, follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope today, and leave a review - it helps others find their way to these conversations. New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope. For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com [http://www.danielleelliottsmith.com/] or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv [https://www.instagram.com/daniellesmithtv] and @HopeComestoVisit [https://www.instagram.com/hopecomestovisit]

S2 Ep17 Hope & Healing: Finding Natural Paths to Wellness with Rachel Urton (Ep 60)

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2517457/fan_mail/new] This week on Hope Comes to Visit, I’m joined by Rachel Urton — founder of Balanced Home Apothecary, mom of four, and someone deeply passionate about helping women and families find natural support that actually fits into real life. What started as Rachel making roller balls for friends who felt overwhelmed by the world of DIY wellness eventually became a business rooted in simplicity, care, and hope. In this conversation, we talk about: • the pressure moms carry every day • why so many women put themselves last • chronic pain, nervous system overwhelm, hormones, and exhaustion • creating wellness support that feels accessible instead of intimidating • how small intentional choices can create meaningful change over time We also talk about magnesium, inflammation, fibromyalgia, motherhood, and the emotional reality of trying to care for everyone else while quietly neglecting yourself. More than anything, this episode is a reminder that support does not have to be complicated to matter. Sometimes hope looks like finally finding something that helps. Connect with Rachel: BalancedHomeApothecary.com [https://balancedhomeapothecary.com/] Instagram: @balancedhomeapothecary [https://www.instagram.com/balancedhomeapothecary] Thank you for listening to Hope Comes to Visit. If this conversation helps, follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope today, and leave a review - it helps others find their way to these conversations. New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope. For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com [http://www.danielleelliottsmith.com/] or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv [https://www.instagram.com/daniellesmithtv] and @HopeComestoVisit [https://www.instagram.com/hopecomestovisit]

S2 Ep16 ProjectME: Rebuilding Worth, Wealth, and Hope with Tiffany Carter (Ep 59)

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2517457/fan_mail/new] Content note: This episode includes conversation about childhood trauma, sex trafficking, suicidal ideation, abuse, and recovery. In this powerful episode of Hope Comes to Visit, I'm privileged to sit down with Tiffany Carter — money attachment expert, business mentor, host of the ProjectME with Tiffany Carter podcast, and a multi-millionaire entrepreneur whose story is rooted in survival, healing, and radical self-rescue. Tiffany shares how childhood trauma, people-pleasing, false identity, and self-abandonment shaped her relationship with herself, success, money, and visibility. Together, we talk about what it means to rebuild from the inside out, why self-worth affects what we allow ourselves to receive, and how money can become a mirror for deeper healing. This conversation is about so much more than wealth. It’s about identity, safety, visibility, recovery, resilience, and the brave work of choosing yourself. Tiffany’s words are raw, direct, and deeply hopeful: “There’s always a way. And if you don’t know the way, we can invent the way.” {FREE} Walk into Wealth: Guided Walking Meditation [https://projectmewithtiffany.clickfunnels.com/walkintowealth63275222] Instagram: ProjectMe with Tiffany [http://instagram.com/projectme_with_tiffany] TikTok: ProjectMe with Tiffany [https://www.tiktok.com/@projectme_with_tiffany?_t=8Urp3kzmYr0&_r=1] ProjectME with Tiffany Carter the Podcast [https://www.projectmewithtiffany.com/podcast/] Thank you for listening to Hope Comes to Visit. If this conversation helps, follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope today, and leave a review - it helps others find their way to these conversations. New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope. For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com [http://www.danielleelliottsmith.com/] or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv [https://www.instagram.com/daniellesmithtv] and @HopeComestoVisit [https://www.instagram.com/hopecomestovisit]

S2 EP 15 When Love Has Four Legs: Grief, Connection, and Hope - A Conversation with Jean Alfieri (Ep 58)

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2517457/fan_mail/new] There’s something about the love of a dog that feels both simple and profound. It grounds us, meets us where we are, and reminds us—often in the quietest ways—what connection really looks like. In this episode of Hope Comes to Visit, Danielle sits down with author and speaker Jean Alfieri, whose life and work are rooted in a deep love for dogs—especially those who need it most. From rescue stories to the heartbreak of loss, Jean shares what it means to open your heart again and again, even knowing how the story will end. Together, they explore the grief of losing a beloved pet, the traditions that help us hold onto their memory, and the unexpected ways hope shows up in the middle of heartbreak. This conversation is a gentle reminder that love doesn’t disappear—it shifts, it softens, and it stays with us in ways we can still feel. ✨ In this episode: * Why the bond with a pet can feel so deeply profound  *  The reality of grief—and why it deserves to be honored  *  Simple, meaningful ways to remember and celebrate a pet  *  What dogs teach us about love, presence, and connection  *  Jean’s beautiful definition of hope  Whether you’ve loved and lost a pet, or simply understand the comfort of unconditional love, this episode will meet you with warmth, honesty, and a little light. Connect with Jean on her Website - DogAuthor. [https://dogauthor.com/] Find her most popular book - Does God Have a Dog - here. [https://amzn.to/48RVs88] As well as 21 Ways to Weather the Loss of a Pet: An Idea Guide to Grieving and Healing [https://amzn.to/4ubMFGr] Start looking at her other favorites here [https://amzn.to/4ebEXHv]. Thank you for listening to Hope Comes to Visit. If this conversation helps, follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope today, and leave a review - it helps others find their way to these conversations. New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope. For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com [http://www.danielleelliottsmith.com/] or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv [https://www.instagram.com/daniellesmithtv] and @HopeComestoVisit [https://www.instagram.com/hopecomestovisit]

S2 EP 14 Choosing Yourself: Deborah Santana on Identity, Freedom, and Loving the Fire (Ep 57)

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2517457/fan_mail/new] There are moments in life when choosing yourself can be one of the most courageous things you can do. In this deeply moving episode of Hope Comes to Visit, I was privileged to sit down with Deborah Santana—author, activist, and voice for women’s empowerment—to explore what it means to step out of the shadows and fully into your own life. Through her new memoir Loving the Fire: Choosing Me, Finding Freedom, [https://amzn.to/4vKYFQW] Deborah shares her journey of transformation after decades of partnership, public life, and self-evolution. Together, they talk about identity, grief, growth, and the quiet courage it takes to ask: What is out of alignment—and what am I ready to change? This conversation is for anyone standing at a crossroads, navigating loss, or wondering what it might look like to truly choose themselves. 💙 You’re not alone. I'm so glad you are here. Connect with Deborah Santana on her Website. [https://deborahsantana.com/] Order her book - Loving the Fire: Choosing Me, Finding Freedom [https://amzn.to/4vKYFQW]. IN CASE YOU'D LIKE TO JUMP TO SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS: CHAPTER MARKERS  00:00 — Choosing yourself + episode introduction 01:15 — Deborah Santana’s work and new memoir Loving the Fire 02:00 — Living in someone else’s story vs. becoming yourself 03:00 — Evolution, identity, and stepping out of the shadow 04:45 — Feeling unseen + recognizing your value 05:55 — The decision to leave + choosing yourself 06:25 — Fear, courage, and asking what’s out of alignment 08:45 — “Little deaths” and navigating life transitions 10:30 — Grief, silence, and finding light 11:30 — Activism and the Do a Little Foundation 13:45 — Ancestry, identity, and passing belief to the next generation 17:00 — Raising curious, open-minded children 18:15 — Standing fully on your own + freedom 19:40 — Letting go of the past + living in the present 20:30 — Compassion, judgment, and “being the rainbow” 21:50 — Family, support, and generational impact 22:15 — Defining hope 23:00 — Who this book is for 24:15 — Growth, reflection, and taking ownership of your life 25:10 — “Shed the old, walk through the fire…” 25:30 — What’s next + where to find Deborah 26:30 — Closing Thank you for listening to Hope Comes to Visit. If this conversation helps, follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope today, and leave a review - it helps others find their way to these conversations. New episodes drop every Monday, so you can begin your week with a little light and a lot of hope. For more stories, reflections, and ways to connect, visit www.DanielleElliottSmith.com [http://www.danielleelliottsmith.com/] or follow along on Instagram @daniellesmithtv [https://www.instagram.com/daniellesmithtv] and @HopeComestoVisit [https://www.instagram.com/hopecomestovisit]