I’ll Start

Season 2 Wrap-Up

In this episode of I’ll Start, we pause to reflect on the stories that shaped Season 2 and the ways they stayed with us long after the recording stopped. Rather than revisiting highlights, this episode invites listeners into a slower, more intentional look at what these stories asked of us as hosts and listeners. Together, we reflect on themes of trauma, memory, loss, and unresolved pain, and explore why so many of this season’s stories didn’t end with clarity or closure. Through clinical insight, theological reflection, and behind-the-scenes perspective, we talk about the cost of listening well, the urge to fix or explain, and the quiet courage it takes to stay present when meaning doesn’t arrive right away. We also reflect on the biblical idea of Manasseh, remembering without the sting, and how healing often involves being able to tell the story without reliving it. This episode offers space to slow down, honor what remains unfinished, and consider how listening itself can be a form of care. As always, we hold these stories with care and respect, inviting listeners to reflect on their own experiences of memory, healing, and hope. Listener Reflection Questions: * What story from this season is still staying with you, and why might that be? * Where in your own life might you need more time before meaning or clarity arrives? Gentle Note to Listeners: This episode includes discussion of trauma, emotional pain, loss, and mental health struggles. Please listen at your own pace and take care of yourself as needed. 💬 Let’s keep the conversation going! Follow @illstartpodcast on Instagram and Facebook for behind-the-scenes moments, listener reflections, and episode updates. Together, we share, listen, and connect. X: @illstartpodcast Instagram: @illstartpodcast Facebook: I’ll Start Tag us and share your thoughts using #IllStartPodcast One of the most difficult parts of mental health struggle is feeling alone. Shame, fear, and stigma keep us isolated and reinforce the belief I am the only one  who struggles with mental health. When someone shares their struggle with us, suddenly we have hope. Even when pain is present, there is something so healing about being in community. How do we build a community in the middle of our struggle?  Someone needs to start the conversation.  Most of the time we are hoping someone else will be the one to do it. What if we stopped waiting on others and told our story. What if we said, “I’ll start.” “I’ll Start” is a podcast where individuals bravely share their stories, listen with compassion, and connect through their faith and mental health experiences. Each episode of “I’ll Start” highlights a personal story of mental health challenge, endurance, and hope. At the end of each episode, you will receive mental health tools and theological truth from our Co-hosts, Morgan Arseneau and Heather Kaloupek.  If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, call 9-8-8 to speak to a professional 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You are not alone.

Michelle's Story

In this episode of I’ll Start, Michelle shares what it’s like to be changed by bearing witness to suffering, and to carry that impact home in ways that don’t neatly resolve. Through multiple trips serving Ukrainian refugees, she reflects on the cumulative weight of what she’s seen, the loneliness of returning without shared language for the experience, and the tension of still feeling called to keep showing up. In the post-story conversation, Heather and Morgan explore the mental health impact of repeated exposure to trauma, why coming home can feel harder than being in the middle of the work, and how faith can hold space for tension without rushing toward answers. Key Takeaways * Bearing witness to suffering can change us in lasting ways, even when we feel called to keep showing up * Repeated exposure to others’ trauma requires unique self-care Coming home after intense experiences can feel isolating when others don’t share the same language or context * Faith doesn’t always provide perfect answers, but it can hold space for tension, trust, and continued peace * Healing often includes being seen and understood, not rushed toward resolution This episode invites listeners to slow down, listen gently, and honor stories that stay with us. 💬 Let’s keep the conversation going! Follow @illstartpodcast on Instagram and Facebook for behind-the-scenes moments, listener reflections, and episode updates. Together, we share, listen, and connect. X: @illstartpodcast Instagram: @illstartpodcast Facebook: I’ll Start Tag us and share your thoughts using #IllStartPodcast One of the most difficult parts of mental health struggle is feeling alone. Shame, fear, and stigma keep us isolated and reinforce the belief I am the only one  who struggles with mental health. When someone shares their struggle with us, suddenly we have hope. Even when pain is present, there is something so healing about being in community. How do we build a community in the middle of our struggle?  Someone needs to start the conversation.  Most of the time we are hoping someone else will be the one to do it. What if we stopped waiting on others and told our story. What if we said, “I’ll start.” “I’ll Start” is a podcast where individuals bravely share their stories, listen with compassion, and connect through their faith and mental health experiences. Each episode of “I’ll Start” highlights a personal story of mental health challenge, endurance, and hope. At the end of each episode, you will receive mental health tools and theological truth from our Co-hosts, Morgan Arseneau and Heather Kaloupek.  If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, call 9-8-8 to speak to a professional 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You are not alone.

Daniel's Story

In this episode of I’ll Start, Daniel shares his story of growing up under the weight of comparison and the deep fear of never being “enough.” From early academic struggles to internalized shame, Daniel opens up about how those beliefs followed him into adulthood and shaped his relationships, self-worth, and sense of identity. With honesty and courage, Daniel reflects on what it cost him to stay silent and what it took to finally speak. This conversation explores rejection sensitivity, comparison, trauma’s long echo, and the quiet bravery it takes to let yourself be seen. As always, we hold Daniel’s story with care and respect, offering space for listeners to reflect on their own experiences of fear, belonging, and healing. Listener Reflection Questions: • What story have you been telling yourself about your worth? • Is it possible that the struggle you’re facing isn’t a personal flaw, but a signal? Gentle Note to Listeners: This episode contains discussion of emotional pain, shame, and dark thoughts. Please listen at your own pace and take care of yourself as needed. 💬 Let’s keep the conversation going! Follow @illstartpodcast on Instagram and Facebook for behind-the-scenes moments, listener reflections, and episode updates. Together, we share, listen, and connect. X: @illstartpodcast Instagram: @illstartpodcast Facebook: I’ll Start Tag us and share your thoughts using #IllStartPodcast One of the most difficult parts of mental health struggle is feeling alone. Shame, fear, and stigma keep us isolated and reinforce the belief I am the only one  who struggles with mental health. When someone shares their struggle with us, suddenly we have hope. Even when pain is present, there is something so healing about being in community. How do we build a community in the middle of our struggle?  Someone needs to start the conversation.  Most of the time we are hoping someone else will be the one to do it. What if we stopped waiting on others and told our story. What if we said, “I’ll start.” “I’ll Start” is a podcast where individuals bravely share their stories, listen with compassion, and connect through their faith and mental health experiences. Each episode of “I’ll Start” highlights a personal story of mental health challenge, endurance, and hope. At the end of each episode, you will receive mental health tools and theological truth from our Co-hosts, Morgan Arseneau and Heather Kaloupek.  If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, call 9-8-8 to speak to a professional 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You are not alone.

January 6 - We're Back!

💬 Let’s keep the conversation going! Follow @illstartpodcast on Instagram and Facebook for behind-the-scenes moments, listener reflections, and episode updates. Together, we share, listen, and connect. X: @illstartpodcast Instagram: @illstartpodcast Facebook: I’ll Start Tag us and share your thoughts using #IllStartPodcast One of the most difficult parts of mental health struggle is feeling alone. Shame, fear, and stigma keep us isolated and reinforce the belief I am the only one  who struggles with mental health. When someone shares their struggle with us, suddenly we have hope. Even when pain is present, there is something so healing about being in community. How do we build a community in the middle of our struggle?  Someone needs to start the conversation.  Most of the time we are hoping someone else will be the one to do it. What if we stopped waiting on others and told our story. What if we said, “I’ll start.” “I’ll Start” is a podcast where individuals bravely share their stories, listen with compassion, and connect through their faith and mental health experiences. Each episode of “I’ll Start” highlights a personal story of mental health challenge, endurance, and hope. At the end of each episode, you will receive mental health tools and theological truth from our Co-hosts, Morgan Arseneau and Heather Kaloupek.  If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, call 9-8-8 to speak to a professional 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You are not alone.

Special Episode - When Thoughts Get Dark

In this special I'll Start episode, Heather, Morgan, and Fred address a topic that has surfaced across multiple stories this season: suicidal thoughts, stigma, and the myths that keep people suffering in silence. With clinical insight, biblical context, and compassionate honesty, this conversation is designed to support both those who have struggled with these thoughts and those who love someone who has. We name common myths, clarify when to seek urgent help, and remind listeners that their life has value, even when the pain feels unbearable. This episode is educational, pastoral, and grounded in care. You are not alone. What We Cover in This Episode     •    Why suicidal thoughts are more common than people realize     •    How suicidal thinking often signals overwhelm, entrapment, or hopelessness, not a desire to die     •    The difference between self-harm and suicidal intent     •    When and how to escalate concerns for safety     •    Why keeping “dangerous secrets” isn’t loving or faithful     •    Myth-busting harmful beliefs, including:     ◦    “Talking about it puts the idea in someone’s head”     ◦    “Suicide is the unforgivable sin”     •    How Scripture reflects the honesty of human despair without condemnation     •    How to support someone who is struggling     •    Where to find immediate help and resources Myth-Busting & Biblical Context Several biblical figures openly expressed despair, exhaustion, and a desire for life to end. Scripture does not hide these moments, and God does not meet them with condemnation. Examples referenced in the episode:     •    Elijah: “He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life.’” 1 Kings 19:4 (NIV)     •    Moses: “I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me.” Numbers 11:14–15 (NIV)     •    Jonah: “Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Jonah 4:3 (NIV)     •    Job: Job curses the day of his birth and gives voice to profound suffering and despair. Job 3     •    Jeremiah: “Why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow and to end my days in shame?” Jeremiah 20:18 (see also Jeremiah 15)     •    David: Several psalms end in darkness and unresolved pain, reminding us that faith and despair often coexist. The “Unforgivable Sin” (Clarified) When Jesus speaks about the “unforgivable sin,” He is addressing religious leaders who were knowingly and deliberately rejecting the work of the Holy Spirit, not people in emotional pain or crisis.     •    Matthew 12:31 (NIV) “And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” Key takeaway: The “unforgivable sin” is about a hardened heart, not a hurting one. Only God knows the heart, and it is not our role to judge. Additional Resource Mentioned * Video resource: https://www.youtube.com/live/uSeuzZZE3f0 [https://www.youtube.com/live/uSeuzZZE3f0] * Self harm: https://mhanational.org/conditions/self-injury-cutting-self-harm-or-self-mutilation/ [https://mhanational.org/conditions/self-injury-cutting-self-harm-or-self-mutilation/] * Suicide prevention: https://mentalhealthfirstaid.org/news/suicide-is-preventable-how-to-help-with-mental-health-first-aid/ [https://mentalhealthfirstaid.org/news/suicide-is-preventable-how-to-help-with-mental-health-first-aid/] We’ll be taking a brief holiday break and will return January 6 with another brave story and thoughtful discussion. Have a safe, restful, and hope-filled holiday season. Your story matters. Your life matters. And we’re walking with you. 💬 Let’s keep the conversation going! Follow @illstartpodcast on Instagram and Facebook for behind-the-scenes moments, listener reflections, and episode updates. Together, we share, listen, and connect. X: @illstartpodcast Instagram: @illstartpodcast Facebook: I’ll Start Tag us and share your thoughts using #IllStartPodcast One of the most difficult parts of mental health struggle is feeling alone. Shame, fear, and stigma keep us isolated and reinforce the belief I am the only one  who struggles with mental health. When someone shares their struggle with us, suddenly we have hope. Even when pain is present, there is something so healing about being in community. How do we build a community in the middle of our struggle?  Someone needs to start the conversation.  Most of the time we are hoping someone else will be the one to do it. What if we stopped waiting on others and told our story. What if we said, “I’ll start.” “I’ll Start” is a podcast where individuals bravely share their stories, listen with compassion, and connect through their faith and mental health experiences. Each episode of “I’ll Start” highlights a personal story of mental health challenge, endurance, and hope. At the end of each episode, you will receive mental health tools and theological truth from our Co-hosts, Morgan Arseneau and Heather Kaloupek.  If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, call 9-8-8 to speak to a professional 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You are not alone.