One Mother's Journey: Navigating Grief from Childhood to Adulthood (Part 1)

In this heartfelt conversation, Linda Falasco sits down with Ann Sardella to explore the profound journey of grief, loss, and healing. Ann shares her deeply personal experiences with multiple losses, starting at the age of 7, and the heartbreaking loss of her son Joey to a fentanyl overdose. She reflects on how her life has been shaped by grief and how loss became a central part of her story. The discussion highlights the impact of addiction on families, the importance of sharing grief openly, and the resilience needed to face unimaginable pain. Through their dialogue, Linda and Ann emphasize the significance of support, understanding, and finding hope even in the darkest times.

Key Takeaways:

• Grief is a unique, personal journey for everyone.

• Sharing experiences of loss is a crucial part of healing.

• Addiction affects not only the individual but the entire family.

• Recognizing and honoring the lives of those we’ve lost is important.

• Accumulated loss can shape how we grieve future losses.

• Family support is vital in navigating grief and recovery.

• Reducing stigma around addiction is key to understanding its impact.

• Joy and happiness are still possible amid grief.

• Positive thinking can help manage anxiety around loss.

• Healing is an ongoing process that requires patience and understanding.

Chapters:

00:00 The Journey of Loss and Grief

01:56 Understanding Early Losses

06:09 Navigating the Loss as a Child

11:52 The Impact of Addiction on Family

18:02 The Struggles of Recovery

23:49 Finding Hope and Resilience

30:04 The Role of Family in Healing

Connect with Ann on Facebook: @https://www.facebook.com/ann.sardella

CONNECT WITH LINDA:

⁠https://linktr.ee/lindafalascolcsw⁠

Facebook:⁠ ⁠⁠@lindafalascolcsw ⁠

Instagram: ⁠@lindafalascolcsw⁠ 

TikTok: ⁠@lindafalascolcsw⁠

YouTube: ⁠@lindafalascolcsw ⁠

*** Looking for additional support be sure to sign up for the Mending Piece by Piece Newsletter at: ⁠lindafalascolcsw.com/signup⁠ 

Additional Resources:

Mending Piece By Piece After A Suicide Loss: Guided Grief Workbook & Journal to Heal the Survivor's Heart

Amazon: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGNKNZTQ⁠

Barnes & Noble: ⁠https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mending-piece-by-piece-after-a-suicide-loss-lcsw-licsw-linda-falasco/1142554837?ean=9798823127516⁠

Mending Piece By Piece: A Workbook & Journal for Navigating Grief with Hope

Amazon: ⁠https://a.co/d/bNI8V3I⁠

Barnes & Noble: ⁠https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mending-piece-by-piece-lcsw-licsw-linda-falasco/1145157190?ean=9798989510405

Linda Falasco understands the importance of community when navigating loss. For nearly 30 years, she has dedicated herself to forming spaces where loss survivors can find support and strength—just like the Mending Piece by Piece (MPBP) Community. MPBP is designed to be a safe, compassionate place where people can share their grief journeys with others who truly understand. By erasing the stigmas around loss, and acknowledging the variety of feelings and challenges that come with it, MPBP is creating a supportive, global network.

If you find value in our podcast, we would love your support. Your generous contributions through Buy Me a Coffee help us continue building this community and producing conversations that shine a light on grief in all its forms. Every cup of coffee and kind word helps us continue this important work. Thank you for helping us make this possible!

https://buymeacoffee.com/lindafalascolcsw