Last Day

Four years ago, Brooke had the best day of her life — then two months later, she had the worst. The whiplash from the bliss of her wedding day to the reality of mourning rocked Brooke to her core. She sits down with Stephanie to recount the beauty that she experienced before the loss that she suffered, and how she’s tried to let the two exist side by side in the years that have followed. This seri...

Stefanie Wilder-Taylor was a cool mom who loved wine. As an author and blogger, she made a name for herself championing mom’s right to booze. What better way to unwind during naptime than with a drink? But despite her jokes, she could never quite quell the nagging internal voice that maybe she was drinking too much. After nearly 30 years of shoving that voice way down, Stefanie crosses an unthinka...

After a trip to Disney World took an unexpected turn, Tamara’s world fell apart at the so-called “happiest place on earth.” At nearly 60 years old, Tamara suddenly found herself a mother all over again: this time, raising her six-year-old grandson. Tamara shares how addiction and loss brought her to this place, and how re-learning the act of parenting has been nothing at all like she expected — an...

Jose Lorenzo grew up behind bars, after being pulled into the criminal justice system as a child. When he re-emerged in the outside world, he longed for the stability that comes with having your own four walls. Now a case manager fighting for housing access, Jose is making his voice heard in his community and all the way to the White House. He joins Stephanie to talk about how he made it through a...

This week, we’re sharing one of our favorite episodes from this past year. The story focuses on a profound loss that our guest Kate experienced right in the throes of Christmas, but it’s also about how, years later, her family has created a whole new way of relating to grief, memory, and joy. Turns out, we could all use some of that during the holiday season. Follow Stephanie on Instagram at @witt...

Growing up, Lina Martinez treasured holidays spent with her family. She remembers the food, the ornaments, the dancing, and — above all – her dad, who made everything warmer and brighter. Year round, her dad Luis was her person, her best friend. But when Luis fell ill shortly before Christmas, Lina could already tell her holidays were going to look different from then on. Lina shares with Stephani...

Amy Schneider has always been smart, but she hasn’t always felt like it. It wasn’t until her 30s that it became clear just how many ways of thinking exist. With this new perspective, she saw her identity and abilities in a new light and, famously, went on to shatter records on the quiz show Jeopardy!. Amy and Stephanie talk about how the more you know, the more you realize you don’t know, the fate...

Jen Varner grew up swearing she’d never end up like her parents, whose struggles with addiction led to her neglect. But right before her eyes, Jen’s own relationship with alcohol began to escalate. She spent years drinking in secret, hiding her addiction from her friends and even the person she loved the most. Jen shares with Stephanie her journey of running from the shadow of her parents, until s...

Carrie and Joe were college sweethearts who made a picture-perfect family. They worked and saved to pay for their kids’ sports, vacations, and everything in between. Then, after over a decade of marriage, Carrie stumbled upon the secret that compromised everything they built. Carrie shares with Stephanie how her husband’s betrayal left her with absolutely nothing – not a roof over her head, or ans...

Carmen Rita Wong always had a big family, but she never thought it was the kind to have big secrets. Yet by adulthood, multiple bombshells would drop and transform her entire understanding of her parents, her origins, and her identity. Carmen takes Stephanie on this wild ride of genealogy, earth-shattering discoveries, and what it ultimately means to her now, as a parent, to know just how much her...

In this special episode, Lemonada co-founder Stephanie Wittels Wachs sits down with the leaders of the Coalition to Advance Public Safety (CAPS), an organization working to intercept and prevent violence in communities across the U.S. The coalition’s work builds on years of knowledge of public health and the particular needs of different locales, as well as the lived experience of community member...

For most of her life, Jen Curran liked to take it easy. She loved sketch comedy, riding in her red convertible, and dropping by JCPenney to check out the sales. But her easy-breezy lifestyle was shattered overnight for reasons she never saw coming: just months after giving birth, Jen found out she might die. Jen walks Stephanie through her winding medical journey, filled with secretive doctors and...

When Leticia Ochoa Adams lost her son Anthony to suicide, it made her rethink everything — from her previously unshakeable faith to the very place she called home. With a Texas-sized heart and a heaping dose of dark humor, Leticia recounts her path from teen mom to grieving parent, and all the moments she shared with Anthony along the way. She opens up to Stephanie about how her views have changed...

Courtney embraces the mess. She records chaotic workout videos from home, where she’s currently raising three kids as a single mom. So why should her sobriety journey be any different? As Courtney has recently realized, her recovery from alcohol — which she began six years ago — will never really be over. Courtney talks with Stephanie about approaching recovery as something non-linear and lifelong...

Geena Rocero has yet to meet a stage she doesn’t like. As the reigning trans beauty queen in the Philippines, she was adored and envied with equal passion – all while being out and proud. But when she moved to America and became a model, she went back in the closet to protect her livelihood, at least until the secrecy began to do more harm than it was worth. Geena tells Stephanie how she was final...

Since losing her limbs, Chandra has had to relearn everything. After a medical emergency caused multi-organ failure, Chandra received several life-saving — and life-altering — amputations. The world beyond her hospital bed was suddenly and completely different, full of challenges she’d never known. Chandra shares with Stephanie just how much her faith has helped her see purpose in her pain, and, t...

When Carolina discovered all of the things her teenage daughter had been hiding from her, it set off a chain of events that threatened to dissolve their relationship completely — or worse. Today, Stephanie sits down with both generations to hear the full story. Carolina was a straight-A student who got pregnant at 14. Her daughter Arely faced bullying and abuse in silence, feeling like there was n...

Author and motivational speaker Alexis Jones lived her life on the road. Year after year, she kept up a relentless touring schedule, propelling her to new heights alongside icons like Glennon Doyle and Oprah. But behind closed doors, Alexis was falling apart. Chronic pain, a maddening fertility journey, and some earth-shattering revelations about her family’s past all threatened to derail her. But...

If comedian Tig Notaro hadn’t had cancer, her life might’ve actually been worse. In those sobering moments post-diagnosis, she got up on stage and told a room of people all about it. “The crowd went wild” is an understatement and was only a taste of what was to come. Years after a recording of that standup set went viral and launched her into the cultural mainstream, Tig sits down with Stephanie t...

You might know Elyse Myers from her viral video about buying 100 tacos on a first date. That TikTok led to a Cinderella story of overnight fame, where she quickly became a household name. But the taco tale is only the tip of the iceberg. Elyse gives Stephanie the never-before-seen look at her path to becoming who she is today — from moving overseas to leaving a church that didn’t practice what it...

When Colin Campbell regained consciousness, seeing only the billowy white of an airbag in front of him, he had no idea what had just happened. A moment ago, his two teenagers were happily texting each other in the backseat — and now they were lying motionless in the wreckage. Colin joins Stephanie to share what it took for him to find the words to talk about this unimaginable loss and how to help...

For Melissa Urban, the wellness icon behind Whole30, setting boundaries is the name of the game. But she wasn’t always like this. To cope with buried trauma from her teen years, she began using drugs to escape. And at quick-sand speed, it became a full-blown addiction that she had to feed at every turn. Melissa recounts the slivers of opportunity that helped her find her way to recovery. By creati...

Life is random, nothing happens for a reason, and the universe does not have a plan. That’s at least what Maya Shankar believes. And so does Stephanie, our intrepid host. But both have figured out how to pivot in the face of life’s worst twists and turns. Maya and Stephanie bond hard and fast over their similarities, since there’s nothing quite like learning someone else is kinda sorta exactly lik...

Finding the thing you’re exceptionally good at — where you love doing it and others recognize your talent — is a pivotal moment in a young person’s life. When Winn discovered he excelled in the world of competitive rowing, it quickly consumed his life. So did the searing, chronic pain that came with it. Winn talks with Stephanie about the culture of collegiate sports that normalized injury, the cl...

Vinnie grew up in a strict, insular environment that instilled a simple message in him from a young age: who you are is fundamentally wrong. After spending years praying to God to fix him, he finally hit his breaking point. Vinnie talks to Steph about the joys and struggles of coming out in his mid 30s and extricating himself from the Evangelical church. To support Vinnie’s work, check out his web...