Female Voices: Life and Loss

📢  What happens when a child raised in chaos grows into a woman who leads with purpose, love, and vision? In this gripping and soul-stirring episode of Female Voices: Life and Loss , we welcome Newoka LaShelle an advocate, author, speaker, and Executive Director of Senior Services of Eastern Missouri, LLC . From surviving childhood abuse, rape, and homelessness, to founding her own non-medical in...

📢  What happens when a mother loses her only child and discovers that love, connection, and even communication don't end with death? In this week’s deeply powerful episode of Female Voices, Life and Loss , Teresa Reiniger sits down with Tara Blevins a bereaved mother navigating life after the devastating loss of her son, Keith. Through raw emotion and radiant strength, Tara opens up about the...

📢 When a child dies, two hearts break and they don’t have to break apart. In this deeply moving episode of Female Voices: Life & Loss , Teresa Reiniger sits down with LaWayna and Josh Berry, devoted parents who open their hearts about the devastating loss of their three-year-old son, Joshie. With grace, honesty, and deep vulnerability, they share how grief has reshaped their relationship, the...

📢 What happens when the weight of survival becomes too much to bear? Join LaWayna Berry and Teresa Reiniger as they unpack Tyler Perry’s emotionally raw film Straw . It’s a story of a mother's silent suffering, survival in the face of crushing sacrifice, and the last straw that breaks her. This episode is a journey through heartbreaking scenes, systemic injustice, and hopeful redemption in the mo...

📢 Even if the sky is clear, your heart may still feel stormy. In this raw and reflective episode of Female Voices: Life & Loss , co-hosts Teresa Reiniger and LaWayna Berry open their hearts to discuss the emotional aftermath of the recent St. Louis tornado. This is more than a conversation about physical destruction, it’s about the invisible wounds that natural disasters leave behind. Togethe...

📢 He carried more than his uniform, he carried the weight of loss, love, and unspoken grief. In this deeply moving episode of Female Voices: Life & Loss , Teresa Reiniger and LaWayna Berry welcome back Papi (Nathaniel Hill) devoted husband, grandfather, U.S. veteran to share his profound journey through military trauma , unresolved grief from his father's death, and the healing power of f...

📢 Today we honor the men who shaped us—not just our dads, but every man who showed up with love, protection, and presence. In this episode of Female Voices: Life & Loss , hosts LaWayna Berry and Teresa Reiniger explore the deeply personal and often complex emotions surrounding Father’s Day . Through raw, honest reflection, they share how fathers, stepfathers, godfathers, and male mentors have...

📢 Have you noticed the silent grief men carry and wondered how to stand beside them in their pain? In this powerful episode of Female Voices: Life and Loss , co-hosts LaWayna Berry and Teresa Reiniger welcome Derrick Howell, LCSW and former NASW Missouri chapter president, to explore the often-overlooked landscape of men’s grief, particularly among fathers and young male athletes. Derrick shares...

📢  What happens when a father leaves—and no onetalks about it? In this episode, Teresa Reiniger sits down with Laura McCoy, founder of the nonprofit Daddy Don’t Go , to discuss the often-overlooked crisis of fatherlessness and its lifelong impact on children, families, and communities. Drawing from her own experience as a daughter of divorce , Laura shares the emotional truth behind her mission t...

📢 What does motherhood really look like? In this raw and deeply moving episode, co-hosts Teresa Reiniger and Wayna Berry dive into the many faces of motherhood, biological, chosen, lost, and rediscovered. From childhood memories and strong matriarchs to infertility, pregnancy loss, and parenting through grief, they explore how motherhood is shaped by love, loss, and resilience. This episode honor...

📢 What if your greatest losses became the turning point to discovering your true purpose? In this episode, Teresa sits down with Ragan Andrew , Certified Travel Professional, grief advocate, and passionate connector of people. Her story weaves through profound loss, losing her only sibling, experiencing divorce, and job loss and the unexpected healing she found by embracing change. Ragan shares h...

📢 Grief is never just one thing …it’s layered, raw, and deeply personal. In this powerful episode of Female Voices: Life and Loss , hosts Teresa sits down with Lindsey Silko—combat veteran, EMDR-trained therapist, and mother of three living children who has journeyed through nine pregnancies and six heartbreaking losses . Lindsey’s story is one of resilience forged through profound grief, faith,...

📢 What if healing, leadership, and creativity could all sit at the same table, covered in yarn and compassion? In this powerful and heart-opening episode of Female Voices, Life and Loss , hosts Teresa and LaWayna sit down with Heather Swan a former corporate executive turned community builder, yarn shop owner, and festival creator. Heather’s journey weaves together decades of leadership in youth...

📢 "Grief isn’t something you outrun — it’s something you learn to carry." In this week’s episode, Falisha Hoffman shares her powerful journey through grief after the loss of her son, Jackson, a child with special needs who taught her the meaning of unconditional love and resilience. Falisha opens up about the layered heartbreak of navigating child loss and betrayal, and what it’s taken...

📢  When life asks you to carry so much, how do you remember to carry yourself too? In this heartfelt episode of Female Voices: Life and Loss , LaWayna Berry and Teresa Reiniger dive into the multi-layered world of holistic self-care , weaving together laughter, wisdom, and tender reflections. With honesty and vulnerability, they explore how different forms of self-care physical, emotional, mental...

📢 “Ever feel like you’re running on empty yet can’t stop moving?” In this episode of Female Voices: Life and Loss , host Teresa Reiniger sits down with holistic healing and rest specialist Keri Lemmons to explore the deep connections between grief, healing, and the transformative power of rest. Together, they dive into Keri’s personal journey through chronic fatigue and how unprocessed loss and s...

📢  What if the first step to healing wasn’t doing more—instead about being more present with yourself? Grief can place us on autopilot, pulling us away from who we truly are. In this heartfelt episode, Teresa sits down with returning guest Candace Kluba —mother, educator, and mentor—who vulnerably shares her transformative journey through personal loss, disconnection, and ultimately, healing. Aft...

📢 What happens when grief stacks upon grief, and you're the one everyone turns to for strength? In this deeply moving episode, Teresa sit down with Laverne and Nate Hill—beloved grandparents of Joshie, and parents to LaWayna—to explore their journey through overwhelming grief, family resilience, and the silent burden of always being “the strong one.” From losing nine loved ones in a single ye...

📢 Love isn't static; it's a journey that transforms with time." In this week’s episode, Teresa and LaWayna dive deep into the evolving journey of love and marriage, sharing personal insights from two very different stages—Teresa celebrating 46 years with her husband, and LaWayna navigating year 9 of her own marriage. Together, they explore how relationships transform over time, from...

✨ Whether you’re a business owner, a mother, or someone looking to reclaim your personal power—this episode will leave you inspired to take action. 🔗 Listen now and start prioritizing YOU! In this episode, Teresa sits down with Kimberly Beckley , owner of Simplifying Beauty Salon and founder of the new Simplifying Beauty Academy . More than a beauty industry leader, Kimberly is on a mission to h...

What happens when you leave behind a 30-year corporate career to chase your passion? In this inspiring episode, Teresa Reiniger sits down with Rhonda Travers, a former corporate leader turned entrepreneur, to explore breaking barriers, redefining success, and overcoming self doubt. Rhonda shares her deeply personal journey of stepping outside her comfort zone , facing fear head-on, and navigating...

"What feels like an ending can actually be the mostbeautiful beginning." In this week’s episode, Wayna sits down with Carol Fletcher. Carol is a woman of faith, resilience, and empowerment. As a wife, mother of five in a blended family, and entrepreneur , she has embraced both the beauty and challenges of transformation. With a background in advertising at iHeart Media , she now serves a...

Grief changes everything—including how we care for ourselves. Why do so many women struggle to prioritize themselves in grief? How can small acts of self-care become a path toward healing? In this deeply personal episode, Wayna shares her experience of navigating life after the loss of her son, while Teresa reflects on the emotional weight of losing her mother. Together, they explore the complex r...

Grief doesn’t just happen to us—it transforms us. Grief is messy. It’s complicated. And sometimes, it takes us years to realize how deeply it has shaped us. In this powerful episode of Female Voices: Life & Loss, Wayna Berry sits down with Mimsy Hebron —an author, speaker, artist, and ordained minister—to explore the unexpected ways grief reshapes our lives. Mimsy shares her deeply personal jo...

Grief doesn’t have a timeline—especially when justice remains unresolved. In this powerful continuation of last week’s conversation, Teresa Reiniger sits down with Julie Swaney, who shares the deeply personal journey of losing her sister, Betsy, in a sudden and tragic way. Grief is already complex , and when combined with an ongoing legal battle, media attention, and the responsibility of stepping...