In this episode of The Empty Arms Podcast, I sit down with Emily Souder, LCSW-C, PMH-C and Mahaley Patel, LMFT, PMH-C, co-creators of Your NICU Story, a powerful journal to help families process their NICU stay. Together, we explore the power of storytelling in grief, the importance of naming experiences that often feel unspeakable, and how words can become a lifeline for families navigating loss.

Mahaley shares the story of her daughter, who died in the NICU, and the profound heartbreak of loving a child in a space filled with machines, uncertainty, hope, and fear. We talk about what it means to parent in the NICU, to grieve within it, and to carry that experience long after leaving its walls.

We are also incredibly lucky to have Emily's perspective. She is certified in Perinatal Mental Health and brings to the conversation a wealth of theraputic knowledge. Her professional insight on grief adds depth and understanding to the conversation, helping guide listeners through the emotional terrain of NICU loss and remembrance.

Additionally, we dive into Emily's book, Birth Story Held for Loss, discussing how writing can provide a path toward healing and the importance of honoring every story, no matter how painful.

This episode holds space for NICU parents, loss parents, and anyone who has been changed by a beginning that didn't go as planned, offering compassion, understanding, and the reminder that every story matters.

You can find the books here!

Your NICU Story: Reflecting on Your Family's Experience: Patel, Mahaley H., Souder, Emily E.: 9781734630930: Amazon.com: Books

Birth Story Held for Loss: A Guide for Reflecting on Your Fertility Experience, Miscarriage, Abortion, TFMR, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss: Souder, Emily, Brandon, Jodi: 9781734630923: Amazon.com: Books

After loss, joy can feel impossibly far away. But what if rediscovering joy isn't about moving on but about carrying love forward? In this episode, I sit down with Hannah Joy, a mother who has learned that the intentional search for joy can be one of the most powerful ways to honor her daughter's legacy.

Hannah shares her journey through grief and the turning point when she realized she didn't want her daughter's life to be remembered only through sadness. With honesty and grace, she offers practical advice on how to begin picking up the pieces after loss, how time and perspective gently shift the heart, and how joy — even the smallest glimmers — can become a sacred act of remembrance.

This conversation is a reminder that joy and grief can coexist and that finding joy again is not forgetting, but remembering with love.

This Episode is sponsored by Mama Media.

On this episode of The Empty Arms Podcast, Hailey shares her heartbreaking and deeply honest journey of loss, longing, and love. After years of trying to have a baby and multiple rounds of IVF, Hailey finally became pregnant with her daughter, Isla. At 26 weeks, she tragically lost her. The grief was overwhelming, compounded by previous losses, and left her living in a world without children, a place filled with invisible motherhood and quiet longing.

Through her pain, Hailey has created Isla's Embrace, a project dedicated to meeting other loss families where they are, helping them feel seen, supported, and less alone. Her story is raw, heart-wrenching, and full of love for families who haven't yet received their rainbow. Hailey's honesty is a vital reminder that not every mother gets her rainbow, and some carry this grief forever. But even in that sorrow, connection and meaning can grow.

This episode is brought to you by Black Bear Cinemas.

In this episode, I sit down with Stacey — a woman who is no stranger to grief and has turned her own pain into purpose. Through her healing journey, Stacey discovered the incredible comfort and connection that therapy dogs can bring. She's since built a powerful therapy dog program through her local hospital, creating moments of joy, peace, and healing for patients, families, and staff alike.

Together, Stacey and her loyal therapy dog partner, Koda, are spreading love and light in the most beautiful ways. We talk about how animals have a remarkable ability to connect with people on a soul-deep level, often offering support without a single word. Their story is one of resilience, hope, and the gentle power of four paws and a compassionate heart.

This episode is sponosored by Harbor of Hope Counseling, owned and operated by Nathaniel W. Lutz, LCPC.

In this deeply moving episode, I am joined by five brave women who share their stories of ectopic pregnancy loss -- a type of loss that is not only emotionally devastating, but physically life threatening. These women open up about the intense physical pain, the medical emergencies, the surgeries, and the heartbreaking aftermath that followed.

For some, it was their first loss. For others, it was one of many hurdles in a long fertility journey. Each voice adds power to a conversation that is all too often left in the dark. Together, we shine a light on what it means to grieve a pregnancy that never had a chance to grow, and the toll it takes to survive it.

Whether you've experienced this kind of loss yourself, or love someone who has walked this type of pregnancy loss, this episode offers understanding, solidarity, and truth.

A special thank you to Meagan, Laurie, Misha, Alicia & Katie.

This episode is sponsored by Pierce Photo & Studio.

In this powerful and deeply honest episode, I'm joined by five incredibly brave women who have all experienced early pregnancy loss. Together, we sit in the heaviness, the honesty, and the silence that so often surrounds early miscarriage — a type of loss that is common, yet still so misunderstood and rarely spoken about.

Each woman brings her unique story — the moment everything changed, the physical toll their bodies endured, the emotional rollercoaster, and the isolation that often follows. We talk about the grief that shows up in unexpected ways, the anger, the guilt, and the question so many parents of early loss ask: "Was it enough to matter?"

This episode is not easy. But it is necessary.

If you've experienced early miscarriage, or love someone who has, this conversation is a reminder that you are not alone — and that your grief is valid, no matter how early your loss occurred.

Listen with your heart open. Share with someone who needs it.

A special thanks to Corinne, Kristy, Ashley, Sarah & Bethany.

This episode is in loving memory of Cooper Anthony Black; deeply loved, forever missed.

This week, I'm joined by Janel St. Peter—an incredible woman whose story is as heartbreaking as it is powerful. Janel opens up about her long and emotional journey through PCOS, ectopic pregnancies, and failed rounds of IVF. With raw honesty, she shares the grief, frustration, and isolation that can come with trying to conceive in a body that doesn't follow the rules.

But Janel's story doesn't end with loss—it grows into advocacy. Fueled by her own experiences, she has become a fierce voice for women's reproductive rights and the right to be heard, supported, and believed.

If you've ever felt alone in your fertility struggles, or if you care about the future of reproductive healthcare, this conversation will move you, validate you, and maybe even light a fire in you.

This episode is sponosred by Downtown Charcuterie.

Mother's Day is a beautiful celebration — but for many, it's also a day heavy with grief. In this special episode, we hold space for loss moms who carry motherhood in their hearts rather than their arms. These brave mothers read letters written to their babies who have died — letters full of love, longing, and the kind of strength that only comes from living with unimaginable loss. This episode is a tribute to the babies who are forever missed, and to the moms who never stop loving them.

You are not alone and your grief deserves a voice.

This episode is sponosred by Breezy Photography.