Unparented
A podcast about life after losing a parent.
Recent Conversations
After losing her entire immediate family, Sylvia sold everything to live as a nomad. We explore how constant movement can be a coping mechanism and why sudden loss changes the way your brain maps out time and space.
After a lifetime in a military household devoid of affection, Arnold spent eight years caregiving for the mother who never quite cared for him. We discuss the liberation that can follow a parent's death and the power of breaking generational cycles.
Former CNN journalist John DeDakis discusses the "orphan shift" and using writing as a tool for healing. Having lost his parents, sister, and son, John shares how to stay realistic about life’s lack of control without becoming a cynic.
Alan Lazaros survived a near-fatal accident at the same age his father died, forcing him to "rewatch the movie" of his life. We discuss the internal chameleons we build to survive trauma and how to reverse-engineer your pain into a meaningful legacy.
Using the ocean as a metaphor for mental health, Angie Hawkins explains the "surfer’s mindset." We talk about why the high-effort, low-reward nature of surfing is the perfect parallel for finding presence and joy in the middle of grief.
Lisa Espinosa has faced the loss of both her mother and her son. We talk about why a mother’s true legacy is found in her consistent presence and why we should never judge our younger selves for how we handled our first experiences with grief.
Sean became a single father to a newborn just 12 hours after his wife passed away. We have a blunt, honest conversation about the "oxygen mask rule" of parenting and how to keep a late parent’s memory alive for children who never got to know them.
Recorded on the 12th anniversary of her mother's death, Zulma Williams explains why grief is a weight you learn to carry rather than a burden you "get over." We discuss moving forward with purpose while keeping a legacy close to your heart.
Losing both parents by age 30 leaves a specific kind of isolation. Becka shares why she created a platform for the things we never got to say and the "deficit mindset" that makes us wonder how much better life would be if they were still here.
Grief counselor Lydia Lomahan breaks down the "rule of thirds" in support systems and why time alone doesn't heal anything. We discuss why it’s okay to sit in the ambiguity of a process that has no "right" way to be done.
Why this exists
I created Unparented after losing both of my parents before I turned 30.
This podcast isn’t about advice or answers. It’s about creating room for honest conversation when life keeps moving and grief comes with you.