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22 July 2026
Recovery Journey _Find Your Way_#34 72226 #grief #resilience #empathy #podmatch

This episode of the Find Your Way – beyond grief, heartbreak and loss podcast features Krysti’s sister, Connie Gold, who experienced ongoing, debilitating chronic pain after an accident several years ago. Over the years, Connie has gone through surgeries to relieve her pain, and improve her energy, mobility and quality of life. She shares her rollercoaster journey through the disorienting effects of intangible grief and who she has become in the process. Please watch, follow and subscribe for more.  (We encourage you to contact us if you have a journey to share.)

This podcast led by Alison Pena focused on Connie Gold, who is appearing for her third time on “Find Your Way”  Beyond Grief, Heartbreak, and Loss. Connie provided an update on her recovery journey since her second hip surgery two years ago, explaining that while the surgery was successful and she has regained most of her mobility, she has adapted to certain activity limitations and now works at a dental office in a front desk role rather than as a hygienist.

Overcoming Health Challenges Journey

Connie shared her journey of overcoming significant health challenges, beginning with a fall 5 years ago that resulted in broken hip and elbow during the COVID pandemic. After initial surgery, she experienced two years of physical therapy with limited improvement and increasing pain, eventually leading to the abandonment of her 40-year career as a dental hygienist. Through the recommendation of a podiatrist, she underwent a second surgery to remove problematic hardware, which successfully restored her mobility despite concerns about her advanced osteoporosis.

Journey Through Medical Treatment Challenges

Connie discussed her journey through multiple surgeries and the emotional impact of the roller coaster of hope and anxiety during her medical treatments. She described how her anxiety and depression reached a low point where she was afraid to leave home alone, but found renewed hope when a second surgeon told her the hardware could be removed, an option not previously known to her. Krysti Anderson(Connie’s sister) acknowledged the emotional weight of Connie’s experience and explained how such physical losses represent intangible forms of grief that people often don’t recognize.

Grief and Family Support

Alison (the lead moderator of this podcast) discussed the concept of grief with Connie and her sister Krysti, focusing on how grief affects not just the individual experiencing loss but also family members. Krysti shared her experience of feeling protective and wanting to be present for Connie during her difficult time, while also grieving the loss of their close bond once Connie recovered. Connie expressed appreciation for Krysti’s support and mentioned her husband’s involvement during the challenging period.  (Rusty Gold was a perfect caregiver per Connie.)

Health Recovery and Hope Sharing

Connie shared her experience of going through a challenging health period where she required assistance with daily activities and mobility, which brought her closer to her sister Krysti while it was difficult for her other family members to discuss openly. She described how small achievements like being able to play with her grandchildren and reduction in her pain medication helped restore her ‘hope’ during recovery. When asked about sharing hope with others, Connie emphasized the importance of celebrating small, accessible goals like being able to participate in family activities and manage medication effectively.

Post-Surgery Recovery and Support

Connie shared her experience of going through a difficult recovery period after surgery, highlighting how Krysti provided emotional support by recognizing when Connie needed to express her feelings. Connie described achieving milestones like returning to work and being able to go out independently, which she celebrated. The conversation touched on how medication management, particularly coming off Lexapro, improved Connie’s quality of life and allowed her to enjoy activities that made life meaningful again.  (It’s important that all medication changes should be handled under medical supervision as Connie followed.)

Post-Recovery Relationship Growth Discussion

Alison and Connie discussed how Connie’s perspective has changed following a health recovery. Connie expressed greater appreciation for daily activities like walking and noted she no longer worries about minor concerns as much as before. She mentioned that her relationships have deepened, with some friendships expanding to include former work colleagues and college friends she hadn’t seen in a while. The conversation ended with Alison asking about practical strategies for maintaining these reconnected relationships.

Relationship Maintenance During Life Transitions

Alison and Connie discussed strategies for maintaining relationships during life transitions and dealing with grief. Connie shared how she learned to reach out to friends regularly to stay connected and how her experiences with physical changes, including wearing leg lifts in her shoes, helped her navigate her recent job loss at her dental office after 37 years. Connie emphasized how her faith has grown stronger through these challenges, allowing her to process grief more effectively and maintain her sense of self-worth.

Grief and Trust Recovery Discussion

The participants discussed their personal experiences with grief and trust following loss. Connie shared her journey of maintaining a relationship with God and gradually rebuilding trust in her body after a medical crisis. Krysti described struggling with trust after losing a baby 24 years ago and how she became a grief recovery specialist as a result. Alison discussed how grief affects trust in various relationships and shared a personal story about losing her ability to remember lyrics during a performance after her husband’s death. The conversation concluded with agreement on the importance of celebrating small milestones during grief recovery and the choice required to rebuild trust.

With host Alison Pena, cohost Kristy Anderson, and producer Karen Kiki Hale

The Find Your Way beyond grief, heartbreak and loss podcast was created to support people to move forward after loss with powerful stories, insights, discussions, interviews and resources.

In our deep dive into grief, heartbreak and loss stories, we will show the heartbreak but also the inspiration, clarity and transformation available to those who are willing to engage in healing and growth, in reaching for joy even in the middle of painful reality.

Our inspiring guests include people who have turned life-threatening illness into following a passion for helping kids win, transformed a tragic event into a foundation serving families suffering that pain, introducing a speaker and somatic healer offering workshops to communities facing loneliness, division or hate.

Every person’s grief, heartbreak and loss journey is different because no two people are alike. Yet there are common challenges we and our guests have faced and found solutions for.

This podcast will offer our listeners support for their unique journey after loss, paired with specific resources and action steps which can help.

Grief, heartbreak and loss experiences include:

• Death of a loved one or pet – bereavement
• Loss of a job, business, home or supportive community
• Health crisis, including illness, accident, aging or caregiving
• Relationship heartbreak including separation, divorce or partnership
• Breakdown of trust in themselves, other people, the world and the future

The effects of grief, heartbreak and loss are frequently misunderstood. The assumptions people make, which drive what they say and do, are often unknowingly hurtful. Even when they are doing the best they can.

Benefits for our listeners
On this podcast, we will share honestly, through our stories and those of our inspiring guests, about what these experiences actually feel like for those going through them.

Our listeners will feel seen, heard and known. They will be confident that they are not alone and this disorienting disruption of their lives is quite normal. With each episode, we will deliver actionable ways to make their lives better.

Getting to know us:
Your Host:  Alison Pena is the creator of the Affluence Code^® and grief coach using the Life After Grief Blueprint to help her clients move forward through their grief, heartbreak and loss back to living fully. She serves her grieving clients, individually and in groups, around the country and world virtually by zoom. [Link to downloadable PDF of the Life After Grief Blueprint?]

Alison’s coaching prioritizes finding solutions for communication breakdowns, lack of clarity on the path forward and solving common issues with focus, memory and energy. Each of these profoundly disrupts lives with real-life, long lasting consequences. Her coaching supports her clients to open up to joy and possibility again after feeling broken.

Alison lost David, her artist husband of 25 years, to pancreatic cancer in 2016. He left her his mom, Joyce, and 546 artworks to her when he died in her arms at home. Alison has been primary caregiver for Joyce for the last 9 years and Business Insider published two of her stories about the frustration and love in caregiving.

Bestselling author of The Bad Widow Guide to Life After Loss, she loves to write poetry and prose, and does an open mic monthly with her mom once a month. Alison was featured on ABC 7 Chicago sharing tips for grieving people during the holidays in 2024.

Everybody grieves differently. Alison’s coaching honors each client’s experience and works with them to solve the specific ways grief is disorienting their confidence and disrupting their relationships. If you are ready to move forward, schedule a call with her at [link to introductory call]

Your Co-host: Kristy Anderson is an Advanced Grief Recovery Method Specialist certified through The Grief Recovery Institute. After enduring three profound losses within thirteen months, Kristy was unsure if she would ever be able to function again. Discovering The Grief Recovery Method^® was life-changing — it gave Kristy a path toward peace and healing. That experience inspired her to help others move from pain to healing using the same powerful tools that helped Kristy reclaim her own life.

Kristy is certified in all areas of grief recovery, including estrangement loss, pet loss, and intangible losses — the kinds we don’t always recognize as grief, such as the loss of trust, safety, control, or physical ability. She works one-on-one with people from all over the country/world offering compassionate support and practical guidance through The Grief Recovery Method^®. [I know you said people need to reach out to you for help, no solicitation but… is there anything a person who is interested could download to learn more about this method, like a one-sheet download?]

Grief is deeply personal, and Kristy believes that healing begins when we’re seen, heard, and supported without judgment. If you’re ready to take the first step toward healing, you can reach her at: https://www.griefrecoverymethod.com/grms/kristy-anderson

Podcast Producer:  Karen Hale, affectionately known as Kiki, is the heart and soul behind newclevelandradio.net, which she’s proudly owned and nurtured since 2017. Her podcasting and blogging journey began in 2012, shortly after earning her master’s degree in communication technology—a milestone that sparked her commitment to authentic storytelling and meaningful connection.

Newclevelandradio.net Mission Statement

1. Conversational & Inclusive
   At newclevelandradio.net, our mission is to spark open, honest conversations around the real-life topics that matter most—offering insight, connection, and value to every listener.

2. Purpose-Driven & Empower
   We exist to create a space for authentic dialogue on the life experiences our listeners care about—empowering them with stories, perspectives, and tools that resonate and uplift.

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Karen wears many hats: podcast host, producer, blog writer, and certified life coach. Each role reflects her passion for personal growth and her gift for guiding others toward their own truth. She believes life is a beautifully complex maze, and we each have the power to navigate it with purpose, curiosity, and joy. kh.yesican1@gmail.com