Episode 75

Mental Illness, Grief, and Addiction: A Parent's Perspective with Barbara Legere

As a parent, watching your child struggle with substance abuse is a heart-rending journey. Join us as we sit down with best-selling author Barbara Legere, who shares her deeply personal experience of raising a child battling addiction. Barbara unravels the thread of worry, guilt, and grief woven around her son Keven's story, but also speaks about the importance of trusting one's instincts, acknowledging the influence of mentors, and navigating the complex world of mental health resources.

We take a deeper look into Barbara's book, "Talk to Me, I'm Grieving." This profound work serves as a guide for anyone seeking to offer support through the storm of grief. Not just that; learn about the struggles confronted by families dealing with violent children and the critical role of support in such trials. Barbara also generously shares her own resources and experiences, signposting the path to a proper diagnosis and shedding light on the labyrinth of mental health for parents feeling lost.

Finally, we tackle the elephant in the room: the fentanyl crisis. Barbara provides a stark insight into the dangers of unprescribed pills and the urgency of educating our children about such risks. But her conversation isn't all about the challenges; Barbara reveals her aspirations to make a difference through her work and to support others through their grieving process. We explore her thoughts on Amazon's treatment of authors, her passion for preserving her husband's memory through her writing, and the legacy she hopes to leave behind. This conversation with Barbara is enlightening, deeply moving, and not to be missed.

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Byrene Haney

I am Byrene Haney, the Assistant to the President of Iowa District West for Missions, Human Care, and Stewardship. Drawn to Western Iowa by its inspiring mission opportunities, I dedicate myself to helping churches connect with the unconnected and disengaged in their communities. As a loving husband, father, and grandfather, I strive to create authentic spaces for conversation through my podcast and blog.