To some people, “the media” has become a dirty word. There’s no doubt—journalism is a tough job, especially in today’s divided world.

Between public scrutiny and constant deadlines, award-winning journalist Taylor Six felt the pressure closing in. Behind the scenes, she was quietly fighting a hidden battle with substance use disorder.

For years, she kept it secret. But now, Taylor is breaking the silence—not just for herself, but for others in the industry facing the same fight.

In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, Taylor shares her raw, honest journey: what led her to seek help, how she found recovery, and why she started the Journalists Recovery Network to help other reporters.

If you liked this episode, listen to these next:

• Addiction Behind the Headlines
• A TV Anchor Shares Her Loss to Overdose and Efforts to End Stigma
• ESPN reporter shares personal tragedy of losing both parents within hours to fentanyl

Send us a text

The Emily’s Hope Substance Use Prevention Curriculum has been carefully designed to address growing concerns surrounding substance use and overdose in our communities. Our curriculum focuses on age-appropriate and evidence-based content that educates children about the risks of substance use while empowering them to make healthy choices.

Support the show

Connect with Angela

Follow Grieving Out Loud

Follow Emily's Hope

Read Angela’s Blog

Subscribe to Grieving Out Loud/Emily’s Hope Updates

Suggest a Guest

For more episodes and information, just go to our website, emilyshope.charity
Wishing you faith, hope and courage!

Podcast producers:
Casey Wonnenberg King & Marley Miller

Identical twins often share an extraordinary bond—shaped not only by shared DNA but by a deep emotional connection. For Christa Parravani and her twin sister, Cara, that bond was strengthened by a difficult, abusive childhood. But then came the unimaginable. After Cara was kidnapped and raped, she spiraled into trauma, eventually turning to drugs. Tragically, she died from fentanyl poisoning.

Christa was shattered. Grief, depression, and an eating disorder took hold. But in the depths of her pain, she began to write Her: A Memoir—a powerful and widely acclaimed book that helped her reclaim her voice and purpose.

In the third and final episode of "What About Us? Stories of Sibling Grief", Christa opens up about her darkest moments, her journey toward healing, and how she’s now using her story to give others hope in the face of unimaginable loss.

If you liked this episode, listen to the other two episodes in our sibling grief series:

He Couldn’t Save His Brother, But He’s Working to Save Yours and Growing Up with Grief: Emily’s Siblings Open Up

Send us a text

The Emily’s Hope Substance Use Prevention Curriculum has been carefully designed to address growing concerns surrounding substance use and overdose in our communities. Our curriculum focuses on age-appropriate and evidence-based content that educates children about the risks of substance use while empowering them to make healthy choices.

Support the show

Connect with Angela

Follow Grieving Out Loud

Follow Emily's Hope

Read Angela’s Blog

Subscribe to Grieving Out Loud/Emily’s Hope Updates

Suggest a Guest

For more episodes and information, just go to our website, emilyshope.charity
Wishing you faith, hope and courage!

Podcast producers:
Casey Wonnenberg King & Marley Miller

There’s something uniquely powerful about the bond between siblings. They’re like built-in best friends — there for the good, the bad, and everything in between. But when someone loses a brother or sister, their grief is often overlooked. Many people focus on the parents or the children and forget that siblings are mourning too.

In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, we continue our series on sibling loss with Will Rops. Will not only lost his oldest brother, Justin, to fentanyl poisoning, but he also grew up watching him struggle with substance use disorder.

Now, after that devastating loss, Will is fighting to make a difference — pushing to get emergency naloxone available at Minnesota state colleges. Hear how Will is turning his grief into action through legislation making its way through the Minnesota legislature, in this episode of Grieving Out Loud.

Send us a text

The Emily’s Hope Substance Use Prevention Curriculum has been carefully designed to address growing concerns surrounding substance use and overdose in our communities. Our curriculum focuses on age-appropriate and evidence-based content that educates children about the risks of substance use while empowering them to make healthy choices.

Support the show

Connect with Angela

Follow Grieving Out Loud

Follow Emily's Hope

Read Angela’s Blog

Subscribe to Grieving Out Loud/Emily’s Hope Updates

Suggest a Guest

For more episodes and information, just go to our website, emilyshope.charity
Wishing you faith, hope and courage!

Podcast producers:
Casey Wonnenberg King & Marley Miller