In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Lucinda Koza is joined by Dr. Lisa De La Rue—licensed psychologist, trauma specialist, and Chief Education and Research Officer at Urban Alchemy—for a candid conversation about parenting through trauma, the stigma surrounding formerly incarcerated mothers, and how healing becomes possible when we give ourselves permission to stumble.

Together, they explore the realities of reparenting yourself while raising children, the hidden mental health crisis in the fourth trimester, and the need to normalize delayed postpartum anxiety and depression. Dr. De La Rue also shares how Urban Alchemy is redefining community care—employing people with lived experience to lead the work of transformation in their own neighborhoods.

Whether you’re a parent, a survivor, or simply someone trying to understand the invisible barriers others face, this episode will move you, ground you, and remind you of the radical power of compassion.

🔑 Topics Covered:

• Reparenting while parenting: breaking generational cycles
• Trauma, addiction, and the incarceration pipeline
• The long shadow of postpartum anxiety
• Fatherhood and the subtle stigma against involved dads
• How Urban Alchemy is led by people with lived experience
• Creating systems rooted in dignity, not judgment
• What post-traumatic growth really looks like

Lucinda Koza welcomes Will Acuff—entrepreneur, author, and co-founder of Corner to Corner—for a rich conversation about parenting, purpose, and what it means to truly ally with your community. From playing the Apollo to launching 1,600+ small businesses, Will’s journey defies the expected—and reveals the radical power of showing up with curiosity, compassion, and a theology of neighbor.

Will also opens up about parenting a son with disabilities, his wife’s journey with trauma, and how personal healing has reshaped everything from their marriage to their mission. This episode is a masterclass in turning hardship into joy, over-functioning into empowerment, and burnout into deep, grounded presence.

🔑 Key Topics Covered:

• Will’s transition from rock musician to nonprofit co-founder
• The power of proximity: what it means to “do life together”
• Starting a movement for underestimated entrepreneurs
• Parenting a child with autism and rare disease
• Trauma work and healing within a marriage
• How to stop over-functioning and let others own their journey
• Creating space for joy—even when life feels like Everest

📚 Mentioned in This Episode:

• Will’s book: No Elevator to Everest (available on Amazon)
• Corner to Corner nonprofit: cornertocorner.org

📌 Memorable Quotes:

“When people have the tools to thrive—they thrive.”

“You don’t know what kind of seed you’re holding until you nurture it.”

“Joy and suffering are not opposites—they’re companions.”

🔗 Connect with Will Acuff:

Instagram: @willacuff

Website: cornertocorner.org

Book: No Elevator to Everest

🎧 Listen + Subscribe:

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share with someone who needs to hear it. New episodes every week.

In this candid and eye-opening episode of How I Ally, Lucinda Koza is joined by relationship coach and therapist Rich Heller, founder of Rich in Relationship. With decades of experience—and deep personal insight—Rich helps parents navigate high-conflict relationships, rekindle emotional connection, and restore safety within their homes.

Together, they explore:

• Why new parenthood often becomes a flashpoint for relational stress
• How childhood wounds resurface in marriage—and what to do about it
• The evolution of modern masculinity and the need for emotional fluency
• Practical tools for fighting fair and building connection (hello, “I” statements!)
• The deep and often unspoken fear women carry in emotionally unsafe homes
• What real emotional safety feels like—and why it’s essential for healthy parenting

This conversation is raw, validating, and essential listening for any couple trying to stay connected in the midst of sleep deprivation, identity shifts, and unhealed emotional baggage.

Favorite quote:

“We pick our partners because we feel safe enough to unpack our stuff around each other. But the problem is—we didn’t give each other that heads up.” – Rich Heller

Connect with Rich:

Website: www.richinrelationship.com

Instagram: @richinrelationship

Podcast: Rich in Relationship – Available on all major platforms

Resources mentioned:

• “I” statements framework
• The concept of emotional fluency in relationships
• Postpartum rage, hormone detox, and parenting dynamics

✨ If this episode resonated with you, please leave a review or share it with someone in the early stages of parenting or partnership. You’re not alone—and you deserve safety and support.