A PLACE OF YES podcast

“We are living every day with the fact that our son died, that our son who was supposed to be alive is not.” –Heather Straughter

Heather Straughter was 36 when her four-year-old son Jake suddenly died. Now, 13 years later Heather is sharing how the only way she could move forward was by channeling her grief for good and finding “A Place of Yes.”

“All I can say is, you can dig deep, figure out where you are, and figure out where you want to be, and for me, I found the answer was in this place of yes,” Heather said.

Her Mother’s Death Was a Family Secret — Until She Broke the Silence

Susan Lieu’s story is anything but ordinary. She’s the daughter of Vietnamese refugees, a truth-seeker, and the author of The Manicurist’s Daughter, a memoir about family, loss, and the impossible beauty standards.

In this episode, Susan opens up about losing her mother to a botched surgery at age 11, uncovering the secrets no one wanted to talk about, and how she found strength in the messiness of grief and resilience. It’s raw, authentic, and a conversation you don’t want to miss.

Dating as a Special Needs Mom: Divorce and Self-Discovery in My 40s

Hillary opens up about dating for the first time in her 40s, navigating relationships as the mother of a child with complex medical needs, and finding empowerment through sexual liberation.

The Untold Truth About Life as a Special Needs Mom | SCN8A Mom

Motherhood can feel all-encompassing, especially when raising a child with special needs. In this heartfelt episode, Hillary opens up about reclaiming her identity beyond “Mom,” balancing love and hardship, and rediscovering joy as an individual.