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.

A Year Without Olivia Allen: Her Mom, Sister & Best Friend Share Their Story

Nearly a year after Olivia Allen lost her battle with leukemia, her mother, Mellissa, her sister, Sophia, and her best friend, Aubrey, share what life has really been like without her. From the milestones she’ll never reach to the moments that still feel impossibly heavy, they open up about the ways grief changes with time—and how Olivia’s presence is still deeply felt, even in her absence.

How a 3,288-Mile Run Sparked a NATIONWIDE Fight Against Multiple Sclerosis

Ashley Schneider grew up watching her mother, Jill, battle multiple sclerosis with quiet strength. Determined to take action, she founded MS Run the US from her childhood bedroom in Wisconsin, turning her love of running into a mission to raise awareness and funds for those affected by MS.

In 2010, she took it to the next level—running 3,288 miles across America to bring national attention to the cause.

But her journey didn’t end there. She built a nonprofit that now unites runners nationwide to continue the fight.

Schizophrenia & Suicide Loss: The Grief No One Talks About

What happens when you lose someone you love to suicide?

How do you begin to process a loss that feels impossible to carry? In this episode, Heather sits down with Madison Reuter, who opens up about losing her ex-partner, Regis, to suicide after his battle with schizophrenia. Madison shares the raw reality of navigating this grief—losing someone so young, the struggles of suicide loss, and the complex emotions that follow. She also offers insight on supporting young people through grief, sharing what helped (and didn’t) in her experience.

This is a conversation about love, loss, and the grief we don’t talk about enough.