119: Becoming Independent in the Face of Loss with Shelly Ferrari

Previous Episode: 118: The Journey to Becoming a Death Doula with Laurie Jones

Next Episode: 120: Facing Pet Grief: A Talk with Hospice Veterinarian Jason Doll

Welcome to Rock Your Shine: After you’ve been cracked wide open. On this show, I sit down with people from all over the world to hear their transformational stories on their deep grief and loss journeys.

In this week's episode, Shelly Ferrari, a retired real estate accountant, mother of two, grandmother of two and a great grandmother, shares her extraordinary journey of resilience and independence.

Raised to be a wife, her life took a dramatic turn when she was forced to navigate the equally challenging roles of being a single parent, student, and supporting her family, after divorcing her first husband at a young age.

Despite her trials, Shelly's story illustrates the power of determination, self-belief and persistence. She discusses how by following a deep knowing within her, she continuously made decisions that allowed her to transform her life and reach successful independence, imparting essential lessons for her daughters and others.

**TRIGGER WARNING** This episode covers sensitive subject matter and is not suitable for all listeners. If this topic could be a trigger for you, listen to this episode with a friend, a sibling, a loved one or a parent so you can talk about any emotions that come up for you. The contents of this episode are not intended to replace therapy and should not be taken as such. If you need immediate help, please call the crisis hotline listed below in our resources.

Listen in as we talk about:

[0:00] Intro

[1:15] Being raised to be a wife and mother versus an independent woman

[3:28] Meeting her husband and get married

[4:48] The change that inspired her to go down a different path

[7:09] How she learned about her husband’s lies and drug use

[9:18] Life after she kicked him out

[12:37] Did faith or spirituality help her?

[14:48] This episode’s Oracle card

[17:09] How she shifted her life, and watched it expand and unfold

[19:09] The community that believed in her and helped push her

[30:57] Getting in touch with your deep knowing and finding deep courage