Elizabeth Muhle was 28 when her fiancé Cameron was diagnosed with high-grade spindle cell sarcoma. He passed away a year and a half later. In this episode of Hear Me Out with Belinda, Elizabeth — now a social worker, therapist, and author of the memoir Soaring with Burnt Wings — shares what it was like to become a caregiver in her 20s, rebuild her life afterward, and turn that loss into her life's work supporting others through grief and trauma. Belinda opens up about her own loss too: her mom passed from cancer at 54, just months after Belinda's wedding. Together they talk about the stigma around therapy, how to find the right therapist ("it's like dating"), why grief shows up in the body and not just the mind, and what healing actually looks like season to season — not a straight line, and never fully "over." We also cover practical resources for parents whose kids are struggling with anxiety or mental health, including 811, Access Mental Health, and the Strongest Families program. In this episode: - Elizabeth's own journey to becoming a social worker after struggling with suicidal ideation and self-harm as a teen - Losing her fiancé Cameron to sarcoma at 27, and life as a young caregiver - Belinda's story of losing her mother to cancer at 54 - Why "finding the right fit" with a therapist matters more than credentials - The stigma around therapy — especially for men - The mind-body connection and how grief manifests physically - The "bowling ball" analogy for carrying grief - Elizabeth's memoir, Soaring with Burnt Wings - Illumination Therapeutic Services & the Healing Cocoon Collective - Resources for parents of struggling kids: 811, Access Mental Health, Strongest Families About Elizabeth Muhle: Elizabeth is a registered social worker and founder of Illumination Therapeutic Services and the Healing Cocoon Collective in Okotoks, Alberta, specializing in grief therapy and support for the terminally ill and their loved ones. She is the author of Soaring with Burnt Wings: Lessons in Love, Life, Laughter and Surviving Unimaginable Loss. If this episode resonates with you, please like, comment, and subscribe to Hear Me Out with Belinda for more honest conversations about resilience, mental health, and life's hardest moments. This episode discusses grief, loss, and mental health, including references to suicidal ideation. If you're struggling, please reach out to a professional or a crisis line in your area.

0:00 Cold open: Elizabeth's story of losing Cameron

1:20 Intro: resilience, trauma & finding hope

1:52 Meet Elizabeth: Illumination Therapeutic Services & Healing Cocoon Collective

2:43 Why Elizabeth became a social worker

3:24 What a social worker actually does

3:44 Finding "the right fit" in a therapist

5:16 Elizabeth's memoir: Soaring with Burnt Wings

6:19 Belinda's story: losing her mom at 54

8:28 The losses within the loss 9:30 The "bowling ball" analogy for grief

10:18 Grief is ever-unfolding

12:29 Overcoming the stigma of therapy

13:07 What to say to someone on the fence about therapy

17:16 The mind-body connection in trauma and grief

23:00 Resources for parents: 811, Access Mental Health, Strongest Families

25:57 What healing looks like

29:07 Closing thoughts

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