What happens when the person who helped shape your identity is suddenly gone—and you have to figure out who you are without them?

In the Season 2 premiere of the For a Reason Podcast, we welcome back writer, storyteller, teacher, and lifelong creative Stacie Craig for a deeply personal conversation about life, loss, identity, and finding your way back to yourself.

Stacie was born to write. Literally.

Her first novel, All About Stacie, was written at age six. By seven, she had written, directed, and starred in her own play, Magic Shoes. Years later, after earning an MFA in playwriting from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Stacie returned to Los Angeles with dreams of breaking into television.

She worked throughout Hollywood, gaining experience in casting, art, production, and writers' rooms while pursuing the one position she never quite landed: staff writer.

Then life changed.

After becoming a mother, Stacie stepped away from Hollywood and became a public school teacher in South Central Los Angeles. But the writer in her never disappeared. Between lesson plans, family responsibilities, and everyday life, she continued creating stories and developing original television projects.

In this episode, however, the conversation goes far beyond Hollywood.

Stacie opens up about losing her mother to cancer, the impact that loss had on her life, and what it took to begin finding herself again. We explore what happens when grief changes your sense of identity, how life can pull us away from the things that once made us feel alive, and what it means to reconnect with the person you were always meant to become.

We also dive into Stacie's passion for writing for Hollywood and her determination to tell stories that combine sharp humor with genuine emotion. She shares what she has been creating, including original pilots such as Straight A+Holes, Super Single, and My Boyfriend's a Vampire, and why storytelling remains such an important part of who she is.

This is a conversation about grief—but it isn't defined by grief.

It's about rediscovery.

It's about identity.

It's about pursuing the things that still matter when life doesn't go according to plan.

And ultimately, it's about asking a question that may resonate with all of us:

When life changes you, can you find your way back to yourself?

Welcome back to For a Reason.

🎙️ Guest: Stacie Craig
🎬 Season 2, Episode 1 — Welcome Back

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In this enlightening episode of the For A Reason Podcast, Dr. Brian F. Licuanan, a California board-certified psychologist with nearly 20 years of experience, shares his expert insights on how to help a loved one seek addiction treatment despite their resistance. Dr. Licuanan, known for his work in substance use disorders and family crisis intervention, offers practical advice and compassionate strategies drawn from his extensive clinical background. Tune in to discover effective ways to support your loved ones on their journey to recovery. For more about Dr. Licuanan, visit www.drbrianlicuanan.com

This is the second half of the interview of Heather Renee Barber.

It's recommended that you listen to the first part of her interview before this episode.