Episode 30: Grief, Deconstruction, and Healing Forward
Content Note
This episode includes discussion of grief, loss, traumatic brain injury, and religious deconstruction.
Episode Description
This week on The Awakening, Tamara and I sit down with author Kayna Chappell for a deeply moving and honest conversation about grief, faith, and what it means to rebuild after everything changes.
Kayna shares the story of losing her husband and how that loss became a turning point in her spiritual life. In the aftermath, she found herself questioning long-held beliefs and navigating a path of deconstruction while also supporting her son, who was living with the effects of a traumatic brain injury.
We talk about what it looks like to hold grief and growth at the same time — how healing isn’t linear, how belief systems can shift under the weight of real life, and how love continues to evolve even in the face of profound loss.
Kayna’s story is one of resilience, honesty, and learning to move forward without bypassing the pain.
This conversation is tender, real, and a reminder that healing doesn’t mean going back — it means finding a way forward.
In This Episode, We Discuss
- Grief and the loss of a partner
- Deconstruction after life-altering events
- Parenting through trauma and recovery
- Supporting a child with a traumatic brain injury
- Redefining faith, meaning, and healing
- Moving forward without bypassing pain
About Our Guest
Kayna Chappell is an author and storyteller who shares her journey through grief, deconstruction, and healing. She creates space for honest conversations around loss, resilience, and rebuilding life after trauma.
🎙 Podcast with her son
https://tr.ee/80BJKJE8lk
🔗 Connect with Kayna
https://linktr.ee/heretikayna
Resources Mentioned
(Add here if anything comes up in your conversation)
Why This Episode Matters
Grief has a way of unraveling everything we thought we knew — about life, about faith, and about ourselves. Kayna’s story speaks to the reality that deconstruction isn’t always a choice; sometimes it’s something life brings to your doorstep.
Her journey reminds us that even in the midst of loss and uncertainty, there is still space for healing, connection, and meaning — even if it looks different than before.
About the Show
The Awakening is a podcast centered on religious deconstruction, survivor stories, and rebuilding life after faith. We create space for honesty, healing, and community beyond fear-based systems.
🎶 Intro/Outro Music
Your Poison by Rox Knox
Connect with Your Hosts
Heather — @happyheather | @happyheathersmiles
Tamara — TikTok @feralatheistjezebel321 | Instagram @tamarajo321
🎥 Watch the show on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@TheAwakeningPodcast-w6s
📩 Interested in being a guest?
theawakeningpod@gmail.com
Listener Care Reminder
If this episode feels heavy or close to home, take your time with it. You’re allowed to pause, to feel, and to process at your own pace. There’s no right way to move through grief or healing — only your way.
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