One year ago, we pressed record on The P-I-G Podcast without fully understanding what this journey would ask of us—creatively, relationally, and personally.

In this powerful anniversary episode, we sit down with Chris Howard—producer of The Boxes Project, trusted collaborator, and now chosen family—to reflect on what this past year has truly been.

What started as a documentary exploration of our mother’s legacy became something far deeper: a transformation of our relationship as sisters, a reckoning with old wounds, and a commitment to holding space for stories beyond our own.

Chris shares his perspective on watching our reconnection unfold—especially after initially believing we were already “close & deeply connected.” We talk about creative breakthroughs, hard truths, unexpected healing, and the weight of real-life loss. Over the past year, Chris navigated the passing of both his father-in-law and his mother within months of each other—all while continuing to show up for this work and for us.

Together, we explore:

• What changed most in Year One
• The current state of The Boxes Project
• How storytelling reshaped our relationship
• The impact of chosen family
• What it means to create while grieving
• Why we believe our best episodes are still ahead

This isn’t just a look back. It’s a declaration of what’s possible when Purpose, Intention, and Gratitude guide the work—even when life gets heavy.

Thank you for being part of this first year. Year Two begins now.

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Some conversations feel destined.

In this powerful and deeply aligned episode of The P-I-G Podcast, we sit down with Cindy Hartzell—founder of Heart Soul Confidence-Based Horsemanship®, wild horse advocate, bestselling author, and co-host of The Holistic Horsemanship and Husbandry Podcast—to explore what happens when trauma forces us to rebuild trust from the ground up.

Cindy shares her personal story of a life-changing accident with her beloved Palomino, RC—an experience that shattered her confidence and reshaped her understanding of leadership, fear, and healing. What followed was not just recovery, but a calling: to help women rebuild trust in themselves through partnership with horses.

Together, we explore the deep synchronicities that brought our paths together, the sacred work of rescuing and protecting wild horses, and what it means to shed old identities—like the skin of the Snake—and step boldly into the Year of the Fire Horse with strength, passion, and clarity.

This conversation is about more than horsemanship. It’s about trust. It’s about trauma. It’s about leadership that begins within. And it’s about choosing movement that comes from alignment—not urgency.

🎙️ In this episode, we discuss:

• Cindy’s accident and the healing journey that followed
• Rebuilding trust after trauma—physically and emotionally
• The human-horse connection as a mirror for leadership and self-awareness
• Wild horse rescue and the importance of preserving freedom
• Shedding the skin of old identities
• What the Fire Horse year invites us to embody
• Stepping into strength with hands firmly on the reins

Whether you love horses or have never touched one, this conversation will move you. Because at its heart, this episode is about reclaiming your confidence—and remembering the strength that was always there.

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What if the thing holding you back in your relationships isn’t what you say or do—but how you’re wired to show up?

In this two-part series, we’re joined by our coach and mentor, Marcus Straub, for an unfiltered, real-time look at what happens when two sisters bring self-awareness, honesty, and raw vulnerability into the heart of family disconnect. Together, we unpack our live DISC comparison report—revealing how our natural communication styles, pacing, and decision-making have shaped decades of misunderstanding, growth, and rediscovery.

In this first half, we explore:

• What DISC really measures and why it matters
• How self-awareness transforms communication and conflict
• The surprising “pressure behaviors” that appear when stress hits
• Why multitasking is a myth and single-focus work builds trust
• How small awareness shifts create real connection and repair

This episode also marks the official launch of The P-I-G Relationship Reset—a deeply transformative and personalized coaching experience for siblings, couples, partners, family and step-family members, close friends, or anyone ready to bridge disconnects, embrace differences, and strengthen connection—all guided by the spirit of Purpose, Intention & Gratitude.

Because real growth doesn’t happen when we get perfect.
It happens when we get real.

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Grief doesn’t move in straight lines. It loops through childhood memories, old fears, laughter, and the moments we wish we could relive just one more time.

In this deeply personal episode, sisters Kellie and Erin open the door to their mother Marsha’s remarkable life — a story of love, courage, and three cancer journeys that changed everything.

Marsha was bold, brilliant, and stubbornly loving. She faced breast cancer three times with humor, style, and an unshakable will to live. Along the way, she raised two daughters who would one day discover the greatest gift she ever gave them wasn’t found in “The Boxes” she left behind — it was in each other.

Through laughter, reflection, and tears, Kellie and Erin share:

• What it was like growing up through 12 years of their mom’s cancer battles
• How grief shaped them differently and how they found their way back to one another
• The story behind The Boxes and how Marsha’s legacy continues to arrive on time
• The life lessons she left behind — strength, grace, and living with purpose

This episode is for anyone who’s lost someone they love — and for everyone learning to carry their story forward with gratitude.

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Some stories begin at the edge.  What do you do when the unimaginable happens? For Rebecca Fielding, life changed forever when her younger brother Jonathan fell to his death at the majestic Moonscape Overlook in eastern Utah. 

Out of that loss came Jonathan’s Journal—a simple notebook left at the site of his fall that grew into a movement of letters, art, and stories passed from stranger to stranger, heart to heart. What began as unbearable grief became a rising movement of connection and healing. 

With raw honesty, Rebecca shares:

• The day Jonathan’s fall changed her world forever.
• How grief reshaped her as a sister and daughter.
• The creation and journey of Jonathan’s Journal.
• Why strangers can sometimes carry us through loss.
• How Jonathan’s love became enough to last a lifetime.

Learn more about Jonathan’s story in the CNN feature article, join the Jonathan’s Journal Facebook group, or follow Rebecca’s reflections on Instagram (@throughjonnyseyesphotography) and TikTok (@bonjovisfamclub). You may also view and support her photography project, Through Johnny’s Eyes.

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Some stories are forged in silence. For Steve Knapp, the weight of carrying secrets finally gave way to a single act of truth—the night he admitted his drinking and chose to change his life.

In this conversation, Steve shares his powerful journey from addiction to recovery and the lessons he’s carried into fatherhood, personal growth, and his work creating safe spaces for connection and honest dialogue — especially around men's mental health — through his podcasts, Through the Glass Recovery and Forged in Silence.

With raw honesty and vulnerability, Steve reflects on:

• The cost of self-abandonment 
• The courage it takes to come back to yourself.
• Why strangers can sometimes offer the safest spaces for healing.
• Redefining fear as something to walk alongside, not run from.
• Creating connection in a world that often feels disconnected.

Whether you’ve faced addiction, carried hidden shame, or simply struggled to be present in your own life, Steve’s inspiring story is a reminder that we don’t climb life’s mountains alone—and the view is always better when shared.

👉 Listen, share, and join the conversation at thePIGpodcast.com

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One year into The Boxes project, something unexpected happened: the story about preserving their mother’s legacy became the very thing that healed Kellie and Erin’s own relationship.

In this episode, the sisters reunite with film and television producer Chris Howard—this time in the hot seat—as he turns the questions back on them. Together they unpack:

• The seven-year age gap that shaped their bond as sisters.
• How business ventures and unspoken expectations became battlegrounds.
• The promise Kellie made to their dying mother—and the weight it carried for decades.
• Why healing in real time makes this project so raw, authentic, and powerful.
• The truth that their mother’s greatest gift wasn’t in the boxes she left behind… it was in giving them each other.

Through vulnerability, laughter, and a few tears, this conversation reveals the deeper heart of The Boxes story—and why legacy isn’t just what we leave, but how we live.

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In this PJs & Pokey episode, Kellie and Erin cozy up in their pajamas with “pokey” (their mom’s name for popcorn) to reflect on recent powerful conversations and the summer adventures that recharged their hearts.

Kellie’s 28-day road trip included 11 days completely off-grid in the wilderness—just a tent by a river, morning coffee, and conversations that matter. Erin’s Montana travels brought the awe of Glacier National Park and reconnections with places from her boyfriend Jason’s childhood.

Along the way, they revisit lessons from recent guests: Katie’s intentional journey as a bonus mom, Pop’s decades of unconditional love, Marcus’s vulnerable story of grief and resilience, and Dr. Matthew Arau’s simple but powerful reminder to turn your “have tos” into “G.E.T. tos.”

This is more than a recap—it’s a heartfelt reminder that rest, reflection, and nature’s wisdom can heal in ways words cannot.

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When I was just 24, my mother died—and so much of who I was disappeared with her.

In the days that followed, someone handed me a book that would become my constant companion for the next 30 years: Motherless Daughters: The Legacy of Loss by Hope Edelman. It gave me language for my pain, reflection for my grief, and a mirror that helped me see myself again when I was lost in the fog of loss.

This solo episode is my story—of what it means to still be a daughter, even after your mother is gone. It’s about the memory boxes she left behind, the music that still brings her close, the deep and unexpected relationship I’ve built with Katie (my dad’s wife), and how grief doesn’t end… it evolves.

If you’ve lost your mom—or someone who mothered you—this episode is a soft place to land. A reminder that you’re not alone. That your memories are sacred. That your mother’s love lives on in how you show up every day.

Whether you’re grieving, healing, parenting, or remembering—or helping someone you care for do the same—this is for you.

🎧 “Once you’re a daughter, you are always a daughter.”

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What if the key to transforming your entire day—your mindset, your leadership, your grief—was simply shifting one word?

Dr. Matthew Arau discovered that power on a cold September morning when he swapped “have to” for “get to.” That simple shift became the heartbeat of his “Power of G.E.T.” philosophy: Gratitude, Enthusiasm, and Treasure.

In this high-energy, heart-forward conversation, Matthew shares the powerful tools he’s developed as a music educator, conductor, leadership coach, and founder of Upbeat! Global. Through personal stories of loss, the science behind music’s effect on the brain, and real-life strategies for shifting from stress to strength, Matthew helps us see how our “upbeat”—that anticipatory moment before something begins—can shape how we show up, no matter what we’re facing.

From conducting students after 9/11 to leading global workshops during the pandemic, Matthew shows us how music becomes a language for what can’t be said… and how purpose and positivity can transform even the hardest moments into something meaningful.

Whether you’re facing a loss, seeking inspiration, or simply want to show up with more intention and joy, this episode will lift your spirit—and help you choose your own upbeat in life.

🎵 “It just takes a little bit of light to transform darkness… and you can be that light.” — Dr. Matthew Arau [Please visit https://www.upbeatglobal.com/ to learn more about Dr. Matthew Arau’s work, books, resources, events, and the Upbeat! Global movement.]

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Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

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Note: This episode includes a son’s personal reflections on his father’s suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Visit 988Lifeline.org or dial 988 to speak with a trained counselor, 24/7. 

What does it mean to honor the legacy of a father who gave everything he had—even when he had very little left to give?

In this deeply personal Father’s Day conversation, Marcus Straub shares the life and lessons of his father Edward—a complex, resilient man who transformed a childhood of hardship into a legacy of strength, service, and sacrificial love. From growing up in Brooklyn as "the bastard child" to a life dedicated to social work, Edward’s journey shaped the son who now walks in his footsteps.

This is a story of grit and grace. Of a father who sold his most prized possession so his son could have his first car. Of a final goodbye that came by choice, after decades of living with the chronic pain of Crohn’s disease. And of a son who carries his father’s wisdom into every area of his life—as a dad, second dad, Papa, coach, and man.

Through powerful reflections, Marcus offers a heartfelt message about the generational legacy we all inherit—and the one we have the power to create. This episode is for anyone navigating fatherhood, grief, or the invisible thread that connects us to those who made us who we are.

Want more? Hear Marcus in Episode #2 and Episode #3, “Partners, Fathers & Leaders.” 

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Note: This is Part Two of a two-part series. For the full story, we encourage you to start with Episode 10: "Charting the Course: A Father’s Legacy of Loss, Love, & Living Well."

When our mom realized she wouldn’t live to see our birthdays, graduations, weddings, or the birth of our firstborn children, she created a legacy of love in the most tangible way she knew how—through a collection of hand-wrapped boxes, each containing a handwritten note and a deeply personal gift for life’s milestone moments still to come.

In this second part of our Father’s Day series, we sit down again with our dad—the man who became the Keeper of the Boxes. With quiet devotion and heartfelt resolve, he protected and delivered each one of those gifts over a decade, fulfilling a sacred promise made before our mother’s death in 1994.

These weren’t just boxes. They were time capsules of love, symbols of presence in absence, and a living expression of legacy that continues to shape our lives. In this emotional and unforgettable conversation, our dad shares what it meant to be the steward of such an extraordinary mission—and how the final delivery became a moment of profound closure, completion, and connection.

If you’ve ever wondered how to carry someone’s love forward… this is that story.

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Some stories are hard to hear — but they are the ones that matter most.

In this powerful episode of The P-I-G Podcast, we sit down with Tiffaney Childers, a suicide loss survivor, advocate, and founder of her local chapter of The LOSS Team, to explore what happens when grief is buried in silence — and what becomes possible when truth is finally spoken.

Tiffaney shares her experience of losing both of her parents to suicide, followed by the sudden death of her father-in-law and the loss of her brother to pancreatic cancer — all while raising two young children and carrying the weight of trauma quietly for nearly two decades. What followed was not only emotional pain, but physical suffering: chronic pain that became her body’s way of holding what her voice could not yet release.

Together, we talk about the long-term effects of suppressed grief, the stigma surrounding suicide loss, parenting through trauma, and the moment Tiffaney realized healing could no longer wait. She also shares how her journey led her to create meaningful support for others navigating loss — and why speaking openly about suicide saves lives.

🎙️ In this episode, we discuss:

• Surviving suicide loss and carrying it in silence
• How unprocessed grief can manifest physically
• Parenting through trauma while honoring truth
• Chronic pain, emotional suppression, and healing
• The Rise Up Method and living forward with intention
• Why breaking the silence around suicide loss matters

This may not be an easy listen — but it is a necessary one. A reminder that silence does not have to be the end of the story, and that healing begins when we allow ourselves to be seen, supported, and heard.

Learn more about Tiffaney at: www.risesavage.com
Connect on social: @tiffaneychilders (IG), /tiffaney.childers (FB) & /tiffaneychilders (LI). Purchase Tiffaney's book, "The Rise Back: Reclaiming Life After Suicide Loss, Pain, and Silence" on Amazon.

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What does it mean to rebuild your life after unimaginable loss—and to keep choosing love, again and again?

In this powerful first installment of a two-part series, we sit down with our father: a Navy veteran, retired physician, and quiet hero who has lived through more heartbreak than most could imagine. He opens up about losing his 17-year-old daughter Laurie in a tragic accident, adopting the two of us (at ages 11 and 18), supporting our mom Marsha through multiple cancer journeys and the conclusion of her legacy project (The Boxes), and the courageous decision to open his heart again to love and blended family.

From growing up in post-war America to practicing medicine in the remote Australian outback, his story is one of service, surrender, and staying present—even when everything changes. Through it all, he offers a profound example of what it looks like to live with purpose, intention, and grace.

This is a story about fatherhood. About grief. About legacy. And the quiet strength it takes to keep showing up with an open heart.

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Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

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What happens when someone walks into your life and helps rebuild the very foundation grief once tore apart?

Nearly 30 years ago, Katie (Hines) Thomas entered our lives not to replace what had been lost—but to hold space for all of it. In this deeply personal Mother’s Day episode, we sit down with our stepmom, Katie, and reflect on the three decades of love, loss, and legacy that have shaped our big, beautiful “family bush.”

From the sudden loss of her in-laws and the death of her first child to the heartbreak of divorce, navigating a radical mastectomy, and raising four children on her own, Katie’s story is one of extraordinary resilience. When she met our dad shortly after our mom's passing, neither of them were looking for love—but what they found was something transformative. Together, they blended their adult families with intentional love, grace, and a shared commitment to showing up for each other, no matter what.

This episode explores:

• The unexpected love story that brought Katie and our dad together
• The complexities and gifts of blending families as adults
• Katie’s remarkable career in education and counseling
• Her personal losses and the legacy she’s building through it all
• What it means to be mothered in different seasons of life
• How aging with love, humor, and purpose is its own form of legacy

Whether you're navigating your own blended family, grieving the loss of a parent, or reflecting on the relationships that shaped you—this story is a reminder that family is about more than blood. It’s about who stays, who loves, and who grows with us.

Recorded just before Mother's Day, this conversation honors not only one extraordinary woman—but the resilience and tenderness that shape the families we choose and create.

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How do you survive the death of your husband, then one child... and then another? How do you hold on to hope when your own children are battling the same rare genetic cancer that took their father?

In this extraordinary episode of The P-I-G, sisters Kellie and Erin sit down with Diane Herman, a mother, founder, and unwavering woman of faith whose story defies understanding—and radiates grace.

Diane walks us through her unimaginable journey:
 💔 The loss of her husband Travis after a 13-year battle with cancer.
 💔 The loss of her daughters Hope and Isabelle, both diagnosed with the same rare genetic disease.
 💙 Marrying Justin (Travis's brother) and the simultaneous cancer diagnoses of her son Slate and daughter Isabelle—just one week apart.
 🌍 And the life-changing decision to move to Guatemala and found House of Hope, a children’s home that has now served over 170 children.

Through every heartbreak, Diane found purpose. Today, she pours her love into the children of Guatemala, leads two non-profits (House of Hope + the Loom Project), and continues to live out the very legacy her children inspired. Her words are rooted in faith, resilience, and an unwavering belief that legacy is built not in what we leave behind—but in how we live through life’s hardest moments.

Released just before Mother’s Day, this episode honors not only the strength of one extraordinary mother—but the unbreakable bond between love, loss, and legacy. Whether you're navigating your own grief, supporting a loved one, or simply seeking light in the darkness, Diane’s story is one you’ll never forget.

Show Resources & Links: 

• Learn about & support House of Hope & The Lüm Project
• Purchase & read Mothers Like Me: Stories of Faith, Hope, and Love in Loss

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

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If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social:
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In this special P-I-G Afterthoughts episode, Kellie and Erin circle back to reflect on their powerful conversation with Gini Thomas—whose story of love, loss, and resilience is still echoing in their hearts.

They unpack the layers of Gini’s journey: meeting the love of her life, surviving the accident that took him, navigating 24 surgeries and an eventual amputation, and ultimately becoming a fierce advocate for herself and others.

Along the way, The Sisters explore their own experiences with trauma, motherhood, faith, and the power of showing up for one another. From "Eeyore days" to gratitude lists, this honest and heartfelt conversation is a reminder that we all have the capacity to rise—and to carry legacy forward, even in our hardest seasons.

April is Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month—and this reflection continues the conversation with deep respect and gratitude for Gini and all who walk this path.

Resources & Links: 

• Connect with Gini Thomas at https://linktr.ee/ginithomas
• Celebrate April's Limb Loss & Limb Difference Awareness Month
• Learn more about & support The Limb Preservation Foundation

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

💬 Subscribe & Leave a Review
Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it!

🔗 Connect & Follow Along
If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social:
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📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn

💖 Support Our Mission
Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship
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When life changes in an instant, how do you rebuild from the ground up?

Gini Thomas faced this question head-on after a catastrophic motorcycle accident in 2012 that claimed the life of her husband and left her with devastating injuries—ultimately leading to the amputation of her leg above the knee.

Her story begins with love: meeting Joe, a musician twenty years her senior who brought peace and joy into her life before their world was shattered just seventeen months into their marriage. With remarkable candor and grace, Gini walks us through that fateful August day, the immediate aftermath, and the grueling three-year journey through limb salvage surgeries before making the decision to amputate.

What follows is a masterclass in resilience. Gini has endured 24 surgeries, navigated the heartbreak of losing her husband, cared for her mother through dementia, and learned to become her own medical advocate—all while continuing to show up with quiet strength. Through it all, her mother taught her a mindset that sustains her still: "You've told me everything that's bad today, now tell me something good."

Today, Gini serves as a patient ambassador for Integrum and Ottobock—companies that manufacture the prosthetic technologies that helped her reclaim her life. She has found new love, discovered joy in helping others on their limb loss journey, and reminds us all that while grief may change us forever, it doesn’t have to define us.

This conversation explores: 

• Becoming your own medical advocate
• The non-linear nature of grief and resilience
• How love, purpose, and perspective evolve after loss
• Raising awareness during Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month

Whether you’re navigating your own life-altering experience or supporting someone who is, Gini’s story offers a roadmap for living with both grace and grit.

Show Resources & Links: 

• Connect with Gini Thomas at https://linktr.ee/ginithomas
• Celebrate April's Limb Loss & Limb Difference Awareness Month
• Learn more about & support The Limb Preservation Foundation

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

💬 Subscribe & Leave a Review
Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it!

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If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social:
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💖 Support Our Mission
Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship
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Episode Summary:
Curled up in pajamas with bowls of popcorn (affectionately called "pokey" by their late mother), sisters Kellie and Erin launch a brand-new PJs & Pokey series—an ongoing space for relaxed, heartfelt conversations about what they’re learning, how this journey is changing them, and the moments that matter most.

In this first PJs & Pokey episode, they take a step back to reflect on the unexpected lessons, deep conversations, and personal transformations that have unfolded through the first four episodes of The P-I-G. What began as a podcast to explore life, love, loss, and legacy has evolved into something far greater—an opportunity to reconnect, heal, and better understand each other in ways they never anticipated.

Through tears, laughter, and raw honesty, they discuss:

• Beating the Podcast Odds—Most shows don’t make it past episode three, but THE P-I-G is thriving!
• Memorable Moments & Takeaways—From Chris Howard’s powerful insights on legacy to Marcus & Jason’s personal journeys through love and loss, and Wendy Cohen’s unimaginable strength in the wake of her daughter’s tragic abduction and murder.
• Healing Their Sisterhood— After grieving in very different ways, maturity and launching this podcast has reconnected them in ways they never expected. 
• Lessons from SXSW—Strangers deeply resonated with their message, validating the importance of storytelling, connection, and sharing conversations about life, love, loss, and legacy.
• What’s Next on The P-I-G—A look ahead at upcoming episodes, including family stories, expert insights, and listener experiences.

“The greatest gift of all, the greatest gift that she gave either of us, is each other.”  This episode is raw, real, and deeply personal. Whether you’ve been with them since Episode 1 or you’re just tuning in, it’s a reminder that healing happens through connection, conversations change lives, and sometimes, the greatest gift of all is each other.

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

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Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it!

🔗 Connect & Follow Along
If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social:
🌐 www.thepigpodcast.com
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📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn

💖 Support Our Mission
Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship
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Episode Summary:
On January 17, 2003, Lacy Jo Miller vanished.

A 20-year-old college student from Fort Collins, Colorado, Lacy was enjoying a night out with friends. But she never made it home. Ten grueling days later, her body was discovered in a remote canyon outside the city—her life stolen in an act of unthinkable violence.

As investigators uncovered the truth, they learned that her killer had posed as a police officer, pulling her over for what appeared to be a routine traffic stop. Even more chilling, this wasn’t the first time he had used this method to lure victims.

Today, we sit down with Wendy Cohen, Lacy’s mother, to honor her daughter’s life, explore the devastating reality of loss, and learn how Wendy has found the strength to transform grief into gratitude, pain into purpose—all while carrying happiness, empathy, and love in her heart.

Together, We Discuss:

• Our personal connection to Lacy’s story and why this conversation matters.
• Who Lacy was—her spirit, her dreams, and the incredible young woman she was becoming.
• The night she disappeared and the grueling investigation that followed.
• Wendy’s journey to process unimaginable loss while building an unexpected connection with her daughter’s killer’s family—seeking healing for everyone involved.
• What we can learn from Lacy’s story—including crucial safety tips for anyone facing a nighttime traffic stop.

This is a deeply emotional and profoundly important conversation about the unbreakable strength of a mother’s love, the long shadow of grief, and the ways we carry forward the legacies of those we’ve lost.

This is an episode that deserves to be heard. If it resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear Lacy’s story.

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

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Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it!

🔗 Connect & Follow Along
If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social:
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📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn

💖 Support Our Mission
Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship
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Episode Summary:

Love. Loss. Legacy. These three words shape our lives in ways we often don’t fully understand—until we’re forced to. In part two of this powerful conversation with Marcus Straub and Jason Jepson, we explore the moments that changed them, the experiences that tested them, and the lessons they carry forward.

• Marcus is a 20+ year life and business coach who has guided thousands through grief, reinvention, and learning how to live with purpose. His own journey has been filled with challenges that shaped the way he shows up for himself, his family, and his clients. Connect with Marcus and LIG Coaching & Consulting at https://ligcoaching.com/.
  
  
• Jason is a father, entrepreneur, and creative force who has navigated deep personal loss and profound transformation. He understands what it means to build, to rebuild, and to find meaning in the process. 

This is an emotional, thought-provoking conversation about the lessons we carry forward, the relationships that shape us, and the choices we make every day to create a meaningful life. 

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

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Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it!

🔗 Connect & Follow Along
If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social:
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💖 Support Our Mission
Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship
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Episode Summary:
What happens when two strong, driven, and deeply introspective men sit down to discuss life, love, loss, and legacy? You get one of the most insightful and thought-provoking conversations yet on THE P-I-G. In this episode, we introduce you to two of the most important people in our lives—Kellie’s husband, Marcus, and Erin’s boyfriend, Jason. But this isn’t just about their connection to us. These two powerful, intelligent, and deeply reflective men have built their own unique legacies—shaped by love, heartbreak, success, and tremendous loss.

• Jason is a devoted father, an entrepreneur, and a creative visionary who has carved his own path both professionally and personally. He is someone who loves deeply, sees possibility everywhere, and has experienced profound shifts throughout his life that have shaped who he is today.
  
  
• Marcus is a 20+ year life and business coach who has spent decades helping people navigate the complexities of life—guiding them through personal transformation, owning their reality, and learning how to embrace love, loss, and reinvention with clarity and purpose. He has worked with thousands of clients worldwide, including us—Erin, Jason, and Kellie—to help us grow into better versions of ourselves and prepare for The Boxes and The P-I-G projects.

 
Join us as we dive into...

• How Jason unknowingly set this journey in motion by introducing The Boxes to his longtime friend and film/television producer Chris Howard.
• Marcus’s perspective as both a husband and a coach—and how watching The Boxes project unfold has deepened his view on legacy.
• The defining moments that shaped their lives—the loves they’ve cherished, the losses they’ve endured, and the lessons they’ve carried forward.
• How fatherhood has influenced their understanding of legacy, and what they hope to leave behind for their own children and families.
• The shifts they’ve witnessed in our relationship as sisters—and how this project has impacted our family dynamics…and so much more!

This episode is raw, insightful, and deeply personal. It’s about what it means to be a strong, emotionally aware man in today’s world, how to navigate love and loss with intention, and how to build a life that truly matters.

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

💬 Subscribe & Leave a Review
Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it!

🔗 Connect & Follow Along
If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social:
🌐 www.thepigpodcast.com
📬 thepigpodcast.com/contact
📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn

💖 Support Our Mission
Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449606/support

Episode Summary:

In this deeply personal debut episode of The P-I-G, sisters Kellie Straub and Erin Thomas invite you into their family’s most sacred legacy—The Boxes. These carefully curated gifts, left by their late mother, Marsha, before her passing in 1994 arrived at pivotal life moments carrying her love, wisdom, and presence to bridge time and loss in a most extraordinary way.

Joined by close friend and producer Chris Howard, Kellie and Erin share the profound impact these gifts have had on their lives, the healing power of reconnection, and how this once private family story has grown into something much bigger. This episode dives into what it truly means to live with intention, to love deeply, to navigate loss, and to leave a legacy that transcends generations.

Whether you’re in the throes of loss or grief, exploring your own legacy, or simply seeking stories that inspire connection and reflection, this is the perfect place to begin your journey with us. 

Key Topics:

• The origin of The Boxes and their emotional significance
• The profound impact of life, love, loss, and legacy
• Reconnecting as sisters and the healing power of storytelling
• Chris’s personal reflections and connection to the project
• What The P-I-G podcast is all about and what’s to come

Resources & Links:

• "Uplugged with Chris Howard" (podcast): Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Merging Veterans & Players (MVP): https://vetsandplayers.org

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

💬 Subscribe & Leave a Review
Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it!

🔗 Connect & Follow Along
If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social:
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📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn

💖 Support Our Mission
Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship
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One year ago, we pressed record without fully understanding what this journey would ask of us — emotionally, creatively, relationally, and personally.

What began as a heart-led project to honor our mom became something far bigger: a space for truth, reflection, reconnection, and growth — both for us and for our listeners.

In this special "PJs & Pokey" sister chat, we slow down to reflect on Year One of The P-I-G Podcast — the conversations that moved us, the work we didn’t know we were signing up for, the losses we carried quietly while still showing up, and the unexpected relationships that reshaped our lives along the way.

We talk openly about:

• How this podcast transformed our relationship as sisters
• What we learned through self-awareness, communication, and courage
• Why our coaching work — and the creation of The P-I-G Relationship Reset (link)— became something we had to share
• The people who became family when we didn’t even know we needed them
• What it means to honor the past while keeping our hands firmly on the wheel

This episode also marks the launch of Roots & Ripples, a new reflective resource inspired by the very work we’ve been doing here — designed to help listeners pause, look back with clarity, and move forward with intention.

This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s a breath. A reflection.
And an invitation to live with purpose, intention, and gratitude — even when the path surprises us.

🎧 Listen, reflect, and share with someone who’s walked this road with you.
 🌱 Learn more about Roots & Ripples and other listener resources at thepigpodcast.com.

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

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Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it!

🔗 Connect & Follow Along
If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social:
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📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn

💖 Support Our Mission
Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship
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What began as a tribute to our mother has become something much bigger.

After losing her to cancer and receiving the milestone boxes she prepared before she died, we launched The P-I-G to honor her legacy. But somewhere along the way, the baton was passed. The torch was lit. And this sister project evolved into a space for unboxing the experiences that shape us all.

The P-I-G stands for Purpose, Intention, and Gratitude—not as buzzwords, but as a way of living.

Here, we explore life, love, loss, and legacy through real conversations with guests who transform pain into leadership, fear into courage, and change into growth.

Because hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own.

If you’ve ever wondered how to carry the torch forward…
 how to heal what feels broken…
 or how to turn what happened to you into who you’re becoming…

You’re in the right place.

Welcome to The P-I-G.

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

💬 Subscribe & Leave a Review
Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it!

🔗 Connect & Follow Along
If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social:
🌐 www.thepigpodcast.com
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📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn

💖 Support Our Mission
Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship
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Some stories don’t fit neatly into categories of grief or healing — they live in the space where both exist at the same time.

In this deeply honest and courageous conversation, Ashley Jo joins us to share the story behind her memoir, Tides of Grief, Waves of Grace: A Memoir of Scandal, Sobriety, Heartbreak, and Healing. Ashley opens up about losing her infant son to SMA, navigating the unraveling of her marriage, confronting addiction, surviving a paternity scandal and public shame, and rebuilding her life with truth, grace, and purpose.

Rather than offering easy answers, Ashley invites us into the real work of healing — where joy and sorrow can coexist, where redemption unfolds slowly, and where telling the whole truth becomes the doorway to freedom.

In this episode, we explore:

• Infant loss and the long road of grief
• Shame, secrecy, and choosing honesty
• Healing after addiction and heartbreak
• The courage it takes to tell your full story
• How grace often rises in the places we thought we were drowning

Ashley’s story reminds us that healing isn’t about erasing pain — it’s about learning to live fully, truthfully, and compassionately alongside it.

Learn more about Ashley Jo & connect on Instagram.
Purchase Tides of Grief, Waves of Grace on Amazon.

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

💬 Subscribe & Leave a Review
Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it!

🔗 Connect & Follow Along
If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social:
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📬 thepigpodcast.com/contact
📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn

💖 Support Our Mission
Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449606/support

The holiday season is often filled with joy — but it can also be a time of reflection, loss, and quiet grief.

In this powerful and deeply human conversation, we sit down with Christy Whitney Borchard, a pioneering hospice and palliative care leader whose life’s work has shaped end-of-life care in western Colorado and far beyond.

Christy didn’t set out to build a legacy — the work found her. What followed was a thirty-year journey of service, compassion, leadership, and courage, founding what would become one of the most respected hospice organizations in the country. Now, she shares what it means to step away from the work that defined her — and trust what comes next.

This episode is not just about hospice. It’s about calling, identity, leadership, grief, service, and the courage to let go when a chapter is complete.

In this conversation, we explore:

• How Christy found her life’s work — and how it found her
• What hospice really means for patients, families, and communities
• Leading with compassion in emotionally complex environments
• Navigating retirement after building something from the ground up
• Redefining legacy beyond titles, roles, and accomplishments
• Why learning to let go can be a powerful act of love

Whether you’re grieving, reflecting, transitioning, or simply listening quietly during the holidays, this episode offers wisdom, warmth, and perspective that lingers long after the final word.

🎧 Listen, reflect, and share with someone who may need this conversation today.

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

💬 Subscribe & Leave a Review
Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it!

🔗 Connect & Follow Along
If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social:
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💖 Support Our Mission
Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship
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What if a single sentence could change the way you communicate, connect, or make meaning of your life?

In this conversation, communication strategist and author Neil Gordon joins us to explore what he calls The Silver Bullet — one intentional, clarifying sentence that can move people, inspire action, and deepen connection.

Neil shares the personal story behind his book The Most Powerful Sentence of All Time — including the grief of losing his father, the emotional shutdown that began in childhood, and the moment during the pandemic when he reconnected to his own voice and feelings in a way he hadn’t in years.

We talk about:

•  The Silver Bullet and why one sentence outperforms advice or explanation
•  How contrast creates clarity in storytelling, messaging, and everyday communication
•  Grief, vulnerability, and the emotional journey that reshaped Neil’s work
•  Handling online criticism with empathy (and algorithm-friendly curiosity)
•  Why goosebumps signal that your message is landing at the emotional level
•  How one sentence shaped The P-I-G Podcast’s own mission

Neil offers simple but transformative guidance for finding your own Silver Bullet — whether you’re a parent, partner, leader, writer, or simply someone longing to speak and listen with more clarity and intention.

This episode is a reminder that words don’t just communicate — they connect, heal, empower, and become part of our living legacy.

📘 Explore Neil’s work: neilcanhelp.com
📖 Order the book: The Most Powerful Sentence of All Time

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

💬 Subscribe & Leave a Review
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What happens when two sisters sit down with “their guys” for a Thanksgiving conversation that’s equal parts heartfelt, hilarious, and unexpectedly healing? In this special holiday episode, Kellie and Erin welcome Marcus and Jason back to the mic to talk about gratitude, growth, family traditions, and the beautiful chaos that makes this season meaningful.

From kitchen mishaps and family quirks to the deeper moments that shaped them this year, the four of them open up about what they’re learning, what they’re laughing about, and what they’re letting go of. They talk about relationships, resilience, blended families, the work of becoming better humans… and why gratitude is more powerful when it’s messy, honest, and shared.

In this Thanksgiving roundtable, we explore:

• What each of us is most grateful for this year
 • How challenges shaped our growth individually and as couples
 • Why presence matters more than perfection
 • How gratitude rewires relationships
 • The power of reflection, humor, and intentional connection

This episode is real, raw, meaningful — and full of the kind of laughter that reminds us why holidays matter. Whether you’re cooking, driving, hosting, or hiding in the pantry for five minutes of quiet, this conversation is a warm reminder that gratitude is a practice… and we’re all learning.

**FREE RESOURCE**
Download the all-new P-I-G Gratitude Reset today!

**NEW PROGRAM**
Learn more about the P-I-G Relationship Reset.

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

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🔗 Connect & Follow Along
If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social:
🌐 www.thepigpodcast.com
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📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn

💖 Support Our Mission
Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship
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What if one discovery rewrote everything you thought you knew about your life?

When Rich Boerner flew across the country to clean out his late mother’s apartment after her passing, he expected grief — not a total rewrite of his family history. Inside her nightstand, he found a letter that revealed a secret she had kept his entire life: the truth about his father, his identity, and the family he never knew he had.

In this honest and heartfelt conversation, Rich — longtime radio producer, podcaster, storyteller, and author of The Not-So Only Child — shares what it was like to uncover the unimaginable, and how the experience transformed his understanding of love, legacy, and truth.

We talk about:
 • How hidden family stories shape identity and belonging
 • Grieving the loss of a parent while uncovering new truths
 • The emotional impact of silence and secrecy in families
 • What it means to “rewrite” your story with compassion
 • The power of humor, humility, and healing through honesty

Rich’s story reminds us that truth doesn’t erase love — it deepens it. And sometimes, the family we lose isn’t the only one we find.

🎧 Listen and share at thePIGpodcast.com or on your favorite platform.
📖 Purchase the book and connect with Rich.

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

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Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it!

🔗 Connect & Follow Along
If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social:
🌐 www.thepigpodcast.com
📬 thepigpodcast.com/contact
📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn

💖 Support Our Mission
Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449606/support

Some relationships don’t break because of big events—they fracture quietly through years of misunderstanding, assumptions, and unspoken emotion.

In this two-part series, we invited Marcus Straub—coach, mentor, brother-in-law to Erin and husband to Kellie and—to guide us through a live, unscripted deep-dive into our own relationship as sisters.

In Part One, we explored self-awareness through our DISC assessments: how we’re wired to behave, communicate, and respond under pressure. 

In Part Two, we take it a step further—uncovering the Driving Forces that shape our motivations, influence our responses & reactions, and define how we show up for the people we love. Understanding the WHY behind our HOW.

We laugh, reflect, and lean into the sometimes uncomfortable truths about family, communication, and the courage it takes to listen without judgment or assumption. What began as a coaching session became a powerful reminder that healing relationships isn’t about fixing what’s broken—it’s about rediscovering what’s possible.

In this episode, we:

• Explore the 12 Driving Forces and how they influence relationships
• Discover why curiosity and courage are more powerful than control
• Learn to listen without defensiveness and speak without blame
• Discuss the power of empathy, healthy boundaries, and compassion
• Show how behavioral tools can bring connection back to families

... and so much more!

Every conversation we have reminds us that self-awareness is the foundation for all kinds of love—between siblings, partners, friends, families, and even within ourselves.

If you’re ready to experience your own "reset," explore The P-I-G Relationship Reset—a guided and deeply personal coaching experience to help you discover, understand, and heal together. 

 ✨ Learn more at thepigpodcast.com/relationship-reset.

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

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Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it!

🔗 Connect & Follow Along
If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social:
🌐 www.thepigpodcast.com
📬 thepigpodcast.com/contact
📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn

💖 Support Our Mission
Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship
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Six months ago, we made a decision that would completely change the trajectory of our relationship—not just as sisters, but as women, mothers, and partners.

We stopped guessing.
We stopped assuming.
And we started doing the work.

In this first Relationship Reset Check-in, we sit down with our coach, Marcus Straub, to reflect on what’s actually changed since beginning this journey through DISC, Driving Forces, and integrity-based communication.

This isn’t theory—it’s real life.

We talk about:

• What we’ve learned about ourselves—and each other—faster than we ever expected
• How awareness replaces assumption and transforms communication
• What it looks like to apply these tools in real time (not just read about them)
• The ripple effect into our families, parenting, marriages, and friendships
• How this work changed the quality of time we shared during the holidays
• Why most people struggle in relationships—and what actually helps

Marcus also shares his perspective after working with us weekly for six months, along with why assessment-based coaching creates such powerful and lasting change.

If you’ve ever thought, “Why don’t they understand me?” or “Why does this keep happening?”—this conversation will give you language, clarity, and a path forward.

Because relationships don’t change by chance.
They change by choice—and by tools that actually work.

*NOTE: To follow along with our Relationship Comparison Report, visit thePIGpodcast.com/episodes/episode-31.

Support the show

Hearing the stories of others helps us create a more meaningful connection to our own—because legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s how we live right now.

💬 Subscribe & Leave a Review
Please subscribe on your favorite platform, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it!

🔗 Connect & Follow Along
If you have a personal story or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The P-I-G, complete the guest form, and connect on social:
🌐 www.thepigpodcast.com
📬 thepigpodcast.com/contact
📱 Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn

💖 Support Our Mission
Each episode of The P-I-G is created with deep care and intention. If The P-I-G has touched your heart, please consider supporting us or becoming a sponsor: https://www.thepigpodcast.com/sponsorship
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2449606/support