"Sensory": an emotional parley for a family coping with the loss of a Mother and Grandmother

Welcome to another episode of the Touched Out Podcast! Today, we have Bekah and Bryan joining us, a dynamic duo who share their insights and experiences on parenting, loss, and navigating the complexities of family life. Bekah, the creator and host of the Yooman Podcast (www.instagram.com/theyoomanpodcast), and Bryan, her husband, have two children together, making their perspectives even more relatable and insightful.In this episode, we dive deep into the fascinating topic of parenting styles, comparing our own approaches to those of our parents and exploring the transformative shift towards open conversations surrounding mental health and emotions.Join us as we share our personal birth stories, discussing the mindset and emotions leading up to those life-changing moments. We also delve into Bekah's decision to go no contact with her family, providing a glimpse into the reasons behind this difficult choice.The sudden passing of Bryan's mother just before the COVID-19 lockdowns forever altered the dynamics of his family, and we delve into the profound impact of this loss. Bryan opens up about the role his mother played as the glue holding everything together, highlighting the challenges his family faced in the wake of her passing and the added complications imposed by pandemic restrictions.Throughout this episode, we touch on various other thought-provoking topics:Light-hearted discussions about why partners shouldn't take a peek "down there" during childbirth.The unique experience of cutting the umbilical cord and the emotional significance it holds.Bryan's brave account of grief and loss, sharing how one never truly recovers from losing a loved one but instead learns to live with a "new normal".Processing "Big feelings" as a family unit.Engaging in conversations about religion and faith, while consciously avoiding falling back on them as explanations for death and loss.Discovering striking similarities between Bryan and Carter's lives, from their upbringings to their mothers sharing the same taste in music and passing away at the same age.Bekah sheds light on the use of a codeword, "sensory," within their family, a tool employed to support a family member in need of emotional regulation. By using this word, everyone respects the situation, turning off the music and engaging in open dialogue.Join us on this emotionally resonant journey as we explore the intricacies of parenthood, loss, and the power of building connections within chosen families.Support the showThanks for listening to The Touched Out podcast! I hope you enjoyed this episode.<br/><br/>If you have any comments or suggestions, please send me an email at touchedoutpodcast@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Instagram at www.instagram.com/touchedoutpodcast for updates and behind-the-scenes content. If you liked this episode, please consider sharing to your social media, discussing with your community and leave a rating and review to help others discover my show.<br/><br/>Visit www.loopearplugs.com and use "LOOPxTOUCHEDOUT" at checkout for 15% of your order. <br/><br/>If you or someone you know are experiencing mental health problems, we encourage you to reach out for help. You can call the Lifeline Australia helpline at 13 11 14 or for parents struggling with postnatal mental health reach out to PANDA at 13 22 89 (www.panda.org.au) <br/><br/>Don't forget to subscribe to The Touched Out podcast on your podcast platform of choice so you never miss an episode. Thanks again for listening and keep on keeping on!