Real & Rooted
Real & Rooted is a sanctuary for honest, heart‑level conversations where we explore grief, resilience, and the quiet strength that emerges when we tell the truth about our lives. It’s a grounded space for reflection, healing, and community — a place to feel seen, supported, and anchored as we grow toward a more wholehearted way of living.
Real & Rooted
Rooted Beginnings: The Heart Behind Real & Rooted
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In this opening episode of Real & Rooted, Lori invites listeners into a space of honesty, gentleness, and grounded reflection. She shares the heart behind the podcast — why it exists, who it’s for, and how slowing down to tell the truth about our lives can become a pathway to healing, resilience, and deeper connection. This is the beginning of a community rooted in compassion and real conversation, where we honor what’s been broken and nurture what’s becoming.
Real and Rooted: Embracing Grief, Growth, and Grounding with Lori Kendall
In this heartfelt episode, Lori Kendall shares her deeply personal journey through loss, grief, and healing. She explores how grief strips away surface-level facades, revealing our authentic selves and the importance of being rooted in truth, especially after tragedy.
Key Topics:
- The meaning behind the podcast name "Real and Rooted" and its significance in trauma and grief
- Lori's story: losing her son to suicide and the impact on her identity as a military mom
- The stages and waves of grief — what they really look and feel like
- How strength is often praised but can hinder true healing
- The concept of being rooted: growing underground, unseen, resilient
- Practical grounding exercises for listeners to reset their nervous system
- Navigating faith, identity, and relationships after loss
- The importance of honesty, vulnerability, and community in healing
- Embracing the possibility of growth and transformation beyond grief
Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome to the Real and Rooted podcast: uncovering healing through authenticity
00:30 - Recognizing listeners' resilience in everyday moments
01:10 - Lori’s introduction: roots, grief, and grounded healing
02:26 - The meaning behind "Real and Rooted" — confronting surface-level coping
03:55 - Discussing hard truths: mental health, trauma, and stories we don’t often share
04:50 - Lori’s personal story: loss of her son to suicide, an unthinkable grief
06:16 - The reality of grief waves: emotional turbulence and physical toll
07:55 - The loneliness of grief and feeling underwater despite being surrounded by others
08:57 - The choice in grief: letting it overtake or grounding yourself
09:46 - The significance of feeling through pain, asking difficult questions
10:28 - Why grief is integrated, not “gotten over,” especially in military communities
11:00 - The stigma around suicide loss and the importance of community support
12:16 - Loss wears many faces — mourning relationships, identities, and self-image
12:45 - The foundation of healing: honesty over strength
13:27 - The metaphor of roots: growth, invisibility, messiness, and resilience
13:35 - Practical breathing exercise to connect with your nervous system
14:15 - What will be discussed: trauma, triggers, post-traumatic growth, and rebuilding identity
15:12 - Validating feelings: invisibility, anger, numbness, and resting in vulnerability
16:03 - Embracing honesty, depth, and patience in the healing journey
16:42 - Closing thoughts: you are still becoming, your roots carry you forward
Resources & Links:
Connect with Lori Kendall:
Thank you for joining us on this journey of honesty and healing. If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who needs to hear they are not alone. Remember, your roots are strong — you are still becoming.