Terrible, Thanks For Asking

Subscribe to TTFA Anthologies here. Two days after Nora’s husband Aaron died, she celebrated Thanksgiving with her family. Well... maybe not “celebrated.”  Every year, millions of people do the same thing during the holidays. In this episode, we talk with some of those folks, including Dr. Lucy Kalanithi and comedian Amber Tozer.  We also spend some time with some of the women of the Hot Young Widows Club, talking about their hopes and dreams for the upcoming year.  Plus, stories of some of the worst holidays ever.  _ Come see the Happyish Holidays Live Show: A Petty LIttle Christmas at The Parkway Theatre in Minneapolis on December 4th and 5th, or join the livestream on December 5th! _ It’s the most wonderful time of the year… um, but is it really? The holiday season can be complicated. Sometimes instead of cozy nights with hot cocoa and meaningful moments, we get tears, ruined plans, and nights spent hiding in the bathroom at family parties. If the holiday season hasn’t always lived up to your expectations, join us for Happyish Holidays, a collection of holidays gone wrong presented by Terrible, Thanks for Asking. Happyish Holidays to you and yours! Terrible, Thanks for Asking tells the real stories of real people who have lived through the terrible things in life. TTFA Anthologies are a curated collection of some of our best stories; released in seasons that focus on a specific topic. You can find our entire episode catalog ad-free on Apple+ or Patreon.  Created and hosted by Nora McInerny. - Find Nora’s weekly newsletter here! Also, check out Nora on YouTube. _ The Feelings & Co. team is Nora McInerny, Claire McInerny, Marcel Malekebu and Grace Barry. _ Find all our shows at www.feelingsand.co.

Subscribe to TTFA Anthologies here. If the holidays make you want to tear your hair out or cry on the bathroom floor, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. It's a hard time for a lot of people, and still we have to force a smile and say through gritted teeth, "Happy Holidays!" But the holidays aren't always happy. Most of the time, all we can ask for is HappyISH Holidays.  In this episode, Nora McInerny and producer Marcel Malekebu dive into AITA stories of holidays gone wrong. You can play judge, jury, and executioner with them.  If you need a holiday survival guide, we're sorry, this isn't it. But it just might make you feel better about your holiday blunders! _ Come see the Happyish Holidays Live Show: A Petty LIttle Christmas at The Parkway Theatre in Minneapolis on December 4th and 5th, or join the livestream on December 5th! _ It’s the most wonderful time of the year… um, but is it really? The holiday season can be complicated. Sometimes instead of cozy nights with hot cocoa and meaningful moments, we get tears, ruined plans, and nights spent hiding in the bathroom at family parties. If the holiday season hasn’t always lived up to your expectations, join us for Happyish Holidays, a collection of holidays gone wrong presented by Terrible, Thanks for Asking. Happyish Holidays to you and yours! Terrible, Thanks for Asking tells the real stories of real people who have lived through the terrible things in life. TTFA Anthologies are a curated collection of some of our best stories; released in seasons that focus on a specific topic. You can find our entire episode catalog ad-free on Apple+ or Patreon.  Created and hosted by Nora McInerny. - Find Nora’s weekly newsletter here! Also, check out Nora on YouTube. _ The Feelings & Co. team is Nora McInerny, Claire McInerny, Marcel Malekebu and Grace Barry. _ Find all our shows at www.feelingsand.co.

In case you didn't know, we're still making two episodes a month for our Patreon and Apple Plus subscribers. We wanted to give all of our listeners a little preview of our most recent episode! Consider joining our Patreon to listen to the rest of the episode(or watch the episode!), get additional bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles. (Or, if you’re an Apple Podcast listener, you can sign up for TTFA Premium right in the app!) _ Refamulating, one of our other shows at Feelings and Co, is back today with its second season! To celebrate, we wanted to share one of their episodes from season 1. It’s called “Seahorse Dad” and features former TTFA guest Liam Magan (from Liam and the Letters).  When Nora interviewed Liam a few years ago, he shared his experience of coming out as trans and the conflict that caused with his evangelical family. Liam is in a very different place in his life these days, and in this episode of Refamulating he talks about his journey of trying to get pregnant as a trans man.  Listen to the new season of Refamulating now! _ Please send us your questions and comments about this episode or any other! You can email us at ttfapremium@feelingsand.co or leave us a voicemail at 612-568-4441.  — Check us out on YouTube. Find all our shows and more at feelingsand.co

Today is Election Day in the U.S. and for many of us that means…getting through the day is going to feel like watching water boil. So we have an idea: delete the news apps off your phone today, don’t check social media, and press play on this multi-hour, politics free chat between Nora and Kate Kennedy.  When you finish this episode, don’t worry, THERE’S MORE. Head over to Kate Kennedy’s Patreon to get more of this conversation.  And if you need MORE distractions, we got you:  Listen to our It’s Going To Be Okay playlist to combat anxiety Watch our YouTube videos! _ In case you didn't know, we're still making two episodes a month for our Patreon and Apple Plus subscribers. We wanted to give all of our listeners a little preview of our most recent episode! Consider joining our Patreon to listen to the rest of the episode(or watch the episode!), get additional bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles. (Or, if you’re an Apple Podcast listener, you can sign up for TTFA Premium right in the app!) _ Please send us your questions and comments about this episode or any other! You can email us at ttfapremium@feelingsand.co or leave us a voicemail at 612-568-4441.  — Check us out on YouTube. Find all our shows and more at feelingsand.co

In case you didn't know, we're still making two episodes a month for our Patreon and Apple Plus subscribers. We wanted to give all of our listeners a little preview of our most recent episode! Consider joining our Patreon to listen to the rest of the episode(or watch the episode!), get additional bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles. (Or, if you’re an Apple Podcast listener, you can sign up for TTFA Premium right in the app!) _ Three years ago we published a TTFA episode called ‘Don’t You Want Somebody To Take Care Of You?’, an interview with Gina Demillo Wagner about her experience growing up in a dysfunctional family and being a caregiver as a child.  Gina’s brother Alan had a rare genetic disorder that caused him to veer from loving to violent. His illness put stress on the entire family, including her parents, whose mental illnesses went untreated.  Since that episode, Gina’s written a book about this experience called Forces of Nature: A Memoir of Family, Loss and Finding Home. On this episode, Gina and Nora catch up about writing the book, how writing helped her process and how some of the Real Housewives helped give her the courage to cut off contact with some family members. _ Please send us your questions and comments about this episode or any other! You can email us at ttfapremium@feelingsand.co or leave us a voicemail at 612-568-4441.  — Check us out on YouTube. Find all our shows and more at feelingsand.co

In case you didn't know, we're still making two episodes a month for our Patreon and Apple Plus subscribers. We wanted to give all of our listeners a little preview of our most recent episode! Consider joining our Patreon to listen to the rest of the episode(or watch the episode!), get additional bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles. (Or, if you’re an Apple Podcast listener, you can sign up for TTFA Premium right in the app!) _ Have you thought at some point in your adult life, I wish I had more friends?  Maybe you moved to a new city, saw your social life dwindle after having kids, or spent all your time and energy on your romantic relationships. No matter how you got there, trying to make friends as an adult is a really hard task! To try and help us all be better friends, we called in an expert:  Marisa Franco is a professor and studies and writes about friendship and human connection. She is the author of Platonic: How the science of attachment can help you make- and keep- friends. Marisa and Nora discuss how important friendships are to our mental health and how we can all strengthen our friendships.   Please send us your questions and comments about this episode or any other! You can email us at ttfapremium@feelingsand.co or leave us a voicemail at 612-568-4441.  — Check us out on YouTube. Find all our shows and more at feelingsand.co

In case you didn't know, we're still making two episodes a month for our Patreon and Apple Plus subscribers. We wanted to give all of our listeners a little preview of our most recent episode! Consider joining our Patreon to listen to the rest of the episode(or watch the episode!), get additional bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles. (Or, if you’re an Apple Podcast listener, you can sign up for TTFA Premium right in the app!) _ Earlier this year we did a bonus episode showcasing obituaries from your dead loved ones. Nora cried throughout the entire episode, so we wanted to do it again! There were so many obituaries we couldn’t read the first time, so we’re honored to share more of your beautiful loved ones and we wanted to give all of our listeners a little preview of that bonus episode! It’s truly an honor to learn about all of the people you loved, so thank you for sharing them with us.  _ Here’s the full article from Shiri, who wrote about the abortion she had to save her son’s life. _ Also, check out Nora on YouTube. _ Please send us your questions and comments about this episode or any other! You can email us at ttfapremium@feelingsand.co or leave us a voicemail at 612-568-4441.  — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co

Subscribe to TTFA Anthologies here. This is an episode about two letters. One of those is the letter Jim left for his wife, Annie, before he died by suicide. The second is the letter Annie wrote to Jim after his death — and as she dealt with her own mental health issues and suicidality in the wake of it. When someone dies by suicide, people want it to be someone’s fault, so they can (hopefully) feel less like it’s their fault. But the thing is … it’s never anyone’s fault. _ Terrible, Thanks for Asking tells the real stories of real people who have lived through the terrible things in life. TTFA Anthologies are a curated collection of some of our best stories; released in seasons that focus on a specific topic. You can find our entire episode catalog ad-free on Apple+ or Patreon. – Find Nora’s weekly newsletter here! Also, check out Nora on YouTube. _ The Feelings & Co. team is Nora McInerny, Claire McInerny, Marcel Malekebu and Grace Barry. _ Find all our shows and our store at www.feelingsand.co.

Subscribe to TTFA Anthologies here. Terrible, Thanks for Asking tells the real stories of real people who have lived through the terrible things in life. TTFA Anthologies are a curated collection of some of our best stories; released in seasons that focus on a specific topic. You can find our entire episode catalog ad-free on Apple+ or Patreon. – Find Nora’s weekly newsletter here! Also, check out Nora on YouTube. _ The Feelings & Co. team is Nora McInerny, Claire McInerny, Marcel Malekebu and Grace Barry. _ Find all our shows and our store at www.feelingsand.co.

Years ago, when Nora was in the worst phase of her life (dead husband, dead dad, lost pregnancy) she heard a lot of people describe her as resilient. Those people meant it as a compliment, but to Nora it didn’t feel that way. She was tired, grieving, and lost so much in her life- the “resilience” people saw was often just…the privilege she had to survive it.  So when Nora got the new book, The Resilience Myth by Soraya Chemaly, she devoured it. In this episode, Nora and Soraya talk about different ways to think about resiliency and how celebrating it can be a little toxic.  We are still on hiatus! But this episode in the main feed was brought to you by our TTFA Premium subscribers. Since the hiatus, we’ve been producing two episodes a month for people who support us on Patreon and Apple Premium (join in your Apple podcast app). If you want more TTFA, consider joining us on one of those platforms.  _ Check out Nora on YouTube! __ Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook

When Nora was about to marry her first husband Aaron, they were in the thick of his cancer treatment. So the day before the wedding, she got a small tattoo to remind her to stay in the present moment.   This was an excerpt from Nora’s first book, It’s Okay To Laugh (Crying is cool, too) which is available here. _ If you have anxiety, depression or any sense of the world around you, you know that not *everything* is going to be okay. In fact, many things aren’t okay and never will be! But instead of falling into the pit of despair, we’re bringing you a little OK for your day. Every weekday, we’ll bring you one okay thing to help you start, end or endure your day with the opposite of a doom scroll. Created and hosted by Nora McInerny. Find Nora’s weekly newsletter here. We’re on YouTube, with new videos twice a week! Subscribe here. _ “It’s Going To Be OK” is brought to you by The Hartford. The Hartford is a leading insurance provider that connects people and technology for better employee benefits.  Learn more at www.thehartford.com/benefits.  _ Share your OK thing at 612.568.4441 or by emailing a note or voice memo to IGTBO@feelingsand.co. Start your message with “I’m (name) and it’s going to be okay.”  _ The IGTBO team is Nora McInerny, Claire McInerny, Marcel Malekebu, Amanda Romani and Grace Barry. _ The transcript for this episode can be found here. Find all our shows and our store at www.feelingsand.co.

Two years ago Julia Winston was asked to help a gay couple start a family by donating her eggs. At the time, she was 38, single, and had no idea if she’d start her own family. Sometimes that made her feel insecure, so the opportunity to donate her eggs allowed her to help create a family, just not the one she imagined in her head. Since the donation, she’s gone through an emotional transformation that opened her eyes to all the different ways a family can look.  Julia is the host of Refamulating, the newest podcast from the Feelings and Co universe. Listen to Refamulating now, wherever you get your podcasts. Follow the show on Instagram.  _ This is our last episode of Terrible Thanks for Asking for a while. If you want to get new episodes of TTFA through August, consider joining our Patreon. (Or, if you’re an Apple Podcast listener, you can sign up for TTFA Premium right in the app!) Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! Foria: Experience your juiciest and deepest sensual experience with a bottle of Foria. FORIA is offering a special deal for our listeners. Get 20% off your first order by visiting foriawellness.com/TERRIBLE OR use code TERRIBLE at checkout. I recommend trying their new Massage Oil combined with their Awaken Arousal Oil. You’ll thank me later. BetterHelp: Learn to make time for what makes you happy, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/TTFA today to get 10% off your first month. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we prepare for our indefinite hiatus, we wanted to remind you that we will still be making TTFA episodes on our Patreon and Apple Premium feeds. If you aren't a premium member, we wanted to show you what kind of episodes we make over there by bringing one of our bonus episodes to the main feed. Recently, we asked listeners to send in obituaries about your dead people, and boy oh boy did you all deliver some gems that made us laugh, cry and reeeeeally want to double fist a Dr. Pepper with a Miller High Life.  In this bonus episode, Nora reads some of her favorites. _ Find Nora’s weekly newsletter here. _ We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! Foria: Experience your juiciest and deepest sensual experience with a bottle of Foria. FORIA is offering a special deal for our listeners. Get 20% off your first order by visiting foriawellness.com/TERRIBLE OR use code TERRIBLE at checkout. I recommend trying their new Massage Oil combined with their Awaken Arousal Oil. You’ll thank me later. BetterHelp: Learn to make time for what makes you happy, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/TTFA today to get 10% off your first month. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2015, Sarah Super was raped by her ex-boyfriend Alex Neal. And she channeled that act of violence into a mission-driven organization that helped survivors of sexual violence feel seen and heard. 9 years after the night that changed her life, Sarah reflects on what it means to move forward with her life and to reclaim her identity as more than a survivor. Sarah was a guest on the first season of our podcast. To hear Sarah's original episode, Unbroken, click here. — Want more TTFA? Become a member of our Patreon!  Patrons get bonus episodes, invites to monthly office hours with Nora, and access to the full back catalog of episodes. Patrons are the only people who get other perks like discounted live event tickets or opportunities to sit in on an editing session for future episodes.  __ Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. __ Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have a big update about the future of TTFA, and something a lot of you have been asking about since the last episode, where I mentioned *casually* in the credits that we were going to be taking an indefinite hiatus. I wanted to talk more about what that means going forward, and thank all of you for listening and supporting our show.  xo, Nora — You can read the transcript of this update here. — We’ll be creating *NEW* episodes on Patreon through August 2024. Consider joining us on Patreon if you want to hear new episodes and access our back catalog.  — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newsletters from an abandoned safe deposit box set host Paul Ditty on an investigation to learn all he can about The Silver Chain – a suburban Minnesota swing club from the 1970s –  and its members.  Minnesota journalist Jack El-Hai paints a picture of what suburban life was like in the 1970s and how this sparked a delayed and secret sexual revolution among middle-aged couples.  Paul attempts to reach several of the club's members. No one will talk until finally he reaches Carol. She hangs up on Paul, then eventually agrees to talk. But just as Paul is on his way to Modesto for the interview, an email from Carol’s daughter changes his course. Don't forget to subscribe to the Time Capsule feed wherever you listen to podcasts!Links: Time Capsule Substack TimeCapsulePodcast.com Jack El-Hai's Article See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For years, Nancy could picture her ideal partner. She wanted someone who would make her laugh, who would love her son, and who would make her feel confident and empowered. When she met Noa, he checked all the boxes. Everything she thought other people made up about love suddenly came true. But…this perfect love didn’t last forever.  Today we hear from both Nancy and Noa as they perform an autopsy of sorts on their relationship and why it didn’t work.  –  Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining our Patreon to get bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles.  Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here.                       The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! Foria: FORIA is offering a special deal for our listeners. Get 20% off your first order by visiting foriawellness.com/TERRIBLE OR use code TERRIBLE at checkout.  Sundays: Get 40% off your first order of Sundays. Go to sundaysfordogs.com/TERRIBLE or use code TERRIBLE at checkout. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the early 1990s, a cache of abandoned newsletters found its way from a safety deposit box in Minneapolis, Minnesota to the state’s historical society, where they were left to gather dust. The newsletters detailed the inner workings of a secret 1970s swingers society: The Silver Chain Social Club. Fifty years later, TV writer and host Paul Ditty tracks down the club’s surviving members to uncover the group’s mysterious history and the ties that connected its members long after the swingers club closed its doors for good. For a deeper look inside Time Capsule, read Paul's newsletter. Learn more about Time Capsule at timecapsulepodcast.com.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greetings, loved ones. We’re back with one of our time honored Terrible traditions: The Grudge Book. Sit back, get cozy, bring your petties, and enjoy this selection of listener grudges featuring the wisdom of Nora and Marcel.  THEE Bath and Body Works Peach Bellini Rant Video — Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining our Patreon to get bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles.  Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jenni was raised Mormon, and for the first part of her life, was a dutiful follower. She got married young, attended church, and was a loyal wife. But life got messy and complicated for Jenni, and she eventually made a choice that surprised her. A choice considered a sin in her culture, and a pretty hurtful thing to do by the rest of society: she cheated. For the last year, Jenni’s been grappling with the shame and guilt of this choice and how parts of her dating history led to this choice.  — Want more TTFA? Become a member of our Patreon!  Patrons get bonus episodes, invites to monthly office hours with Nora, and access to the full back catalog of episodes. Patrons are the only people who get other perks like discounted live event tickets or opportunities to sit in on an editing session for future episodes.  — Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nora sits down with her friend and fellow podcaster PJ Vogt of Search Engine. They discuss what he found in his own interviews with a drug dealer who used fentanyl in his drug supply. That, plus the original Search Engine episode are included here.   If you have not yet listened to this week’s TTFA episode, “86 Sundays,” we suggest you go back and listen so you can see why we were inspired to share this Search Engine episode with you. — Original Search Engine episode description: We speak to Luis, a former fentanyl dealer and user who tells us why a dealer might want to put fentanyl in less lethal drugs. Luis also tells us how he learned the rules of dealing, and how the rules changed over his multi-decade career.   If you have questions or comments about this episode, or if you'd like to support the show, head to our newsletter: pjvogt.com.  — Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining our Patreon to get bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles.  Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! Indeed: Start hiring NOW with a SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLAR SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at Indeed.com/TTFA. Offer good for a limited time. Just go to Indeed.com/TTFA and support the show by saying you heard about it on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Need to hire? You need Indeed. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feliz lost her sister, Karina, in a horrifying way — in a way that’s quick to draw judgment and condemnation. Feliz has seen the worst of it all, but Karina deserves to be defined by her life, not her death. A warning that this episode includes discussions of drug use and poisoning. Resources: CDC guidelines on how to test drugs for fentanyl  Find fentanyl test strips here DrugsData.org provides a rolling update of what's in illicit drugs by geographical area. The data is sent in by strangers, and you might be able to see what’s happening in your city, depending on where you live. The use of NarCan can help prevent an opioid overdose. Check in your local area to find nonprofits that provide training and distribute the medicine. Find how to use NarCan here.  — Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining our Patreon to get bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles. Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! Indeed: Start hiring NOW with a SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLAR SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at Indeed.com/TTFA. Offer good for a limited time. Just go to Indeed.com/TTFA and support the show by saying you heard about it on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Need to hire? You need Indeed. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If your holiday season is feeling less sparkly, less warm, less…happy, you’ve come to the right place! Every year we make an episode about the bad, terrible and subpar side of the holidays and this year’s Happyish Holidays episode is a real doozy. Brianna Liestman shares how every Christmas from 2007-2010, a different member of her family ruined Christmas. There are fires, hospital visits, crying at Kay Jewelers and a shopping spree at Hot Topic! The drama is bigger than Santa's sleigh and will give you a laugh or two if you're needing a pick me up this month. Listen to past Happyish Holidays episodes in our back catalog on Patreon.  — Happyish Holidays is a “Terrible, Thanks for Asking“ tradition for everyone who has a complicated relationship with the “most wonderful time of the year.” Our live podcast show—hosted by Nora McInerny and with Marcel Malekebu—brought together a blend of audio, video, and in-person holiday magic. The recording of our 2023 show is available for purchase on our Patreon Shop. If you purchased a ticket to the livestream through The Parkway, are a paid subscriber of our Patreon or Substack, or are a paying subscriber of Nora's Substack, check your inboxes for information on your complimentary access to the recording. __ Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining our Patreon to get bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles.  Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — Happyish Holidays is sponsored by Option B. Option B provides practical, compassionate, everyday advice both for those who are facing loss and hardship and for those who want to support their loved ones during life’s hardest moments. When our friends and family are struggling with loss, it’s the absolute WORST. Whether your partner lost a parent, your best friend recently had a miscarriage, or your child is going through a painful divorce, knowing what to do or say over the holidays can leave us feeling helpless and stuck. If you’re feeling unsure of how to help, check out OptionB. There for the Holidays at www.optionb.org/holidays. You’ll find #realtalk holiday cards to send to your family and friends, stories from celebs about how they’ve re-created traditions after loss, and tips you can implement right away on how to show up for your loved ones. Join us at www.optionb.org/holidays and @optionb on Instagram and Facebook for holiday tips and to follow along. — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kelly loved her dad, then she lost her dad. Kelly loved her grandpa, then she lost her grandpa. Now that Kelly’s a mom herself, she wants to ensure that her son knows he’s loved, no matter what comes. — We still have a few tickets left for our Happyish Holidays live show in Minneapolis Dec 7. Can't make it to Minneapolis? Buy a ticket to get access to the show's livestream! Tickets are $13 apiece, and FREE for our Patrons! (check your email for more information). If you're not a member of our Patreon, now is a great time to join! For less than a ticket price you can virtually attend the show AND get other member benefits you will love. Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! Indeed: Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at Indeed.com/TTFA. Offer good for a limited time. Just go to Indeed.com/TTFA and support the show by saying you heard about it on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Need to hire? You need Indeed. Squarespace: Go to Squarespace.com/TTFA and use offer code TTFA to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are some stories so plainly horrifying, some crimes so gut wrenching, that it can be hard to imagine the perpetrator as anything other than a villain. A drunk driving accident that killed 6 people does not sound like the beginning of a redemption story. But this episode isn’t about redemption — it’s about learning to live alongside an unthinkable mistake. — Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining our Patreon to get bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles. Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! Indeed: Start hiring NOW with a SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLAR SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at Indeed.com/TTFA. Offer good for a limited time. Just go to Indeed.com/TTFA and support the show by saying you heard about it on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Need to hire? You need Indeed. Squarespace: Go to Squarespace.com/TTFA and use offer code TTFA to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Christina met Thomas as a young adult, their relationship felt different, and right. As time goes on, cracks start to appear in their dynamic, but Christina doesn’t give up on the people she loves. But how many cracks does it take before a dam breaks?  — Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining our Patreon to get bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles. Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — Nora’s new Happyish journal and affirmation deck based on her own journaling practices launches today! We have a special deal for you on these new items:  25% discount for the Em & Friends website. Coupon code: HAPPYISH25. This will only work on the Em & Friends website, not on Amazon. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! Indeed: Go to indeed.com/TTFA to claim your $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post.  Fordham University: Earn a degree that matters and choose social work. Learn more at fordham.edu/mswjourney. Squarespace: Go to Squarespace.com/TTFA and use offer code TTFA to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greg was married to his best friend, Anna, for 6 years. He loved and respected her. So the night he told her he was gay was painful because he knew how much he was hurting her. In the ten months since then, Greg has looked hard at his depression and addiction, two things that held him back from admitting his sexuality. This is part 2 of a story about one couple’s divorce. Listen to part 1 of this episode, “Everything, All Of You…” If you need support for addiction, check out these resources: Ben’s Friends- a support group for people in the food and beverage industry Alcoholics Anonymous SAMHSA- a hotline that can connect you to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.   If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts (or love someone who does): Text HOME to 741-741 for a free, confidential conversation with a trained counselor any time of day.  If you feel unsafe right now, text or call 988 or use the chat function at 988lifeline.org If you need help figuring out HOW to tell someone that you’re having suicidal thoughts, here are some prompts.  If you suspect someone in your life is having suicidal thoughts, here are some questions you can ask them.  Read the CDC’s Suicide Prevention Resource for Action. If you’re struggling with depression, know some of the tools that can help lift you out of a hard time.  ___ Nora’s new Happyish journal and affirmation deck based on her own journaling practices launches today! We have a special deal for you on these new items:  25% discount for the Em & Friends website. Coupon code: HAPPYISH25. This will only work on the Em & Friends website, not on Amazon. ___ Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining our Patreon to get bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles. Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. ___ We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production!   Fordham University: More than one in five US adults live with a mental illness, and licensed social workers play a crucial role in their empowerment. Fordham’s top-ranked Master of Social Work program equips students with the clinical training and skills needed to supply these vital mental health services. Their flexible full-time and part-time options cater to your schedule and interests. Earn a degree that matters and choose social work. Learn more at fordham.edu/mswjourney. Indeed: Start hiring NOW with a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at Indeed.com/TTFA. Offer good for a limited time. Just go to Indeed.com/TTFA and support the show by saying you heard about it on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Need to hire? You need Indeed. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Anna was a 24 year-old hostess at a restaurant, she fell in love with the chef in the kitchen. Their relationship, and later marriage was filled with love. But Anna could always feel something was off between her and her husband. One night last December, she found out she was right.  — Nora’s new Happyish journal and affirmation deck based on her own journaling practices launches today! We have a special deal for you on these new items:  25% discount for the Em & Friends website. Coupon code: HAPPYISH25. This will only work on the Em & Friends website, not on Amazon. ___ Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining our Patreon to get bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles. Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! Hatch: Right now, Hatch is offering our listeners $20 off your purchase of a Hatch Restore and free shipping at hatch.co/ttfa.  You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeremy Norton has been a firefighter for over 20 years, a job that’s considered heroic and honorable…a job that sometimes means showing up to a false alarm…and sometimes means soaking up the trauma of the city around you.  Jeremy has been a TTFA listener since day one. His first book — The Trauma Sponges: Dispatches From The Scarred Heart of Emergency Response — is out October 10, 2023.  Link: https://bookshop.org/a/12538/9781517914189 — Nora’s new Happyish journal and affirmation deck based on her own journaling practices launches today! We have a special deal for you on these new items:  25% discount for the Em & Friends website. Coupon code: HAPPYISH25. This will only work on the Em & Friends website, not on Amazon. __ Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining our Patreon to get bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles. Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! Liquid IV: Get 20% off when you go to liquidiv.com and use code TTFA at checkout. BetterHelp: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/ttfa to get started with 10% off your first month. Learn more at BetterHelp.com Squarespace: Go to Squarespace.com/TTFA and use offer code TTFA to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Hatch: Right now, Hatch is offering our listeners $20 off your purchase of a Hatch Restore and free shipping at hatch.co/ttfa. Sleep deeply and wake gently with the Restore - go to hatch.co/ttfa to get $20 off and free shipping! Bookshop.org: You can save 10% on your next order when you shop at Bookshop.org/TTFA and use code TERRIBLE at checkout. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Claire was a teenager, she held a lot of big, difficult feelings, and for a while, she saw only one solution for them. Though Claire decides to not act on those feelings, her story gets shared anonymously online — and continues to appear when she needs it most.   Note: This episode is about suicide. If you are or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide, there are free resources available to you:    Text HOME to 741-741 for a free, confidential conversation with a trained counselor any time of day.  If you feel unsafe right now, text or call 988 or use the chat function at 988lifeline.org If you need help figuring out HOW to tell someone that you’re having suicidal thoughts, here are some prompts.  If you suspect someone in your life is having suicidal thoughts, here are some questions you can ask them.  Read the CDC’s Suicide Prevention Resource for Action. If you’re struggling with depression, know some of the tools that can help lift you out of a hard time.  __ Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining our Patreon to get bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles. Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! Liquid IV: Get 20% off when you go to liquidiv.com and use code TTFA at checkout. BetterHelp: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/ttfa to get started with 10% off your first month. Learn more at BetterHelp.com You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Like many teachers, when Kristen started her career at 22, she was hopeful and excited. She loved working with students with special needs, and loved learning how their brains worked. But over the years, the job became harder and harder because of the lack of support she received. Eventually, all of the small moments of feeling left out to dry led to a falling out with the career she loved.  __ Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining our Patreon to get bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles. Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! BetterHelp: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/ttfa to get started with 10% off your first month. Learn more at BetterHelp.com/privacy. LiquidIV: Get 20% off when you go to liquidiv.com and use code TTFA at checkout. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Anaya and Dave Lee fell in love, they saw a whole future with each other. Part of that future included being parents. But when they started trying, they learned creating a family was going to be much more challenging than they expected. They eventually had to ask the question, if a baby doesn’t happen, what would our family look like?   Note: this episode talks about pregnancy loss. __ Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining our Patreon to get bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles. Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! BetterHelp: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/ttfa to get started with 10% off your first month. Learn more at BetterHelp.com. SquareSpace: Go to Squarespace.com/TTFA and use offer code TTFA to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Like everyone else in 2020, Grant Khanbalinov downloaded Tik Tok. He wasn't trying to learn dances or find a community- he wanted to learn the platform for his marketing job. To practice using the app, he made videos with his wife and kids. Then a video of his three-year-old daughter went viral, and Grant’s account blew up. He gained millions of followers and eventually made hundreds of thousands of dollars from his videos. It all felt like a dream, until…one night he realized there is a dark side to sharing his kids online.   You can follow Grant on Tik Tok @heyelliamfamily.    This week’s bonus episode on TTFA Premium is an interview with Sarah Adams (@mom.uncharted), an advocate for children’s privacy online, and Chris McCarty, a 19-year-old who is working to make policy changes to protect the children of influencers.    Follow our other show, The Terrible Reading Club, to get an upcoming episode featuring Nora and friend of the pod Kate Kennedy, and their conversation around books that explore this idea of "sharenting".    If you want to learn more about sharenting and putting kids on social media, check out these resources:  Surgeon General report on social media’s effects on teens YouTubers Myka and James Stauffer shared every step of their adoption process. Until the last via The Cut A Child’s Tik Tok Stardom Opens Doors. Then A Gunman Arrives via New York Times. 18-year-old sues her parents for sharing childhood photos   — Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining our Patreon to get bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, and join a community of Terribles. Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! BetterHelp: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/ttfa to get started with 10% off your first month. Learn more at BetterHelp.com. SquareSpace: Go to Squarespace.com/TTFA and use offer code TTFA to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. LiquidIV: Get 20% off when you go to liquidiv.com and use code TTFA at checkout.   You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and our MERCH STORE at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are taking a break this summer (not a vacation!) to produce new stories, so we are sharing some of our favorite episodes while we’re working. This episode was first broadcast in 2018. Remember, our full episode archive, including the follow up to this episode "About Laura," is always available to TTFA Premium members! Join here! If you are a Premium subscriber, search "About Laura" or scroll back to June 14th 2022 in your TTFA feed to find the follow-up to this episode! — When Laura gets a call from the hospital telling her that her dad has severe frostbite and could die, Laura is shocked. Not because of the whole frostbite part ... but because her dad is alive. She hasn't seen or talked to him in years and honestly assumed he was long dead. This is a story about what happens when we realize our parents are, in fact, real people — and that real people mess up and make mistakes. — Listener support helps make our independent podcast possible. Consider joining TTFA Premium to get ad-free episodes, bonus content and more.  Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join the club here.  This episode transcript can be found here.  – We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! BetterHelp: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/ttfa to get started with 10% off your first month. Learn more at BetterHelp.com/privacy. Squarespace: Go to Squarespace.com/TTFA and use offer code TTFA to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. LMNT: Visit DrinkLMNT.com/TERRIBLE to get a free sample pack with any purchase. Hiya: Receive 50% off your first order by visiting hiyahealth.com/TERRIBLE. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and shop our merch at feelingsand.co — Follow TTFA online! Instagram | Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide and suicidal ideation. Nathan always knew he was different growing up. He also knew the LDS church had certain expectations of him: He'd do his mission, find a girl, get married and settle down. Being gay? Not part of that plan. Nathan does everything he can to be straight, including sending himself to "conversion therapy." It, of course, doesn't work. Then ... he starts to uncover his true self. And his true self is beautiful. This episode was originally broadcast in 2018. To hear a recent interview with Nathan, become a TTFA Premium member.  — Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! BetterHelp: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/ttfa to get started with 10% off your first month. Learn more at BetterHelp.com Squarespace: Go to Squarespace.com/TTFA and use offer code TTFA to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and SHOP OUR MERCH at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Hahn was 29 years old when she was murdered by Jonathan Broyhill — the guy who had been the best man in her wedding to her husband, Nation. The intrigue surrounding Jamie's death and her killer's subsequent murder trial created non-stop news fodder ... and the story quickly became about Broyhill — his lies, his deception, his crimes. Nation wanted to tell his and Jamie's story without putting her murderer at the center of it. And in this episode, he does exactly that. — Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining TTFA Premium to get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more.  Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! BetterHelp: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/ttfa to get started with 10% off your first month. Learn more at BetterHelp.com Squarespace: Go to Squarespace.com/TTFA and use offer code TTFA to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and SHOP OUR MERCH at feelingsand.co. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are taking a break this summer (not a vacation!) to produce new stories, so we are sharing some of our favorite episodes while we’re working. This episode was first broadcast in 2018. Remember, our full episode archive is always available to TTFA Premium members! Join here! — Religion often gives people a sense of belonging. It tells them who’s in and sometimes (depending on the faith, or depending on the microcosm of the faith they're raised in) who's out. That's how Patricia grew up — in a faith where leaving your religion meant leaving behind everyone you love. She is a former Jehovah’s Witness who left the church when she was in her mid-20s. This episode looks at what's worse: keeping the people you love at a distance, or showing them your true colors and losing them forever. — Listener support helps make our independent podcast possible. Consider joining TTFA Premium to get ad-free episodes, bonus content and more.  Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join the club here.  This episode transcript can be found here.  – We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! BetterHelp: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/ttfa to get started with 10% off your first month. Learn more at BetterHelp.com/privacy. Squarespace: Go to Squarespace.com/TTFA and use offer code TTFA to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. LMNT: Visit DrinkLMNT.com/TERRIBLE to get a free sample pack with any purchase. Hiya: Receive 50% off your first order by visiting hiyahealth.com/TERRIBLE. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and shop our merch at feelingsand.co — Follow TTFA online! Instagram | Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are taking a break this summer (not a vacation!) to produce new stories, so we are sharing some of our favorite episodes while we’re working. This episode was first broadcast in 2018. Remember, our full episode archive is always available to TTFA Premium members! Join here — Charlotte’s career is built on theoreticals. As an operating room nurse, she has a protocol for every tragedy — a “then” for every “if.” That all changes one night when, on her way home, Charlotte encounters a teenage girl on the wrong side of a guardrail on an overpass above a highway. Charlotte wasn’t this girl’s mother, or sister, or best friend. She didn’t even know her. But Charlotte was the last person who spoke to the girl before she died. She was THERE. And now, she doesn't know how to get back to the way her life used to be. NOTE: This episode includes discussion and depictions of suicide. — Listener support helps make our independent podcast possible. Consider joining TTFA Premium to get ad-free episodes, bonus content and more.  Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join the club here.  This episode transcript can be found here.  – We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! BetterHelp: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/ttfa to get started with 10% off your first month. Learn more at BetterHelp.com/privacy. Squarespace: Go to Squarespace.com/TTFA and use offer code TTFA to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. LMNT: Visit DrinkLMNT.com/TERRIBLE to get a free sample pack with any purchase. Hiya: Receive 50% off your first order by visiting hiyahealth.com/TERRIBLE. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find all our shows and shop our merch at feelingsand.co — Follow TTFA online! Instagram | Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are taking a break this summer (not a vacation!) to produce new stories, so we are sharing some of our favorite episodes while we’re working. This episode was first broadcast in 2018 and is one of our all-time favorites. Remember, our full episode archive is always available to TTFA Premium members! Join here! The Achilli siblings would like you to know that if there was a Dead Parent Contest (there's not), they would win the gold medal. In 2008, their dad was murdered by a hitman in a dispute over a girlfriend. Four years after their father's killers are tried and convicted, their mom dies after driving her car off a cliff. This is a story about being orphaned as young adults and the family ties that keep siblings together. — Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining TTFA Premium to get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more. Our TTFA Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! Rothy’s: Head to oseamalibu.com and use code TTFA for 10% off. Osea: Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/TERRIBLE. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are taking a break this summer (not a vacation!) to produce new stories, so we are sharing some of our favorite episodes while we’re working. This episode was first broadcast in 2017, the first year we started making this show! Remember, our full episode archive is always available to TTFA Premium members! Join here! — So many people start off their stories by saying their pain and suffering doesn’t compare to what happened to someone else. But this isn’t a game of Who Has It Worse, so why do we act like there is some sort of imaginary yardstick for struggling? Today’s episode tries to convince you that if you’re feeling pain, it’s painful — no caveats. This episode transcript can be found here. — Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining TTFA Premium to get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more. Our TTFA Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! Squarespace: Go to Squarespace.com/TTFA and use code TTFA to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Osea: Head to oseamalibu.com and use code TTFA for 10% off. BetterHelp: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/ttfa to get started with 10% off your first month. Learn more at BetterHelp.com/privacy. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five years ago, on Mother’s Day, Katie was sitting in prison, far from her kids. She couldn’t hug them, she couldn’t kiss them. It was at that moment she decided she would completely change her life so she could be with them again. But changing her life required a lot of help that didn’t exist in prison. Then one day, she opened a book in the prison library and a brochure fell out. It was for a place called Benevolence Farm, and they could help her change her life. If you want to help Benevolence Farm continue helping formerly incarcerated women in North Carolina, you can shop the Farm’s products here or make a donation to their programs here. — Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining TTFA Premium to get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more. Our TTFA Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! Hiya: Receive 50% off your first order by visiting hiyahealth.com/TERRIBLE. Squarespace: Go to Squarespace.com/TTFA and use code TTFA to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Rothy’s: Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/TERRIBLE. Osea: Head to oseamalibu.com and use code TTFA for 10% off. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Xiomara Medina was a teenage girl in Puerto Rico, a quinceañera was all she wanted when she turned 15. She dreamed of a big, sparkly dress and dancing the night away with her friends. But her family couldn’t afford it. So when she grew up and had four daughters, she wanted to give each of her children the party she never had. In this episode, her daughter, Jeyca Maldonado-Medina, brings us along as the family hosts its final quince for Jeyca’s youngest sister. — Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining TTFA Premium to get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more. Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join the club here. The episode transcript can be found here. — Shop Our Sponsors:  LMNT: Visit DrinkLMNT.com/TERRIBLE to get a free sample pack with any purchase. BETTERHELP: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/ttfa to get started with 10% off your first month. Learn more at BetterHelp.com/privacy. --- Our Social Media: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Courtney Maum is having a midlife crisis. Parenting is taking so much of her time. Her writing career is going well, but that means she’s overwhelmed by deadlines and book deals. Her marriage is in a rough patch, and when she starts asking herself “should I have an affair?” and “should I become an alcoholic?” she recognizes she needs a change in her life.  She dreams of finding an escape that brings her back to her childhood passion of being outside for hours, lost in her thoughts. In this episode, we follow Courtney as she tries to find her Secret Garden.  Courtney is an author, her most recent book The Year of the Horses is a memoir about rediscovering herself through her love of horses. Nora recommends her fiction: I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You and Touch. __ You can read the episode transcript here. Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining TTFA Premium to get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more. Our Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join the club here. — Shop our sponsors:  Rothys: Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/TERRIBLE. Osea: Head to oseamalibu.com and use code TTFA for 10% off. Headspace: Try Headspace FREE for 30 days by going to headspace.com/Nora30Day. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order when you use promo code TTFA at bollandbranch.com. LMNT: Visit DrinkLMNT.com/TERRIBLE to get a free sample pack with any purchase. Foria: Get 20% off your first order by visiting foriawellness.com/TERRIBLE, or use code TERRIBLE at checkout. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are a ton of money stories out there. Stories about people who are screwed financially through no fault of their own. People who did everything right and still cannot get a leg up. This episode is not one of those. It’s an excavation of a specific kind of debt, and a specific kind of shame. The kind that Jamie Feldman found herself in when she was 33 years old: credit card debt. — Resources:  Average credit card debt in the U.S. Information on emotional spending — Find Jamie on TikTok and Instagram @RealGirlProject.  If you have a story about credit card debt – or any financial struggle – reach out to us at terrible@feelingsand.co or leave us a voicemail at 612-568-4441. We might use your story in a future TTFA episode or Premium episode.  Support our *newly independent production* by joining TTFA Premium and get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more.  Our Substack subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! Rothys: Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/TERRIBLE. Osea: Head to oseamalibu.com and use code TTFA for 10% off. Headspace: Try Headspace FREE for 30 days by going to headspace.com/Nora30Day. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order when you use promo code TTFA at bollandbranch.com. LMNT: Visit DrinkLMNT.com/TERRIBLE to get a free sample pack with any purchase. Foria: Get 20% off your first order by visiting foriawellness.com/TERRIBLE, or use code TERRIBLE at checkout. You can find our full sponsor list here. — Our social media: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In April 2022, Marlin Sill’s father died from a head injury caused by a cycling accident. A few weeks later, he embarked on a months-long hike through the Western United States. Throughout last summer, Marlin sent the TTFA team voice memos of himself processing his dad’s death while he hiked. In this episode we take you on the trail with Marlin as he grieves, and also throughout the rest of the first year without his dad. — Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining TTFA Premium to get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more. Our TTFA Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. Read the episode transcript here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! Rothy’s: Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/TERRIBLE. Vegamour: Visit vegamour.com/Terrible and use code Terrible to save 20% on your first order Squarespace: Visit squarespace.com/TTFA for a free trial and use offer code TTFA to save 10% — Our social media: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Enjoy this free TTFA Premium episode! And if you like it, consider signing up for future bonus content like this. Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining to get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TTFA producer Claire McInerny experienced an extreme weather event in 2021, a result of climate change, that left her worried about the future. She started channeling her anxiety about the future of our world into another important question she was asking herself: “Should I have kids?” In this episode, Claire tries to untangle her feelings around what the world will look like in the future with her desire to have a family of her own. — Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining TTFA Premium to get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more. Our TTFA Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! ROTHY’S: Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/TERRIBLE THE FARMER’S DOG: Get 50% off your first box at thefarmersdog.com/nora. SQUARESPACE: Visit squarespace.com/TTFA for a free trial and use offer code TTFA to save 10% OSEA: Head to oseamalibu.com and use code TTFA for 10% off You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nora's dad died in 2014 from pretty much all of the cancers, leaving her mom Margaret without her life partner of almost 50 years ... and leaving Nora without a dad. Does a 40-year-old married woman with four children of her own need a father figure in her life? Nora thinks so! But what does Margaret have to say about dating in your 70s? — Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining TTFA Premium to get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more. Our TTFA Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. You can find the episode transcript here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! ROTHY’S: Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/TERRIBLE THE FARMER’S DOG: Get 50% off your first box at thefarmersdog.com/nora. SQUARESPACE: Visit squarespace.com/TTFA for a free trial and use offer code TTFA to save 10% OSEA: Head to oseamalibu.com and use code TTFA for 10% off See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Identity theft is something many of us are familiar with, but we have a specific image of what this looks like – our data being stolen online, or someone getting a hold of our social security number. But almost a third of identity theft crimes are committed by a family member. This episode tells the story of two people who experienced financial abuse at the hands of their parents. — Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining TTFA Premium to get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more.  Our TTFA Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. The episode transcript can be found here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! ROTHY’S: Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/TERRIBLE THE FARMER’S DOG: Get 50% off your first box at thefarmersdog.com/nora. VEGAMOUR: Visit vegamour.com/Terrible and use code Terrible to save 20% on your first order OSEA: Head to oseamalibu.com and use code TTFA for 10% off You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cheval spent her entire life trying to be a wedding dress designer (she started sewing at 7 years old and studied fashion design in college). In her mid 20’s, she got her big break when a large fashion house hired her to design a wedding dress collection named after herself. But that dream only lasted eight years. She found herself in the middle of a legal battle that would take away her collection, her job as a designer, and eventually her name.  — Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $5 / month. Sign up. Our Substack subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join here. Read the episode transcript here. Follow Cheval on Instagram @allthatglittersonthegram and check out her new shoe line at sheischeval.com. — Our social media: TTFA on Instagram TTFA on Facebook Nora on Instagram Nora on Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One thing we know about grief is that it needs a witness. That inside every griever is a nearly uncontrollable urge to make the people around us understand what we had and what we have now. In this episode, we are all David’s witnesses. — Listener support makes our independent podcast possible. Consider joining TTFA Premium to get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more.  Our TTFA Substack is a great way to connect with us and other listeners (and get more Terrible in your inbox). Join us here. You can read the episode transcript here. — We’re lucky to only work with sponsors and brands we know and love. Using our links and codes saves you money and supports our independent production! ROTHY’S: Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/TERRIBLE THE FARMER’S DOG: Get 50% off your first box at thefarmersdog.com/nora. SQUARESPACE: Visit squarespace.com/TTFA for a free trial and use offer code TTFA to save 10% OSEA: Head to oseamalibu.com and use code TTFA for 10% off You can find our full sponsor list here. — Find TTFA on social: TTFA on Instagram | TTFA on Facebook  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The happyish holiday season can be whatever the heck you want it to be, no matter what pressures you feel from family and friends and society. So, here’s to creating new traditions – and to the Terribles who shared theirs with us (and with you). Our Substack subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘Tis the season! Our terrible holiday tradition is back, this time with more of your painful, sad, awkward holiday stories. Plus: boundary setting advice from Melissa Urban and a fiery Hanukkah story from Vanessa Zoltan. Our Substack subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join here. You can find the episode transcript here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Natalie Weaver stepped into the media spotlight to advocate for her 8-year-old daughter Sophia’s right to health care, she expected some pushback. She didn’t expect the flood of online hate and death threats that came her way … or for images of Sophia to end up on the wrong, hurtful, abusive side of the Internet.  — Learn more about Natalie’s work for families with medically fragile kids at Sophias-Voice.com. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $5/ month. Sign up. Our Substack subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join here. You can find the episode transcript here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Death by suicide has long been a problem within the U.S. military, and not just among veterans: In 2020, suicide rates among active duty service members hit a six-year high. On August 28th, 2015, Heather’s husband Tyler became one of those statistics. Theirs is a story of friendship, of love, of family, of service and duty … and of trauma, domestic abuse and mental illness. If you’re experiencing thoughts of suicide, you can call or text 988. If you’re a victim of domestic violence and want out, you can call the National Domestic Violence hotline. You’re not alone. References:  Recommendations for Reporting on Suicide Common Factors in Military Domestic Homicides: Implications for Prevention and Intervention  Military Versus Civilian Murder-Suicide Military Suicide Rates Are at an All-Time High Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $5 / month. Sign up. Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. Read the transcript for this episode here. HAPPYISH HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE! Join us for a live show in-person or via livestream on December 6th. Tickets here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Allio was a fan favorite on Katie Thurston’s season of “The Bachelorette,” applauded for the vulnerability he showed as he talked about losing his wife, Laura, to cancer and raising his son James without his mom.  Losing a partner to cancer? Raising a young son on your own? Sounds familiar! Michael came across Nora’s TED Talk shortly after Laura died, and when he reached out to the podcast, we knew we had to get these two on a call together. That call became a TTFA Premium episode.  Now, if you’re a Bachelor Nation fan, you know that Michael is on the current season of “Bachelor in Paradise,” where he’s been speaking to his grief and loss and the difficulty of dating again in general … but especially on national television. We’re re-airing this episode in our main feed here today for all of you Bachelor Nation fans who want some more insight into Michael’s ~*journey*~ (yes, that’s a Bachelor joke).  If you like it, and want more bonus content like this, sign up for TTFA Premium on Patreon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the early morning hours of June 24th, 2021, an apartment complex in Surfside, Florida collapsed out of nowhere, killing 98 people – including Patty’s mom, Maggie.  It’s difficult enough to lose a loved one to an unthinkable tragedy. It’s exceptionally awful when you’re forced to watch them die over and over again on national television. — Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. Read the transcript for this episode here. References: One year after Surfside condo collapse in Florida, a legal settlement is approved Experienced Team From Israel Helps Search Through Florida Condo Debris Dozens Of People Are Missing After A 12-Story Florida Condo Partly Collapsed — This week's sponsors: KiwiCo: kiwico.com/TERRIBLE Green Chef: greenchef.com/TTFA135, use code TTFA135 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The vibes aren't good. They're not even decent. They're bad. Nora's new book, BAD VIBES ONLY, is available today wherever you buy books! — TTFA is on tour now! Come see Nora perform LIVE! Tuesday, October 11 - Los Angeles, CA Saturday, October 15 - Philadelphia, PA Sunday, October 16 - Brooklyn, NY Monday, October 17 - Washington, DC Tuesday, October 18 - Boston, MA Wednesday, October 19 - Toronto, ON Friday, October 21 - Chicago, IL Saturday, October 22 -  St. Paul, MN  Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. Read the transcript for this episode here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Four years ago, Nora sat down with her friend Gigi to tell the story of … Gigi’s face. It was a story about confidence and beauty (and beauty standards) and chronic illness, and it has touched so many people since we first aired it. Today, you’ll hear that first conversation with Gigi, plus an important update on what’s going on with Gigi’s health … and with her face. Gigi runs a shop called Gigi’s Flair Emporium. Check it out! She also has a GoFundMe here. TTFA is coming to your city October 7th - 22nd with an all-new live show, and tickets are on sale now! Friday, October 7 - San Francisco, CA Sunday, October 9 - Seattle, WA Monday, October 10 - Portland, OR Tuesday, October 11 - Los Angeles, CA Saturday, October 15 - Philadelphia, PA Sunday, October 16 - Brooklyn, NY Monday, October 17 - Washington, DC Tuesday, October 18 - Boston, MA Wednesday, October 19 - Toronto, ON Friday, October 21 - Chicago, IL Saturday, October 22 -  St. Paul, MN  Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. Read the transcript for this episode here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Leah Nixon woke up in the hospital after a construction accident and learned she was paralyzed from the chest down, she wondered how she’d go about starting a family someday. In this episode, she gives us a glimpse into her daily life as a “para-mom” to her 9-month-old daughter, Ellie.  Leah’s company is called Tiny & Snail and they make adorable cards and stationery. Read the episode transcript here. TTFA is coming to your city October 7th - 22nd with an all-new live show experience, and tickets are on sale now! Friday, October 7 - San Francisco, CA Sunday, October 9 - Seattle, WA Monday, October 10 - Portland, OR Tuesday, October 11 - Los Angeles, CA Saturday, October 15 - Philadelphia, PA Sunday, October 16 - Brooklyn, NY Monday, October 17 - Washington, DC Tuesday, October 18 - Boston, MA Wednesday, October 19 - Toronto, ON Friday, October 21 - Chicago, IL Saturday, October 22 -  St. Paul, MN  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Allison Raskin was just 4 years old the first time she told her parents she wanted to die. Within weeks, the preschooler was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder and depression. In this episode, we talk with Allison and her mother Ruth about raising a child with severe mental illness and what Allison’s world looks like today as an adult living with OCD.  You can buy Allison’s book “Overthinking About You” at your favorite book place. TTFA is coming to your city October 7th - 22nd with an all-new live show experience, and tickets are on sale now! Get yours here. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here.  Read the episode transcript here. Our social media: TTFA on Instagram TTFA on Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Genna is fat. They are also queer and nonbinary. All of these things can make a person feel marginalized in a straight, cisgender, thin-obsessed society … but for Genna, it’s being fat that’s hardest. TTFA is coming to your city October 7th - 22nd with an all-new live show experience, and tickets are on sale now! Get yours here. For more information about The Hartford, click here. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. To read the episode transcript, click here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The thing about having your life fall apart is that there’s just so much to do, and there’s so much that you don’t know until it’s too late. In today’s episode: What helps when everything goes wrong. For more information about The Hartford, visit thehartford.com/employeebenefits. TTFA is coming to your city October 7th - 22nd with an all-new live show experience. Get your ticket here. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. Read the transcript for this episode here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're officially in our Taylor Swift era, and we can't wait for what's to come. TTFA is coming to your city October 7th - 22nd with an all-new live show experience. Get your ticket here. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. Read the transcript for this episode here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chelsea’s mom and unborn brother died in a car accident on Chelsea’s first birthday, leaving little Chelsea and her grief-stricken father behind to piece back together their shattered life. As a child, Chelsea longs for a mom – a living mom – and she’s thrilled when her dad remarries a wonderful woman named Shawna. But even when she’s surrounded by love, Chelsea still finds herself trying to fill a gaping hole in her heart. TTFA is coming to your city October 7th - 22nd with an all-new live show experience. Get your ticket here. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. You can read the episode transcript here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When romantic relationships end, there’s usually a clean cut – a moment, a conversation, an argument that ends things for good. When friendships dissolve, the break is usually way less clear, if it’s clear at all. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. Read the episode transcript here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why do we hold on to things we no longer need? For many of us, it’s because they remind us of who we were and who we thought we might become. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. Read the episode transcript here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last year, we did a virtual live show on Valentine’s Day, and Nora — who considers herself a bit of a matchmaker — did some matchmaking. And while she was doing that, the live show comments section was popping off with other Terribles looking for love. This gave Nora the harebrained idea to make … a matchmaking episode. Consider this the podcast version of that “Great Expectations” video dating service from the ‘90s.  We're no longer taking submissions for these daters, but we hope you enjoy the episode anyway! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Girlboss culture is now, as they say, cringe, but during the 2010s, SO MANY of us thought we were on the precipice of busting through that glass ceiling. We thought we could rise and grind, hustle our way to the life of our dreams, and as long as we loved what we did we wouldn’t work a day in our lives. Leigh Stein is also a recovering girlboss, who went into debt building an organization that supported women but left her burned all the way out. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. Read the transcript for this episode here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In March, a New York Times article made the rounds titled, “How Long Should It Take to Grieve? Psychiatry Has Come Up With an Answer.” And if that sentence alone makes you roll your eyes and want to punch an inanimate object, you’ve come to the right place. Nora read the article (twice) and had … some thoughts. So did her friend — and former TTFA guest — Brittany Freeman Jean-Louis. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our language surrounding mental illness has evolved a lot over the past couple of decades … to a point. There are still some mental illnesses that exist outside of the bounds of most people’s understanding and compassion, that are not so easily accepted and are really scary to people who don’t have them. Illnesses that make the person seem “crazy,” where people might not want to associate themselves with you. Today’s guest -- Brettina -- has one of those. Resources: “Why Borderline Personality Disorder is Misdiagnosed” from NAMI  Building a Life Worth Living by Marsha Linehan Follow @TheBrettina on Instagram Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some holidays are just more loaded than others, depending on our individual experiences. When you’re grieving the loss of your mother — either because they’ve died or because you don’t have a relationship with them — what the heck are you supposed to do with a holiday like Mother’s Day?  When a listener reached out to Nora after their mom died to ask for advice on moving forward, Nora decided to tap into the Terrible Rolodex of accidental grief experts … past TTFA guests and listeners and friends of the pod who have been there. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grief comes with so much judgment. Everybody is sure that there's a right way to do it, and only for a certain length of time. If our grief doesn’t neatly fit into a category, we worry that it’s illegitimate. Erin knows this judgment very well. She’s a widow … or is she? Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2020, we asked how it was going in there … wherever it was you were isolating, quarantining, social distancing. Somehow, it’s been *checks watch* TWO YEARS of COVID and so much more, so we thought it was time for another check-in. How *is* it going in there, Terribles? Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Danielle’s daughter Della was a quintessential “good baby.” She slept through the night almost from the get go. She rarely cried! But when Danielle started weaning her, little Della would just … not eat. Could not eat. Her tiny body rebelled against her with every food she tried. When your baby lives with a chronic illness that wants to kill her, each day brings more anxiety. And it’s especially tough when you’re Della. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Growing up, Dani Shapiro never felt like she truly belonged to the orthodox Jewish community she lived in. All around her were kids who dressed and prayed and looked alike … and then, there was Dani — a fair-skinned, fair-haired, blue-eyed little Jewish girl. Dani spent much of her early writing career authoring fictional stories about secrets within families, not knowing that she would soon learn her own family had a big secret: Dani herself. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When someone we love dies, we become the vessels responsible for carrying their memory forward. The people we love stay alive in the big things, of course … but in the little things, too. When a listener shared an inside joke with the Terrible community about her late husband, we knew it was the beginning of an episode. Today, we share your stories, your inside jokes, your memories about your people. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Liam was raised as a girl, but from a very young age he knew that just … didn’t make sense. When he comes out to his evangelical Christian parents as a young adult — first as a lesbian, then as a trans man — it unfortunately goes exactly how he expected it to. This episode includes anecdotes and language that disparages the LGBTQIA+ community and trans experience. We include them with Liam’s explicit permission, as they play a role in his story as a trans man. We also refer to Liam by his birth name (and he refers to himself by his birth name) at times during this episode. For more tips on how to be a better ally to transgender people, visit GLAAD’s resource center. Follow Liam on TikTok. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our “Behind The Scammer” episode, you met Celisia Stanton and Rev. Gonzales, two people who had their life savings stolen from them by their financial adviser, a man named Isaiah Goodman. We intentionally focused that episode on the scammed – on the victims. But we do have a duty to reach out to the subject of any story and say “Hey, do you want to comment on this?” So we did. And Isaiah agreed to an interview, from inside federal prison. Celisia’s podcast is called “Truer Crime,” and you can (and should!) listen to it here. She also set up a GoFundMe to help the Gonzales family recoup some of their financial losses. You can help them here. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are all just products of the people who raise us. And they are products of those who raised them. Vanessa Zoltan knows that better than most. She is the grandchild of four Holocaust survivors, and for her, nihilism and depression kind of run in the family. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many people who have autism are diagnosed at a young age. But today’s guest, Grace, wasn’t diagnosed with autism until she was 27 years old. In the months since the diagnosis, Grace has spent a lot of time reflecting on her childhood and young adulthood to understand why this wasn’t caught sooner — and in the process, she’s come to better understand herself and who she’s always been. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We recently made an episode called “The Grudge Book” filled with your grudges, and the feedback was SO strong. People felt validated. They laughed. They connected. So Nora got to thinking … did we need an episode that also gave you a place to share the other things that are hard to say? Your regrets? Your almosts? We decided the answer was yes, and this episode is loaded with them. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Olivia is 7 years old when her dad moves out of state to take a new job … and is never heard from again. In high school, a manilla envelope appears in Olivia’s mailbox letting her know the reason she never heard from him is because he died by suicide. But when Olivia learns as a young journalist that her father might have faked his own death all those years ago, she decides to investigate. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the stuff of romantic comedies: Man meets woman as they’re boarding a flight. The two quickly discover they share many similarities and go on to chat for hours. There’s an instant connection. The big difference here is the woman is Nora, and the man is a TTFA listener. And what she and Jose spend hours talking about, what they instantly connect on ... is their grief. Because like Nora, Jose recently lost the love of his life. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Suffering can feel like such a singular experience -- like there’s no one else in the world who understands what we’re going through. But sometimes, if we look hard enough, we find that our singular experience intersects with another. This is the story of two young girls whose stories intertwined during a tragic accident on October 8, 1988 … though they wouldn’t meet for decades to come. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re culturally obsessed with scammers, con artists and fraudsters. People like Elizabeth Holmes and Bernie Madoff dominate headlines and then get films made and books written documenting what they did and how they did it. But behind the scammers are the victims: individuals who are struggling to recover their sense of safety, their identity … and their money. In July 2021, Isaiah Goodman was sentenced to 7 years in prison for defrauding clients out of more than $2.3 million dollars. He spent the money on a hot tub, a fancy house, two cars, a cruise … but it wasn’t his money. That money belonged to -- among others -- Celisia Stanton and Rev. Michael Gonzales, two very real people whose lives were materially impacted by Goodman’s materialism. Celisia’s podcast is called “Truer Crime,” and you can (and should!) listen to it here. She also set up a GoFundMe to help the Gonzales family recoup some of their financial losses. You can help them here. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When one of the people in a relationship is dead, the relationship becomes a bit one-sided. Your version of who that person is and was is obscured by all of your own biases, your commitment to your version of the truth, to your side of the story. Nora’s dad — Vietnam veteran, father of four, advertising copywriter — died seven years ago. And in this episode, the McInerny siblings reflect on who Stephen J. McInerny was … as a young boy sent to war, as a husband, and as their father. About how they love their dad, even if he wasn’t always the kind of dad they wanted. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sleep experts the world over seem to have countless tips and tricks for getting those eight hours of Zzzs each night. But sometimes our brains just … can’t shut down, no matter what we do. Nora recently asked you, the TTFA community, what’s been keeping you up at night these days, and you answered. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

About six years ago, Nora took a notebook and wrote down all of the grudges she was holding against people ... and then, she left that notebook in a seat-back pocket on a plane and never saw it again. We wanted to know what you, our listeners, would put in your own Grudge Book if you had one, and in this episode, we share your responses. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Melissa is the epitome of responsible. She loves following rules and has spent her whole life trying to be the best person possible. But accidents happen, and one winter morning, a split second changes everything she thought she knew about herself. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Edith Eger was 16 years old when the Nazis invaded Hungary during World War II. She was imprisoned at Auschwitz concentration camp with her family. Today, Dr. Edith Eger is a 93-year-old clinician, speaker and author who is so full of wisdom and light, we could’ve done ten episodes with her. This is her story. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cynthia is a Latina adult woman living with autism. In this episode, she lets us in on her world, what her life was like growing up, and what she experiences today as an autistic adult. Cynthia made a Spotify playlist for all of us! You can listen to it here. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode features conversations with people doing the best they can in difficult circumstances. Like Dr. Lucy Kalanithi, whose husband Dr. Paul Kalanithi was a notable and rising brain surgeon who wrote When Breath Becomes Air, a bestselling memoir about his fatal battle with cancer. And comedian Amber Tozer, who tells a funny and poignant story about walking in on her mother’s wedding… on Christmas Day. We will also talk with some of the women of the Hot Young Widows Club on their hopes and dreams for the upcoming year. Plus, stories of people’s worst Holidays ever. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2012, Rosie became the first Black woman to win the Miss North Dakota pageant. She got to do what she loves most — play music and perform! — and she won scholarship money to pay down her student loab debt. It was thrilling. It was exciting! But winning Miss North Dakota means more than just wearing a gorgeous gown on a stage in front of a bunch of people. For the next year, Rosie represents the state like a sort of ambassador, touring the region and sharing her diversity platform with folks … in North Dakota, a state that’s 90% white. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lyndsey and her mother have a shared love of horses. They both compete in dressage (Google it). They ride together after their daily farm chores are finished. But Lyndsey is more naturally gifted in the saddle than her mother, and this creates tension and envy. After a riding accident leaves her mother with severe physical injuries, Lyndsey isn't sure her mom will ever ride again. As her mom's body slowly heals, and as Lyndsey reteaches her mother how to ride, the two begin mending their relationship. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you believe that love will never, could never happen to you, it feels like a miracle when it finally does. This is the story of a young man named Oliver, whose religious upbringing has convinced him that love isn’t in the cards for him. And it’s a story about a young man named Jamie, who shows Oliver that yes, miracles do happen. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pam and Steve have just gotten married and are getting ready to celebrate with friends and family at their upcoming wedding reception in just a few days … but first, they gotta head to the north woods of Minnesota to tackle some chores at their lake cabin. When a tragic accident up at the lake has Pam planning Steve’s memorial service instead of celebrating their nuptials, she realizes the life she planned for her and Steve will never even have a chance to get started. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our third and final episode in our series on childhood trauma, we take a look at the bigger picture — as in, what the heck are we supposed to do with the knowledge that what happened to us as kids can affect our health in adulthood? How can we help heal our own childhood traumas? Buckle up, folks, because this train makes stops in Rantville, Can You Believe This Burg and OMGtown. This episode was produced in partnership with: Call to Mind, American Public Media's initiative to foster new conversations about mental health; St. David's Center for Child and Family Development, which is building relationships that nurture the development of every child and family; with support from the Sauer Family Foundation, which is committed to improving the lives of disadvantaged children and their families in Minnesota. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If the terrible things that happened to you during childhood can affect your physical health later in life, how do you NOT live out the worst possibilities for yourself? Is that even possible? In this second episode of our series about childhood trauma, we look at protective factors and resilience. And once again, we're joined by Britt. This episode was produced in partnership with: Call to Mind, American Public Media's initiative to foster new conversations about mental health; St. David's Center for Child and Family Development, which is building relationships that nurture the development of every child and family; with support from the Sauer Family Foundation, which is committed to improving the lives of disadvantaged children and their families in Minnesota. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all kind of understand that what happens to us as a child affects us as an adult, but there is recent evidence that the way our childhoods affect us is so much deeper and more surprising than we thought. So where do we start when we’re talking about how childhood adversity affects us? We start by looking at a childhood. One childhood, from a few different angles. And this child's name is Britt. This episode was produced in partnership with: Call to Mind, American Public Media's initiative to foster new conversations about mental health; and St. David's Center for Child and Family Development, which is building relationships that nurture the development of every child and family; with support from the Sauer Family Foundation, which is committed to improving the lives of disadvantaged children and their families in Minnesota. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In August 2017, members of the Ku Klux Klan and other white nationalist groups descended on Charlottesville, VA to protest the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee as part of the Unite the Right rally. Constance was also at that rally — as a counter-protestor trained in de-escalation techniques. She expected to be just a face in the crowd amongst thousands of others. But when the worst moment of her life becomes *content,* Constance has to take back control of her own story. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All weddings have some family drama, and all families have their own generational tension. It's no different for Mai Neng Moua and her mother, Yer Vu. Yer Vu was once a different kind of bride in a different country. She has expectations for her daughter's wedding. Mai Neng knows this ... but she has her own expectations, too. This episode is about two equally strong women and how growing up in two very different cultures can affect a relationship. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rachel Haines is really good at gymnastics. And when you're really good at a really demanding sport, you eventually deal with injuries. At age 12, Rachel hurts her hamstring. At age 15, she fractures her spine. Both times, Rachel is immediately taken to the team physician, a man named Larry Nassar. Yes, that Larry Nassar. Rachel's story is one of strength and survival — and, despite everything, a continued love of gymnastics. You can buy Rachel's book here. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're back with our third annual Happyish Holidays episode! This year, comedian Alyssa Limperis shares with us the holiday letter she wrote the year her dad died from brain cancer. We talk with Jay Mathews, a 48-year-old father and son who, with stage IV cancer, is probably experiencing his last holidays with his family. And we ask listeners what they took away from 2018, what they're looking forward to in 2019, and what it is about hoping for something that can be so scary. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heather grew up in Kansas, but she hasn’t been back there for years … not since the moment she was old enough to leave. When her mother dies, Heather heads home for the services, and an already difficult situation becomes even harder — because Heather and her sisters must, for the first time in 13 years, come face to face with the man who sexually abused them throughout their childhood: their father. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OCD is one of those acronyms we use when what we really mean to say is, "I organize my spice drawer alphabetically,” or “I always forget if I’ve locked the door or not, so I have to double check.” Those things are … not OCD. So what does it mean to actually live with obsessive compulsive disorder every day? We asked you, the Terrible community, to share your stories. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an episode about two letters. One of those is the letter Jim left for his wife, Annie, before he died by suicide. The second is the letter Annie wrote to Jim after his death — and as she dealt with her own mental health issues and suicidality in the wake of it. When someone dies by suicide, people want it to be someone’s fault, so they can (hopefully) feel less like it’s their fault. But the thing is … it’s never anyone’s fault. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the eve of Kelli's 25th birthday in 2017, she and her boyfriend find themselves running for their lives in a dystopian nightmare. They'd planned to spend the weekend in Las Vegas at the Route 91 country music festival to celebrate the dawn of a new phase of Kelli's life. Instead, they witnessed the deadliest mass shooting (so far) in U.S. history. This episode is a story about terror ... and what happens after you've survived the unsurvivable. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lauren’s brother died at Thanksgiving. Her mother died at Christmas. So … this time of year is not exactly joyous for her. And it’s not all that fun for a lot of other people, too. The holidays can really suck! We’re back with our second annual Happyish Holidays episode, in which we share your holiday stories of humor and loss. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jaamil’s sister died when he was just 12 years old. His grandmother and great grandmother died when he was 13. His mother died when he was 15. His brother was murdered when Jaamil was 22 ... and a week after that, his father died. Yeah. It’s A LOT. But Jaamil’s story isn’t just about loss. It’s an episode about what loss can teach us. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nora’s husband, Aaron, and Casey’s wife, Hope, died on the exactly same day in 2014. Aaron and Hope both left behind spouses, children, and all of the love their small families had created. Nearly three years later, they’ve started moving forward … but don’t you dare say they’ve moved “on.” Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part one of "Forever Alone?" we met chronically single Chelsea, who was looking for love in all the same places we all look for love ... and coming up empty-handed. In this episode, we meet Chelsea's new boyfriend and explore what happens when the love we find isn't what we expected. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the saying goes, "There’s a lid for every pot." There’s someone for everyone. Chelsea has been looking for her lid — her someone — since high school. Nearly 15 years after her only real relationship ended, Chelsea still hasn’t found her person. It’s not like she hasn’t been trying, and it’s not like her life is totally miserable … but in case you haven’t had to date lately? It’s exhausting. And sometimes demoralizing. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

America has a garbage attitude toward grief — we know this. Bereavement leave generally means you get 2-3 business days to mourn a partner, a child, a parent, a sibling. But what about when your very best friend in the world dies? What then? When the funeral is over and the casseroles have been eaten, how do you reckon with an irreplaceable friendship? These are some of the questions Janya is forced to ask herself after the death of her very best friend, Michele. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Nora McInerny's dad died, she lost his stories — the ones that she’s not sure she can quite remember right, and the ones she never knew ... like the stories from his time as a Recon Marine in Vietnam. Nora decides to look up some of the men he served with. What unfolds is Nora discovering a story about a single day — September 20, 1968 — and the patrol where two men were killed. Nora’s father was on that patrol. It was one of his first. As Nora learns about those men and that day, she discovers that it had a profound effect on shaping everyone who was there. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah Super is not broken. Sarah Super is a woman who is absolutely, 100% living up to her name. She’s is a rape survivor — a very outspoken rape survivor. In this episode, Sarah talks about the things that nobody wants to talk about, the things that grow and survive in silence … including what happened after her ex-boyfriend raped her in 2014. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dawn is a nurse. In June of 2015, she was injured on the job by one of her patients and suffered a traumatic brain injury. Dawn’s husband and their kids have been in deep, deep grief since that day in 2015. Not because Dawn died — she’s very much alive, thank goodness. But because Dawn isn’t the same person she used to be. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two days after Nora’s husband Aaron died, she celebrated Thanksgiving with her family. Well... maybe not “celebrated.” Every year, millions of people do the same thing during the holidays. In this episode, we talk with some of those folks, including Dr. Lucy Kalanithi and comedian Amber Tozer. We also spend some time with some of the women of the Hot Young Widows Club, talking about their hopes and dreams for the upcoming year. Plus, stories of some of the worst holidays ever. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. Nora also writes sad & funny books! You can buy them here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. You can read the episode transcript here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Toddlers Ralphie and Bronson have lived most of their young lives with dead fathers. Their mothers — Nora and Moe — struggle to understand how to help their boys remember the dads they won’t know directly. As they worry about what long-term effect the losses will have on the kids, Nora seeks perspective from Ambra Markos, whose mother died when Ambra was just 2 years old. Support our independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nora McInerny is in love with two men. With one man (who died two years ago this week), she has a child. And just last week, she had a child with the other. She didn’t tell many people about the new baby. Or her pregnancy, for that matter. And in the first-ever episode of “Terrible, Thanks for Asking,” she explains why. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. Sign up. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.