The hardest moments don’t need perfect words, they need a steady witness. Brenda sits down with Reverend Christine Vaughn Davies, an ordained Presbyterian minister and hospital chaplain leader, for a candid conversation about midlife funk, grief, and the surprising power of presence when life falls apart.
Christine shares how her early pull toward spirituality and her work as an EMT shaped her calling, then how becoming a patient herself changed everything. She opens up about navigating an epilepsy diagnosis, feeling dismissed by medical professionals, and what “medical gaslighting” does to your sense of self and trust. From there, we dig into a practical definition of spirituality that goes far beyond religion: connection to yourself, to others, and to the divine, and what happens when any of those connections rupture.
We also talk openly about miscarriage grief and the phrases that can sting even when they are meant well. Christine breaks down spiritual toxic positivity and offers real alternatives, including the simplest rule most of us resist: show up and shut up. You’ll leave with concrete ways to support someone in pain, plus gentle spiritual practices you can try right now, even if you don’t consider yourself religious. We close with midlife hope, perimenopause honesty, and how to build a “lady tribe” with intention instead of waiting for schedules to magically align.
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