For Good Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode Title: This Almost Broke Me: Alicia Lorde on Faith, Loss & Motherhood
Host: Joseph "JoJo" Simmons
Guest: Alicia Lorde, author of True Survivor
Release Date: January 20, 2026

Main Theme / Overview

This heartfelt episode centers on healing through adversity, specifically the experiences of motherhood, grief, faith, generational trauma, and raising a child on the autism spectrum. Alicia Lorde shares her journey of enduring deep loss—the passing of her husband, confronting her son's autism diagnosis, and the complex work of personal healing. Host JoJo Simmons, himself an autism parent and mental health advocate, engages in an open, vulnerable conversation about what it means to heal, the power of faith, and moving from survival to thriving.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Alicia's Story: Introduction & Background

• Who is Alicia Lorde?
  • Author of True Survivor, founder of True Survivor LLC, mother of a special needs child, widow, woman of faith and resilience.
  • [02:45] “I'm just a woman of faith, of resilience.” – Alicia
• Surviving vs. Thriving:
  • Alicia describes the experience of being “the village” for her son and navigating new realities after his autism diagnosis and her husband’s death.

2. Generational Trauma & Breaking Patterns

• Awareness & Healing:
  • Alicia only recognized patterns of generational trauma in her 40s, catalyzed by her faith and the passing of her husband.
  • [03:10] “[When] strengthening my faith ... a lot of things were revealed to me ... I didn't want the same for my son.” – Alicia
• Role of Faith:
  • Deepening her relationship with God unveiled buried family wounds and the need for healing.
  • [03:52] “I didn't even know these things existed until I got rebaptized.” – Alicia

3. Honesty, Distractions, and Emotional Numbing

• Distractions and Avoidance:
  • Both Alicia and JoJo talk about avoiding inner pain through distractions—work, hobbies, daily busyness.
  • [05:57] “Distractions and numbness go hand in hand. They're best friends.” – JoJo
• Radical Vulnerability:
  • Healing required Alicia to be raw, honest, and open—not a picture-perfect Christian but authentically herself, imperfections included.

4. Autism, Motherhood, and Grief

• Diagnosis & The Emotional Toll:
  • Alicia recounts the emotional breakdown after her son Amir’s autism became clear, and losing her husband shortly after.
  • [07:49] “I went through a very deep depression ... I blamed myself. What did I do wrong?” – Alicia
• Grieving Two Losses:
  • JoJo empathizes, noting the “grieving period” for the child you envisioned and for a loved one lost.
  • [09:35] “It's the grieving error... Not that you lost somebody, but you lost the vision of what you thought it would be.” – JoJo
• Resilience and Early Intervention:
  • Alicia became a vigorous researcher, seeking early interventions; stresses the importance of not being in denial and GETTING HELP EARLY.
  • [10:45] Amir stopped eating for two years, had heavy aggression, and required holistic health approaches to turn things around.

5. Holistic Approaches & Silent Struggles

• Holistic Healing:
  • Proper nutrition, uncovering allergies, and addressing physical health were game-changers for Amir’s progress and calm.
  • [13:14] “Probiotics is the big thing for them.... Now he's on a strict plan.” – Alicia
• Invisible Challenges:
  • Alicia details a terrifying incident where her son eloped from a caregiver and ran into a hazardous intersection ([15:27]), highlighting risks and the constant anxiety autism parents face.
  • Social/emotional safety is another huge concern, especially for non-verbal children.
  • [17:33] “How is he feeling? ... Did someone abuse you that you wasn't able to speak about?” – Alicia

6. Self-Care, Faith, and Endurance

• Grace to Keep Going:
  • Alicia credits her perseverance to God's grace and the power of small, meaningful moments with her son (Family Feud, music).
  • [17:58] “It’s literally the grace of God. I fight through it. I’m a heavy prayer and that’s it.” – Alicia
• Faith, Obedience, and Imperfection:
  • Alicia dismisses the notion that faith requires perfection; her relationship with God is honest, messy, and real.
  • [19:04] “God wants the person that’s the messiest in the back... that’s the person he wants to show you that change is inevitable.” – Alicia
  • [21:00] “Resilience means... take a moment and eat Netflix... whatever it is.” – Alicia

7. Safe Spaces & Emotional Intelligence

• Emotional Safety for Black Boys:
  • Alicia challenges cultural traditions that discourage Black boys from expressing emotions; she intentionally teaches her son to feel and express—all feelings are valid.
  • [23:20] “You could be a man's man, but ... you can love hard and just be you and still be an all-around man, and you don't look different.” – Alicia
  • She uses “Hulk-smash” as an outlet for anger at home, reinforcing emotional literacy.
  • [25:57] “We help smash everything in the house... This is how you deal with your anger.” – Alicia
• JoJo’s Perspective:
  • Highlights consequences when men bottle up emotion (“those emotional traumas for men turn into bullets”—a past guest, [24:00]).

8. Telling Her Story: The Power and Pain of Vulnerability

• Why Write True Survivor?
  • Alicia wrote her book out of obedience, often breaking down in tears as she relived trauma to help others.
  • [26:38] “I never woke up and thought I wanted to be an author. It was something I did in obedience.” – Alicia
  • Healing came from sharing, even when it felt exposing.

9. Final Messages: Hope, Healing, and What Thriving Looks Like

• Advice for Listeners Taking First Steps:
  • Go through the pain to get to the other side—healing is possible.
  • [31:35] “Suffering comes in the night, but joy comes in the morning... My story ... will encourage people that healing is possible...” – Alicia
• From Surviving to Thriving:
  • Alicia urges: Leave survival behind in 2026; focus on thriving.
  • [33:57] “I want us to leave survival in the end and go to thriving. That’s what I want to say.” – Alicia
• Mental Health Routines:
  • Gym, prayer, walks, reading; do what restores you, but for Alicia, “gym is therapy” ([34:22]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Healing and Distraction:
  • [05:57] Alicia: “Distractions and numbness, it just goes hand in hand, you know?”
• On Autism Parenting:
  • [11:50] JoJo: “Congratulations. I know that's a great feeling. We're still waiting. We know it's coming. He sings a lot. I tell you that.”
• On Vulnerability for Black Boys:
  • [23:20] Alicia: “You could be a man's man, but you still could express how you feel.”
• On Emotional Toll:
  • [17:49] JoJo: “It's a very emotional toll... How do you care for your own emotional and spiritual well-being while showing up for your child every day?”
  • [17:58] Alicia: “It’s literally the grace of God. I fight through it. I’m a heavy prayer and that’s it.”
• On Faith & Obedience:
  • [19:04] Alicia: “God wants the person that’s the messiest in the back...that’s the person that he wants to show you that change is inevitable.”
  • [26:38] Alicia: “I never woke up and thought I wanted to be an author. It was something I did in obedience.”
• On Moving Forward:
  • [31:35] Alicia: “Suffering comes in the night, but joy comes in the morning...My story, anyone else's story on this podcast will encourage people that healing is possible and it’s for the better, for you and also for your children, because your children deserve a good mom, a better mom, a healed mom...”
• On Resilience:
  • [21:00] Alicia: “Resilience means... if today I want to just put it down or just say to heck with everything, that's resilience for me.”

Essential Timestamps

• Generational Trauma & Faith: [02:59–04:52]
• Motherhood & Autism Diagnosis: [07:49–11:50]
• Holistic Healing for Autism: [12:19–13:38]
• Silent Autism Parenting Struggles: [15:27–17:49]
• Emotional Safety for Black Boys: [23:20–25:57]
• Power of Vulnerability / Writing Book: [26:38–29:50]
• Healing is Possible, Advice to Listeners: [31:35–32:55]
• From Survival to Thriving: [33:57]
• Mental Health Rituals: [34:22]

Tone

The tone is raw, warm, and unfiltered—full of empathy, humor, and heart. Both JoJo and Alicia insert moments of affirmation, encouragement, and real talk, never shying away from pain but always orienting toward hope and healing.

Takeaways

• Healing Isn’t Linear: Pain and joy intermix, but walking through the pain is necessary for genuine healing and growth.
• Faith & Vulnerability are Power Tools: Being real with God and others unlocks healing and new possibilities.
• Community Matters: Both for parents raising special needs children and for healing generational trauma—no one heals in isolation.
• From Surviving to Thriving: The ultimate goal is not just to get by, but to create lives and families that feel emotionally safe and empowered to grow.

For further resources or to connect with Alicia Lorde, check out her book True Survivor or reach out through her platforms as mentioned in the episode.