Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue Thu, 03 Sep 2026 07:23:38 -0400 https://twomothersoneache.podbean.com en-us © 2026 Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue yes eee045dc-b50e-5865-9ff3-b25b6e4e269f Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto episodic false Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto https://storage.buzzsprout.com/o7ykbcsimw7ptwcw5qcf469fqswr?.jpg Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue https://twomothersoneache.podbean.com Rituals, Remembrance & Anniversaries: Carrying Our Loved Ones Forward Rituals, Remembrance & Anniversaries: Carrying Our Loved Ones Forward Content note: This episode holds open conversation about child loss, death anniversaries, and grief.

Grief doesn't end when the funeral is over — love asks us to remember, again and again. Dionne and Yvette pull up to the kitchen table to talk rituals: birthday cakes and favorite-food plates, altars and an empty seat set with love, candle lighting, Día de los Muertos, sitting shiva, the novena, and the names we keep calling. They share the hardest dates, how to give yourself grace when you're too depleted to do anything big, and how to transmute pain into art, plants, and playlists. Grief is love with no place to go — so let's make a place for it.

Join the conversation on Instagram @2Mothers1AchePod. Produced and distributed by Merrick Studios.

]]> Content note: This episode holds open conversation about child loss, death anniversaries, and grief.

Grief doesn't end when the funeral is over — love asks us to remember, again and again. Dionne and Yvette pull up to the kitchen table to talk rituals: birthday cakes and favorite-food plates, altars and an empty seat set with love, candle lighting, Día de los Muertos, sitting shiva, the novena, and the names we keep calling. They share the hardest dates, how to give yourself grace when you're too depleted to do anything big, and how to transmute pain into art, plants, and playlists. Grief is love with no place to go — so let's make a place for it.

Join the conversation on Instagram @2Mothers1AchePod. Produced and distributed by Merrick Studios.

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto twomothersoneache.podbean.com/168081f7-1a91-3174-960a-7ec503e271f0 Tue, 30 Jun 2026 12:50:14 -0400 2838 1 32 false Grief and Afterlife (Re-release) Grief and Afterlife (Re-release) Content note: This episode explores grief, child loss, and the death of loved ones.

In this re-release, Dionne and Yvette open up about grief and the afterlife — the butterflies, the angel numbers, the dreams and visitations, and the quiet signs that remind us our loved ones are still close. A tender conversation about staying connected and finding your way through.

New here? Watch the full episode on YouTube and join the conversation on Instagram @2Mothers1AchePod.

Produced and distributed by Merrick Studios.

]]> Content note: This episode explores grief, child loss, and the death of loved ones.

In this re-release, Dionne and Yvette open up about grief and the afterlife — the butterflies, the angel numbers, the dreams and visitations, and the quiet signs that remind us our loved ones are still close. A tender conversation about staying connected and finding your way through.

New here? Watch the full episode on YouTube and join the conversation on Instagram @2Mothers1AchePod.

Produced and distributed by Merrick Studios.

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto twomothersoneache.podbean.com/561d406e-d5ac-3fc0-8925-003b827fdddc Tue, 23 Jun 2026 08:48:05 -0400 4423 1 31 false Grief and Religion with Dr. Rios (Re-release) Grief and Religion with Dr. Rios (Re-release) Content note: child loss and grief.

What happens to your faith when the prayers don't get answered the way you were promised? Dionne and Yvette welcome Rev. Dr. Liz Rios — pastor, scholar, activist, and Daniel's mother — for an unflinching conversation on grief and religion: being angry with God rather than at Him, the gap between knowing and feeling, and a theology that accompanies pain instead of explaining it away. A re-release worth sitting with more than once.

Join us on Instagram @2Mothers1AchePod. Produced and distributed by Merrick Studios.

]]> Content note: child loss and grief.

What happens to your faith when the prayers don't get answered the way you were promised? Dionne and Yvette welcome Rev. Dr. Liz Rios — pastor, scholar, activist, and Daniel's mother — for an unflinching conversation on grief and religion: being angry with God rather than at Him, the gap between knowing and feeling, and a theology that accompanies pain instead of explaining it away. A re-release worth sitting with more than once.

Join us on Instagram @2Mothers1AchePod. Produced and distributed by Merrick Studios.

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto, Dr. Rios twomothersoneache.podbean.com/7a16ff0a-22ee-3a4b-b13c-5d7bbe2fd011 Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:42:06 -0400 3622 1 30 false From Blight to Beauty: A Conversation with Mama Shu (Re-release) From Blight to Beauty: A Conversation with Mama Shu (Re-release) Content note: this episode discusses the loss of children, a fatal hit-and-run, gun violence, and suicide.

What happens when grief refuses to stay quiet — and starts demanding a reason?

Dionne and Yvette welcome Shamayim "Mama Shu" Harris — educator, activist, and founder of Avalon Village, the urban oasis she built from reclaimed land in Highland Park, Michigan. A CNN Hero finalist and USA Today Woman of the Year, Mama Shu has turned blight into gardens and homes, and profound loss into purpose.

She shares the losses that shaped her path — her mother, Mama Christine, and her sons Jacobi Ra and Chinyelu — and how she let grief build something rather than bury her. Plus the "joy virus," her mayoral run, and a moment of aché.

Follow @2Mothers1AchePod. Produced and distributed by Merrick Studios.

]]> Content note: this episode discusses the loss of children, a fatal hit-and-run, gun violence, and suicide.

What happens when grief refuses to stay quiet — and starts demanding a reason?

Dionne and Yvette welcome Shamayim "Mama Shu" Harris — educator, activist, and founder of Avalon Village, the urban oasis she built from reclaimed land in Highland Park, Michigan. A CNN Hero finalist and USA Today Woman of the Year, Mama Shu has turned blight into gardens and homes, and profound loss into purpose.

She shares the losses that shaped her path — her mother, Mama Christine, and her sons Jacobi Ra and Chinyelu — and how she let grief build something rather than bury her. Plus the "joy virus," her mayoral run, and a moment of aché.

Follow @2Mothers1AchePod. Produced and distributed by Merrick Studios.

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto, Mama Shu twomothersoneache.podbean.com/727e4576-331b-30b1-b43b-f3f3f8f4c79d Tue, 09 Jun 2026 09:30:50 -0400 4526 1 29 false What Do I Say (Re-release) What Do I Say (Re-release) What do you say to someone who is grieving? In this heartfelt and at times laugh-through-the-tears episode, Dionne and Yvette unpack the well-meaning but wounding things people actually said to them — "at least you have other children," "time heals all wounds," "how are you doing with your guilt?" — and why they land so wrong.

But this is an episode about empathy, not shame. The sisters in grief share the words and actions that truly bring comfort: a hug, a held hand, "I'm right here with you," and showing up to do the labor — fold the laundry, bring the food, wash the dishes. Because the worst thing you can do is disappear. Don't ghost a griever.

Your words don't have to be perfect. They just have to come from the heart.

Join the conversation on Instagram @2Mothers1AchePod

Two Mothers, One Aché is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios.

]]> What do you say to someone who is grieving? In this heartfelt and at times laugh-through-the-tears episode, Dionne and Yvette unpack the well-meaning but wounding things people actually said to them — "at least you have other children," "time heals all wounds," "how are you doing with your guilt?" — and why they land so wrong.

But this is an episode about empathy, not shame. The sisters in grief share the words and actions that truly bring comfort: a hug, a held hand, "I'm right here with you," and showing up to do the labor — fold the laundry, bring the food, wash the dishes. Because the worst thing you can do is disappear. Don't ghost a griever.

Your words don't have to be perfect. They just have to come from the heart.

Join the conversation on Instagram @2Mothers1AchePod

Two Mothers, One Aché is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios.

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto twomothersoneache.podbean.com/56bc59a3-487a-31ff-b1bd-cc0a33376d72 Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:31:53 -0400 3167 1 28 false Ambiguous Grief and Relationship Loss Ambiguous Grief and Relationship Loss What do you do with grief when no one died?

Dionne and Yvette name something most of us have lived through but rarely have language for: ambiguous grief — the loss of relationships that didn't end in death, but ended just the same. The ghosted friendship. The decades-long bond that finally snapped. No funeral. No closure. Just a quiet, open wound.

Dionne shares the story of the silver bracelet she still wears for a friend who disappeared without a word. Yvette opens up about a decades-long relationship that recently ended — and what it taught her about boundaries, codependency, and protective loss.

Together they explore why ambiguous loss destabilizes us, why women internalize it as personal failure, and the rituals that bring closure when life doesn't — journaling, fire, mirror work, and Ho'oponopono. Because grief is love with no place to go.

Follow @2Mothers1AchePod. Produced by Merrick Studios.

]]> What do you do with grief when no one died?

Dionne and Yvette name something most of us have lived through but rarely have language for: ambiguous grief — the loss of relationships that didn't end in death, but ended just the same. The ghosted friendship. The decades-long bond that finally snapped. No funeral. No closure. Just a quiet, open wound.

Dionne shares the story of the silver bracelet she still wears for a friend who disappeared without a word. Yvette opens up about a decades-long relationship that recently ended — and what it taught her about boundaries, codependency, and protective loss.

Together they explore why ambiguous loss destabilizes us, why women internalize it as personal failure, and the rituals that bring closure when life doesn't — journaling, fire, mirror work, and Ho'oponopono. Because grief is love with no place to go.

Follow @2Mothers1AchePod. Produced by Merrick Studios.

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto twomothersoneache.podbean.com/6ebd49db-fd2c-39a0-b74e-4354a15231aa Tue, 26 May 2026 06:30:00 -0400 3768 1 27 false Grief in the Body: A Conversation with Myra Sack Grief in the Body: A Conversation with Myra Sack Three bereaved mothers. One aché. Dionne and Yvette welcome Myra Sack, author of 57 Fridays and founder of E-Motion. After losing her daughter Javi to Tay-Sachs disease, Myra turned to movement and ritual as a path through grief.

Together they explore how grief lives in the body, the power of the "quiet mile," and the micro-rituals that keep us tethered to life. Plus a guided breath practice you can take with you.

Two Mothers, One Aché is hosted by Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Dávila and produced and distributed by Merrick Studios. Catch all our episodes at https://merrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod and for early access, live recordings and more, join us on Merrick Studios+ at https://www.wearemerrickstudios.com/plus.

]]> Three bereaved mothers. One aché. Dionne and Yvette welcome Myra Sack, author of 57 Fridays and founder of E-Motion. After losing her daughter Javi to Tay-Sachs disease, Myra turned to movement and ritual as a path through grief.

Together they explore how grief lives in the body, the power of the "quiet mile," and the micro-rituals that keep us tethered to life. Plus a guided breath practice you can take with you.

Two Mothers, One Aché is hosted by Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Dávila and produced and distributed by Merrick Studios. Catch all our episodes at https://merrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod and for early access, live recordings and more, join us on Merrick Studios+ at https://www.wearemerrickstudios.com/plus.

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto, Myra Sack twomothersoneache.podbean.com/43ead187-b7a4-39f0-9423-a9c75b104ebe Tue, 19 May 2026 07:00:00 -0400 3286 1 26 false Grief & Pregnancy Loss with Adrienne Bailon-Houghton Grief & Pregnancy Loss with Adrienne Bailon-Houghton RE-RELEASE

Grammy-winning singer, actress, and mom Adrienne Bailon-Houghton joins Dionne and Yvette for a raw, tender conversation about the quiet grief of pregnancy loss and her long road through eight rounds of IVF, a failed implantation, and a heartbreaking miscarriage.

With honesty and faith, Adrienne shares the shame, self-blame, anger, and desperation so many women carry in silence — alongside the prayers, intentionality, and love that carried her and her husband Israel Houghton through every loss. Yvette opens up about her own two miscarriages, and together the three hold space for grief that too often goes unseen.

For anyone who has whispered their loss into a pillow or wondered if their body failed them — you are not alone.

Two Mothers, One Aché is hosted by Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Dávila and produced and distributed by Merrick Studios. Catch all our episodes at https://merrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod and for early access, live recordings and more, join us on Merrick Studios+ at https://www.wearemerrickstudios.com/plus.

]]> RE-RELEASE

Grammy-winning singer, actress, and mom Adrienne Bailon-Houghton joins Dionne and Yvette for a raw, tender conversation about the quiet grief of pregnancy loss and her long road through eight rounds of IVF, a failed implantation, and a heartbreaking miscarriage.

With honesty and faith, Adrienne shares the shame, self-blame, anger, and desperation so many women carry in silence — alongside the prayers, intentionality, and love that carried her and her husband Israel Houghton through every loss. Yvette opens up about her own two miscarriages, and together the three hold space for grief that too often goes unseen.

For anyone who has whispered their loss into a pillow or wondered if their body failed them — you are not alone.

Two Mothers, One Aché is hosted by Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Dávila and produced and distributed by Merrick Studios. Catch all our episodes at https://merrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod and for early access, live recordings and more, join us on Merrick Studios+ at https://www.wearemerrickstudios.com/plus.

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto, Adrienne Bailon-Houghton twomothersoneache.podbean.com/7dfecaf6-1067-397b-8695-78857b2c552b Tue, 12 May 2026 06:00:00 -0400 2927 1 25 false Grief and Joy with Grace Harry Grief and Joy with Grace Harry Grace Harry joins Yvette and Dionne for a deeply honest conversation about what it really means to heal.

Together, they explore the “advanced math” of holding joy and grief at the same time—while unpacking motherhood, loss, emotional patterns, and the courage it takes to choose joy again.

This episode is a reminder that joy isn’t something you earn… it’s something you remember.

Come sit with us.

Two Mothers, One Aché is produce by Merrick Studios and hosted by Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Dávila. Join the conversation on Instagram ⁠@2mothers1achepod⁠. Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

]]> Grace Harry joins Yvette and Dionne for a deeply honest conversation about what it really means to heal.

Together, they explore the “advanced math” of holding joy and grief at the same time—while unpacking motherhood, loss, emotional patterns, and the courage it takes to choose joy again.

This episode is a reminder that joy isn’t something you earn… it’s something you remember.

Come sit with us.

Two Mothers, One Aché is produce by Merrick Studios and hosted by Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Dávila. Join the conversation on Instagram ⁠@2mothers1achepod⁠. Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto twomothersoneache.podbean.com/73ab6797-30d4-32d3-8738-400636175b4c Tue, 28 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0400 3940 1 24 false Healing in Real Time Healing in Real Time Not polished. Not resolved. Just real.

In this intimate episode, Yvette and Dionne reconnect across distance and grief, sharing what it means to keep healing while life is still unfolding. Through breathwork, honest reflection, and lived experience, they explore how grief evolves, how joy and pain can coexist, and why listening to your body is part of the journey.

This is healing as it happens—in real time.

Pro Tip: Boost your Mood (and Energy) with this Yoga Flow - https://joyousocean.kit.com/moodlift

]]> Not polished. Not resolved. Just real.

In this intimate episode, Yvette and Dionne reconnect across distance and grief, sharing what it means to keep healing while life is still unfolding. Through breathwork, honest reflection, and lived experience, they explore how grief evolves, how joy and pain can coexist, and why listening to your body is part of the journey.

This is healing as it happens—in real time.

Pro Tip: Boost your Mood (and Energy) with this Yoga Flow - https://joyousocean.kit.com/moodlift

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto twomothersoneache.podbean.com/fe043ef5-e6b6-39c1-a0df-2f66a08d4332 Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400 4432 1 23 false RE-RELEASE: Listeners Letters RE-RELEASE: Listeners Letters This episode was originally released on February 17, 2026.

In this listener-led episode of Two Mothers, One Aché, Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Davila open with a grounding practice—the humming bee breath (Brahmari)—to calm the busy mind and bring the body back online. From there, they answer real questions from the community with care, privacy, and safe messaging: How do I ask for support without feeling needy? Is it normal to feel guilty for living after someone dies? How do I forgive myself for what I didn’t do? Along the way, they share practical tools like “cancel, cancel” to interrupt spiraling self-blame, reminders about boundaries, and the truth that progress isn’t perfection. They close with comfort songs and an Aché moment to honor loved ones—yours included.

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by ⁠Merrick Studios⁠ and hosted by ⁠Yvette Dávila⁠ and ⁠Dionne C. Monsanto⁠. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you.

Join the conversation on Instagram ⁠@2mothers1achepod⁠ and learn more at ⁠wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.⁠

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

]]> This episode was originally released on February 17, 2026.

In this listener-led episode of Two Mothers, One Aché, Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Davila open with a grounding practice—the humming bee breath (Brahmari)—to calm the busy mind and bring the body back online. From there, they answer real questions from the community with care, privacy, and safe messaging: How do I ask for support without feeling needy? Is it normal to feel guilty for living after someone dies? How do I forgive myself for what I didn’t do? Along the way, they share practical tools like “cancel, cancel” to interrupt spiraling self-blame, reminders about boundaries, and the truth that progress isn’t perfection. They close with comfort songs and an Aché moment to honor loved ones—yours included.

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by ⁠Merrick Studios⁠ and hosted by ⁠Yvette Dávila⁠ and ⁠Dionne C. Monsanto⁠. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you.

Join the conversation on Instagram ⁠@2mothers1achepod⁠ and learn more at ⁠wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.⁠

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto twomothersoneache.podbean.com/f2b7d0ce-de96-34c4-96d9-3b4cdf3eeccc Tue, 07 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0400 4261 1 22 false RE-RELEASE: Changing the Grief Narrative with Bun B RE-RELEASE: Changing the Grief Narrative with Bun B This episode was originally released on December 2, 2025.

Hip-hop legend Bun B joins Two Mothers, One Aché for a raw and deeply human conversation about brotherhood, loss, and healing. He opens up about the morning he learned of Pimp C’s passing, the identity-shifting grief that followed, and why he chose to grieve publicly in a culture that often equates vulnerability with weakness. Together, Bun, Yvette, and Dionne explore how grief reshapes us, what community can repair, and the quiet ways our loved ones still reach for us. From faith to hip hop, from depression to legacy, this episode offers a rare look at a man who has carried grief in full view—and continues to transform it with honesty, service, and love. A powerful conversation for anyone navigating loss or supporting someone who is.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

]]> This episode was originally released on December 2, 2025.

Hip-hop legend Bun B joins Two Mothers, One Aché for a raw and deeply human conversation about brotherhood, loss, and healing. He opens up about the morning he learned of Pimp C’s passing, the identity-shifting grief that followed, and why he chose to grieve publicly in a culture that often equates vulnerability with weakness. Together, Bun, Yvette, and Dionne explore how grief reshapes us, what community can repair, and the quiet ways our loved ones still reach for us. From faith to hip hop, from depression to legacy, this episode offers a rare look at a man who has carried grief in full view—and continues to transform it with honesty, service, and love. A powerful conversation for anyone navigating loss or supporting someone who is.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto, Bun B twomothersoneache.podbean.com/80d36442-b713-3931-838e-f4d62d816765 Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0400 4648 1 21 false Grief and Memorializing Love with special guest Posdnuos Grief and Memorializing Love with special guest Posdnuos This week on Two Mothers, One Aché, Yvette and Dionne welcome the legendary Kelvin Mercer, better known as Posdnuos of De La Soul, for a deeply moving conversation about grief, remembrance, and the rituals that keep our loved ones close. With honesty, tenderness, and hard-earned wisdom, Pos reflects on memorializing his mother Hattie Mae, honoring the life and legacy of his brother Dave, and how gratitude, storytelling, and creative expression can help move grief through the body instead of letting it harden inside us.

Together, they explore why saying their names matters, how rituals become a compass through loss, and why memorializing those we love is not about staying stuck in pain, but about carrying love forward with intention. From “Thanks, Dave” to Cabin in the Sky, this episode is a powerful reminder that grief is not just about what we’ve lost, but about what we choose to keep alive.

Join the conversation on Instagram ⁠@2mothers1achepod⁠ and learn more at ⁠wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.⁠

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

]]> This week on Two Mothers, One Aché, Yvette and Dionne welcome the legendary Kelvin Mercer, better known as Posdnuos of De La Soul, for a deeply moving conversation about grief, remembrance, and the rituals that keep our loved ones close. With honesty, tenderness, and hard-earned wisdom, Pos reflects on memorializing his mother Hattie Mae, honoring the life and legacy of his brother Dave, and how gratitude, storytelling, and creative expression can help move grief through the body instead of letting it harden inside us.

Together, they explore why saying their names matters, how rituals become a compass through loss, and why memorializing those we love is not about staying stuck in pain, but about carrying love forward with intention. From “Thanks, Dave” to Cabin in the Sky, this episode is a powerful reminder that grief is not just about what we’ve lost, but about what we choose to keep alive.

Join the conversation on Instagram ⁠@2mothers1achepod⁠ and learn more at ⁠wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.⁠

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto, Kelvin Mercer twomothersoneache.podbean.com/8d8361cf-b6d8-3561-a62a-2b699dc5961c Tue, 17 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0400 4148 1 20 false Grief and Pregnancy Loss (Part 2) Grief and Pregnancy Loss (Part 2) In Part 2 of this deeply moving conversation, Dionne and Yvette stay at the kitchen table with Adrienne Bailon-Houghton as the story turns toward what carried her through: faith, ritual, acceptance, and the sacred path that led her to surrogacy.

Adrienne opens up about the grief she didn’t realize she was still carrying—the quiet sobs in the shower, the heartbreak of another loss during COVID, and the truth that miscarriage is not something you simply “move on” from. Together, they talk about the pain of unspoken grief, the power of being witnessed, and the ways love, faith, family, and community can hold you when words fall short.

This episode is also about what helps and what hurts: the comments that wound, the support that steadies, and the people who walk beside us without trying to fix what cannot be fixed. With honesty, tenderness, and hard-won wisdom, Adrienne shares how acceptance made room for joy, how surrogacy became an act of surrender and love, and how motherhood still arrived in a way that was holy, intentional, and fully hers.

And in true Two Mothers, One Aché fashion, this conversation brings us back to the heart of it all: your grief is real, your love is real, and you do not have to let go to keep healing.

Join the conversation on Instagram.

]]> In Part 2 of this deeply moving conversation, Dionne and Yvette stay at the kitchen table with Adrienne Bailon-Houghton as the story turns toward what carried her through: faith, ritual, acceptance, and the sacred path that led her to surrogacy.

Adrienne opens up about the grief she didn’t realize she was still carrying—the quiet sobs in the shower, the heartbreak of another loss during COVID, and the truth that miscarriage is not something you simply “move on” from. Together, they talk about the pain of unspoken grief, the power of being witnessed, and the ways love, faith, family, and community can hold you when words fall short.

This episode is also about what helps and what hurts: the comments that wound, the support that steadies, and the people who walk beside us without trying to fix what cannot be fixed. With honesty, tenderness, and hard-won wisdom, Adrienne shares how acceptance made room for joy, how surrogacy became an act of surrender and love, and how motherhood still arrived in a way that was holy, intentional, and fully hers.

And in true Two Mothers, One Aché fashion, this conversation brings us back to the heart of it all: your grief is real, your love is real, and you do not have to let go to keep healing.

Join the conversation on Instagram.

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto twomothersoneache.podbean.com/c7ff9531-b617-3cdc-ad03-d1924232ec57 Tue, 10 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0400 2610 1 19 false Grief and Pregnancy Loss (Part 1) Grief and Pregnancy Loss (Part 1) This week at the kitchen table, Dionne and Yvette welcome Adrienne Bailon-Houghton for an intimate conversation about miscarriage, IVF, and the kind of grief that often goes unseen.

With their signature breathwork and gentle disclaimers (no medical advice—just lived experience), they create space for Adrienne to share what her body remembers: the shock of failed cycles, the ache of embryos that didn’t take, the compounded losses, and the quiet shame and anger that can surface—even for someone rooted deeply in faith.

Adrienne speaks candidly about eight rounds of IVF, the rituals that carried her through, the heartbreak of hearing “no heartbeat,” and the complicated longing to see yourself reflected in your child. Together, they explore partner grief, spiritual confusion, and what it means to hold hope while your light feels dim.

If this topic is tender, take care of your heart as you listen. And if you’ve walked this road, may this episode remind you: your grief is real, and you are not alone.

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by ⁠Merrick Studios⁠ and hosted by ⁠Yvette Dávila⁠ and ⁠Dionne C. Monsanto⁠. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you.

Join the conversation on Instagram ⁠@2mothers1achepod⁠ and learn more at ⁠wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.⁠

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

]]> This week at the kitchen table, Dionne and Yvette welcome Adrienne Bailon-Houghton for an intimate conversation about miscarriage, IVF, and the kind of grief that often goes unseen.

With their signature breathwork and gentle disclaimers (no medical advice—just lived experience), they create space for Adrienne to share what her body remembers: the shock of failed cycles, the ache of embryos that didn’t take, the compounded losses, and the quiet shame and anger that can surface—even for someone rooted deeply in faith.

Adrienne speaks candidly about eight rounds of IVF, the rituals that carried her through, the heartbreak of hearing “no heartbeat,” and the complicated longing to see yourself reflected in your child. Together, they explore partner grief, spiritual confusion, and what it means to hold hope while your light feels dim.

If this topic is tender, take care of your heart as you listen. And if you’ve walked this road, may this episode remind you: your grief is real, and you are not alone.

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by ⁠Merrick Studios⁠ and hosted by ⁠Yvette Dávila⁠ and ⁠Dionne C. Monsanto⁠. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you.

Join the conversation on Instagram ⁠@2mothers1achepod⁠ and learn more at ⁠wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.⁠

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto 4327c844-16b6-11f1-8146-535ef154d042 Tue, 03 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0500 2978 1 18 false Turning Pain Into Purpose Turning Pain Into Purpose This week on Two Mothers, One Ashé, Dionne and Yvette sit with Shamayim “Mama Shu” Harris, founder of Avalon Village, for a conversation that moves far beyond titles and accolades.

After grounding together in breath, Mama Shu opens up about the losses that reshaped her life—her mother, Christine, and her sons, Jakobi Ra and Chinyelu. She shares what it meant to survive the kind of grief that feels unsurvivable… and the moment she realized she was still here.

Together, they explore ancestors, purpose, community, and the radical idea that joy is not a betrayal of the ones we’ve lost. This episode is about finding meaning, building containers for love, and allowing grief to transform—not define—you.

We close, as always, with a moment of Ashé, speaking names aloud and breathing life into memory.

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by ⁠Merrick Studios⁠ and hosted by ⁠Yvette Dávila⁠ and ⁠Dionne C. Monsanto⁠. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you.

Join the conversation on Instagram ⁠@2mothers1achepod⁠ and learn more at ⁠wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.⁠

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> This week on Two Mothers, One Ashé, Dionne and Yvette sit with Shamayim “Mama Shu” Harris, founder of Avalon Village, for a conversation that moves far beyond titles and accolades.

After grounding together in breath, Mama Shu opens up about the losses that reshaped her life—her mother, Christine, and her sons, Jakobi Ra and Chinyelu. She shares what it meant to survive the kind of grief that feels unsurvivable… and the moment she realized she was still here.

Together, they explore ancestors, purpose, community, and the radical idea that joy is not a betrayal of the ones we’ve lost. This episode is about finding meaning, building containers for love, and allowing grief to transform—not define—you.

We close, as always, with a moment of Ashé, speaking names aloud and breathing life into memory.

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by ⁠Merrick Studios⁠ and hosted by ⁠Yvette Dávila⁠ and ⁠Dionne C. Monsanto⁠. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you.

Join the conversation on Instagram ⁠@2mothers1achepod⁠ and learn more at ⁠wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.⁠

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto ae4f1212-1120-11f1-b134-8bf81357cad1 Tue, 24 Feb 2026 06:00:00 -0500 4872 1 false Listener Letters: What Grief Asks of Us Listener Letters: What Grief Asks of Us In this listener-led episode of Two Mothers, One Aché, Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Davila open with a grounding practice—the humming bee breath (Brahmari)—to calm the busy mind and bring the body back online. From there, they answer real questions from the community with care, privacy, and safe messaging: How do I ask for support without feeling needy? Is it normal to feel guilty for living after someone dies? How do I forgive myself for what I didn’t do? Along the way, they share practical tools like “cancel, cancel” to interrupt spiraling self-blame, reminders about boundaries, and the truth that progress isn’t perfection. They close with comfort songs and an Aché moment to honor loved ones—yours included.

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by ⁠Merrick Studios⁠ and hosted by ⁠Yvette Dávila⁠ and ⁠Dionne C. Monsanto⁠. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you.

Join the conversation on Instagram ⁠@2mothers1achepod⁠ and learn more at ⁠wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.⁠

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

]]> In this listener-led episode of Two Mothers, One Aché, Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Davila open with a grounding practice—the humming bee breath (Brahmari)—to calm the busy mind and bring the body back online. From there, they answer real questions from the community with care, privacy, and safe messaging: How do I ask for support without feeling needy? Is it normal to feel guilty for living after someone dies? How do I forgive myself for what I didn’t do? Along the way, they share practical tools like “cancel, cancel” to interrupt spiraling self-blame, reminders about boundaries, and the truth that progress isn’t perfection. They close with comfort songs and an Aché moment to honor loved ones—yours included.

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by ⁠Merrick Studios⁠ and hosted by ⁠Yvette Dávila⁠ and ⁠Dionne C. Monsanto⁠. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you.

Join the conversation on Instagram ⁠@2mothers1achepod⁠ and learn more at ⁠wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.⁠

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto 2ed0f290-0bf7-11f1-ba6a-8f8636740a89 Tue, 17 Feb 2026 06:52:00 -0500 4321 1 16 false Grief and Afterlife Grief and Afterlife In this episode of Two Mothers, One Aché, Dionne and Yvette explore grief, the afterlife, and the signs our loved ones leave behind.

They reflect on dreams, symbols, intuition, and spiritual experiences that often follow loss—and why so many of us question or silence them. Through personal stories and ancestral wisdom, they discuss how grief can expand our awareness, how to stay grounded while honoring the unseen, and why trusting yourself is part of healing.

This conversation is an invitation to release shame, embrace curiosity, and remember that love doesn’t end—it transforms.

Luz y progreso. Aché.

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you.

Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> In this episode of Two Mothers, One Aché, Dionne and Yvette explore grief, the afterlife, and the signs our loved ones leave behind.

They reflect on dreams, symbols, intuition, and spiritual experiences that often follow loss—and why so many of us question or silence them. Through personal stories and ancestral wisdom, they discuss how grief can expand our awareness, how to stay grounded while honoring the unseen, and why trusting yourself is part of healing.

This conversation is an invitation to release shame, embrace curiosity, and remember that love doesn’t end—it transforms.

Luz y progreso. Aché.

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you.

Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto Buzzsprout-18653881 Tue, 10 Feb 2026 06:00:00 -0500 4496 1 15 false Grief and Suicide Prevention Grief and Suicide Prevention This week on Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grielf Dialogue, we hold space for what’s hardest to say. Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Love Dávila are joined by Dr. Denisse Centeno-Lamas, whose work in suicide prevention is rooted in culture, faith, and lived experience. This episode moves beyond facts into the body of grief itself—migration, loneliness, burnout, depression, and the silence that keeps people from asking for help. Dr. Denisse shares how loss, community trauma, and her own mental health journey shaped her calling, while the hosts name the harm of stigma in faith spaces and the myth that prayer alone can heal everything. Together, they remind us: mental health is health. Language matters. Culture matters. And talking—honestly, compassionately—can save lives. The conversation closes with a Moment of Ashé, speaking names, honoring ancestors and loved ones, and offering grief the dignity of being seen. Come breathe with us. Come name it. Come heal it.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> This week on Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grielf Dialogue, we hold space for what’s hardest to say. Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Love Dávila are joined by Dr. Denisse Centeno-Lamas, whose work in suicide prevention is rooted in culture, faith, and lived experience. This episode moves beyond facts into the body of grief itself—migration, loneliness, burnout, depression, and the silence that keeps people from asking for help. Dr. Denisse shares how loss, community trauma, and her own mental health journey shaped her calling, while the hosts name the harm of stigma in faith spaces and the myth that prayer alone can heal everything. Together, they remind us: mental health is health. Language matters. Culture matters. And talking—honestly, compassionately—can save lives. The conversation closes with a Moment of Ashé, speaking names, honoring ancestors and loved ones, and offering grief the dignity of being seen. Come breathe with us. Come name it. Come heal it.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto Buzzsprout-18616177 Tue, 03 Feb 2026 06:00:00 -0500 3970 1 14 false Ambiguous Grief: Relationship Loss Ambiguous Grief: Relationship Loss No funeral. No ritual. No “closure.” Just a relationship that ends while everybody’s still alive and a grief we’re rarely taught to name. In this episode of Two Mothers, One Aché, Dionne and Yvette ground the space and dive into ambiguous loss: friendships that fade, people who ghost, and relationships that rupture without an ending. The kind of grief that lingers because there’s no ritual, no permission, and no clear goodbye. Dionne reflects on a bracelet she still wears, a living reminder of a friend who disappeared, and how relational loss can shake identity, safety, and belonging. Yvette names what’s happening beneath the surface: when there’s no closure, the body and spirit stay tethered. Together, they unpack guilt, boundaries, and the myth of “forgive and forget,” exploring how grief and relief can exist at the same time, especially when a loss is protective. They also offer practical tools, journaling, mirror work, and simple release rituals, to help give form to grief that’s been sitting in the shadows. Because grief doesn’t need to be fixed. It needs to be witnessed. Come breathe with us. Come name it. Come heal it. Aché.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> No funeral. No ritual. No “closure.” Just a relationship that ends while everybody’s still alive and a grief we’re rarely taught to name. In this episode of Two Mothers, One Aché, Dionne and Yvette ground the space and dive into ambiguous loss: friendships that fade, people who ghost, and relationships that rupture without an ending. The kind of grief that lingers because there’s no ritual, no permission, and no clear goodbye. Dionne reflects on a bracelet she still wears, a living reminder of a friend who disappeared, and how relational loss can shake identity, safety, and belonging. Yvette names what’s happening beneath the surface: when there’s no closure, the body and spirit stay tethered. Together, they unpack guilt, boundaries, and the myth of “forgive and forget,” exploring how grief and relief can exist at the same time, especially when a loss is protective. They also offer practical tools, journaling, mirror work, and simple release rituals, to help give form to grief that’s been sitting in the shadows. Because grief doesn’t need to be fixed. It needs to be witnessed. Come breathe with us. Come name it. Come heal it. Aché.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto Buzzsprout-18574799 Tue, 27 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0500 3839 1 13 false What Do I Say? What Do I Say? Grief doesn’t come with a script… but somehow everybody shows up holding one. Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Love Dávila get real about the phrases people say when they mean well but cause real harm—“At least you have other children,” “God has a plan,” “Time heals all wounds,” and even “How are you?” They break down why these lines minimize pain, rush healing, and miss the moment entirely—and what empathy actually sounds like instead. This conversation also gives practical ways to show up: presence over platitudes, specifics over big questions, and love that looks like action (food, help, “I’m here—no response needed”). The episode closes with an Ashé moment, breathing life into the names of loved ones: Joseph Guadalupe, Nan Kalaliku Tayahimba, Justin Ross, Tina Allen, Aunt Cynthia Wallace, and Ramona Anderson.

Aché.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Grief doesn’t come with a script… but somehow everybody shows up holding one. Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Love Dávila get real about the phrases people say when they mean well but cause real harm—“At least you have other children,” “God has a plan,” “Time heals all wounds,” and even “How are you?” They break down why these lines minimize pain, rush healing, and miss the moment entirely—and what empathy actually sounds like instead. This conversation also gives practical ways to show up: presence over platitudes, specifics over big questions, and love that looks like action (food, help, “I’m here—no response needed”). The episode closes with an Ashé moment, breathing life into the names of loved ones: Joseph Guadalupe, Nan Kalaliku Tayahimba, Justin Ross, Tina Allen, Aunt Cynthia Wallace, and Ramona Anderson.

Aché.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto Buzzsprout-18539829 Tue, 20 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0500 3055 1 12 false Grief and Religion with Dr. Rios Grief and Religion with Dr. Rios Grief doesn’t just break your heart—it can rewire your theology, your body, and your whole relationship with God.

In “Grief and Religion,” Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Love Dávila are joined by Rev. Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” Rios—Afro-Boricua pastor, scholar, justice leader, and founder of Passion2Plant—for a candid conversation about what faith looks like when the miracle you prayed for doesn’t come. Because Dr. Rios has also lost a child, the table expands into Three Mothers, One Aché—three women speaking from lived experience, not performance.

Together, they explore the silence that follows loss, the pressure to perform “faithful” grief, and the ways inherited theology can fail us when it’s built to explain pain instead of accompany it. Dr. Rios offers permission—clear and uncompromising—to grieve honestly, question openly, and trust that faith can hold lament, anger, rest, and becoming.

This episode also honors the practical, embodied ways love shows up, and the spiritual practices that sustain us inside and outside the church—without rushing healing or demanding closure.

Aché.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Grief doesn’t just break your heart—it can rewire your theology, your body, and your whole relationship with God.

In “Grief and Religion,” Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Love Dávila are joined by Rev. Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” Rios—Afro-Boricua pastor, scholar, justice leader, and founder of Passion2Plant—for a candid conversation about what faith looks like when the miracle you prayed for doesn’t come. Because Dr. Rios has also lost a child, the table expands into Three Mothers, One Aché—three women speaking from lived experience, not performance.

Together, they explore the silence that follows loss, the pressure to perform “faithful” grief, and the ways inherited theology can fail us when it’s built to explain pain instead of accompany it. Dr. Rios offers permission—clear and uncompromising—to grieve honestly, question openly, and trust that faith can hold lament, anger, rest, and becoming.

This episode also honors the practical, embodied ways love shows up, and the spiritual practices that sustain us inside and outside the church—without rushing healing or demanding closure.

Aché.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto Buzzsprout-18500473 Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0500 3657 1 11 false Community & Isolation Community & Isolation This episode is an invitation back to the kitchen table, where grief and love tell the truth together. Yvette and Dionne explore how community can feel like refuge and overwhelm at the same time, how grief can make you crave connection while needing to disappear, and how protection can look like sunglasses, silence, or staying upstairs. We talk about who shows up when everything falls apart, who surprises you, and who pulls away—not always out of harm, but out of fear, confusion, or their own unprocessed grief. Together, we reflect on transactional relationships, chosen family, and the quiet wisdom of practical care: bringing food without asking, getting bodies moving, making decisions for someone whose heart is already carrying too much. We also offer a forward-looking practice—creating a small circle of trusted people who know your signs, hear the unspoken, and have permission to step in when words fail. And we close honoring beloved names Sophia Annalise and Princess Grace – breathing life into memory, love, and community that endures beyond isolation. Aché.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> This episode is an invitation back to the kitchen table, where grief and love tell the truth together. Yvette and Dionne explore how community can feel like refuge and overwhelm at the same time, how grief can make you crave connection while needing to disappear, and how protection can look like sunglasses, silence, or staying upstairs. We talk about who shows up when everything falls apart, who surprises you, and who pulls away—not always out of harm, but out of fear, confusion, or their own unprocessed grief. Together, we reflect on transactional relationships, chosen family, and the quiet wisdom of practical care: bringing food without asking, getting bodies moving, making decisions for someone whose heart is already carrying too much. We also offer a forward-looking practice—creating a small circle of trusted people who know your signs, hear the unspoken, and have permission to step in when words fail. And we close honoring beloved names Sophia Annalise and Princess Grace – breathing life into memory, love, and community that endures beyond isolation. Aché.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto Buzzsprout-18461030 Tue, 06 Jan 2026 07:00:00 -0500 3008 1 10 false Grief and Addiction (Part 2) Grief and Addiction (Part 2) In Part 2 of Grief and Addiction, the conversation deepens—and so does the truth. Yvette shares the moment her grief was fundamentally reshaped: learning that addiction played a direct role in her son Dasan’s death. With compassion and courage, she reflects on the question that changed everything—What would life have looked like if addiction had continued?—and how that reckoning opened a path toward forgiveness, faith, and self-compassion. Joined again by licensed professional counselor and addiction specialist Jill Mackey, Dionne and Yvette explore the emotional complexity of addiction-related loss: guilt and relief existing side by side, survivor’s guilt, generational trauma, and the quiet exhaustion of waiting for “that call.” They unpack why grief can increase vulnerability to addiction, how numbing behaviors show up in everyday life, and what it means to truly let go of the “why.” This episode is about learning to hold love and loss in the same body. About releasing blame without erasing truth. About forgiving yourself so you don’t lose what you still have to what you’ve already lost. As always, this is a space for honesty, breath, and remembrance. Take your time with this one. You may want to listen more than once. Aché.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> In Part 2 of Grief and Addiction, the conversation deepens—and so does the truth. Yvette shares the moment her grief was fundamentally reshaped: learning that addiction played a direct role in her son Dasan’s death. With compassion and courage, she reflects on the question that changed everything—What would life have looked like if addiction had continued?—and how that reckoning opened a path toward forgiveness, faith, and self-compassion. Joined again by licensed professional counselor and addiction specialist Jill Mackey, Dionne and Yvette explore the emotional complexity of addiction-related loss: guilt and relief existing side by side, survivor’s guilt, generational trauma, and the quiet exhaustion of waiting for “that call.” They unpack why grief can increase vulnerability to addiction, how numbing behaviors show up in everyday life, and what it means to truly let go of the “why.” This episode is about learning to hold love and loss in the same body. About releasing blame without erasing truth. About forgiving yourself so you don’t lose what you still have to what you’ve already lost. As always, this is a space for honesty, breath, and remembrance. Take your time with this one. You may want to listen more than once. Aché.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto Buzzsprout-18377652 Thu, 18 Dec 2025 06:00:00 -0500 2598 1 9 false Grief and Addiction (Part 1) Grief and Addiction (Part 1) In Part 1 of 2 about Grief and Addiction, we open a tender, necessary conversation about the kind of grief that begins long before a goodbye. Dionne and Yvette name the quiet losses that live inside addiction—the loss of safety, trust, time, potential, and the versions of people we hoped might still emerge. Joined by licensed professional counselor and addiction specialist Jill Mackey, the three explore how grief and addiction are deeply intertwined, not just for the person using substances, but for the families who love them. This episode holds space for anticipatory grief, disenfranchised grief, codependency, shame, and the emotional toll of “mourning the living.” Together, they slow the pace, breathe on purpose, and invite compassion into a conversation often shaped by silence and stigma. Part 1 is about naming what hurts—honestly, gently, and without judgment—so that healing has somewhere to land. Part 2 will drop on Thursday, December 18th. As always, take what you need. Pause if you need to. Breathe with us. Aché.

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Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> In Part 1 of 2 about Grief and Addiction, we open a tender, necessary conversation about the kind of grief that begins long before a goodbye. Dionne and Yvette name the quiet losses that live inside addiction—the loss of safety, trust, time, potential, and the versions of people we hoped might still emerge. Joined by licensed professional counselor and addiction specialist Jill Mackey, the three explore how grief and addiction are deeply intertwined, not just for the person using substances, but for the families who love them. This episode holds space for anticipatory grief, disenfranchised grief, codependency, shame, and the emotional toll of “mourning the living.” Together, they slow the pace, breathe on purpose, and invite compassion into a conversation often shaped by silence and stigma. Part 1 is about naming what hurts—honestly, gently, and without judgment—so that healing has somewhere to land. Part 2 will drop on Thursday, December 18th. As always, take what you need. Pause if you need to. Breathe with us. Aché.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto Buzzsprout-18361089 Tue, 16 Dec 2025 06:00:00 -0500 2440 1 8 false Love, Faith & Spirituality in Grief Love, Faith & Spirituality in Grief In this episode, Yvette and Dionne dive into how love, faith, and spirituality shape our grief—and how they can help us find steadiness when life shakes us to the core. They explore the role of breathwork in calming the nervous system, the rituals that ground us, and the ways signs, dreams, scripture, and nature can offer comfort. Yvette shares the spiritual messages that carried her after losing her son, while Dionne reflects on faith, anger, and the meaning she’s found after her daughter Siwe’s passing. Together they unpack how grief can shift our belief systems, why respect across different faith traditions matters, and how small acts—lighting a candle, tending a plant, speaking a loved one’s name—can open the door to healing. The episode closes with an Aché moment, honoring loved ones who have transitioned and inviting listeners to do the same. A tender, honest conversation for anyone searching for connection, grounding, or guidance in the midst of loss. Aché.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> In this episode, Yvette and Dionne dive into how love, faith, and spirituality shape our grief—and how they can help us find steadiness when life shakes us to the core. They explore the role of breathwork in calming the nervous system, the rituals that ground us, and the ways signs, dreams, scripture, and nature can offer comfort. Yvette shares the spiritual messages that carried her after losing her son, while Dionne reflects on faith, anger, and the meaning she’s found after her daughter Siwe’s passing. Together they unpack how grief can shift our belief systems, why respect across different faith traditions matters, and how small acts—lighting a candle, tending a plant, speaking a loved one’s name—can open the door to healing. The episode closes with an Aché moment, honoring loved ones who have transitioned and inviting listeners to do the same. A tender, honest conversation for anyone searching for connection, grounding, or guidance in the midst of loss. Aché.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto Buzzsprout-18322597 Tue, 09 Dec 2025 06:00:00 -0500 2909 1 7 false Changing the Grief Narrative with Bun B Changing the Grief Narrative with Bun B Hip-hop legend Bun B joins Two Mothers, One Aché for a raw and deeply human conversation about brotherhood, loss, and healing. He opens up about the morning he learned of Pimp C’s passing, the identity-shifting grief that followed, and why he chose to grieve publicly in a culture that often equates vulnerability with weakness. Together, Bun, Yvette, and Dionne explore how grief reshapes us, what community can repair, and the quiet ways our loved ones still reach for us. From faith to hip hop, from depression to legacy, this episode offers a rare look at a man who has carried grief in full view—and continues to transform it with honesty, service, and love. A powerful conversation for anyone navigating loss or supporting someone who is.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Hip-hop legend Bun B joins Two Mothers, One Aché for a raw and deeply human conversation about brotherhood, loss, and healing. He opens up about the morning he learned of Pimp C’s passing, the identity-shifting grief that followed, and why he chose to grieve publicly in a culture that often equates vulnerability with weakness. Together, Bun, Yvette, and Dionne explore how grief reshapes us, what community can repair, and the quiet ways our loved ones still reach for us. From faith to hip hop, from depression to legacy, this episode offers a rare look at a man who has carried grief in full view—and continues to transform it with honesty, service, and love. A powerful conversation for anyone navigating loss or supporting someone who is.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto Buzzsprout-18283724 Tue, 02 Dec 2025 06:00:00 -0500 4682 1 6 false Grief and the Body Grief and the Body In this episode of Two Mothers, One Aché, Dionne and Yvette welcome their very first guest—author, athlete, mother, and fierce grief-advocate, Myra Sack.

Together, they explore how grief lives in the body—how it tightens the throat, aches in the heart, disrupts our systems, and demands to be felt. Myra shares the story behind her memoir 57 Fridays and the creation of eMotion, the nonprofit she founded to help grievers heal through movement, ritual, and community.

The conversation flows through:  • The physical symptoms of grief—and what they’re signaling  • Emotional musculature and learning to trust ourselves again  • Breathwork, micro-rituals, and the power of a “quiet mile”  • The cultural discomfort with grief and why community matters

This episode is tender, grounding, and transformative. A conversation for anyone learning to live in their body again after loss.

Aché.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> In this episode of Two Mothers, One Aché, Dionne and Yvette welcome their very first guest—author, athlete, mother, and fierce grief-advocate, Myra Sack.

Together, they explore how grief lives in the body—how it tightens the throat, aches in the heart, disrupts our systems, and demands to be felt. Myra shares the story behind her memoir 57 Fridays and the creation of eMotion, the nonprofit she founded to help grievers heal through movement, ritual, and community.

The conversation flows through:  • The physical symptoms of grief—and what they’re signaling  • Emotional musculature and learning to trust ourselves again  • Breathwork, micro-rituals, and the power of a “quiet mile”  • The cultural discomfort with grief and why community matters

This episode is tender, grounding, and transformative. A conversation for anyone learning to live in their body again after loss.

Aché.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto Buzzsprout-18248635 Tue, 25 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0500 3327 1 5 false Rituals, Remembrance and Anniversaries Rituals, Remembrance and Anniversaries In this episode, Dionne and Yvette explore the rituals that help us carry our loved ones forward—especially on the hardest days. Sparked by a moving clip from Cardi B about grief, they dive into how culture, creativity, food, altars, anniversaries, and even breathwork become ways to honor memory and move through pain.

From candle lighting and birthday traditions to sip-and-paints, playlists, and planting living memorials, they share practices that have sustained them through their own losses. They also talk honestly about the dates that hit hardest—and what to do when grief leaves you too depleted to do anything at all.

Stay for the Aché Moment as they speak the names of their loved ones—and yours—into the space.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> In this episode, Dionne and Yvette explore the rituals that help us carry our loved ones forward—especially on the hardest days. Sparked by a moving clip from Cardi B about grief, they dive into how culture, creativity, food, altars, anniversaries, and even breathwork become ways to honor memory and move through pain.

From candle lighting and birthday traditions to sip-and-paints, playlists, and planting living memorials, they share practices that have sustained them through their own losses. They also talk honestly about the dates that hit hardest—and what to do when grief leaves you too depleted to do anything at all.

Stay for the Aché Moment as they speak the names of their loved ones—and yours—into the space.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto Buzzsprout-18208891 Tue, 18 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0500 2876 1 4 false Motherhood and Loss Motherhood and Loss In this powerful and intimate episode, co-hosts Yvette Love Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto open their hearts to explore the tender intersection of motherhood and grief. Through laughter, breathwork, and raw storytelling, they hold space for the beauty, guilt, and resilience that come with being mothers after loss. Yvette shares the story of saying goodbye to her son, Dasan, and the difficult conversation of helping her daughter navigate life after his passing. Dionne recalls the moment she had to tell her son that his sister, Siwe, was gone—and the thousand quiet heartbreaks that follow. Together, they reflect on how grief reshapes family, how community becomes a lifeline, and how “grief guardians” show up when we need them most. With honesty and compassion, this conversation honors all who mother—biological or chosen—and invites listeners to breathe, feel, and remember that healing is a shared act of love. ✨ Moment of Ashé: This episode honors Dasan, Siwe, Aunt Rosie, Sherry, and a dear child named Adir. 🔗 Listen wherever you find peace.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> In this powerful and intimate episode, co-hosts Yvette Love Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto open their hearts to explore the tender intersection of motherhood and grief. Through laughter, breathwork, and raw storytelling, they hold space for the beauty, guilt, and resilience that come with being mothers after loss. Yvette shares the story of saying goodbye to her son, Dasan, and the difficult conversation of helping her daughter navigate life after his passing. Dionne recalls the moment she had to tell her son that his sister, Siwe, was gone—and the thousand quiet heartbreaks that follow. Together, they reflect on how grief reshapes family, how community becomes a lifeline, and how “grief guardians” show up when we need them most. With honesty and compassion, this conversation honors all who mother—biological or chosen—and invites listeners to breathe, feel, and remember that healing is a shared act of love. ✨ Moment of Ashé: This episode honors Dasan, Siwe, Aunt Rosie, Sherry, and a dear child named Adir. 🔗 Listen wherever you find peace.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto Buzzsprout-18168826 Tue, 11 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0500 2889 1 3 false Defining Grief Defining Grief In this deeply resonant episode, co-hosts Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Love Dávila return to ask a deceptively simple but transformative question: What do we really mean when we say grief? Together, they broaden the definition of grief beyond death—naming the hidden losses that shape who we are and the cultural silences that keep us from healing. Through raw, honest storytelling—from Uncle Al’s childhood heartbreak over a lost stroller to Yvette’s painful reckoning with her father’s disappearance—this conversation invites listeners to rethink how loss lives in our bodies, families, and communities. Yvette and Dionne explore the five stages of grief, unpack cultural expectations of strength and silence in Black and Latinx households, and reveal how unspoken grief can echo for generations. They weave humor, spirituality, and truth into a shared language of healing—reminding us that grief changes things, but it doesn’t get the final say. Take a breath, say the names of your loved ones, and join the dialogue. This episode is an invitation: to name your grief, to see it fully, and to begin the journey of living alongside it—with compassion, honesty, and aché.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> In this deeply resonant episode, co-hosts Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Love Dávila return to ask a deceptively simple but transformative question: What do we really mean when we say grief? Together, they broaden the definition of grief beyond death—naming the hidden losses that shape who we are and the cultural silences that keep us from healing. Through raw, honest storytelling—from Uncle Al’s childhood heartbreak over a lost stroller to Yvette’s painful reckoning with her father’s disappearance—this conversation invites listeners to rethink how loss lives in our bodies, families, and communities. Yvette and Dionne explore the five stages of grief, unpack cultural expectations of strength and silence in Black and Latinx households, and reveal how unspoken grief can echo for generations. They weave humor, spirituality, and truth into a shared language of healing—reminding us that grief changes things, but it doesn’t get the final say. Take a breath, say the names of your loved ones, and join the dialogue. This episode is an invitation: to name your grief, to see it fully, and to begin the journey of living alongside it—with compassion, honesty, and aché.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto Buzzsprout-18128931 Tue, 04 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0500 3192 1 2 false Meet the Hosts: Kitchen-Table Beginnings Meet the Hosts: Kitchen-Table Beginnings In the debut of Two Mothers, One Ache: A Grief Dialogue, Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto invite you to the kitchen table—bring tea, water, cafecito—while they open the door to who they are, how they met, and the ache that birthed this show. Between laughter about their Hunter College days and “hair did, nails did” glow-ups, they ground the conversation in breathwork, faith, and the Yoruba concept of Aché—life force—explaining why “ache” (the hurt) and Aché (the power to keep going) share the same letters in sacred symmetry. They honor their children, Dasan and Siwe, and the grandmothers—Margarita and Bianca—who taught them that food heals and shared memories keep the dead alive. Sesame Street’s Mr. Hooper, a well-traveled Elmo, and a beloved Stitch become touchstones for how joy and grief co-exist. The hosts introduce the idea of a “grief toolkit,” preview episodes on what grief really is (beyond death), and invite listeners to share the names of their loved ones who have passed on. Each episode closes with a Moment of Aché—a shared breath, a quiet benediction that lingers like incense, and the calling of our beloveds into the space so they live on. There is always a seat at the table—for memory, for presence, and for you.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> In the debut of Two Mothers, One Ache: A Grief Dialogue, Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto invite you to the kitchen table—bring tea, water, cafecito—while they open the door to who they are, how they met, and the ache that birthed this show. Between laughter about their Hunter College days and “hair did, nails did” glow-ups, they ground the conversation in breathwork, faith, and the Yoruba concept of Aché—life force—explaining why “ache” (the hurt) and Aché (the power to keep going) share the same letters in sacred symmetry. They honor their children, Dasan and Siwe, and the grandmothers—Margarita and Bianca—who taught them that food heals and shared memories keep the dead alive. Sesame Street’s Mr. Hooper, a well-traveled Elmo, and a beloved Stitch become touchstones for how joy and grief co-exist. The hosts introduce the idea of a “grief toolkit,” preview episodes on what grief really is (beyond death), and invite listeners to share the names of their loved ones who have passed on. Each episode closes with a Moment of Aché—a shared breath, a quiet benediction that lingers like incense, and the calling of our beloveds into the space so they live on. There is always a seat at the table—for memory, for presence, and for you.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto Buzzsprout-18088733 Tue, 28 Oct 2025 12:00:00 -0400 2867 1 1 false Introducing Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue Introducing Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue brings listeners into raw, transformative conversations about love and loss with Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Dávila —two mothers bound by grief after the deaths of their children, Siwe at 15 and Dasan at 26. Rooted in faith, culture, and lived experience, the podcast explores grief in its many forms—child loss, identity shifts, estrangement, rage, and renewal—through storytelling, guest voices, and ritual-inspired reflections. Rather than offering neat resolutions, Yvette and Dionne create a sacred space where sorrow and joy co-exist, where vulnerability is honored, and where love outlives loss.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue brings listeners into raw, transformative conversations about love and loss with Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Dávila —two mothers bound by grief after the deaths of their children, Siwe at 15 and Dasan at 26. Rooted in faith, culture, and lived experience, the podcast explores grief in its many forms—child loss, identity shifts, estrangement, rage, and renewal—through storytelling, guest voices, and ritual-inspired reflections. Rather than offering neat resolutions, Yvette and Dionne create a sacred space where sorrow and joy co-exist, where vulnerability is honored, and where love outlives loss.

Send us a text

Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod.

Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

]]> Yvette Dávila, Dionne C. Monsanto Buzzsprout-18064471 Thu, 23 Oct 2025 17:00:00 -0400 82 1 false