Episode 188 - Maury Wood - Grit and Wit For Dads - Give Your Kids Permission to Ask Questions Without Fear

life’s too short to take seriously all the time — and way too long not to laugh at yourself along the way.

Grit & Wit is where real-life stories meet a little sarcasm, a little wisdom, and a lot of "well, that didn't go as planned." It’s faith, family, and finding the good stuff — even when you’re dodging laundry piles and rogue snakes in the kitchen.

Now also available in surround sound:

The Grit & Wit Podcast on Spotify — real talk on parenting, marriage, faith, and whatever chaos shows up next

YouTube Channel — stories, reflections, and moments that hit home (and hit your funny bone)

Want to support the stories? You can buy me a coffee here.

New! Check out the official Grit & Wit shirts: Grit & Wit Store

Currently writing a book inspired by a handwritten letter from my grandmother — a story about legacy, grit, and the lessons that last. Coming soon.

Also featured on podcasts like Dad Up, Dad Space, Living the Next Chapter, and The Family Teams Podcast, with more to come. You can give them a listen in the Grit and Wit in the Wild tab.

No spam. No ads. No lectures. Just a guy with a few scars, a lot of memories, and a stubborn streak trying to make sense of it all — and helping you do the same.

Pull up a chair. It’s going to be fun.

https://gritandwit.substack.com/

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https://dadspace.ca

music provided by Blue Dot Sessions

Song: The Big Ten https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/258270

Episode 187 - Sally McQuillen - Loving and Losing a Wild Child, Addiction, Rehab and Dangerous Choices

Sally McQuillen, LCSW, CADC, is a psychotherapist in private practice specializing in addiction, grief, and trauma recovery.

She provides ongoing support for addiction recovery, as well as support for those recovering from the impact of a loved one’s addiction. She sees adults seeking relief from mood symptoms, helps them navigate their personal and professional relationships and lead more fulfilling lives. She works with clients to find peace and healing from trauma and loss. Her goal is to bring light into the lives of her clients intuitively pulling from different therapeutic models and resources to support their specific needs.

Book: Reaching for Beautiful - A Memoir of Loving and Losing a Wild Child

A luminous story of how love triumphs over pain, love transcends fear, and love never dies; this debut memoir from a mother grieving her young-adult son’s death is a must-read for any parent who has lost a child, is raising a child from the edge of their seat, or whose family struggles with addiction.

When Sally’s twenty-one-year-old son died in a boat accident, her greatest fear is realized. Christopher was often drawn to risk and struggled with addiction. In this riveting memoir, Sally captures the wild ride of his jam-packed life and her deep love for him while reflecting on her own childhood and family’s legacy of alcoholism.

Sally shares insights about what it’s like to experience the emotional aftershocks of acute grief, filtered through the lens of her personal experience as a mother and her professional vantage point as a psychotherapist. Even if they have not been touched by loss in this way, readers may see themselves in Sally’s bittersweet illusion of trying to keep her son safe, in how she is challenged to let go of her fear, guilt, and regret in order to forgive herself, and in the ways grief teaches her about the power of love.

https://www.sallymcquillen.com/

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https://dadspace.ca

music provided by Blue Dot Sessions

Song: The Big Ten https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/258270

Episode 186 - Mista Yu (Yusef Marshall) - What Men Deal With, Helping Dad's, Introverted Parenting

Yusef Marshall (Mista Yu) was born in Brooklyn, NY and has multiple degrees in Business Admin and Mgmt as well as degrees in Computer Programming, Certified Business Coaching, and Culinary Arts.

Mista Yu has also authored his first and only published book "The Heart of The Stepfather" in 2016. His story on blended families and the challenges of building family without a personal context is awe-inspiring! You probably won't be able to find the book these days though.

Mista Yu's career has been centered around serving others and attempting to make the world around him better. He has worked for a decade in the food service industry as a Chef in the LowCountry kitchens, serving in the State Government as a Passport associate and Department Supervisor, as well as currently serving as a Licensed and Ordained Minister, teaching leadership development, biblical principles, and community service.

Mista Yu and his wife have three grown daughters, six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild they have yet to meet formally. He believes that strong families create strong communities and strong communities create strong cities and states and strong cities and states create strong nations and a strong world.

Mista Yu escaped death multiple times and has two stories that he calls "conversion stories" that are instrumental in shaping the man, the father, and the leader he is today. Feel free to ask about them.

Yusef is the founder of Mirror Time Media, LLC, and the "They Call Me Mista Yu" podcast/media brand, as well as the Co-Founder of a non-profit organization, Save The Children SC, dedicated to the advocacy and awareness of the needs of children in our community. We endeavor to teach financial and reading literacy, how to conduct oneself wisely and become an asset to our communities and not a liability, as well as partner with local organizations who share our desire to see our children grow healthy and strong, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

They Call Me Mista Yu is a podcast brand with four shows currently airing (live and recorded):

Inspiration Station - Teaching and encouragement with a personal touch and taken from the challenging stories Mista Yu has overcome as well as current topics and issues in our time that are relevant to every listener. The goal is to be "Your Weekly Mirror Check before you change your world". This is where Mista Yu is most transparent and where he shoots the straightest!

One On One with Mista Yu - our flagship interview show where Mista Yu interviews everyone from former CEOs to former and current athletes to Mompreneurs to best-selling authors. If there is a compelling story that resonates with his viewers, Mista Yu is ready to have that conversation.

The Men's Roundtable Series Podcast - every month, men from around the country and around the world discuss issues that impact men in every area of their lives. It's a safe space for support and solutions!

Big Blue Lifers Podcast - where Mista Yu gets to discuss his childhood team, the New York Giants, and all things football. This is where he is reminded most of his hometown of NYC and the good things about his city, along with a deep love and appreciation for competitive sports and the connections he has made through those experiences.

The TCMMY brand is dedicated to being the All-Purpose Pod for an All-Purpose Life. Our YouTube channel even has content on gardening and how to plant and grow your own food.

Mista Yu's a licensed and ordained minister, so he can marry you and bury you too. LOL.

https://theycallmemistayu.buzzsprout.com/

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