The Pain We Carry: Father Wounds, Grief & Becoming Whole (ft. BJ Communicates) | Ep 478

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What if the pain you’ve buried is the very thing blocking you from becoming the man God created you to be?

In this raw and emotional episode, Jerrad sits down with Dr. Brad Johnson—also known as BJ Communicates—to talk about grief, father wounds, and how trauma shapes us more than we realize. BJ shares the heartbreaking story of holding his newborn son as he took his last breath, walking through the fog of loss in his marriage, and later grieving the death of his own father before reconciliation could happen.

Together, they unpack how fatherlessness, unprocessed emotions, and generational pain keep men stuck—and why ignoring it doesn’t make it go away. They talk about how grief shows up in unexpected ways (like road rage and burnout), why most men lack true friendships, and how healing begins with honest conversations.

This episode is an invitation to stop carrying what God has called you to cast—and to believe that the best version of you is on the other side of your pain.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why men are emotional—even when they say they’re not
• How father wounds affect your identity
• The power of grief and what it reveals
• What it means to carry trauma in your body
• How to connect with your wife through emotional check-ins
• Why men struggle to form deep friendships
• How generational patterns repeat if we don’t interrupt them
• Why healing is spiritual—and why it matters for your family

Mentioned in This Episode:

• BJ Communicates’ books: Hard Conversations series
• Support group for grieving dads: Sad Dad
• “Feelings Wheel” for emotional check-ins
• Book Jerrad to speak: https://www.jerradlopes.com
• Grab Dad Tired and Loving It: https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB

What is Dad Tired?

You’re tired.
Not just physically; though yeah, that too.
You’re tired in your bones. In your soul.
Trying to be a steady husband, an intentional dad, a man of God… but deep down, you feel like you’re falling short. Like you’re carrying more than you know how to hold.

Dad Tired is a podcast for men who are ready to stop pretending and start healing.
Not with self-help tips or religious platitudes, but by anchoring their lives in something (and Someone) stronger.

Hosted by Jerrad Lopes, a husband, dad of four, and fellow struggler, this show is a weekly invitation to find rest for your soul, clarity for your calling, and the courage to lead your family well.

Through honest stories, biblical truth, and deep conversations you’ll be reminded:

You’re not alone. You’re not too far gone. And the man you want to be is only found in Jesus.

This isn’t about trying harder.
It’s about coming home.