One of the most profound, vulnerable, honest accounts of the human experience that I’ve ever encountered. So artfully crafted and delivered to tell the full story of grief, trauma, and connection, with all their complexities and nonlinearities that most of us leave out when telling our own stories. Janielle and Carson are such a beautiful example of true meaningful friendship, heathy empathy, healthy vulnerability, and sharing a path through life with someone who knows your heart through and through. I’m a better human for having listened to this podcast.

I’ve recently reconnected with my Dad after 3 decades. This SPEAKS volumes to me. I have a Story to tell as well.

I’m enjoying listening to this very much. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle of emotions, more pieces put in place each episode.

This is the most beautiful story I have ever heard. It was honest and vulnerable. Highly recommended!

What a compelling and moving story. I listen to too many podcasts daily and this deeply moved me. The study is about a father-daughter story, really a daughter-father story, really a story of a human with a big heart and a deep curiosity. The writing and voice is vulnerable. The sound presentation is so professional and well edited. I think a lot about the emotional language of editing, and this podcast is a perfect example of modulating emotional energies and giving multiple entry points on many registers in every episode. Also for any of us who are artists and writers, this podcast is a perfect mix of a storytelling podcast with a series of craft talks on story telling. It’s impossible to listen to this and not think about your own life, and also your own creative process. And actually life, living, is a creative process. Like you would curl up with a book, take some time and dig into this. It’s so worth it.

Janielle, thank you for putting this together. I had an explosive death of a family member eighteen months ago. I felt that I have not really grieved the way most people would expect me to grieve. You are teaching me that grieving is important and a unique experience. I am learning how to break down what had happen into smaller piece.

Dear Janielle, Your mom said don’t read the comments, but hopefully you do. I was brought up in a somewhat similar situation, and as I near the end of the episodes and you have your three act realization and then Carson has hers for you...and I listen to the aha! moments...I’m so happy to hear you now see this as the journey. I wanted to share with you that even when they are alive (my father) I don’t get the answers I need/want. I struggle with this everyday. Do I try one more time? Do I give up? How do I find my happy without it? And then we all hopefully push through and find it. I just wanted to share with you that he may have never been able to give you those answers, but what you found instead is so beautiful and amazing in your journey, and I’m so happy you have such a good friend and good people in your life rooting for you. Thank you for sharing your story.

Regarding daddy issues. I think I had a great dad. He taught me 5 card stud poker, the games of football and baseball. He threw me a hundred fly balls in the front yard when I tried softball one season. But I have no memories of him saying I love you. I know he did but he never said it. I married a man who says it to me at least once a day. He says it often in person and in text messages. I love that about him. Thank you for allowing me to realize this.

This is the first podcast I’ve ever reviewed but I wanted you to know Janielle, that my Dad, (Val) would be super proud of this journey! I think it’s so rare for people to take this in depth of a look into the tragedies and trials of life. I love the artistic approach you took to understanding a dad you never really knew. So sorry my dad wasn’t here to walk through this with you. You are so talented and the Robinson clan is cheering for you!

I can’t wait to see how this turns out! I have a similar story but with my mom. My only thought as I’m listening is ... is your mom telling you everything?!? I know you love her but did he stay away because of something with her (like the episode of This is Us when she made Randall’s father to stay away). Maybe you’ll tell me!! You’re voice is so soothing! I hope this all works out

This is an honest, beautiful journey one gets to travel with Janielle. It is a journey of self discovery and growth - finding the courage to ask the questions that haunt one’s soul, knowing that some questions can never be answered, wading through feelings of whether that loss is even “legitimate,” anger, regret, confusion and pain. It truly was an example of turning a very legitimate loss into something beautiful. Some may not relate to the creative way in which she she gets there, but it doesn’t matter. You still witness the transformation and it is remarkable and can speak to all of us. I’m struck by Janielle’s courage, her openness, her bravery. I’m thankful for the love of her dear friend, Carson, and the now more open and honest relationship she has with her mother and others around her. There is no end. Only integration. And what a remarkable story of integration and resulting growth. Though I have not experienced this particular loss, I was swept into the story. I loved experiencing it and thank Janielle and Carson for sharing it with us. It definitely affected me and I’m grateful for the ride. I really didn’t want the podcast to end, but grateful for my own enrichment through hearing the story. Thank you!!!

I really appreciate Janielle’s brutal honesty in sharing her experience of reckoning with her life and figuring out what was true. I believe many will be helped by your story. Kudos and applause!

This engaging story kept me coming back for more. Considering real life in literary terms is fascinating! I recommend this to anyone touched by tragedy.

I never thought that art should come with a trigger warning - but this, this probably should. It’s amazing and terrible and horrible and wonderful and moving all at the same time. But it gave me a term for what I’m going through right now - “disenfranchised grief.” And for that, I thank the creators- and Jan in particular. I feel less alone now that I know that I’m not the only one going through something like this. My story of my bad Dad is different in its details - he’s a religious zealot, I’m queer, he suffers from a serious mental illness, he was emotionally abusive to me as a child, and the kicker - he’s still alive. But he won’t speak to me. And that hurts. And I’ve spent 22 years telling myself it doesn’t matter. Which is a lie. It matters. He matters. And I matter. And bad Dad or not, he was my Dad. My story matters. So - thank you, Jan for being so brave to share your story. And trigger warning to listeners with their own unique tales of disenfranchised grief: you might need to find a therapist while you listen to this piece of highly compelling art.

I wanted to like this

I love to hear how Janielle shared her pain. It’s real and this is her way to get thru it. Most people avoid going thru the pain but she embraced it. And even though it hurts like hell, you feel so much better afterwards. I love how she doesn’t sugarcoat it. I’m reading a lot of comments saying she didn’t expand on the description of characters but this is her story, how she felt, how she’s changing. Even though she said it’s a story it’s just a fancy way of evolving in therapy. Keep it up and thank you for letting us see your pain and growth

I stumbled upon this after hearing about it on Family Ghosts. While I didn't have the exact same experience there were definitely some parallels with my personal Dad/Rick character. I had to stop listening at work because I would tear up, talk to Jan and Carson out loud, and feel so emotionally activated myself after an episode that I was afraid of what my coworkers would say. Thank you Jan for making me feel less alone, perhaps even more "normal". Thank you Carson for being an amazing friend, I cried like a baby when you cried. Every woman (and I imagine some men?) who has an absent father should listen. I am SO grateful to you and for you.

I’m catching up but so far I really enjoy listening to Janielle make this lovely thing out of something sad and complicated. There’s a lot to relate to in terms of how she shows her humanity and the connections she portrays between herself and her family and friends.

My father left us when I was two. I never knew him but always craved for his love and attention. Your words are not mine, but the wisdom and comfort I feel from you and your guests truly help me. Thank you for your story.

Well/written, honest with an organic narrative arc. Jan’s quest to discover her father & her feelings rang true

I could end with #ofcourse and it would suffice bc that is poetic justice. But I’d also like to personally thank Jan for bearing her heart when she didn’t know where it would lead. Thank you, Carson, for demonstrating unconditional love and true empathy for a friend. You are just as much the protagonist as you fearlessly challenged Jan to “activate” in weird quirky and sometimes painful ways. I am grateful for this organically derived art. I am grateful for: Rat Rios!! Interviews!! Disenfranchised Grief!! Spoke Media!! Easy Stories!! Unshared Stories!! Bearing Witness!! God’s Poetry!! Mom!! Rick. And Unsent Emails!! With Love & Much Respect, Kat

I have really enjoyed this podcast. It’s a brave look at the complexities of life and family and finding peace with oneself and one’s circumstances.

I’m so glad I listened when I did. This podcast came to me as I was working through some significant disenfranchised grief this year, and it’s wonderful to know that we can all take away lovely advice and encouragement through Jan’s stories. I happened to come to the end of my journey alongside the finale, so it was a wonderful bittersweet celebration of the complexity of life! Thanks for sharing 💖

I’m grateful you made this podcast! I have two dads and complicated feelings about both. Many old wounds. Listening to your story is helping me write my own. Thank you!

Every week this podcast is great until like 20 mins in when she inevitably starts crying for no discernible reason

Started with so much promise. A very thought provoking first few episodes of a universal story that so many people can relate to. But sadly it devolved into a simplistic, treacly mess. Jan confuses real autobiographical intimacy with whimpering incessantly into the mic. She doesn’t really let us get to know any of the characters and tends to box everyone into good guy/bad guy tropes without much more depth. The mystery of her father “character” is never fully explored in any meaningful way (could she not have interviewed or at least discussed anyone from his side of the family and their views or at the very least explained why she chose not to?) and her mother is never really called to task for her many clearly poor life choices. Although forgiveness is a personal path and not necessarily the right one for everyone, it was disappointing that a smart young woman could not at least come to some sense of understanding that her father was incapable of having a “normal” relationship with her due to some obvious mental health issues. Being fatherless is a tragedy, but so is having a highly dysfunctional one. Perhaps in the end Jan was spared a much worse fate had her father been more present.

Thank you for this vulnerable, honest podcast. You are brave, and your tenacity is inspirational. The most important gift you gave me is the idea that I can be an imperfect dad and still be a good dad. Kind of like you described your dad, sometimes I feel like if I can’t be perfect for my kids, I’m making their lives awful. Also, I don’t want them to see my imperfections or change their view of me. But your story gave me comfort that I can give them my best, feel uncomfortable, embarrass myself, fail, be who I am, and still overall, be what they need. And show them they don’t have to be perfect either.

An exceptional story that unfolds as discovery is made on the mystery that is an absent father. Such a creative way to build a story and heal in the process of learning how to tell it. Five star all day!!!

I'm always looking for interesting podcasts. I favor those where someone tells there story, and this fits right in. It's not just a person's story, but also figuring out how to tell that story, which leads to "discovering" more of the story that perhaps the person knew, but wasn't willing to reckon with. Very interesting!

I had a similar experience with my biological father, so I was intrigued and thought I’d be able to relate more, but by the 4th episode, I was done. However, the hosts are great! And I’d be interested in hearing more from them, just not on this particular experience.

Highly recommend. Interesting and creative way to work through grief and loss. Very engaging, real and thought-provoking.

Since the author considers this an "art project", I'll critique it as an art project. Firstly, we get an inside view into Jan's work process which is itself compelling as it's not something you get to see everyday when the art is a written piece. The podcast wanders into the kind of sentimentality that often cheapens good art, but considering that we are looking at Jan's processing—both as an artist and as one who is grieving—that is to be expected this side of a finished product. Still, the sentimentality may be what some reviewers are referring to as "indulgent" and "millennial," which is uncomfortable at times, but isn't wrong or bad. The sheer act of a person baring their soul and writing process is brave, beautiful, and, in my opinion, NOT the cause of any cringe-worthiness. Rather, it's the format itself, such as using phrases like "Dad Character" and "Plot Twists," that appear pretentious and corny. The pre-polished weaknesses of this art project haven't scared me away at this point, but I do hope that the final product is elevated from where it's at currently. Art critique aside, the first few episodes did make me feel seen and understood and were surprisingly relatable. It would be nice to start feeling that way again when listening to the newer episodes, but since I'm not the one putting myself out into the world like this, I have no real right to complain about any of it.

I’ve shared this with all my friends, it makes me feel held, and it makes us feel closer

I found this podcast a couple days ago and spent the next few days taking it all in. This project is a beautiful exploration of what it means to grow up without a parent, no matter what the circumstance, and is so helpful and inspiring to anyone going through the same. The honesty and vulnerability coming from both hosts as they take you through Janielle’s story is so refreshing and comforting, it’s so easy to connect it with your own life, especially when you have gone through similar circumstances. I’m rooting for them as they continue!

Not sure how I found this podcast, but it's such a well done look at grieving loss from so many different angles. Very thoughtfully spoken from the heart of two talented women trying to work through layers of emotions related to loss. Thank you for sharing your pain to help heal others still seeking answers.

Loving your pod cast. It’s helping me navigate my own story. I see myself in Jan’s character and Jan’s mom. Im only in the first few episodes. But it seems to me you will learn from your father in his death way more than you ever would have in life. I’m really hoping that by the end of this you find the validation that you need and learn from regret. I wrote the email to my living mother. I know she read it. Never heard from her and regret sending it. I made it to the other side and learned from it. It was more for me than for her. 🙂

What an incredible price of art this is. It has helped me look introspectively at my own relationship with my dad in ways that I had never considered. So thankful I gave this a try!

If you have a dad or if you are a dad, you MUST listen to this podcast.

This podcast is amazing. I’ve cried and laughed so much. I feel seen. My circumstances are a little different, but it hits hard. My favorite so far is the mini episode with Carson’s father. Thank you for saying words I didn’t know I needed to hear.

One of the most significant podcasts I have ever listened to....and I listen to a lot! This story is incredible, painful, relatable, and well told. It's a story of the messy, tragic and complicated parts of life we usually reserve for therapy behind closed doors. It's told in such a beautiful way that the characters remain with you long after the episode ends.

I love how raw and human Jan is. She believes that her story could be a positive one despite the lies she might tell herself, and I really connect with her in that way. I’m hooked to this podcast because of that connection, but also because I really want to know what kind of resolution Jan picks for herself.

This is a really cool concept for a show! I have a complicated relationship with my own Dad Character, so it’s super interesting to hear someone else delving into that same baggage and unpacking it. There are elements of Jan’s story that I can relate to, and some that I really can’t, but the show brings it all together to holds my attention and make something I can enjoy. Now the downside: it is WAY over-acted. I should call it Acting With A Capitol A because it’s like, drama school acting, drenching everything in thick emotion acting. The audio clips of past debriefs are fine, even when they’re very emotional, because they’re authentic. But the voiceovers that were clearly scripted and performed after the fact are ROUGH to listen to, full of dramatic pauses and choked little gasps and calculated sighs. It’s honestly distracting. Carson is much more subtle in her lines, but Jan, tone it down a notch or two! Your show’s emotion speaks for itself, you don’t have to pour it on every syllable of narration to get that across!

As a father who couldn’t be closer to his daughter (love you Baby Bear) I wasn’t sure what this podcast would have for me, but I’m hooked. Jan is not afraid to show her emotions and takes us a ride of highs and lows and everything in between. It’s made my relationship with my adult daughter even closer, something I never thought would be possible. Oh and Rat Rios should do music for every podcast. Love it.

A beautiful podcast about handling grief and the journey for closure through a story-writing process. The Gestalt-like approach of the host trying to complete an unfinished story seemed super interesting to say the least. Additionally, the voice, music and flow of the podcast was heartfelt and done really well in my opinion. Artists often do their best work during difficult times, and this might be an example of that.

Jan and Carson, thank you so much for your podcast! This show is wonderful and makes me cry all the time, in a good way. The other day I found myself in a difficult moment and realized I was about to break the tension by saying something humorous and silver-lining-y. Instead I thought of Jan, and I decided to keep quiet and let the pain in. Thank you for helping me break out of that tendency. You all are amazing!

The two women that created the podcast, Untitled Dad Project, are members of Life In Deep Ellum. They spoke about this project this past Sunday at church. As most Sundays go, God shared something with me that I wasn't prepared to receive, but it was exactly what I needed to hear. This podcast is the journey of a young woman who is trying to write her story, literally. She processes the loss of her father and her grief through a series of interviews to discover who he was, and what that means for her life, as she was raised without him. She takes listeners on a journey of self-discovery while being completely vulnerable and exposed. I've only listened to the first two episodes and I've already been deeply moved and reflective. This feels like it will help me get ready to at least dip my toes into the grief recovery pool after losing my own dad...

Jan and Carson are awesome! I love that you are working through this in the best way you know how when so many run and hide from the hard things in life. Thank you for sharing this with us and thank you Family Ghosts for pointing me in this direction! “Patiently” waiting for the next episode...

truly, thank you for this podcast. (and thanks to family ghosts for sending me this way) Untitled Dad Project showed up in my feed at the perfect time. i am currently working on my own dad project with my bio father—i have never met him and we have just barely started communicating. this podcast has given me much to reflect on and helped me navigate my feelings. my heart feels connected by a string to janielle. thank you for this beautiful piece of human experience.

I listen to many podcasts. However this one is different and so heartfelt. Jan’s tears and crying are so much of the grieving process. I’ve lost most of my family to cancer. All grief is different. Claudia Kingston Duncanville, Texas

I found out about this podcast this morning and it's been the gem of my weekend. I think we all can relate to a time in our lives where we had to re-evaluate our narrative, seek the truth, claim it, and leave some things behind. It takes a lot of courage to walk that road and I consider it a privilege to be able to share in and learn from Janielle's story. She is an excellent example, for all of us, on how to live authentically through vulnerability. I've really enjoyed the dynamic between Janielle and her Co-Host/Friend Carson as well. Their friendship adds a unique element to the conversation that I haven't found in many other podcasts. I'll definitely be on the lookout for more content from these two.