Monday Sep 08, 2025

Breaking the Cycle: Leadership, Grief, and Grace with Fredy Romero

Discover how healing begins when we shift from performance to presence.

In this deeply personal episode of the THRIVE360 Podcast, host Mitch McKinney sits down with Fredy Romero—pastor, leader, and passionate advocate for healing in the Latino church community. Fredy shares about his upbringing as the son of immigrant parents, the pressures he faced in ministry, and how two personal losses in one year forced him to confront the quiet toll leadership had taken on his soul.

Through the THRIVE360 retreat experience, Fredy found something unexpected: space to grieve, freedom from performance-driven faith, and a new understanding of grace. Together, he and Mitch dive into the unspoken weight Latino leaders carry, the generational narratives that shape their leadership, and what it takes to rewrite those stories. If you’ve ever felt the pressure to push through pain or lead on empty—this episode is for you.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Leadership can carry a hidden emotional toll—especially when grief goes unprocessed.
Latino cultural values around sacrifice, performance, and duty often create spiritual pressure.
The Thrive360 retreat offered Fredy a rare space to be fully human, not just a pastor.
Grief revealed unhealthy habits and coping mechanisms that had gone unchecked.
Healing doesn’t happen overnight—it requires time, grace, and intentional unlearning.
Many pastors silently wrestle with burnout, shame, and isolation.
Sharing tools, stories, and safe spaces can bridge the gap for under-resourced leaders.
Fredy and THRIVE360 are committed to helping Latino leaders find freedom from works-based faith and reconnect with their identity as beloved children of God.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 – Welcome & Meet Fredy Romero

03:25 – A Personal Invitation to Retreat

05:34 – Grief, Miscarriage & Ministry Pressure

10:07 – From Performance to Presence

12:34 – Latino Culture & the Weight of Expectations

16:15 – Sharing Hope & Rewriting the Narrative

RESOURCES:

-Learn more at www.thrivethreesixty.com

-Feeling burned out? Take the free health assessment here: https://thrivethreesixty.com/health-check/

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