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When grief becomes the very thing that leads you to help others heal, that's when loss truly starts to become a gain.

In this episode, I'm sitting down with Erin Blechman?mom, certified grief educator, and suicide loss survivor?for a conversation that is raw, real, and so deeply needed. Erin shares the story of her son Max, a wildly creative, deeply sensitive, and brilliantly funny young man who lived with medication-resistant depression and epilepsy, and who she lost to suicide in June 2020, right in the thick of COVID.

Here's what we dig into:
? The early grief fog: numbness, depression, yearning, and an anger that surprised even her 
? How journaling became a lifeline and eventually evolved into a book
? The coping tools that helped her survive: creating a memorial garden and finding her people in a suicide loss support group
? Her path to becoming a certified grief educator who now leads online grief groups and speaks publicly about suicide loss
? The cultural problem of grief illiteracy
? Parental guilt, the brutal "what ifs," and how Erin learned to reframe them into "even ifs"
? Why healing in community isn't just helpful, it's transformative

If you've ever lost someone to suicide, loved someone who struggled, or just needed a reminder that your grief doesn't have to look a certain way to be valid, this one's for you.

Connect with Erin

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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Mother's Day can be one of the most painful days of the year when you're missing your mom. And if you're dreading it, this episode is for you.

In this special panel episode of the Life With Grief Podcast, I'm joined by three incredible women?Liz Quinn, Sara Rian, and Chelsea Ohlemiller?for an honest, heartfelt conversation about what it's really like to grieve your mother, navigate Mother's Day without her, and find your way forward without losing the love you carry for her.

Each of us shares our own story of loss:
? Tara's mom, Lori, passed away from esophageal cancer in 2019
? Sara's mom, Susan, died by suicide in 2018
? Chelsea's mom, Rita, passed away in 2017
? Liz's mom, Colleen, died in 2020 following an Alzheimer's diagnosis

Four different losses, four different journeys, one shared truth: grief doesn't follow a timeline, and you don't have to face Mother's Day alone.

In this episode, we cover:
? The early days of grief: silence, trauma, confusion, and those overwhelming "never again" thoughts
? How grief shifts over time: identity changes, finding community, writing as healing, and reaching new life milestones without her
? Experiencing motherhood without your own mom by your side
? The duality of joy and grief, holding happiness and heartache at the same time
? Practical ways to approach Mother's Day that actually help
? Why grief is deeply personal, and why every loss, every relationship, and every timeline is valid

Whether you lost your mom recently or years ago, whether this is your first Mother's Day without her or your tenth, this conversation will remind you that what you're feeling makes complete sense, and that you are not alone in it.

?? Listen now and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it this Mother's Day.

Connect with each of us through our websites:

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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? Life Beyond Grief Substack: https://taraaccardo.substack.com/

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Have you ever found yourself doing all the things, showing up, checking the boxes, keeping the pace, but quietly wondering if something needs to give? If you've been feeling that pull to pause, pivot, or finally make room for the thing that's been calling to you... this episode is for you.

This week, I'm getting really real with you. I'm sharing a personal update about Mourning Sips & Soul Shifts?and more importantly, the why behind it. Because the honest truth is, this decision didn't come from nowhere. 

It came from a lot of self-reflection, some really vulnerable conversations with myself, and the three key reasons I made this decision and how I got here that I think you're going to deeply relate to?grief journey or not.

Here's what we're getting into:
? The announcement: what's changing with this podcast and why
? Burnout in grief: what it actually looks like (hint: it's not always a breakdown)
? The pressure to keep producing, and why consistent output means nothing when you're running on empty
? Embracing slowness in a culture that glorifies busy. and what grief has taught me about truly living vs. just moving through life
? Fear disguised as logic: how many of us stay stuck in things that no longer serve us because change feels scary
? The exciting things I'm making room for, including a book I am no longer putting off
? A gentle invitation for you to ask yourself: do you need to take a sacred pause somewhere in your life, too? Where does your energy need to be reallocated? 

This episode is for the person who has been going, going, going... not because they love the pace, but because slowing down feels terrifying. The one who has been holding on tight to everything they can control after loss took so much from them. The one who knows something needs to shift, but hasn't quite given themselves permission yet. If you see yourself in this, I know you'll get so much from this episode.

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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Support the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/lifewithgriefpodcast

? Life Beyond Grief Substack: https://taraaccardo.substack.com/

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Have you ever felt like loss cracked something open in you, like it changed not just your heart, but the way you see the world? You're not imagining it.

I'm sitting down with Jessica Rachel, spiritual medium and intuitive coach, to talk about exactly that. Because here's what I'm learning more and more: grief has a way of awakening us. And your intuition? It's been there all along, just waiting for you to tune in.

In this episode, Jessica and I dig into:
? Why loss so often triggers a spiritual awakening, and why that's actually more common than you think
? What intuition really is (hint: it's a muscle, and you can strengthen it)
? The "clairs" : clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, claircognizance, and even rarer senses like smell and taste, and how to figure out which one is yours
? How to tell the difference between intuitive guidance and anxious thoughts (this one is a game-changer)
? A simple, body-based practice for actually receiving guidance: breath, movement, meditation, and calling in your guides or loved ones out loud
? How to ask questions and request physical confirmation so you know when you're being answered
? Signs, timing, and surrendering control (aka the hard part)
? Using your body as a yes/no compass
? The difference between spirit guides and guardian angels
? Soul purpose as service, and how your repeating life patterns and past-life lessons might be pointing you exactly where you're meant to go

If you've been feeling called to explore the spiritual side of your grief journey, or if you've been sensing something but don't quite know what to do with it, this episode is for you.

Connect with Jessica:
? https://www.jessicarachel.co/
? https://www.instagram.com/iamjessicarachel

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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Support the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/lifewithgriefpodcast

? Life Beyond Grief Substack: https://taraaccardo.substack.com/

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Have you been forgetting things more than usual since your loss? Walking into rooms and blanking. Missing appointments. Re-reading the same sentence five times. Feeling like your brain just isn't working the way it used to?

You're not irresponsible. You're not "losing it." You're experiencing something called grief brain, and it's more common than anyone talks about.

In this episode, I'm breaking down what's actually happening inside your brain when you're grieving, why the fog and forgetfulness make complete sense, and how to gently support yourself through it.

Here's what we're getting into:
? What grief brain is and why so many grievers quietly struggle with it
? What's actually happening in your brain and nervous system during loss
? The shame that comes with feeling "slower" than you used to be ? and the reframe you need
? 6 gentle ways to support yourself through the fog
? A closing reflection to help you offer yourself a little more grace this week

This episode is for the griever who has been silently criticizing themselves for not keeping up, not remembering, not functioning the way they used to. The one who wonders if something is wrong with them. The one who just needs someone to say: this is normal, and it won't be like this forever.

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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Support the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/lifewithgriefpodcast

? Life Beyond Grief Substack: https://taraaccardo.substack.com/

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Grief doesn't always look like loss of a person. Sometimes, it looks like losing a dream. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Clay Brigance, an Infertility Counseling Expert, professional counselor, researcher, and host of the Love and Infertility podcast, for one of the most powerful conversations I've had on this show. 

We're talking about infertility and pregnancy loss as a grief experience. The kind that so often goes unnamed, unseen, and completely unsupported.

Dr. Clay brings both the clinical expertise and the deeply personal experience to this conversation. He and his wife navigated male-factor infertility, IVF, a traumatic birth, and a hysterectomy?and came out the other side with a whole lot of wisdom, purpose, and a marriage that's stronger for it. 

Here's what we dig into:
? Why infertility is a grief experience, and why so few people recognize it as one
? The "reproductive story" we all start building around age 2 or 3, and what happens when it gets torn apart
? Dr. Clay's four pillars of connection, and why some couples grow closer through infertility while others fall apart
? The "crescendo effect" that builds stress in relationships and what to do when your amygdala takes over
? Well-intended chivalry, and why trying to rescue your partner from their pain actually makes things worse
? Two practical tools: reverse engineering your conversations and the boardroom method for getting in touch with your emotions
? How to navigate the painful "at least" comments from well-meaning family and friends
? The grief that comes with relationships, learning who can truly hold space for you, and letting go of those who can't

Whether you're in the thick of an infertility journey, have experienced pregnancy loss, or love someone who has, this conversation is for you.

Connect with Clay:

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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? Life Beyond Grief Substack: https://taraaccardo.substack.com/

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Have you ever wished someone would just tell you the truth about what it's like to lose a parent, and what to actually do while they're still here?

That's exactly what this Ask Tara episode is. I'm answering two questions from a listener who has already lost one parent and is now watching the other navigate a serious illness. These are the questions I wish I had been asked when I was in the thick of it... and the answers I wish someone had given me.

Here's what I'm getting into:
? Why being genuinely, fully present with your sick parent is one of the most important things you can do, and what that actually looks like
? Why it's okay?and necessary?to take guilt-free breaks, even when it feels wrong
? How to capture more than just photos: the sensory memories you'll be grateful you held onto
? How to have meaningful conversations with your parent without it feeling like a race against time
? Why anticipatory grief, as painful as it is, gives you something sudden loss doesn't
? What I wish I had known about the emptiness, the isolation, and losing your footing after both parents are gone
? Why grief is non-linear, and why the "firsts" will hit harder than you expect
? How survival mode quietly limits your emotional capacity, and why grace is the only right response
? Why your identity, your relationships, and your sense of self may all shift, and what's possible on the other side

This episode is for the griever who is still in the middle of it. The one caring for a parent while quietly bracing for the loss that's coming. The one who has already said goodbye to one parent and is terrified of saying goodbye to another. The one who wants someone to just be honest with them about what this is really like... and what to do with it.

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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If you've ever watched someone you love slowly slip away?or wondered if your grief response was "normal"?this one's for you.

I'm sitting down with Grief Coach Nicole Scimone, who lost her father Donny at just 24 years old after a nearly decade-long battle with leukemia. 

But this isn't just a story about loss. It's about the messy, non-linear, deeply human journey of learning to carry grief... and still choose joy.

In this episode, we talk about:
? Watching her dad Donny fight leukemia for nine years and surviving a stem cell transplant, only to later face a lung infection that took him at just 55 years old
? What anticipatory grief actually feels like from the inside
? Why anger became her go-to grief response for years, and how avoidance and drinking crept in as ways to survive triggering moments
? The rock-bottom moment that led her to a 13-week grief support group and how that changed everything
? Finding unexpected outlets like kickboxing that helped her move grief through her body
? How motherhood added a whole new layer of grief, including the complicated feelings of jealousy around grandparents
? Keeping her dad's memory alive for her kids
? Her journey from grief blogger to grief coach, and why she felt called to walk alongside others in their loss

Whether you're in the thick of anticipatory grief, years out from a loss and still trying to find your footing, or somewhere in between, Nicole's story is a reminder that grief doesn't have an expiration date, and healing doesn't have to look perfect.

Connect with Nicole:

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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? Life Beyond Grief Substack: https://taraaccardo.substack.com/

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Have you tried returning to something you used to love after loss, and felt absolutely nothing? Maybe it's the hobby you looked forward to every week. The music that used to move you. The routine that once made you feel like yourself. And now it feels flat, heavy, or just... different.

If that's been your experience, this episode is for you. In this Mourning Sips & Soul Shifts conversation, I'm diving into one of the most quietly disorienting parts of grief: losing your sense of joy, passion, and identity through the things you used to love.

Here's what we'll cover:
? Why your nervous system makes hobbies and interests feel muted after loss
? How grief shifts your identity, and why the old version of you may not fit anymore
? The role of memory in avoiding activities tied to your person
? Why the "lost spark" feeling doesn't mean joy is gone forever
? How to move from "I feel nothing" toward curiosity, one small step at a time
? Practical, gentle ways to begin reigniting your sense of aliveness

I also share one of my favorite gentle reframes: instead of asking "What am I passionate about?" right now, try asking "What feels even five percent interesting today?"?because that's often exactly where the spark begins again.

This episode is for the griever who feels lost inside their own life. The one who misses feeling like themselves. The one who wonders if joy will ever feel real again.

If this episode resonates with you, I'd appreciate it if you left a positive review and share it with someone who needs it!

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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? Life Beyond Grief Substack: https://taraaccardo.substack.com/

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Some losses are so profound they don't fit inside any framework we have for grief. Collin Farias's story is one of those, and his willingness to share it with the world is an act of extraordinary love.

In May 2024, Collin's wife Camry was diagnosed with colon cancer that quickly progressed to stage four. Choosing a holistic path instead of chemotherapy, Camry was navigating her illness while also navigating a pregnancy?holding two enormous, beautiful, terrifying things at once. At 23 weeks, her water broke. On July 3rd, their son Chance was born prematurely. That same day, Camry died.

Nine days later, Chance followed his mother.

In this episode, Collin walks us through all of it?with honesty, with tenderness, and with a kind of clarity that can only come from someone who has sat in the deepest depths of loss and chosen, over and over, to keep going. 

From making funeral decisions to returning to the hospital, from leaning on community to posting on Instagram as an unexpected lifeline.

In this episode, we dig into:
? Camry's stage four colon cancer diagnosis and her choice of a holistic treatment path
? The devastating and intertwined loss of both his wife and premature son Chance within nine days
? The raw, practical reality of funeral decisions while you're still in shock
? Returning to the hospital, and what that experience held
? How sharing on Instagram became an unexpected coping outlet, and resonated with thousands
? Raising awareness about colon cancer through grief
? Living with urgency and choosing love over fear every single day

As I mention at the beginning of the episode, too, be sure to submit any questions you have for Collin or I (or both of us) for our part 2 conversation!

Connect with Collin: https://www.instagram.com/collinfarias/

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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If you've ever watched a family member or close friend seem to "bounce back" from a loss while you're still deep in the thick of grief?and also wondered, "what is wrong with me?"?this episode is for you.

Spoiler: nothing is wrong with you. And I want you to feel that not just in your head, but in your bones.

In this episode, I'm digging into one of the most painful and misunderstood experiences in grief: feeling like you're falling behind while everyone around you seems to be moving forward. We talk about why it happens, what it actually means, and how to stop measuring your healing against someone else's timeline.

In this episode, we talk about:
? Why your grief timeline is completely unique to you, and the real reasons it looks different from everyone else's
? How the way you were raised to handle emotions shapes the way you grieve today
? The sneaky trap of feeling like you're "doing grief wrong"
? Five tangible tools and mindset shifts to help you find your footing again

This episode is for you if:
? You feel like everyone around you has moved on while you're still in it
? You've wondered if you're grieving "too long" or "too much"
? You feel unseen or misunderstood by the people closest to you
? You're ready to stop comparing and start honoring your own journey

Research consistently shows that grief is a deeply individual process shaped by the relationship we had with the person we lost, the way we were taught to cope with emotions growing up, and how deeply that person was woven into the fabric of our daily lives. If the people around you seem to be moving forward faster, it doesn't mean you're broken. It means your love was YOURS.

And your grief?at its own pace, in its own time?is yours, too. This episode will remind you that your timeline isn't a measure of your weakness, but a measure of your love.

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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Grief doesn't always come just once, and for some of us, it comes in waves that feel impossible to survive. In this episode, I sit down with grief advocate and host of The Healing Hearts Podcast Liz Quinn, who has walked through some of the most profound losses a person can experience: the death of her firstborn daughter, and both of her parents.

Liz's story is one of raw honesty, deep love, and the kind of grace that only comes from truly living with grief. Whether you're navigating the loss of a child, a parent, or multiple losses at once, this conversation will make you feel less alone and remind you that carrying your loved ones forward is one of the most beautiful things you can do.

In this episode, we talk about:
? Liz's early experiences with grief after losing her grandmother and how that shaped her relationship with loss
? The heartbreaking loss of her firstborn daughter, Alivia
? The rituals and visits that helped Liz honor her daughter's life
? How Liz and her husband grieved differently after losing Alivia
? Losing her father in 2018 to stage-four esophageal cancer while navigating her mother's Alzheimer's decline
? The loss of her mother
? What it means to continue bonds with those we've lost
? Parenting without your own parents, and how to find your footing when your biggest support system is gone
? Giving yourself grace in grief, and why taking it one day at a time isn't just a cliché... it's survival

Connect with Liz:
?  https://lizquinnheals.com/
? https://www.instagram.com/lizquinnheals/
?? The Healing Hearts Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/08PxtTeYYuaL31Ks1P2IYX

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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If you?ve been craving a shift in your grief but don?t know where to start, this episode is for you.

In today?s Mourning Sips & Soul Shifts minisode, I?m giving you a free, behind-the-scenes look at Day 1 of my Micro Moments for Transformation program?a 30-day experience designed to help you move through grief in a way that feels supportive, doable, and actually sustainable.

Because here?s the truth: transformation doesn?t come from doing everything perfectly. It comes from small, intentional moments that meet you exactly where you are.

This program was created for anyone navigating loss?whether that?s the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, a life transition, or any kind of identity shift?and who wants to reconnect with themselves, their sense of purpose, and even moments of joy again.

Today, I?m guiding you through Day 1: Setting Your Intention. I?ll walk you through a simple yet powerful practice you can do in five minutes or less:

? A grounding breath to help you arrive in the present moment
? Three reflective prompts to help you define what transformation looks and feels like for you
? A gentle way to anchor into your ?why?
? How to create a meaningful intention to guide your next 30 days

You can listen on the go, but if you?re able to carve out a few quiet minutes for yourself and journal through this, it can deepen the experience in a really beautiful way.

This is just the beginning, too! If this resonates, the full Micro Moments for Transformation program will guide you through 30 days of supportive, 5-15 minute practices to help you feel more grounded, connected, and like you again?even in the midst of grief. All for just $47.

? Ready to begin? Press play and take your first micro step.

If you're ready to dig into all 30 days, I'd love for you to join me: https://lossesbecomegains.com/transformation

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In today?s episode, I?m sitting down with Ben Forman to talk about a kind of grief that often goes unseen?losing a sibling, and what it means to navigate life as the ?forgotten griever.?

Ben shares the story of losing his younger brother, Sam, in a sudden skiing accident at just 25 years old, and how that loss reshaped his identity, his family, and the way he moves through the world.

We talk about the quiet complexities of sibling grief, the guilt and dark thought patterns that can surface, and the tension between surviving loss and growing through it. 

We explore:
? What it feels like to lose your only sibling and become part of a ?family of three?
? The identity shift that comes with sibling loss
? The ?forgotten griever? experience and why sibling grief is often overlooked
? Navigating guilt, intrusive thoughts, and emotional spirals after loss
? The difference between post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth
? Finding connection through community
? Coping tools and using physical/tactile reminders
? How grief can shape the choices you make in your life moving forward
? Ben?s documentary Higher Calling and the healing journey behind it
? Riding motorcycles through the Himalayas as a way to honor loss and seek meaning

This episode is for anyone navigating sibling loss, complicated grief, or the quiet, often unspoken layers of life after losing someone deeply woven into your identity.

Connect with Ben:

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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If your grief has been feeling especially heavy lately, I wanted to give you something real to hold onto this week.

In today?s episode of Mourning Sips & Soul Shifts on Life With Grief, I?m sharing Day 1 of my 14-Day Relief in Your Grief Experience?completely free?so you can gently step into what it feels like to be supported, grounded, and guided through your grief in a more intentional way.

This isn?t about fixing your grief or rushing your healing. It?s about creating small, consistent moments where you can come back to yourself? even when everything feels overwhelming.

Inside this episode, I walk you through one of the most important starting points in grief work: your ?why.? Your why becomes your anchor: the thing you return to when emotions like anxiety, sadness, anger, or longing start to take over.

Together, we explore:
? How to identify your personal ?why? for moving through grief
? Simple ways to stay accountable and supported in your healing
? How to build a sustainable 5?10 minute daily grief practice
? Creating intentional space for your emotions (without feeling consumed by them)
? A powerful stress + grief check-in to understand where you are today

I also guide you through a gentle meditation for grief relief, where you?ll:
? Focus on your breath and body awareness
? Allow emotions to move through you like waves
? Soften resistance and create space for release
? Connect with spiritual support?whether that?s your loved one, guides, or something bigger than you

If you?ve been feeling stuck, disconnected, or unsure of how to move forward? this is your invitation to start small.

And if this resonates with you, the full 14-Day Relief in Your Grief Experience is there to support you more deeply: https://lossesbecomegains.com/relief-in-grief

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In this episode of Life With Grief, I?m joined by Psychologist, bestselling author, and globally recognized speaker Dr. Jody Carrington for an honest, raw (and funny!) conversation about grief, loneliness, and the healing power of community. 

Dr. Jody sheds light on a powerful distinction between grief and mourning?two experiences that often get lumped together but play very different roles in our healing. 

She shares several deeply personal losses that have shaped her own understanding of grief, including the death of her best friend, the recent passing of her father after living with vascular dementia, and the emotional complexities of caregiving and legacy at the end of life. She also shares the remarkable story of discovering at age 36 that she had a sister who had been placed for adoption. 

We dig into: 
? The difference between grief and mourning 
? Why grief can feel more isolating in today?s world 
? How loneliness and overwhelm intensify the grief experience 
? Why community is essential to healing after loss 
? Moving beyond ?I?m sorry for your loss? 
? How to support someone who is grieving 
? The impact of caregiving and end-of-life experiences 
? Nervous system regulation and resilience in grief 
? Why storytelling keeps our loved ones present 

If you?ve ever felt isolated in your grief, struggled to support someone you love, or wondered why loss can feel so disorienting in today?s world, this conversation will remind you that you?re not alone in your grief.

Connect with Jody:
? https://www.drjodycarrington.com/
? IG: https://www.instagram.com/drjodycarrington/?hl=en
? YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/drjodycarrington
? LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jody-carrington/?originalSubdomain=ca
? TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjodycarrington?lang=en

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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Watching someone you love go through cancer is one of the most painful and powerless experiences a person can face. You want to take their pain away, you want to fix it, but cancer is one of those moments in life where love doesn?t give you control... and that helplessness can feel overwhelming.

In this special episode of Life With Grief, I?m participating in Podcasthon, a global initiative where thousands of podcasts dedicate one episode to highlighting a charity that matters to them.

For this episode, I?m supporting Stand Up To Cancer, an organization funding groundbreaking research to accelerate cancer treatments and improve outcomes for patients and families around the world.

Cancer has touched my own family deeply, and I know many of you listening are navigating this reality right now. So today, we?re talking about the emotional side of supporting someone with cancer.

Because while the person diagnosed rightfully receives the most attention, the people who love them are often carrying a tremendous emotional weight behind the scenes.

In this episode, we explore:
? What it?s like to watch someone you love go through cancer
? The helplessness and emotional whiplash that often comes with treatments and test results
? Why anticipatory grief often begins long before a loss occurs
? The invisible emotional labor of caregivers and supporters
? Gentle ways to cope while supporting someone with cancer
? Why caring for your own nervous system matters during this time

If you?re currently supporting someone through cancer?or you?ve walked this road before?this episode is for you.

Stand Up To Cancer: https://standuptocancer.org/

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In this milestone episode of Life With Grief, I?m reflecting on what 200 conversations about grief and loss have truly taught me about healing, identity, resilience, purpose, and what it really means to live a full life after loss.

When I recorded episode one, I thought I understood grief because I had lived it. What I didn?t know was how much listening to hundreds of stories?from widows, grieving parents, adult children, partners, and survivors of complicated loss?would deepen, stretch, and transform that understanding.

In this episode, I share:
? Why grief is far more nuanced than the five stages
? How loss reshapes identity, relationships, careers, and purpose
? The ?whispered? parts of grief we rarely talk about (anger, relief, jealousy, numbness, resentment)
? Why grief and joy are not opposites
? What holding space for 200 grieving humans has taught me about resilience and guilt
? How my own grief has evolved alongside this podcast
? The truths I now know about healing after loss

We talk about grief integration, life after loss, emotional resilience, identity shifts after death, and what it really means to grow through grief without minimizing it.

And whether you?ve listened to one episode or all 200, you are part of this community. These conversations are only deepening ?

? Listen now and reflect on who you are becoming in the wake of your grief.

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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Grief is often met with the same advice: practice self-care. Take a bath. Go for a walk. Journal. Rest. And while those things can support your nervous system, they don?t always touch the deeper layers of loss.

In this episode of Life With Grief, let's explore the powerful difference between self-care and soul-care?especially in the context of grief, identity shifts, and life after loss. Because grief isn?t just stress, it?s a transformation. And that requires something deeper than surface-level coping tools.

Let's dig into:
? What traditional self-care actually supports in grief
? Why self-care can sometimes feel hollow or minimizing
? The difference between emotional regulation and soul alignment
? What soul-care really looks like after loss
? How grief reshapes your identity (whether you?re ready or not)
? Simple, practical ways to practice soul-care in your everyday life

If you?ve been doing all the ?right? self-care things but still feel unsettled, disconnected, or changed in ways you can?t quite explain, this conversation will meet you where you are.

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Have you been struggling to focus since your loss? Perhaps you find yourself reading the same paragraph over and over, forgetting simple words, or feeling mentally slower than you used to. Maybe you're wondering, ?What is wrong with me??

In this episode, we?re talking about the fog of grief. The very real cognitive and neurological effects of loss that can make concentration feel nearly impossible.

Grief affects your nervous system, your memory, your decision-making, and your ability to think clearly. When someone you love dies, your brain shifts into survival mode, stress hormones increase, and your system reallocates energy toward stabilization and away from higher-level thinking.

That foggy, scattered, overwhelmed feeling? It?s not laziness, it?s a protective response.

Inside this episode, we explore:
? Why loss is registered as threat in the brain
? How stress impacts the prefrontal cortex (your thinking brain)
? Why your brain is working overtime to ?rewrite? your internal map of the world
?Why pushing yourself harder often makes the fog worse
? Gentle ways to support your nervous system while you heal

If you?ve been quietly scared by how foggy your mind feels, this conversation will help you understand what?s happening.

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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In this episode of Life With Grief, Barri Leiner Grant shares her experience of losing her mother suddenly to a brain aneurysm at age 27, and what it meant to grieve at a time when grief was rarely spoken about. 

She opens up about becoming a motherless mother, seeking therapy during pregnancy, and learning how to carry loss without silencing it.

We explore spiritual and intuitive healing, including working with a shaman and medium, and how those experiences led her to create The Memory Circle, a space centered on continuing bonds and conscious grieving.

The conversation also turns to the long goodbye of dementia. Barri reflects on caring for her father, Neil, through years of memory loss alongside her siblings, the differences between sudden loss and cognitive decline, and how anticipatory grief shapes the caregiving journey.

This episode touches on:
? Sudden loss and brain aneurysm grief
? Becoming a mother after losing your own mother
? Continuing bonds and conscious grieving
? Spiritual healing and grief support
? Dementia, caregiving, and anticipatory grief
? Navigating mortality without living in fear

If you?re grieving a parent, navigating caregiving, or learning how to live fully while carrying loss, this conversation offers insight, validation, and practical ways to stay connected to those you love.

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In this episode of Life With Grief, let's dig into the quiet desire many grievers feel after loss: the pull to completely reinvent themselves.

When someone we love dies, it doesn?t just change our circumstances... it changes our identity. Our priorities shift, our tolerance lowers, and what once felt meaningful may no longer fit. And wanting something new can bring guilt, confusion, and even pushback from others.

Let's explore why reinvention after grief is a deeply human response to loss, not a betrayal. I talk about the identity shifts that happen after loss, why friends and family may struggle with the ?new you,? and how to navigate the guilt that can come with craving more alignment, depth, and intention in your life.

I also share gentle ways to begin this process without pressure: starting with curiosity, honoring your desires, and allowing change to unfold at your own pace.

If you?ve felt called toward a different version of yourself after loss, this conversation will remind you that you?re not wrong for evolving.

Episode referenced: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/191-5-life-changing-lessons-at-35-grief-growth-and/id1688812587?i=1000747688577

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In this episode of Life With Grief, I sit down with Nina Rodriguez to talk about sibling grief after the sudden death of her only brother, Yosef, who died from fentanyl poisoning on September 11, 2019?just one day after his 32nd birthday.

Nina shares what it means to grieve as a sibling, why bereaved siblings are often the ?forgotten mourners,? and how the loss of a brother or sister can deeply impact identity, birth order, and family dynamics.

Together, we explore the complex layers of grief after addiction-related death, including stigma, shame, anger, and the painful reality of intrusive questions about cause of death. 

We talk about:
? Sibling grief and the experience of being a ?forgotten mourner?
? Losing an only sibling and the identity shift that follows
? Addiction, recovery, and fentanyl poisoning
? Navigating stigma and intrusive questions after a drug-related death
? Supporting grieving parents while grieving yourself
? Parentification and complicated family roles
? Grieving legacy and the end of a family line
? Continuing bonds and staying connected after loss
? Spiritual curiosity, near-death experiences, and meaning-making after grief
? Finding purpose after loss and redefining what it means to ?walk each other home?

If you?re grieving the death of a sibling, navigating loss due to addiction, or trying to make sense of who you are after loss, this conversation will remind you that your grief matters?and you are not alone.

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Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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Grief and life transitions often bring emotions that feel confusing, complicated, and sometimes even contradictory. One of the most common experiences people face after loss is feeling genuinely happy for someone they love, while simultaneously feeling sadness, longing, or grief for themselves. Can you relate to this?

If you?ve ever celebrated someone else?s milestone while quietly mourning what feels missing in your own life, you are not alone.

Let's talk about:
? Why it?s normal to feel happy for others while feeling sad for yourself
? How grief increases emotional complexity and depth
? The role of comparison, timeline grief, and unmet expectations
? Why mixed emotions don't make you selfish, ungrateful, or unsupportive
? Gentle tools for processing emotional duality in a healthy way
? How to practice self-compassion while supporting others
? Ways to stay connected to your own healing and life path

You?ll learn how grief can expand emotional depth, why comparison and timeline grief can show up around other people?s milestones, and gentle ways to support yourself when happiness and heartbreak coexist.

This episode is for anyone who has struggled to celebrate others while navigating their own grief, loss, or life circumstances that feel tender or uncertain.

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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In this episode of Life With Grief I sit down with Dr. Heather Taylor, a Licensed Psychologist and Grief Educator, for an honest and deeply human conversation about grief, sibling loss, and living with chronic illness.

Dr. Heather shares her personal story of losing her younger brother and navigating the often-overlooked experience of sibling grief. She opens up about her own struggles to find effective grief therapy, and how those gaps ultimately led her to pursue a career in psychology so she could offer the kind of grief-informed care she once needed herself.

We also talk about: 
? Her diagnosis of postpartum cardiomyopathy.
? What it?s like to live with heart failure.
? An unexpected genetic discovery that deeply impacted her health and her family. 
? The emotional, physical, and psychological layers of grief when it?s intertwined with chronic illness.

Throughout the episode she shares practical coping strategies for grief, including her STAY acronym, a grounding framework designed to help you stay present with grief rather than pushing it away or trying to ?fix? it.

If you?re grieving a sibling, living with chronic illness, or searching for more compassionate and nuanced approaches to grief support, this conversation offers validation, insight, and gentle guidance for integrating grief into everyday life.

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Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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Grief doesn?t just change how you feel, it often changes your relationships, too. After losing someone you love (or after any loss, really), friendships, family dynamics, and romantic relationships can start to shift. You may feel misunderstood, unsupported, or emotionally unsafe sharing your grief. And for many grievers, this can feel like a secondary loss layered on top of the first.

Join me in talking about the very real experience of outgrowing relationships after loss, why it happens, and how to navigate the complicated emotions that can come with relationship changes during grief.

We chat about:
? Why grief naturally changes identity, emotional needs, and connection
? How loss can shift friendships, family relationships, and partnerships
? Signs you may be outgrowing a relationship after losing a loved one
? Why some people struggle to show up for grief in meaningful ways
? How to set compassionate, healthy boundaries while grieving
? Navigating the grief of losing or redefining relationships
? Finding safe, supportive connections while learning to live with loss

This episode is for you if:
? You feel misunderstood or unsupported in your grief
? Your relationships have changed after a loss
? You feel guilt or confusion about needing different support
? You?re navigating loneliness or identity shifts after loss
? You?re craving deeper, more emotionally safe connections

If you?ve ever felt alone in your grief, struggled with friends who don?t understand, or wondered why certain relationships feel different after loss, this conversation will help you feel seen and supported.

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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Grief doesn?t just break your heart, it literally changes who you are.

In this heartfelt 5-Minute Grief Talk (in honor of my 35th birthday!), I?m sharing a truth that so many grievers quietly wrestle with: the way loss reshapes your identity. The moment you realize you don?t feel like the same person anymore. The disorientation of trying to understand who you are now after everything you?ve lost.

We talk about:
???? How grief changes your sense of self
????Why wanting to ?go back? is so common (and so painful)
???? Grieving the person you were before loss
???? The identity shift that happens after loving and losing deeply
???? How to gently rebuild who you are?without rushing clarity

If you?ve been feeling disconnected from your old self, pressured to return to who you used to be, or stuck in that in-between space of becoming? this episode is for you.

Remember: grief didn?t erase you, it expanded you ? 

? Listen, breathe, and let yourself meet the version of you that?s still unfolding. Be sure you're subscribed on YouTube so you don't miss more conversations like this!

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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In this birthday episode of Life With Grief, I?m sharing five life lessons I?m still actively practicing as I turn 35! Lessons grief, age, motherhood, and lived experience have etched into me over time. These are things rooted in identity shifts, discernment, presence, and learning how to live a full life while carrying loss.

I?ve realized that I?ve gone through many deaths and rebirths in my life?once when my parents died, again when I became a mother, and in quieter ways as I continue to evolve into the truest version of myself.

We'll dig into:
? Reflections on grief, identity shifts, and personal growth
? What it means to build a legacy beyond achievements
? How loss reshapes our relationship with time, presence, and purpose
? Why slowing down can be one of the most powerful choices we make

This episode is also an invitation to reflect on the footprint you?re leaving behind?not based on what you do, but how you do it.

I also share a special birthday announcement: the launch of my new Substack, Life Beyond Grief! It's a space for the life that continues after everything changes. Not life without grief, but a life that keeps unfolding anyway.

? Life Beyond Grief Substack: https://taraaccardo.substack.com/

If you?re navigating grief, parenthood, identity shifts, or a season of becoming, this episode is for you!

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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In this heartfelt episode of Life With Grief I?m joined by Dominic Simpson, who shares his experience of losing his older brother, Paul, at the age of nine?and how that early loss quietly shaped his life in ways he?s still uncovering today.

We talk about sibling loss as a deeply under-acknowledged form of grief, especially when it happens in childhood, and how bereaved siblings often learn to carry their pain silently. Dominic opens up about grief, masculinity, and the pressure many boys and men feel to ?stay strong,? as well as the tools and communities that have helped him process his loss over time.

Dominic also shares his connection to Winston?s Wish, a UK-based charity supporting bereaved children, and why grief-informed spaces are so vital for long-term healing.

We explore:
? What it means to grow up as a bereaved sibling
? The lasting impact of childhood loss into adulthood
? Why sibling grief is often minimized or misunderstood
? Grief, masculinity, and emotional expression
? Finding grounding through movement, music, and community

This conversation offers honesty, validation, and a reminder that grief doesn?t disappear with time... it asks to be witnessed.

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In this episode I?m reflecting on what living a ?soft life? really means?especially after loss. As I approach my 35th birthday, especially, I?ve been thinking deeply about how grief reshaped my priorities, my energy, and the way I move through my days.

This isn?t about perfection, productivity, or avoiding hard emotions. It?s about creating gentle, supportive rhythms inside a very real life. One that includes grief, responsibilities, and limited capacity.

I?m sharing six soft life habits that genuinely changed me and helped me feel more grounded, present, and connected to myself again. These practices have supported my nervous system, helped me trust my intuition, and brought more ease into my daily life without pressure to ?fix? or rush my healing.

In this episode, I talk about:
? How creating soothing, decluttered surroundings impacts emotional wellbeing
? The role of scent, rituals, and comfort in regulating the nervous system
? Mindful movement through workouts, walks, and time in nature
? Daily journaling and weekly reflection as anchors in grief
? Energy check-ins, breathwork, and listening to my body
? Acts of self-kindness that soften life without guilt
? Curating media and social input to reduce comparison and overwhelm

This episode is for anyone navigating grief, emotional exhaustion, burnout, or a season of life where slowing down feels necessary, but also complicated. If you?re craving a gentler way of living without abandoning your real life, this conversation is for you.

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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In this deeply honest episode of the Life With Grief Podcast, I sit down with artist and spoken word poet Tiriq Rashad to talk about grief, loss, and the role creativity can play in healing.

Tiriq shares his experience navigating multiple profound losses, including the sudden death of his mother in a car accident and the loss of a child. We explore how these losses shaped his emotional world, his identity, and his relationship with art.

We also dig into:
? Navigating the multiple layers of grief.
? The inspiration behind his spoken word album, Kiss My Art, and how art became an outlet for processing grief
? Creativity as a powerful tool for emotional expression when words feel difficult or insufficient
? The importance of community and support in grief and why isolation can deepen pain
? Therapy, vulnerability, and emotional honesty, especially in spaces where grief is often minimized
? Healthy ways to release overwhelming emotions like anger, sadness, and longing

This conversation is for anyone grieving a loved one, searching for meaningful ways to express their emotions, or looking for permission to feel deeply without fixing or rushing their grief.

It?s a reminder that grief changes us, but creativity, connection, and compassion can help us carry it.

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Grief doesn?t just change your life, it reveals YOU. In this episode of Mourning Sips & Soul Shifts let's explore what I like to call the "mirror effect" of grief. The way loss acts as a mirror that reflects our unacknowledged strengths, emotional patterns, and capacity for renewal.

We dig into:
? Why grief acts as a mirror rather than something to ?get over?
? How loss reveals strength you didn?t know you had
? The emotional and behavioral patterns grief brings to the surface, and why they?re not flaws
? How grief can quietly reshape your priorities, relationships, and sense of identity
? What it means to live with grief in a more intentional, compassionate way

This conversation is for you if you don't recognize yourself after a loss, or if you've been surprised by both how deeply grief has undone aspects of your life, and how resilient you've been at the same time. Together, we explore why grief removes distractions and brings our inner world into sharper focus.

This episode offers a grounded, validating perspective for anyone navigating life after the death a loved one, and for those learning how to live with grief rather than trying to fix or bypass it.

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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In this episode of Life With Grief, I sit down with author Theo Boyd for a deeply honest and heart-opening conversation about navigating layered loss and finding hope after profound grief.

Theo is the author of "My Grief Is Not Like Yours"and "Hope All the Way", and she shares openly about the many losses that have shaped her life. Together, we explore what it truly means to live with grief when loss keeps stacking, and how healing and purpose can still exist alongside heartbreak.

We dig into:
? The accidental death of Theo?s mother and how that loss reshaped her world
? Losing her long-time counselor and the grief of losing a trusted support system
? Discovering her husband?s infidelity, navigating divorce, and grieving the life she thought she had
? Finding her father after he died by suicide and the complexity of suicide loss
? What it means to stay present with grief instead of rushing to ?move on?
? Personal outlets for grief and ways to release what the body is carrying
? How hope and healing can show up in unexpected and spiritual ways
? Wisdom inspired by her deaf mother?s life and how it continues to guide her
? Gentle, grounding practices to help regulate the nervous system

This episode is a reminder that grief is deeply personal and never one-size-fits-all. Even in the midst of unimaginable loss, it?s possible to move toward purposeful living?without minimizing the pain or rushing the healing.

If you?re navigating multiple losses, complicated grief, or trying to hold onto hope after everything has changed, I hope this conversation reminds you that you?re not alone?and that your grief is allowed to look exactly the way it does.

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Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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Grief doesn?t just affect how we feel, it impacts how we think, plan, and make decisions. If you?ve been avoiding decisions lately or feeling frozen and overwhelmed by even small choices, you?re not alone (and you?re not broken).

Let's explore why decision-making feels so difficult in grief, how the nervous system and brain are affected by loss, and why decision avoidance is often a form of self-protection. I'm also sharing how new year pressure can intensify this struggle when clarity feels out of reach.

I'm also introducing you to the GENTLE Decision Path, a compassionate, grief-informed framework designed to help you move from decision avoidance to decision empowerment?without forcing certainty or rushing yourself.

Let dig into:
? Why grief makes decision-making harder from a brain and nervous system perspective
? Why avoiding decisions doesn?t mean you?re stuck?it means you?re protecting yourself
? How new year energy can create pressure when grief needs gentleness
? A simple framework for making empowered, grief-informed choices

This episode is for anyone navigating life after loss and looking for a gentler, more aligned way to make decisions again.

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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In this deeply moving episode of Life With Grief we welcome Danny Lesslie, who shares the intimate and transformative story of losing his wife, Raffi, to vulvar cancer and navigating life, fatherhood, and grief in the aftermath.

Danny opens up about the raw realities of anticipatory grief, caregiving through cancer, and what it meant to walk alongside Raffi during her battle. He reflects on the strength found in vulnerability, the evolving grief journey he shares with his daughters, and why open conversations around male grief are so deeply needed.

We also explore Danny?s book, Thank You, Cancer, a powerful collection of personal writings from both Danny and Raffi that offers a rare dual perspective on love, loss, resilience, and hope in the face of terminal illness. Their words illuminate not only the darkness of cancer and grief, but also the unexpected moments of connection, meaning, and light that can emerge even in life?s most painful chapters.

This episode is an honest, emotional conversation about grief after cancer, widowerhood, parenting after loss, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

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After loss, many people find themselves asking a quiet but heavy question: What do I even want anymore?

Let's explore how grief reshapes our goals, dreams, and vision for the future?and why that doesn?t mean anything has gone wrong. Loss changes us. It changes what feels meaningful, what feels safe to hope for, and how we imagine our lives moving forward.

This episode is an invitation to gently revisit your goals through a new lens. One shaped by lived experience, loss, and deeper self-awareness. Rather than forcing clarity or rushing to ?dream big again,? we talk about honoring the pause, releasing misaligned dreams, and redefining success in a way that feels supportive in this season of grief.

If you?ve been feeling disconnected from your old ambitions, unsure of what?s next, or pressured to have it all figured out after loss, this conversation is for you.

Inside this episode, we talk about:
? Why goals and dreams often feel different after experiencing loss
? How grief shifts values, priorities, and our relationship with the future
? Letting go of old dreams without guilt or shame
? Redefining success after loss in a more compassionate, sustainable way
? Giving yourself permission to move forward without a timeline

You don?t need to be who you were before, you?re allowed to evolve?and to dream differently now.

If this episode resonated with you, be sure to follow Life With Grief so you don?t miss future conversations that meet you where you are. And if you know someone navigating loss who might need this reminder, feel free to share this episode with them!

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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In this episode of the Life With Grief Podcast, I?m joined by Grief Activist and Guide, Author, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker Lisa Keefauver for a deeply honest and expansive conversation about living with grief, trauma, and resilience.

Lisa shares her personal and professional journey with grief, including the devastating loss of her husband and navigating a cancer diagnosis of her own. Together, we explore how grief reshapes identity, relationships, and the way we move through the world after loss.

This episode dives into narrative therapy, the importance of holding space for grief without trying to fix it, and how community, compassion, and connection play a vital role in healing. Lisa also speaks to the often-overlooked truth that joy and grief can coexist, and how allowing both can be a powerful act of self-trust and survival.

Whether you?re grieving the death of a loved one, navigating illness, or supporting someone through loss, this episode is a reminder that you don?t have to walk this path alone?and that healing doesn?t mean forgetting, fixing, or moving on.

Connect with Lisa:

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Entering a new year while grieving can feel incredibly complex. While the world celebrates fresh starts and new beginnings, your grief doesn?t simply disappear when the calendar changes.

In this episode, we explore:
? Why the ?fresh start? narrative can feel painful when you?re grieving
? How to approach the new year as a gentle continuation, not a restart
? Letting go of forced positivity and making space for emotional complexity
? Why capacity-setting matters more than goal-setting in grief
? Honoring fear, hesitation, and uncertainty about the future
? How to carry love and memory forward without pressure to ?move on?
? Finding hope that feels quiet, realistic, and supportive

This conversation is for anyone who feels caught between longing for hope and excitement, and honoring the sadness, fear, or tenderness that grief brings.

 Perhaps you're:
? Entering a new year after loss
? Struggling with new year grief or holiday grief hangover
? Feeling pressure to feel excited or motivated while grieving
? Navigating grief, anxiety, or emotional exhaustion
? Wanting grief-informed support without toxic positivity

Rather than forcing positivity or setting unrealistic expectations, this episode offers compassionate reframes that allow grief and hope to coexist. You?ll be invited to soften the pressure of ?starting over? and instead approach the new year with honesty, self-trust, and emotional spaciousness.

? If this episode resonates be sure to follow the show, leave a review, or share it with someone who may need it!

Angel & Auras Card Pull episode: click here

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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In this special end-of-year episode, I?m closing out 2025 by pulling Angel and Aura cards for listeners using the Angels and Auras Oracle deck. This episode offers gentle spiritual guidance and emotional support for anyone navigating grief as we prepare to step into a new year.

I share three individual readings along with a collective message for all of you, touching on themes of continued connection with loved ones who have passed, resilience through personal challenges, and the quiet reassurance of divine support. These messages are especially meant for those feeling tender, uncertain, or reflective as 2026 approaches.

This episode is here to help you feel more grounded and supported. This is an invitation to slow down, receive guidance, and remain open to new opportunities while honoring your grief.

If you?re entering 2026 carrying loss and longing for reassurance, meaning, or hope, this episode is here to remind you that you are not alone?and that grief and possibility can coexist.

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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In this episode of Mourning Sips & Soul Shifts on Life With Grief, let's explore the powerful and grounding practice of choosing a word of the year?especially when traditional New Year?s resolutions feel unrealistic, overwhelming, or misaligned during grief.

Rather than focusing on rigid goals, I'm inviting you to choose a single intentional word to anchor you throughout the year. This practice can offer clarity, emotional steadiness, and self-trust while navigating loss, life transitions, and personal growth.

I'm gently walking you through a step-by-step process to discover your word of the year in this episode. Through a few personal reflections and real-life examples, I'm sharing how a word of the year can serve as a compassionate guide through grief, uncertainty, and change?without pressure, perfection, or productivity culture.

This episode is especially supportive for anyone who:

? Is grieving and feels disconnected from traditional goal-setting

? Feels unsure, tender, or cautious about the future

? Wants a more intuitive, grief-informed way to set intentions

? Is craving grounding, clarity, and emotional alignment in the new year

Tune in to learn how choosing a word of the year can help you move forward gently, stay connected to yourself, and honor your grief while still allowing space for growth, meaning, and possibility.

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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Join me as I sit down with Katrina Shaw for an honest and deeply layered conversation about living with grief across multiple seasons of life.

Katrina shares her personal grief journey, including the loss of her mother at age 15, the premature death of her nephew, and her experiences with recurrent miscarriage and infertility. She opens up about the emotional complexity of becoming a parent after loss, navigating postnatal depression, and the profound identity shifts that can accompany motherhood and grief.

The conversation also explores Katrina?s later-in-life ADHD diagnosis and chronic illness, highlighting how grief can evolve and resurface in unexpected ways as life circumstances change. Together, we discuss the challenges of unmet expectations, the importance of open communication, and the small but meaningful steps that can help individuals cope with grief, loss, and identity changes over time.

This episode offers validation and support for anyone experiencing child loss, infertility, mental health challenges, or the ongoing nature of grief, reminding listeners that grief is not something we ?move on? from, but something we learn to live with (and how!).

Connect with Katrina:

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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In this episode of Mourning Sips & Soul Shifts, we're exploring what it really feels like to face the unknown?especially when you?re grieving and heading into a new year.

If the uncertainty of the future is stirring up anxiety, fear, or that ?I don?t know what comes next? ache, this episode walks with you through it. I'm sharing grounding, compassionate guidance for navigating the discomfort of not having all the answers, and how to gently reframe the unknown as a place where possibility lives.

I'm also sharing some personal reflections on my own experiences with grief, what I've learned about releasing rigid expectations, and why loosening our grip on the future can actually create room for clarity, hope, and unexpected growth. 

This episode is for you if you're craving reassurance, softer self-compassion, and a reminder that you?re not walking into the future alone?even when it feels foggy.

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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In this deeply moving episode of Life With Grief, I'm sitting down with Motivational Speaker, Best-Selling Author, and Resilience Coach Kate Gladdin to explore the realities of layered grief after traumatic loss. 

Kate shares her story of losing her sister in a tragic accident in Thailand and, years later, losing her mother in a heartbreaking motor accident earlier this year. Together, we unpack how grief resurfaces over time, how trauma shapes the grieving process, and what it means to rebuild life after devastating loss.

Kate opens up about the complex emotions that come with sibling loss and parental loss, including shock, disbelief, identity shifts, and the search for meaning when life feels unrecognizable. She also shares how she has channeled her grief into purpose by creating a foundation that honors her sister and mother, advocating for legal reform, and supporting underserved performers and athletes.

We dig into:
? Layered grief and multiple losses
? Traumatic sibling loss and mom loss
? How grief resurfaces years later
? Finding purpose after loss
? Creating legacy and meaning from pain
? Signs from loved ones in grief
? Community support and resilience

This episode offers compassionate insight into coping with traumatic grief, continuing bonds with loved ones, and discovering resilience in the aftermath of loss.

Connect with Kate:

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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In this episode of Mourning Sips & Soul Shifts, let's explore why comparing your grief to someone else?s can feel so instinctive... and so damaging. I'm breaking down the societal pressures, conditioning, and survival instincts that push us into comparison mode, especially after loss, and am here to remind you that grief is a deeply personal, non-linear journey.

You?ll hear relatable insights from my own journey, along with grounding tools to help you reconnect with your own timeline.  If you?ve been feeling ?behind? in your healing or questioning whether you?re grieving the ?right? way, this episode offers supportive guidance to help you come back to your path, at your pace.

086. Navigating Social Media & Our Mental Health as We're Grieving: click here

136. Living Life with Grief While Dreaming Big & Finding New Beginnings: click here

150. How Grief Changes Our Perspective on Life, Priorities, and What Truly Matters: click here

156. Finding Purpose After Loss: Why ?Small Purpose? Matters in Grief: click here

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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In honor of Grief Awareness Week, I?m joined by fellow podcast hosts Liz Quinn (Healing Hearts Podcast) and Nina Rodriguez (Grief and Light Podcast) for a vulnerable, honest conversation about the many layers of grief during the holidays.

Together, we explore our personal experiences with loss, how grief evolves over time, and what it really looks like to navigate overwhelming emotions when the world expects you to be ?merry and bright.?

We talk through practical and compassionate ways to cope with grief, including:
? Holding onto holiday traditions (or releasing the ones that no longer feel aligned)
? Giving yourself permission to set boundaries
? Finding community support
? Allowing grief to show up in whatever way it needs to

This episode is a raw, supportive space for anyone moving through their own grief journey, especially during a season that can feel intensely tender. Our hope is to raise awareness, offer comfort, and remind you that whatever you?re feeling, you?re not alone.

Liz's podcast: click here

Nina's podcast: click here

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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In case you missed my new 5 Minute Grief Talks on YouTube, here's a little sneak peek so you can get a taste of what they're like! These are here to be a little boost of support, guidance, and inspiration you can watch or listen to whenever you need it. Quick, but impactful!

When grief sneaks up during the holidays, it can feel like the wind gets knocked out of you. In this short five-minute holiday grief talk, I'm diving into why these emotional ?sneak attacks? happen and what you can actually do in the moment to ground yourself again.

You?ll hear gentle, practical guidance on:
? How to recognize holiday grief triggers before they spiral
? Why sudden grief waves are completely normal (and never a sign you?re ?going backwards?)
? Giving yourself permission to shift plans, change your pace, or take space
? Small, supportive actions that can help you feel even a tiny bit better
? Remembering you?re not alone in navigating grief during the holiday season

This quickie episode is here to remind you that nothing is wrong with you for struggling right now. Holiday grief is real, it?s heavy, and it shows up whether we feel ready or not. But there are ways to soften the edges and move through those moments with more compassion for yourself.

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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In this episode, we're exploring the complicated dance between grief and gratitude during the holiday season?a time that can feel emotionally conflicting, overwhelming, or even isolating after loss. 

I break down:
? Why it?s normal to feel both thankful and heartbroken
? Challenges the pressure to ?just be grateful"
? Grounded strategies for navigating holiday gatherings, expectations, and triggers while still honoring your grief

You?ll hear gentle reminders about releasing perfection, embracing the messiness that this season can bring, and making space for hope, self-compassion, and whatever feelings are showing up. 

I'm here to offer encouragement, community, and practical tools to help you move through these weeks with a little more ease, presence, and emotional clarity. Don't forget to check out the first four episodes of this series, too!

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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Today I'm here to gently guide you through navigating the holiday season after losing someone you love. 

We'll talk about how to honor the memories of those who are gone while finding new ways to celebrate and create meaning. I'll also share ideas for reimagining traditions that no longer bring joy, introduce you to simple journaling prompts for reflection, and will lead you through a beautiful grounding mindfulness exercise to help calm overwhelming emotions.

We'll talk about:
? Coping with the challenges of holiday grief
? Reimagining family traditions in a way that feels right for you
? Honoring loved ones who have passed without losing yourself
? Journaling prompts to connect with your feelings
? Mindfulness practices to stay grounded through emotional moments

This episode is a comforting companion for anyone facing grief during the holidays, helping you discover moments of peace, connection, and even joy amidst the sadness.

Don't forget to listen to episodes 1-3 in this series for more holiday grief support!

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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? Life Beyond Grief Substack: https://taraaccardo.substack.com/

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Today we're exploring how to navigate holiday grief triggers and the anxiety that often comes with this season. The holidays can feel especially tender and overwhelming after a loss, and this episode offers grounded, approachable guidance for managing those emotional landmines.

I'm sharing high-level strategies for recognizing and responding to grief triggers during the holidays, including:
? Acknowledging your feelings instead of pushing through
? Setting intentional boundaries
? Creating a ?Plan B? for events or gatherings
? Giving yourself permission to step away
? Practicing more compassion toward your own capacity

You?ll also hear simple, practical ways to cope with holiday anxiety, like using grounding techniques, taking social media breaks, and giving yourself space from overstimulating environments.

This minisode encourages you to create a personalized holiday survival plan, lean on your support system, and gently allow moments of joy without guilt. 

If you?re moving through grief during the holidays, this episode offers comfort, validation, and practical tools to help you navigate it with more clarity and care. Grief doesn?t pause for the holiday season, but you don?t have to move through it alone.

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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? Life Beyond Grief Substack: https://taraaccardo.substack.com/

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Today on Life With Grief we're diving deep into the experience of grieving during the holidays?when the world feels festive, but your heart feels heavy.

I'm sharing heartfelt insight into the pressure to be merry while you?re missing someone you love. We?ll talk about why holiday grief can feel so isolating, how to release the expectation to ?stay cheerful,? and what it means to honor your emotions instead of hiding them.

You?ll learn how to:
? Set boundaries with family and friends when you?re not feeling up for celebrations
? Create personal rituals or traditions that feel healing and meaningful
? Find small moments of comfort when grief feels overwhelming
? Seek support and give yourself permission to rest, cry, or simply be

This episode is your reminder that you don?t have to fake happiness or pretend you?re okay. You can grieve, honor your loved one, and still find peace during the holiday season on your own terms.

Tune in as we continue our five-part series on coping with grief during the holidays, and take a little pressure off your heart this season.

? Holiday Grief Day 1: Listen here

Click here to get your copy of Love Like Thunder, Grief Like Rain: https://earthgrief.love/

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