Grief Out Loud

Епізоди

• How to Talk With Children About Grief & Loss 12.06.2026 1год 9хв

  How do you talk with children about death, dying, and grief - especially when the truth feels impossible to say? Most adults feel unprepared to tell a child that someone in their life has an advanced serious illness or has died. There's often a deep desire to protect kids from pain, avoid overwhelming them, or wanting to wait until there's a "better" time to talk. But children often already sense that something has changed. In this episode, Jana is joined by Dougy Center colleagues Rebecca Hobbs-Lawrence, M.A. and Sat Kaur Khalsa, M.S.W. to talk about how adults can approach these conversations with honesty, clarity, and compassion. Rebecca, Dougy Center's Pathways Program and Grief Services Coordinator, and Sat Kaur, Dougy Center's Family Services Coordinator, bring decades of professional experience supporting grieving children and families. They also share how their own childhood experiences of grief shaped the way they talk with kids about loss today. Together, they explore how to tell children someone has died using concrete, age-appropriate language, why grief conversations don't need to happen all at once, and how adults can respond when children ask difficult questions about blame, uncertainty, and why someone died. They also discuss how to talk with children about deaths that are often stigmatized, including suicide, homicide, and substance-related deaths, and why withholding information can sometimes create more fear and confusion. Whether you're a parent, caregiver, clinician, educator, or simply someone supporting a those who are grieving, this conversation offers practical guidance and reassurance for navigating some of the hardest conversations. We discuss: Why honesty and clear language matter when talking with kids about death How to explain death in concrete, age-appropriate ways Why grief conversations are never one-and-done Supporting children when someone has an advanced serious illness How to respond when kids blame themselves for a death Talking about suicide, homicide, and substance-related deaths without shame Why adults don't need perfect words - just presence and openness Resources: Dougy Center's full collection of Tip Sheets and Activities: https://www.dougy.org/grief-support-resources Grief education & training offerings: https://www.dougy.org/professionals-trainings
• What Happens When You Stop Outrunning Grief? Camila Crews & Sorry For Your Loss (Cards) 04.06.2026 46хв

  Have you ever found yourself trying to outrun grief? That's what Camila Crews did when she was 19 and her mother died. Twenty years later, following the heartbreaking disappearance and death of her father, Camila stopped running and started feeling. Unable to just keep pushing through, she had to face her grief and learn how to care for herself in the process.  Facing her grief inspired Camila to start Sorry for Your Loss (Cards), an initiative to help people better understand grief and show up for those who are mourning. Centering the experiences of Black and Brown communities, Sorry for Your Loss (Cards) provides workshops, cards, resources, and community experiences designed to decrease the isolation that so often accompanies grief.  We discuss: The fiery, creative energy Camila's parents shared  Losing her mother twice: first as a child when her mother moved away, and then as a young adult when she died  The instinct to just keep moving forward after her mother's death  Having to slow down and finally face grief after her father was killed  Living with the unanswered questions surrounding her father's disappearance and presumed death  The vital importance of culturally specific grief resources  Finding connection with other people who are grieving  The origin of Sorry for Your Loss (Cards) and Camila's commitment to helping others understand grief  Camila A. Crews builds tools, experiences, and cultural conversations that help people show up for grief in real, tangible ways. After losing both of her parents over the course of two decades, she experienced firsthand how lonely grief can feel and how often people want to support others but don't know how. The purpose of Sorry For Your Loss is to help people get familiar with grief before it overwhelms them or someone they love. Since founding Sorry For Your Loss, Camila has developed therapist endorsed grief support tools and facilitated workshops based on her frameworks at wellness and mental health summits. Before building her own platform, Camila held public relations leadership roles shaping multicultural campaigns for global brands including Apple TV+, Netflix, and Universal Pictures. She blends storytelling, empathy, and lived experience to create meaningful tools for grief, connection, and community.  Follow on IG - @sorryforyourlosscards
• When "It's Not Your Fault" Falls Flat - Grief & Guilt 29.05.2026 51хв

  In December of 2021, Sawyer was halfway through their final year of college in a world that was still reeling from the pandemic. Home for the holidays, Sawyer got the heartbreaking news that their older brother, Jason, had died by suicide - a before-and-after moment that continues to reverberate today. Sawyer shares their nuanced perspective on grief, delving into how mental health, incarceration, and other systemic barriers impacted Jason's life and death. We also explore how the phrase, "It's not your fault," while well-intentioned, can leave little space for those who are grieving to truly reckon with both guilt and regret. We discuss: Jason's artistry, love of cars, and enduring pride in Sawyer's academic accomplishments Navigating grief while finishing college and graduating The intersection of grief and institutional failures, including incarceration, a lack of stable housing, and inadequate mental health support How peer support - both formal and informal - gave Sawyer space to reckon with both grief and guilt The power of logistical support to help those who are grieving If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out. You can call 988, the National Crisis Line, or text HELLO to 741-741. Other resources include: The Trevor Project for LGBTQ+ youth (1-866-488-7386) and BlackLine (1-800-604-5841).  Resources Mentioned: Wild Grief - Grieving Together in Nature Dougy Center - Resources for Young Adults If you want to learn more about supporting children and teens who are grieving, sign up for our online courses here: https://classes.dougy.org/
• When Grief Gets Silenced: Supporting Black Youth & Families With Dr. Allen Lipscomb 12.05.2026 42хв

  Acknowledgment, validation, and curiosity – meeting grief with these three elements is crucial in creating supportive, culturally relevant grief support environments for children and adults. Dr. Allen Lipscomb has spent his career researching, designing, and implementing anti-racist interventions that directly support not just grief from death loss, but also the grief from racialized trauma experienced by those in the Black community.   Dr. Lipscomb shares his personal experiences with grief, including the death of his grandmother when he was a child and being wrongly accused of a crime in his adolescence. He also discusses the roots of his work as a clinician, researcher, and Professor of Social Work, including the culturally specific ways he engages with clients that prioritize choice and naming racism and racialized trauma that play a role in how people grieve.   We discuss: How childhood experiences of death, racism, and wrongful accusation shaped Dr. Allen Lipscomb's understanding of grief, trauma, and identity   The impact of racialized trauma on how Black youth and men experience, express, and silence grief   Why naming experiences like racism, PTSD, and loss can be profoundly important and validating   What culturally responsive grief support looks like, including storytelling, oral histories, grief mapping, somatic awareness, and community-centered care   How grief supporters can avoid rescuer dynamics and instead create invitational, choice-centered spaces to explore grief  The importance of preparing mental health providers, schools, and communities to offer anti-racist, culturally relevant grief support for Black youth and families  Allen E. Lipscomb, PsyD, LCSW, Professor of Social Work, Associate Chair, Director of MSW Online Program; and Director of Minority Male Mentoring (M3) and Student Success Allies (SSA) program at California State University Northridge in the Department of Social Work. Dr. Lipscomb is a clinical psychologist and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of California. Dr. Lipscomb specializes in providing anti-oppressive and inclusive mental health services to individuals, children, youth, couples, and families of color. His areas of research are centered on the psychiatric epidemiology among racialized and marginalized individuals who have experienced trauma (i.e., complex trauma, traumatic-grief, and race-based trauma). Dr. Lipscomb has conducted numerous qualitative research studies on racialized Black identified men across the Black/African Diaspora exploring their grief, loss, and complex-trauma experiences. His pedagogy is centered on cultural anti-oppressive and clinically responsive inclusive practices with communities of color. Dr. Lipscomb maintains a private practice; conducts local, national, and international trainings; is a consultant/coach, and keynote speaker. Dr. Lipscomb has numerous peer reviewed journal articles that centers Black male grief experiences and has a published five books all centered around Black men and boys grief, trauma, and healing journeys.  Resources mentioned in our conversation: Reframing Grief for Black Students: A Qualitative Analysis of Grief Resilient Affirming Care through Empowerment (G.R.A.C.E) Training  My Grandmother's Hands by Resmaa Menakem  Connect with Dr. Lipscomb Website  IG @dralipscomb 
• A Mother's Legacy, A Daughter's Grief - N'keya Peters-Camille 01.05.2026 45хв

  In this episode of Grief Out Loud, Jana is joined by N'keya Peters-Camille, LCSW, RYT® 200, a social worker, certified Grief Yoga teacher, facilitator for e-motion grief meet ups, and creator of Hope: A One Line A Day Journal for the Bereaved. N'keya shares the story of her mother, Hope - a woman she describes as her soulmate - who died of pancreatic cancer in 2021 at the age of 46.  N'keya reflects on growing up alongside her mother, witnessing her overcome immense challenges, and experiencing firsthand what it meant to be deeply seen, supported, and loved. After her mother's death, N'keya found herself navigating grief without strong cultural or community rituals to hold her. In response, she created her own network of support through grief counseling, retreats, movement practices, and eventually, offering those same resources to others - particularly within her Afro-Caribbean and African American communities.  The conversation explores caregiving during the pandemic, the absence of end-of-life conversations, and what it means to grieve while parenting young children. N'keya shares how she spoke honestly with her three-year-old son about death, how grief continues to evolve five years later, and how she makes space for both sorrow and joy - especially on complex days like Mother's Day.  N'keya also speaks candidly about pregnancy loss and infertility following her mother's death and how those grief experiences intersected. She describes how her mother's voice continues to guide her—in her work, her parenting, and her sense of self—and how she honors that connection by living fully, while also deeply grieving.  Note: this episode mentions childhood sexual assault. Please take care while listening.   In this episode, you'll hear about: Grieving the death of a parent while raising young children   The impact of limited cultural grief rituals and creating your own   Movement, community, and storytelling as grieving practices Navigating Mother's Day while holding multiple losses   Pregnancy loss, infertility, and layered grief experiences   Maintaining an ongoing bond with someone who has died   N'keya Peters-Camille, LCSW, RYT® 200, is a Social Worker and Grief Educator who integrates clinical support with somatic healing. Her work is deeply rooted in her own grief history—from navigating the death of her beloved mother, Hope, to the profound challenges of miscarriage and the complexities of IVF and IUI.  As an African American woman born and raised in Brooklyn with Caribbean roots, N'keya is dedicated to bringing meaningful grief support to her community. Certified in Grief Yoga, she believes that grief is often too heavy to carry alone and too deep to process through words alone. In addition to her private practice, she serves as a volunteer with E-Motion, facilitating 6–8 week grief movement groups. By blending clinical social work with somatic movement and meditation, N'keya provides a "soft landing" for those walking the path of loss—helping them bridge the gap between mind and body, find their breath again, and carry their loved ones' legacies forward.  Want to learn more about supporting children and teens who are grieving? Sign up for our online courses here: https://classes.dougy.org/
• Tips For Grieving Through Mother's Day 23.04.2026 19хв

  Mother's Day is approaching - Sunday, May 10th, 2026 - and it's a "holiday" that comes with lots of mixed emotions for those who are grieving. Whether you're a child grieving a parent, a parent grieving a child, or anyone who is carrying grief into the day, this episode might be for you. We explore why holidays connected to particular relationships can be so tough in grief and outline ideas for navigating both the lead-up and the day itself.  This episode originally aired in April 2015.  Other Grief Out Loud episodes related to mothers, mothering, and Mother's Day: Ep. 127 What God Is Honored Here? Shannon Gibney & Kao Kalia Yang Ep. 147 Grief & Mother's Day - A Teen's Take Want to learn more about supporting children and teens who are grieving? Sign up for our online courses here: https://classes.dougy.org/
• What If Grief Care Is Preventative Care? Dr. Kailey Bradley 16.04.2026 41хв

  In this episode, we talk with Dr. Kailey Bradley about support for grieving a death loss, but also the more overlooked non-death losses, including chronic illness, infertility, shifting identities, and the futures we imagined but don't get to live.  Dr. Bradley is a clinician and educator who specializes in working with children and families navigating grief and illness. Kailey shares her experiences growing up with chronic illness and being diagnosed with premature ovarian failure at age 12, and how those layered losses affected her at different life stages. We explore what it means to "process" grief, why anger and big questions deserve space, and how grief can show up in ways we don't always recognize. We also discuss how being diagnosed later in life with autism spectrum disorder shifted how Kailey understands grief – hers and those she supports.   We discuss: Why grief care can be seen as preventative mental health care   What Kailey learned working with teens in juvenile detention about unprocessed loss   How children express grief through play, behavior, and the body   Supporting neurodivergent kids and teens, including those with autism   The importance of choice and autonomy in grief support   What makes a grief-informed community and why we need more of them   The collective grief of the pandemic and how little space we've made to process it   This conversation is both practical and expansive, offering ideas for parents, caregivers, educators, clinicians, and anyone who wants to better understand grief in all its forms.  Connect with Dr. Kailey BradleyRefuge Counseling: https://allrefuge.com/The Death & Sex Podcast: https://pod.co/the-death-and-sex-podcast The Ohio Bereavement Collaborative: https://ohiobc.com/  Want to learn more about supporting children and teens who are grieving? Sign up for our online courses here: https://classes.dougy.org/
• Throughlines: Keeping A Connection With My Mom 09.04.2026 37хв

  Jeremy's mom was a protector, an optimist, and someone who held onto a sense of lightness - even after a cancer diagnosis that led to her death just a few months later. In this episode, Jeremy shares what it was like to navigate such a short window between his mom's diagnosis and death, and how her outlook continues to shape him and his grief. From visiting her just before her death to to time spent in the woods bow hunting, he describes the ways he still feels connected to her. After her death, Jeremy's connection to nature and hunting became a foundation for staying close with his mom. From finding a deer skull to a particularly challenging hunt, he felt her presence and support come through. Jeremy also turned to reconnecting with his Filipino heritage, joining a grief group, and moving to be closer to family as ways to cope with the loss.   At the heart of this conversation is the idea of ongoing connection - how relationships with people who have died can continue and evolve over time. Note for listeners: This episode includes non-graphic references to bow hunting and the death of an animal. Please take care while listening. In this episode, we talk about: Grief after a rapid illness and loss Staying connected to someone who has died The role of nature and ritual in grief Finding support, even when you're unsure Honoring family, culture, and heritage Read transcript. Want to learn more about supporting children and teens who are grieving? Sign up for our online courses here: https://classes.dougy.org/
• Waiting for Dawn: Marisa Renee Lee on Living with Grief, Illness, and Uncertainty 02.04.2026 46хв

  What does it mean to live with uncertainty - especially when your body, your capacity, and your sense of self are all changing at once? In this episode, Jana is joined again by author and advocate Marisa Renee Lee. You may know Marisa from her first book, Grief Is Love, or from her work helping people tell the truth about grief. In this conversation, she returns to share about her new book, Waiting for Dawn, and the realities of living with long COVID - an experience that has reshaped her daily life, her work, and her understanding of grief. Marisa reflects on the many losses she's navigated over the years: the death of her mother when she was 25, a pregnancy loss, the recent death of her beloved dog, and the ongoing grief of living with chronic illness. We explore how grief shows up not only after someone dies, but also in the loss of health, identity, and certainty. Marisa shares how she's learning to live within that uncertainty, from asking for (and accepting) help, to finding small, sustaining moments of joy, to letting go of who she used to be. The conversation also touches on parenting through grief and illness, including how Marisa talks with her young son about death, and what it's been like to watch him develop his own relationship with grief. We discuss: The difference between grieving a person and grieving your own health How long COVID has reshaped Marisa's identity, work, and daily life The loneliness of illness and the challenge of asking for help Parenting through grief and talking with children about death The impact of cumulative loss and how different losses intersect Letting go of who you were before loss or illness Finding "micro joys" and small footholds in hard seasons The role of faith, hope, and rest in navigating uncertainty Find Marisa: marisareneelee.com Get the book: Waiting for Dawn — available April 7, 2026 Read transcript Want to learn more about supporting children and teens who are grieving? Sign up for our online courses here: https://classes.dougy.org/
• Words Matter: What To Say When Someone Is Grieving - Shelby Forsythia 13.03.2026 51хв

  Shelby Forsythia is well acquainted with grief. After a series of losses that started in her late teens and culminated in the death of her mother from cancer, Shelby became an expert in avoiding and outrunning her grief. Then, an incident with a stolen wallet broke through that avoidance; in the aftermath of letting those feelings out, she realized she needed to give herself permission to grieve. Since then, Shelby's done so much in the realm of grief support—as a coach, author, and host of the Grief Grower podcast. Shelby's newest book, Of Course, I'm Here, Right Now, written for friends, family, and community members, provides answers to the ubiquitous question: "What do I say to someone who is grieving?" We discuss: The "four years of hell" when Shelby experienced multiple losses. The stolen wallet incident and the loud, messy grief eruption that followed. Why people fear falling into the abyss of grief if they start crying. Three stories people who are grieving tell themselves. The three phrases that help dismantle those unhelpful stories. What people said after Shelby's mom died vs. what they said after her best friend Tami died. How to start the conversation with someone who is grieving. Connect with Shelby Forsythia: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/ Her latest book, Of Course, I'm Here, Right Now, is out on 3.31.26. Read transcript Want to learn more about supporting children and teens who are grieving? Sign up for our online courses here: https://classes.dougy.org/
• The Million Stages Of Grief - Michael Reed On Finding His Way After Catastrophic Loss 05.03.2026 41хв

  What does grief look like when you lose your wife, two daughters, your home, and nearly everything you own - all in a single night? In this episode we talk with Michael Reed, a husband, father, and author whose life was forever changed when a wildfire swept through his community, taking the lives of his wife Constance, his older daughter Chloe, his youngest, Lily, their pets, and reducing their home to ashes. Nearly a decade later, Michael shares about the darkness he fell into, who was there to hold him and his son up, the ways he stays connected to his wife and daughters, and how he's re-engaged with life through writing and helping others.   Michael Reed is the author of The Million Stages of Grief, a self-published book born from years of middle-of-the-night writing as he tried to make sense of catastrophic loss. He also became an unexpected public face of his community's tragedy - a role he has since transformed into a mission of talking openly about grief, faith, and learning to live again.  In this episode: Michael shares vivid memories of his daughters: Chloe's extraordinary compassion and Lily's unforgettable sass and spirit.  What it's like to lose not only the people you love but every physical trace of them - and how Michael keeps their memory close without tangible reminders.  How his son Nicholas became a teacher for Michael in how to grieve.   His experience with EMDR therapy and what acceptance means to him.   The origin of The Million Stages of Grief: how raw, unedited Facebook posts led to a blog, then to a self-published book.  Why the five stages of grief didn't work for Michael - and how he came to understand that grief can move through a million stages in a single day.  A raw, honest account of his anger at God after the fire.  What it was like to become the unwilling public spokesperson for a community's tragedy, and how he has reclaimed that platform on his own terms.  His core message: loss is loss, no matter who or what you've lost — and using your own hurt to help others is how we change the world.  Connect with Michael:  Website - https://themillionstages.com/ Books - https://themillionstages.com/books  IG - https://www.instagram.com/reedstrong2020  Transcript Want to learn more about supporting children and teens who are grieving? Sign up for our online courses here: https://classes.dougy.org/ 
• Tending To The Roots Of Ritual With Joél Simone, The Grave Woman 20.02.2026 41хв

  In this episode of Grief Out Loud, we talk with death & grief care professional, educator, and cultural advocate Joél Simone, also known as The Grave Woman.  Joél shares the story behind a childhood drawing that declared her future as "the grave woman," and how that early curiosity about death grew into a lifelong vocation in funeral service, grief education, and cultural competency. Drawing from decades of experience, Joél reflects on the spiritual, cultural, and embodied dimensions of grief, including what she's learned by listening closely to families, children, and traditions that are too often overlooked.   Joél also talks about her work as founder of the Multicultural Death & Grief Care Academy, including immersive learning experiences that center history, ritual, land, and lineage. Throughout the conversation, she invites us to rethink what ritual looks like and how tending to culture can provide grounding and support for grief.  We discuss: How rituals - inherited and improvised - can be a form of medicine  What the funeral industry still needs to understand about serving Black and African American families  The importance of cultural humility, proactive learning, and not treating communities as monoliths  How children experience death and mourning from their literal, physical perspective and what adults often miss  The role of land, ancestry, and cultural preservation in grief, particularly within Gullah Geechee communities  Why culture itself can be a powerful container for grief and remembrance  Connect with Joél Simone: Website: www.thegravewoman.com The Multicultural Death & Grief Care Academy Workshops & Classes The Death & Grief Talk Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/thegravewoman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegravewoman/
• Restrung: Music, Grief, And Fatherhood With Matt Fogelson 13.02.2026 43хв

  When Matt Fogelson's father died of lung cancer during his senior year of college, he turned to music to express what words couldn't - rage, self-loathing, and grief so profound he didn't know where to put it.  In this conversation, Matt - author of the new memoir Restrung - talks about the silence that surrounded his father's terminal illness, the vacuum left by an absent but beloved parent, and how grunge music (especially Soundgarden and Pearl Jam) created space for him to feel what was hard to put into words.  Matt shares how his Aunt Wendy became his unlikely guide, why he wore his father's suits to work for years trying to feel close to him, and the breakthrough moment when Pearl Jam's "Release" helped him shift his relationship with his father's memory and his grief.  We also discuss how grief shaped his approach to parenting, why he sang a Grateful Dead song to his son every night for 14 years, and the three songs he wishes he could share with his father now.  Resources Matt's memoir Restrung (released February 3, 2026)  Matt's Substack and music blog (Fine Tuning)  More at dougy.org  Grief Out Loud is a production of Dougy Center, the National Grief Center for Children and Families. 
• When Grief and Trauma Collide – Christina Babich, MA 03.02.2026 51хв

  When Christina Babich's partner, Alex, died suddenly from a brain aneurysm while they were visiting his family in Italy, her world shattered in more ways than one. In addition to the grief of losing the person she loved and the future they were building together, Christina was also left to navigate the aftermath of a deeply traumatic event - one that profoundly impacted her nervous system, sense of safety, and identity.  In this episode, Christina shares what it was like to grieve a sudden, "out-of-order" death while also navigating the derealization, hypervigilance, and other ways the trauma of his death affected her. She talks about how being a "quasi widow" shaped the care and recognition she received and why platitudes about resilience and post-traumatic growth can sometimes feel alienating rather than supportive.  Christina also reflects on how her personal experience shaped her work as a psychologist specializing in grief and trauma, including the role of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), the pressure placed on people who are grieving to "transform" their pain, and the importance of being witnessed by someone who truly understands.  We discuss The difference between grief and trauma - and how they often coexist Derealization, PTSD, and nervous system responses after a sudden death What Christina means by "quasi-widow"  Why platitudes about strength and growth can feel harmful How Cognitive Processing Therapy was helpful for her Grieving lost identities, futures, and imagined lives  Finding connection with others who can relate  Living day-to-day when the future feels overwhelming  Connect with Christina Website: https://www.christinababich.com/ Substack: christinababich.substack.com 
• Echoes Of Her - Adell Coleman On Grieving Her Mother & Finding Community 26.01.2026 41хв

  In this episode of Grief Out Loud, we talk with Adell Coleman about her mother who was killed when Adell was just 24 years old. Adell reflects on the closeness of their relationship and how her mom's death radically shifted her sense of safety in the world. She shares how the circumstances around her mother's death, including being the person who found her, has made it difficult to remember how her mom lived, without reliving how she died.  Adell also talks about what it's been like raising two daughters who never met their grandmother, but somehow carry her presence in surprising and meaningful ways. She reflects on anniversaries 14 years later, the exhaustion of grief, and how becoming the family "grief expert" interrupted her capacity to engage with her own grief.  The conversation closes with Adell describing how community, therapy, boundaries, and creative work - including her documentary and podcast, Echoes of Her: To Mom With Love - have helped her find language, connection, and space for her grief.   We discuss Losing a mother in young adulthood and feeling "not ready" to be an adult How violent death and trauma impact grief and memory  The challenge of accessing good memories when you are dealing with traumatic imagery  Parenting while grieving and helping children connect with a grandparent they never met  Anniversaries, emotional exhaustion, and grief over time  Becoming the family "grief expert" and having to put off personal grief  Finding community after loss and why the right support can take time  Creating meaning through storytelling, connection, and creative projects Adell's documentary and her new podcast, Echoes of Her: To Mom With Love  Connect with Adell Instagram: @iamadellcoleman  Podcast: Echoes of Her Threads: @iamadellcoleman Documentary: Echoes of Her: To Mom With Love Substack: On My Momma                
• Why Grief Isn't A Journey (And What It Is Instead) - John Onwuchekwa 08.01.2026 43хв

  What if grief isn't a journey for us to eventually finish, but more a language we become fluent in? In this first episode of 2026, we talk with writer, storyteller, and social entrepreneur, John Onwuchekwa, whose life was profoundly shaped by the death of his brother Sam in 2015. John shares how Sam's death altered not just his relationships and priorities, but his understanding of grief itself.  Rather than framing grief as a journey with an endpoint, John offers a different metaphor: grief as a language that we learn over time, one with past, present, and future tenses. He explores how grief comes through not just in our words, but our bodies, our reflexes, and our relationships, showing up in ways we often don't consciously choose.  We discuss: The limitations - and harm - of common grief metaphors The shifts in John's priorities and perspective that occurred after Sam died  How loneliness often sits at the center of grief  The ways grief can show up in our bodies, before our minds understand what's happening Holding grief and hope at the same time  Connect with John  Website: https://www.johno.co/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jawn_o/?hl=en  We Go On: https://www.andwegoon.com/ Blog: https://www.johno.blog/  Podcast: Four In The Morning https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...   Portrait Coffee: https://www.johno.co/ventures#portrait 
• Time Keeps Moving, But She Doesn't: Mackenzie Galloway-Cole On Grief And New Year's 22.12.2025 50хв

  In the fall of 2023, Mackenzie Galloway-Cole was living out her rom-com-worthy love story with her wife Megan in New York City. Then, on an ordinary night in November, Megan collapsed and died a few hours later from a sudden cardiac event. In the aftermath, Mackenzie had to find her way in this newly shattered world without Megan, her anchor and biggest cheerleader.  Mackenzie reflects on the shock of becoming a young widow, the added layers of grief that come with queer partner loss, and the painful realities of navigating death care systems that often default to heteronormative assumptions. Together, Jana and Mackenzie talk about the isolating nature of sudden and unexplained death, the importance of finding people who "get it," and the ways time itself becomes a particularly painful aspect of grief. Mackenzie also shares why New Year's can feel like a uniquely brutal grief milestone, how absence accumulates as life continues, and how Megan's love still shapes the way she takes care of herself today. This conversation holds space for heartbreak, dark humor, love stories, and the not-so-quiet ways grief rewires daily life - especially when the person you most want to turn to is the one who died. In this episode, we discuss: The story of how Megan and Mackenzie met and fell in love Sudden death and the trauma of an ordinary day turning catastrophic The intersection of being a young, gay widow Navigating hospitals, funeral homes, and death administration as a queer spouse Why the small, everyday moments can hurt more than the big ones How the second Christmas can feel even harder than the first New Year's as a "sneaky" grief holiday How the choices you make in life can reflect and honor your person who died Mackenzie Galloway-Cole writes about grief at Good Gay Grief on Substack and can also be found on Instagram at @deadwifeclub
• Brennan Wood On How Grief Is To Feel, Not Fix - Even At The Holidays 11.12.2025 44хв

  It's our annual holiday episode, this time with Dougy Center Executive Director and TEDx speaker Brennan Wood. Brennan first encountered Dougy Center after her mom, Doris, died of breast cancer three days after Brennan's 12th birthday. She has since navigated almost four decades of holiday seasons with grief along for the ride. She shares about the early years that were awful; the young-adult years she spent volunteering away from family; and how, as an adult, she's learned to hold both grief and joy while creating new traditions for her own family. Whether this is your first or 41st holiday season with grief, this conversation offers validation, tangible suggestions, and new ways to think about this time of year.   We discuss:  How attending a peer grief support group as a teen introduced Brennan to the idea that grief is to feel, not fix. Accepting that not everything has to be bright and shiny, especially during the holidays.   Recalling the first Christmas after her mom died and why it felt awful.  New traditions she's created as an adult with her own family.  Grounding rituals Brennan uses, especially during the holidays.   Why it's okay to be mad at holiday traditions you used to love.  Need additional tips and suggestions for this time of year? Check out our past episodes and our Holiday Grief Tip Sheet & Worksheet  It's Okay That It's Not the Same: Grief at the Holidays  It Can Be So Awkward: Holidays & Grief  The Not- Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Holidays & Grief  Grief And The Holidays   Under Pressure – Grief & December Holidays  Watch Brennan's TEDxPortland Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN4zP5baJrg Read her A Kid's Book About Grief - https://dougybookstore.org/products/a-kids-book-about-grief Learn more about Brennan - https://www.dougy.org/about/team-dougy/executive-director
• Beyond Silence: Kyndal Parks On Honoring Her Grandfather & Advocating For Better Grief Support 04.12.2025 47хв

  When Kyndal Parks' grandfather died on Black Friday - the day after Thanksgiving – she lost one of her biggest supporters and confidants. While navigating her grief, Kyndal was also navigating life as a college student where she often felt unseen in her grief by faculty and the wider institution. What began as a class assignment turned into a powerful audio piece about loss, legacy, and the urgent need for grief-informed spaces on college campuses, particularly at HBCUs where collective trauma, silence, and resilience intertwine.  In this conversation, Kyndal shares about her grandfather's extraordinary life - from his childhood in the 1940s, to living with a disability, to his time as a Black Panther, a gardener, a traveler, and the steady source of love that shaped her into the person she is today. She talks about the traditions they built together, how her grief shows up even from 2,000 miles away, and why vulnerability and community care are essential if we want to build environments where students who are grieving feel supported.   Kyndal also explores the cultural and historical patterns of grief in Black communities, the pressure to "push through," and her vision for a world where grief is met with connection, not silence.  We discuss: What made Kyndal's grandfather such an influential figure  How his death reshaped her understanding of family, holidays, and identity What grief looked like at her college, and within her family and community Why she created her audio piece and what she hopes listeners take from it  The need for vulnerability, community support, and grief-informed care at HBCUs and beyond  How her grandfather continues to guide her today  Check out News Ambassadors, the program that helped connect us with Kyndal and her audio piece.           
• Going To College With Grief - Loss In Young Adulthood 25.11.2025 47хв

  When Hilary was 18, her oldest sister, Kelly, died from a rare cancer called DSRCT (desmoplastic small round cell tumor). In the same year, Hilary left for college and her parents divorced - three life-altering events that reshaped her relationships, sense of stability, and the early years of adulthood.  In this episode, we talk about: Growing up as the youngest of three sisters and the creative, nurturing bond she shared with Kelly  Navigating Kelly's diagnosis, treatment, and death while still in high school  Trying to appear "fine" in college while carrying immense grief  The ways her family dynamics shifted after Kelly's death and her parents' divorce  How grief continued to evolve across developmental stages, from early adulthood into her mid-30s  The unexpected moments - like baking bread or bringing home a new pet – that bring new waves of grief  How her experience shaped her work as a therapist supporting others in pain  Hilary also shares what she wishes she had known about grief at 18, how exhausting it can be, and how she learned to make space for grief that shows up differently over time.