GRIEF AND LIGHT

What happens when three grief podcasters sit down to talk about the happiest–saddest time of the year? In this special Grief Awareness Week episode, three grief storytellers and space-holders — Nina Rodriguez ( Grief and Light ), Liz Quinn ( Healing Hearts Podcast ), and Tara Accardo ( Life with Grief podcast ) — come together for a conversation that’s equal parts honest, tender, and deeply human....

Some stories are written in ink. Others are written in loss, love, and everything that comes after.  Today’s guest is Tiriq Rashad , spoken word artist, whose life has been shaped by the grief of losing his daughter, brother, and mother, and by the courage to transform that pain into poetry, music, and meaning. Through his books Shine Through Our Shade and A Diamond in God’s Dirt , and now his new...

Grief doesn’t just reshape us, it can redirect the entire course of our lives in ways we never saw coming.  *** Video available here *** For Kim Burditt Barlett , that redirection began the day her brother Jon, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, died by suicide in 2010. What followed was a profound transformation that eventually led her into suicide prevention work and, ultimately, to her role at Stop S...

How does life shift when you lose the only person who shared your beginnings — your earliest memories, your inside jokes, your sense of home? In this tender and illuminating conversation, host Nina Rodriguez sits down with Dr. Angela Dean , a licensed psychologist, thanatologist, and founder of The Broken Pack ™ —an organization and podcast created to validate and support adults grieving the loss...

When Ben Forman lost his brother Sam , his world shifted overnight, leaving him with survivor’s guilt, grief for what could have been, and a search for meaning.  In this episode of Grief and Light , Ben shares how a 10-day motorcycle therapy trip through the Himalayas became a transformative journey of healing, reflection, and connection. Along the way, he immersed himself in nature, friendship, a...

No man should have to carry it alone. Many men are hurting in silence, and Robb Pollard knows that silence well. In this deeply human conversation, Nina Rodriguez sits down with Robb Pollard, founder of Walk With Me Brother , a nonprofit devoted to men’s mental health and connection. *** VIDEO AVAILABLE HERE *** Robb shares his journey of living with bipolar disorder, navigating bullying and alcoh...

When Sara Rian ’s mother unexpectedly died in 2018, her world, and her words,  changed forever.  *** This episode is available in video here . *** What began as a private act of survival through poetry slowly became a bridge to others who were grieving too. Her poems, often found reaching grieving hearts through social media feeds, give voice to what so many can’t yet name: the ache, the confusion...

A mother’s story of love, advocacy, and finding joy while parenting a child in hospice. What happens when the life you imagined for your child suddenly changes forever? For Dr. Tasha Faruqui , that question became her reality when her daughter, Soraya, was born with a rare and little-known genetic condition. A doctor herself, Tasha thought she knew how to navigate the medical world. But nothing pr...

How do you grieve while parenting? How do you tend to your own heartbreak and hold space for your children’s? In this heartfelt conversation with Reshma Kearney, a Trauma-Informed Mindfulness and Healing Guide, shares her journey after losing her husband, Sean, to suicide. She opens up about navigating grief as a solo parent, communicating loss with honesty, and finding moments of presence through...

This week, I’m honored to share something special with you—a guided meditation created exclusively for Grief and Light listeners by Hannah Castillo, host of the Love Your Calm podcast. Hannah has been a Mental Health Counselor for over 20 years and is passionate about making meditation approachable and supportive, especially in tender seasons of life. After her own health challenges led her to dis...

What if you gave yourself permission to pause?  This episode explores why rest is essential, not optional, covering the seven types of rest, the cost of burnout, and practical ways to create your own “pause week.” Consider this your reminder that what doesn’t bend, breaks; and that even small pauses can refill your cup. Rather than a luxury, rest is a necessity for our mental, emotional, and physi...

You just lost your loved one. Now what? Welcome to Grief and Light , a podcast about the honest truth of life after loss. Hosted by Nina Rodriguez , whose world was forever changed after the sudden death of her only sibling, this show explores the reality of grief, not as something to fix, but as a lifelong companion we learn to live with. On Grief and Light, you’ll hear: Honest reflections on the...

What if death wasn’t the end of the conversation? In this episode of Grief and Light , Nina Rodriguez sits down with psychic medium and mentor Karen Docherty to explore how mediumship can become a powerful source of comfort, connection, and healing after loss. With warmth and clarity, Karen shares her own journey of discovering and embracing her calling, and how she now supports both the grieving...

And just like that, we're an award-winning podcast! In this special episode, I’m sharing a replay of my conversation with Kathy Barron , founder and editor-in-chief of Women Who Podcast Magazine . We talk about the journey behind Grief and Light , the power of being recognized as an award-winning podcast , and why grief isn’t a linear process—it’s deeply personal, unpredictable, and life-chan...

If you’ve ever wondered how to keep living, and even loving, after losing someone you can’t imagine life without, this episode is for you.  I sit down with Shawn Dinneen , creator of HeartStrings Journals , to hear her deeply personal story of grief, resilience, and rediscovering life and new love after the devastating loss of her fiancé to an overdose in 2022. *** Video version available here ***...

How can we better support grieving kids and teens?  In this episode of the Grief and Light podcast, Nina Rodriguez sits down with Michelle Cove , award-winning media maker, communications manager of Experience Camps and Grief Sucks,  in charge of making content across multiple platforms to build a more grief-smart culture. Together, they explore how teens navigate loss, the misconceptions surround...

Whether you’re a griever, creative, or lover of independent film (and puppies!), this conversation is a moving exploration of how film can help us navigate trauma, honor legacy, and find our way back to light. In this powerful episode of the Grief and Light podcast, acclaimed filmmaker and educator Michael Flores shares the deeply personal journey behind his award-winning feature film, Dogs on the...

In this powerful episode, strategist, musician, and author Mike de la Rocha opens up about healing generational trauma, redefining masculinity, and reconnecting with his father through emotional truth-telling. *** Click here to watch on YouTube *** Drawing from his debut book Sacred Lessons: Teaching My Father How to Love , Mike explores how grief, silence, and inherited definitions of manhood sha...

Maryam De Groef on child and sibling loss, organ donation, food allergy awareness, faith, and the many ways her daughter, Zeynah, lives on. In this heartfelt and powerful episode of the Grief and Light podcast, host Nina Rodriguez speaks with grief educator, somatic practitioner, and mother Maryam De Groef about the unimaginable: the sudden loss of her 9-year-old daughter, Zeynah , to an anaphylac...

What if preparing for death could actually help you live more fully? In this powerful episode, Nina Rodriguez speaks with Marni Blank , certified end-of-life doula and founder of Begin With The End , about why planning for death is one of the most compassionate acts we can offer, both to ourselves and those we love. *** Click here to watch on YouTube *** This conversation weaves together the legal...

Grief doesn’t pause when you arrive at work, so why do so many workplaces expect us to carry on as if nothing happened? In this powerful episode of Grief and Light , host Nina Rodriguez is joined by Dr. Mekel Harris and Janet Gwilliam-Wright , co-founders of Bloomwell Partners , a consulting firm transforming how organizations handle grief and loss in the workplace.  *** Watch on YouTube *** Drawi...

In this solo, audio-only episode, host Nina Rodriguez explores the unspoken grief many of us are carrying right now—the grief of uncertainty.  From political turmoil and climate anxiety, to the dizzying pace of technological change, we’re living in times that feel increasingly unsteady. This isn’t just stress; it’s a kind of ambient grief. It's the ache of losing the future we thought we were...

What does it mean to parent a child whose life is both a miracle and a medical emergency?  In this tender and unflinching conversation, Broadway actor and author Jody Gelb shares the story of her daughter Lueza—her first child, born with disabilities resulting from a catastrophic birth injury—whose life was defined by both relentless caregiving and radiant joy. *** Click here to watch on YouTube *...

In this moving episode of Grief and Light , host Nina Rodriguez sits down with Bryan and Danielle Docobo to explore their journey through profound loss, love, and advocacy following the death of their son Ethan , who passed away from the rare genetic disorder Coats Plus Syndrome . As parents navigating complex grief while raising their surviving son Liam , who lives with the same diagnosis, Bryan...

Pet loss is real grief — and it deserves real support. In this heartfelt episode of Grief and Light , host Nina Rodriguez is joined by pet loss grief specialist, Grant Hazell, for an intimate conversation about the grief of losing a beloved animal companion. Together, they explore the deep bonds between humans and pets — often referred to as “soul pets” — and why losing them can be just as devasta...