The Grief Informed Podcast

Hey all! Navigating my own Grief while hosting a podcast about Grief has been interesting. And today’s episode is a short, honest check in from the middle of a season that’s held more grief and complexity than I can fully name. Not here, or now. But what I can do, is show up the best way I know how, in the middle of the messy and not just at the end. While simultaneously practicing what it means t...

How well can you experience big emotions and still stay present with yourself and others? Do you tend to push your feelings down or find them overwhelming to navigate? These questions are at the heart of what we discuss in today’s episode. Dr. Ricky Barrows is a Clinical Psychologist originally from Lester, England now based in Nova Scotia, Canada. In his private practice, he provides psychologica...

I can’t imagine hosting a podcast about grief and not having a conversation about suffering and how we understand its role and impact in our lives. Today’s episode is a nod to my 16 year old self, who having experienced some life changing events already, craved conversations that could help me make sense of the suffering I had witnessed. With me today to dive deep, is my friend Tamal. He is a ment...

If you're looking to deepen your self-awareness, the Enneagram offers a powerful framework that can help you better understand your inner world. Whether you're new to it or a seasoned student, this conversation is one you won’t want to miss. In this episode, you'll discover what the Enneagram is and the unique messages each type may encounter while navigating their grief. My guest, Mandy Capehart,...

Today’s episode is an End of the Year Recap of the amazing conversations we’ve had in this space. If you haven’t listened to any of the podcast yet, but have wondered what topics we cover under the umbrella of grief, today’s episode is a great summary. And also, these are snippets of the incredibly vulnerable stories my guests have shared with the shared desire to see our lives, relationships and...

There are moments when I meet someone who can effortlessly articulate profound ideas, making them much easier to metabolize. That’s John Onwucheckwa, to me. John, a middle child born in Texas to Nigerian immigrant parents, opens up about the profound loss of his brother and the deep impact grief had on his life. He’s been a church planter, a pastor and recently completed his PhD covering the subje...

At the end of 2023, I knew I wanted to start a podcast to talk all things Grief, Joy and our shared human experiences and I also knew that I wanted Heather to be my first guest. As life would have it, she was meant to be on the show now, instead. I first met Heather and her husband, Cord, twelve years ago when I was their Childbirth Doula for the birth of their sixth child, Gideon. Please laugh wi...

What does it mean to learn to grieve? In this solo episode, I’ll share what that’s looked like in my life and why I’m hopeful we can shift the collective aversion to acknowledging how our experiences affect us. It’s not just about giving ourselves permission to feel; grief is an invitation to attune more deeply to our own needs. So with a mix of humor and heartfelt vulnerability, join me as I shed...

Annie, the youngest of three siblings, has channeled her expertise as a cultural researcher into a profound and unexpected project: her book, "Always a Sibling: The Forgotten Mourner's Guide to Grief." When Annie’s brother Ben was killed in Afghanistan, she searched for a book that would acknowledge and validate her own experience of losing a sibling. Although she found many resources for grieving...

Native New Yorker, turned Coloradan, and author of “Trust yourself to be All in,” Amanda McCoy Flanagan opens up about how Grief from her brothers’ death saved her marriage, after almost ruining it. Amanda, who had been in talk therapy for years and maintained her sobriety, shares how a string of family deaths made her question a lot about her life, including her marriage. Five months after her br...

Have you heard of the concept of Shadow Work? Over 100 years ago, psychoanalyst Carl Jung taught about our "Shadow" self. He taught that t"he shadow" contains the aspects of our persona that we tend to dislike or prefer to keep hidden, such as our trauma, anger and resentments. My guest, Christin Underwood, is a motivational speaker and Life Coach that shares her own story navigating the process o...

Right now, there are an estimated 55 million people living with Dementia, worldwide. Every year, another 10 million cases are added. As of 2023, 1 in 3 seniors will die with Alzheimers Disease or another form of Dementia. And chances are high that you have experienced the effects of dementia or love someone who has. My guest, Don Wendorf dedicated 45 years as a Marriage and Family Therapist and en...

What leads women away from community and connection with one another? And how do we heal it? That’s the loaded question I got to ask Leila Dylla, a Women’s Mentor and founder of The Heart Space Community. Leila leads other women in healing through relationships and feminine initiation. In this episode, we talk about the reality that many women are feeling isolated and not adequately supported. Som...

I have always been inspired by people who know how to truly be present with others during incredibly painful moments in their life. My guest, Doug Daspit, embodies this commitment. With twelve years of experience as a Board Certified Chaplain, Doug currently serves as a full-time Police Chaplain and an Army Reserve Chaplain. His journey has also included roles as a Pastor, church planter, and chap...

If you’ve ever wondered why you might not feel safe in the world after loss, don’t trust people as much as you used to because of painful experiences or seem to feel “stuck” in hopelessness when you desperately want deeper trust and hope while grieving, then this conversation is going to bring you some clarity. My guest is a man with almost 50 years of experience and over 80,000 direct contact hou...

1 in 6 couples are walking through the painful journey of infertility. And Kristin Dillensnyder wants those couples, and the family, friends and coworkers in their world, to hear this conversation. Kristin is an Infertility Mindset Coach, an IVF Warrior and host of the "More Than Your Infertility' Podcast, whose intention is to help bring back your hope and joy while trying to conceive. Kristin an...

Imagine loving your job, feeling deeply connected to your calling and then realizing that it’s slowly ticking away at your emotional, mental and relational health. Dave Boyd is a Marine Veteran, former SWAT officer, former 911 operator, former firefighter, former school resource officer and former community police officer turned Trauma Informed Men’s coach and President of the Uncivilized Incorpor...

Hey, its Rachel and I'm sharing my first solo podcast to riff about why in the world I wanted to start a podcast about Grief. I know that an "elevator speech" is expected, but something you'll learn (to love, hopefully) is that I'm gonna need a little more of your time. Don't worry, I kept it under the 10 minute mark! Welcome into my little corner of the world where your grief is sacred and if you...

In 2015, Karen faced every grandparents worst fear when her 11 year old grandson suffered a brain aneurysm. Collier, a very witty, charming and incredibly intelligent prankster would fight for 7 more months in the hospital before passing on on October 13th. I sat down to talk with Karen about the way grief showed up for her and how she faced the reality of wanting to die, wondering "why Collier?"...

Today we have an incredibly honest conversation with Janice Johnson Dowd, a Social Worker, Author, speaker, mother and recovering alcoholic who helps recovering individuals repair their relationships with their family and friends. Janice spent her early career working in the most intense environments of the social work world. She also spent time working at both in patient and out patient recovery...

Have you ever started a podcast and five episodes in you get to have a conversation with one of your favorite teachers that you've never met in person? Traver Boehm is an author, 2 time TEDx speaker, podcast host and creator of the worldwide men's community: Man Uncivilized. I first stumbled on to Traver's work in 2017, via his TEDx talk from the year before. I was in the beginning stages of my ow...

Eric Hodgdon is a resilient advocate for those grappling with the profound impact of loss and intimately understands the challenges that accompany the grieving process. His personal journey took a powerful turn in early 2014 when he tragically lost his 15-year-old daughter, Zoi, to suicide. Frustrated by the prevailing narrative that merely surviving grief marked the “endpoint” of the journey, Eri...

Today's episode is with Dusty Sivley who is a Supervising Licensed Professional Counselor that has spent the last 14 years working with young children and teens. Dusty specializes in Bereavement Counseling and this episode is full of her incredible wisdom and practical insights on navigating teen grief after loss. Whether you are a parent of teens, a caregiver or love someone who has experienced a...

On today's episode, I sit down with Jessica Bedient from Pike Road, Alabama. She is a mom to 9 children (1 biological, 8 from Foster Care to Adoption). She talks about the journey she, along with her husband Ben, have had through the Foster Care to Adoption process. After about 10 years working with the system, Jessica shares about experiencing the many ups, downs and sometimes, public scrutiny th...

On the inaugural episode of The Grief Informed Podcast, I am bringing on my great friend, Becki Irby. Becki and her husband Garret are the, beaming with pride, parents of eleven year old Gabriel Lewis. Gabriel was diagnosed with a stroke at birth resulting in cerebral palsy and epilepsy, along with other diagnoses requiring full care. Becki invites us into her story and personal journey with Grief...