Grief and Rebirth: Finding the Joy in Life

Transitioning from retirement is about far more than finances—it’s a profound shift in identity, purpose, and emotional grounding. Elizabeth Zelinka Parsons, J.D ., a former attorney turned retirement transition expert, helps high achievers navigate this rebirth with clarity and optimism. Drawing from her own journey of leaving a high-powered legal career, Elizabeth shares how to find meaning beyo...

Elizabeth Zelinka Parsons, a former attorney turned retirement transition expert, reveals how to navigate identity, emotion, and possibility beyond finances. Whether you’re approaching retirement or supporting someone who is, this conversation will shift your perspective and inspire your next chapter.  --- ✨ Grief & Rebirth: Healing Resources & Tools ✨ 🎧 Irene's Books (Including a Free...

Quantum healing isn’t just a method, it’s a mirror reflecting how deeply love, grief, and spiritual awakening are intertwined. In this episode, psychic counselor and Reiki master teacher Lisa Campion joins Irene Weinberg to explore the extraordinary path that began with the loss of her twin brother in utero—a moment that opened the door to her lifelong psychic gifts. Together, they dive into how g...

What if loss could awaken your deepest gifts? In this moving conversation, we explore how grief can open the door to spiritual growth and intuitive awakening. Psychic counselor and Reiki master Lisa Campion shares how the loss of her twin brother in utero sparked her lifelong connection to the unseen. Discover what auras reveal about us, how to strengthen your psychic boundaries, and simple ways t...

How I Felt My Daughter’s Presence After Her Death The journey from grief to joy is never simple, but Anita Albright shows it can be deeply transformative. After losing her daughter, Anita found healing through faith, storytelling, and the writing of her book Journey to Joy: From Grief to Inner Peace . A longtime educator, author, and community leader, she shares how she moved through unimaginable...

What happens when unimaginable loss meets unshakable love? In this heartfelt episode, Anita Albright opens her heart about losing her daughter Bonnie — and the extraordinary path that led her from deep grief to rediscovering joy. From sound healing sessions and synchronicities to her 52-week guide Journey to Joy, Anita shares the tools, dreams, and even a whimsical “princess phone” she considered...

Rising from Devastating Grief through Spiritual Healing Aleksandra Chumak is a first-generation Ukrainian immigrant, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, fantasy novelist, and spiritual explorer, whose life is a living testament to the resilience of the human spirit. After enduring a series of profound family losses, Aleks transformed her pain into purpose, dedicating her life to helping others navig...

Poetic medicine is at the heart of this powerful conversation with Cyra Dumitru , poet, instructor, and certified poetic-medicine practitioner. At sixteen she witnessed her brother David’s suicide, an event that shaped her life and her writing. In her memoir Words Make a Way Through Fire: Healing After My Brother’s Suicide , Cyra shows how poetry’s rhythm, imagery, and voice can help transform sho...

Joining Irene next on Grief and Rebirth is Poet and certified poetic medicine practitioner Cyra Dumitru, who opens her heart about the devastating loss of her brother and the decades-long journey of healing that followed. From poetry to spiritual guidance through a presence called “Voice,” Cyra shares how words became her sanctuary and her path toward grace. A deeply moving conversation on grief,...

Complex grief can feel like a life sentence, but Dr. Michelle Peticolas proves it can also be a catalyst for profound transformation. In this empowering conversation, she shares how her own experience of abandonment and betrayal inspired the SERVE framework—a step-by-step guide to surrender, engage, reframe, envision, and express—to help women release old pain, rewrite their stories, and awaken th...

In our next Grief and Rebirth episode, we meet Dr. Michelle Cola, a transformative figure with a rich background as an internationally bestselling author, filmmaker, and life coach with a PhD in sociology. Michelle delves into her personal journey from experiencing profound grief and abandonment to undergoing a soul-awakening pilgrimage that reshaped her understanding of life and death. Discover h...

Grief counseling takes on new depth and meaning in this moving conversation with Sarah Mayfield , a nationally certified compassionate bereavement care counselor and debut children’s author. Drawing on her own devastating loss—the sudden passing of her young son, Elliot—Sarah shares how she turned heartbreak into advocacy for grieving children and families. She opens up about the enduring signs sh...

Join us next on Grief and Rebirth for a deeply moving conversation with Sarah Mayfield, a grief advocate whose life was forever changed after the sudden loss of her one-and-a-half-year-old son, Elliot. In her quest to find grief support for her surviving son, Bradley, Sarah discovered a profound lack of resources—and turned her heartbreak into a mission to help others navigate the tender terrain o...

This week on Grief and Rebirth, we’re revisiting this powerful episode with Sandy Phillips Kirkham, who shares her journey from trauma to healing after being preyed upon by a charismatic youth minister at 16. She discusses her award-winning book Let Me Prey Upon You, the impact of clergy abuse, her decades-long path to justice and forgiveness, and how she now advocates for other survivors through...

This week, we revisit our episode with Aly Bird , a coach, an author, a therapist-in-training, and a widow who is the author of the wisdom-filled book titled  Grief Ally: Helping People You Love Cope with Death, Loss, and Grief . When Aly was 30 years old, the person she loved and trusted most in her life suddenly died, leaving her in a world that no longer made sense. In the aftermath of her loss...

How Do You Survive Losing 12 Loved Ones?  Finding your way forward after profound loss is a powerful journey, and this episode shares how one woman transformed immense heartbreak into a life of purpose. Join us for an inspiring conversation with Lisa Archer , a life and grief coach and author, as she bravely recounts losing 12 loved ones in just 22 months, including her parents and 24-year-old son...

Coming Next on Grief and Rebirth... After losing 12 loved ones in just 22 months, including her parents, niece, and young son-in-law, Lisa Archer chose purpose instead of despair. In this powerful episode, the life and grief coach shares how she turned unimaginable pain into healing and now helps others do the same. Her story is raw, inspiring, and a reminder that even in the darkest moments, hope...

Kim Cantin lost her husband and son during the 2018 Montecito mudslides, and her daughter was even buried alive. Despite going through such a traumatic experience, she held on to hope and remained determined to thrive. She joins Irene Weinberg to share how this life-altering tragedy taught her what it means to accept help, lean into vulnerability, and cherish the love that never dies, which she di...

Coming next on Grief and Rebirth... In 2018, Kim Canton lost her husband and son in the Montecito mudslide. Her daughter Lauren was buried alive and miraculously rescued. In this powerful interview, Kim shares her journey through unimaginable grief, the light she found in the darkness, and the strength it took to rebuild her life with purpose. A true story of love, loss, and resilience. --- ✨ Gri...

The Toxic Myths Holding Men Back: Breaking Free from 'Alpha Bro' BeliefsToxic masculinity doesn't just hurt others—it holds men back from living fully and authentically. Breakthrough coach Bryan May joins to dismantle the rigid "alpha bro" mindset and the cultural programming that teaches men to disconnect from their emotions. From surviving profound personal loss to leading men through spiritual...

Coming up on Grief and Rebirth: Bryan May was a top real estate pro until the sudden loss of his wife in 2021 changed everything. Now a breakthrough consultant, he helps men heal, grow, and break free from toxic “alpha” mindsets. This powerful conversation is about grief, fatherhood, and finding purpose after loss. Don’t miss it. --- ✨ Grief & Rebirth: Healing Resources & Tools ✨ 🎧 Iren...

What if profound loss wasn’t the end, but the beginning of an incredible journey? Join Irene Weinberg as she speaks with Lisa ‘Sunya’ Joynes , a shaman who embodies the vibrant energy of the heyoka or sacred clown. Sunya dives into her profound personal transformation after the passing of her husband, Gary, revealing how she uncovered hidden magic within that loss. Discover how heyoka energy taugh...

Coming up on Grief and Rebirth with Irene, Shaman Sunya (Lisa) Joynes opens up about how the heartbreak of losing her husband became the spiritual catalyst that transformed her life. In this powerful episode, we explore the twin flame journey, the joy of awakening, and the unexpected healing that comes through laughter. Get ready to challenge what you thought you knew about love, loss, and your so...

Transforming Grief and Healing Into a Legacy of Meaning-MakingGrief can leave us shattered, but Alexandra Vassilaros proves it can also be the spark for healing and creative rebirth through meaning-making. In this moving conversation, Pulitzer Prize-nominated playwright and founder of the Make Meaning Workshop shares how the devastating loss of her husband became a gateway to deeper purpose, commu...

Coming Up on Grief and Rebirth:Grief doesn’t follow a roadmap—but it can lead to transformation. In this upcoming episode, Irene talks with Alexandra Vassilaros, Pulitzer Prize co-finalist, playwright, and founder of the Make Meaning Workshop. After losing her husband, Alexandra turned her grief into healing through writing and now helps others do the same. Tune in for a powerful conversation on h...