Grief, I Didn't Sign Up for This

Send us Fan Mail In this deeply informative and compassionate episode of Grief, I Didn’t Sign Up for This, host Shaleka Smith explores the often-misunderstood roles of End-of-Life Doulas and Grief Doulas, support professionals who help individuals and families navigate one of life’s most difficult transitions. What does an End-of-Life Doula actually do? How can a Grief Doula support families after...

Send us Fan Mail Mother’s Day can hold both celebration and sorrow. In this heartfelt episode of “Grief, I Didn’t Sign Up for This,” Shaleka Smith creates space for the many emotions that can surface on Mother’s Day. Whether you are grieving the loss of your mother, mourning a child, longing to become a mother, or navigating a complicated relationship, this conversation reminds listeners that they...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really look like to love someone through grief? In this deeply honest and compassionate episode, Shaleka Smith explores the complexities of supporting your spouse through loss. Whether your partner is grieving the death of a loved one, a life transition, or an unexpected heartbreak, this conversation offers practical guidance and emotional insight for navigating it to...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features a powerful conversation with Rob Shep, a dynamic leader known for his impact in creative strategy, community engagement, and building meaningful connections. Wherever Rob shows up, things move forward with purpose and excellence. As the Co-Owner and Founder of the I AM HIM Platform, Rob is creating intentional spaces for Black men to heal, grow, and connect t...

Send us Fan Mail This gentle 7-minute meditation is designed to support you as you begin a new week—especially when grief feels heavy. Whether you’re carrying personal loss, witnessing the pain in your community, or feeling the collective weight of the world, this meditation offers a moment to pause, breathe, and ground yourself. Rather than rushing past grief, this practice honors it—creating spa...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when the loss you’re carrying isn’t the death of a person—but the quiet disappearance of who you used to be? In this deeply reflective episode, I’m Grieving Me , we explore a form of grief that often goes unnamed: the grief of identity change. This conversation is for anyone mourning the version of themselves that existed before trauma, transition, responsibility, bur...

Send us Fan Mail So many of us are experts at caring for everyone else—meeting physical, emotional, and financial needs—while quietly neglecting our own. Over time, this pattern leaves us depleted, disconnected, and unfamiliar with ourselves. In this episode of Grief, I Didn’t Sign Up for This , we talk honestly about what it means to make yourself a priority—not out of selfishness, but out of nec...

Send us Fan Mail The start of a new year can bring pressure to move on, start fresh, or leave the past behind—but grief doesn’t follow the calendar. In this meditation episode of Grief, I Didn’t Sign Up for This , we create space to gently acknowledge what the previous year held and to step into the new year with honesty, compassion, and intention. This guided meditation invites you to release unr...

Send us Fan Mail Christmas can be beautiful—and heavy. For many, this season carries joy and grief side by side. This Christmas meditation is a quiet, sacred pause for anyone navigating loss, loneliness, or complicated emotions during the holidays. Whether you’re missing someone you love, feeling disconnected from the cheer around you, or simply needing a moment to breathe, this meditation offers...

Send us Fan Mail Christmas is supposed to be joyful—but what happens when the lights feel too bright, the rooms feel too quiet, and the ache of absence is louder than the music? In this episode, What Do the Lonely Do at Christmas? , we sit with the reality many people don’t talk about: the loneliness that often shows up during the holidays. Whether you’re grieving a loved one, navigating separatio...

Send us Fan Mail As the year comes to a close, the pressure to “finish strong” can feel overwhelming—especially if this year included loss, grief, or unexpected challenges. In this episode of Grief, I Didn’t Sign Up for This , Shaleka Smith reframes what it truly means to end the year strong. This conversation invites you to slow down, reflect honestly, and release what no longer serves you. Toget...

Send us Fan Mail In this special bonus episode of Grief, I Didn’t Sign Up for This , Shaleka offers a gentle, grounding, 7-minute guided meditation created for anyone carrying the quiet weight of grief. Whether you’re navigating a fresh loss, an old wound that still aches, or the heaviness that shows up during the holidays and hard seasons, this meditation invites you into stillness, breath, and e...

Send us Fan Mail The holidays can intensify grief in ways we don’t always expect. In this episode, “When Grief Shows Up for the Holidays,” host Shaleka Smith explores why sorrow feels heavier this season and how cultural traditions, faith practices, and intentional rituals can offer comfort and connection. We discuss the emotional complexity of holiday grief, the triggers that surface, and practic...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Grief, I Didn’t Sign Up for This, host Shaleka Smith takes an honest, compassionate look at one of the most common—and confusing—questions after loss: Is this depression, or just grief? Grief and depression often look and feel alike. Both can bring tears, exhaustion, and a deep sense of emptiness. But while grief is a natural response to loss, depression can lin...

Send us Fan Mail In this special mother–daughter episode, host Shaleka Smith sits down with her 19-year-old daughter for an honest, funny, and heartfelt conversation about funeral etiquette across generations. From traditional black attire and quiet reverence to today’s bright colors, hashtags, and “celebrations of life,” they explore how customs have evolved — and what those changes say about the...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever thought you were finally past your grief—only for it to hit you out of nowhere years later? In this deeply personal episode, host Shaleka Smith explores the surprising ways grief can resurface during milestones, quiet moments, or unexpected memories. Through heartfelt storytelling, faith-filled reflection, and practical guidance, Shaleka reminds listeners that resurf...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Grief, I Didn’t Sign Up for This , host Shaleka Smith explores how children experience grief and how adults can guide them through it with compassion and honesty. Grief doesn’t just affect adults—children process loss in their own unique ways, and without guidance, they may carry confusion or fear into the future. Shaleka breaks down what grief looks like at dif...

Send us Fan Mail Not every connection in grief is healthy. In this powerful episode, Shaleka Smith unpacks the difference between trauma bonding and building a grief community . Though both can begin with shared pain, only one leads to lasting healing. Through storytelling, scripture, reflection prompts, and real-life examples, you’ll discover: What trauma bonding looks like (and why it keeps you...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful and honest episode of Grief, I Didn’t Sign Up for This , host Shaleka Smith breaks down the well-meaning but often hurtful things people say to those who are grieving—and what you should say instead. From “Everything happens for a reason” to “Be strong,” we explore why these phrases can unintentionally deepen someone’s pain and how we can offer true comfort instea...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Grief, I Didn’t Sign Up for This, we dive into one of the most complex emotions that grief brings—guilt. Inspired by Milton Butler’s story from Grief, I Didn’t Sign Up for This, we explore the overwhelming feeling of wishing we had done things differently and how those thoughts can consume us. Whether it’s the regret of missed moments, unspoken words, or the hau...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode of Grief, I Didn’t Sign Up for This , host Shaleka Smith sits down with Alea Allen, an educator who previously taught in Chicago and who has faced the unimaginable—losing multiple students to gun violence. Inspired by the heartfelt chapter Empty Seat by Alea Allen , this conversation sheds light on the grief teachers carry while continuing to show up for t...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful and heartfelt episode of Grief, I Didn't Sign Up for This , Shaleka Smith invites listeners to explore the idea of writing their own obituary—both literally and metaphorically. Inspired by the New York Times article “Write Your Own Obit,” Shaleka discusses why taking ownership of your life story is a gift to your loved ones and a guide for living with purpose...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Grief, I Didn't Sign Up for This, we discuss the emotional masks we wear while grieving. So many of us say "I'm fine" when we're anything but. We feel the pressure to be strong, keep busy, and hold it all together—often at the cost of our healing. But what happens when we remove the mask and allow ourselves to grieve honestly?   Join me...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when the person who caused you deep pain dies, and the world expects you to grieve them? In this powerful episode, host Shaleka Smith sits down with a sexual assault survivor and advocacy worker, Saunté Harden-Tate, to explore the complicated emotions that surface when an abuser passes away. From unexpected relief to lingering guilt, awkward condolences to silent rage...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Grief, I Didn't Sign Up for This, we reflect on the journey to Resurrection Sunday and the deep emotions that come with life's challenges. Just as Jesus experienced grief and anguish before His Resurrection, we, too, go through painful processes before breakthrough moments. Even when we know victory is ahead, the weight of the journey can still be over...