Grief Is My Side Hustle

Join me this week as I FINALLY get to sit down with one of my favorite artists, (and fellow griever) Rob Strati. Together, we explore how art can serve as a powerful healing tool for grief and loss. We also discuss the emotional depth behind his extraordinary plate series and how brokenness can reveal new stories of hope and resilience. In this episode: Rob discusses the story behind his plate ser...

Marty Ross-Dolen is truly magnificent, and I am so grateful to have had an hour of her time this week. Not only does she hold degrees from Wellesley College and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, she is a gorgeous, incredibly insightful author. Marty's writing delves into grief, memory, and the ripple effects of generational trauma. We discuss her maternal grandparents' legacy as the founders of...

In the latest episode of "Grief Is My Side Hustle," I'm joined by author and death doula Darnell Lamont Walker to explore the intricacies of grief, loss, and the importance of open conversations about death. Our heartfelt discussion delves into personal experiences and cultural perspectives, shedding light on how we can better navigate the often-taboo subject of mortality. Darnell's journey into t...

Dave Manheim (host of the Dopey Podcast) is the kind of interview where you totally forget to stick to any sort of parameters and just jump right in...because once he starts a story, you just strap in and go along for the (often hilarious) ride.     Beyond Dave's warm demeanor and mischevious half-smile is a man who has faced an incredible amount of grief, heartbreak and turmoil. Just over 10 year...

My guest this week is recent Grieftastic Book Club author Barry Hoffner.    In 2017, Barry faced unimaginable loss when his wife, Jackie, tragically passed away in an accident in Botswana.    After a deep period of soul-searching,Barry turned to travel—not just for exploration, but for healing. His recently released memoir, "Belonging to the World," chronicles his journey to every country on Earth...

This week, I am honored to have journalist, documentarian and seasoned NPR contributor Jill Yesko joining the show. Jill shares her personal journey of losing her mother to COVID and the complexities of navigating grief during a time of social isolation. We discuss the impact of family dynamics on grief, as well as the process of creating a documentary film ("Erased") about Jill's mother's past, a...

Dorothy Roberts and I really earned this conversation today, folks. After navigating some technical difficulty in the beginning, we were able to dive into a really powerful and beautiful conversation surrounding her book, "The Mixed Marriage Project."  Her beautiful memoir explores the themes of grief, loss, and the complexities of identity through the lens of her parents' interracial marriage. We...

I am so, so grateful to welcome the extraordinary Dr. Alexandra Sowa to our space this week. You may be wondering, "Meghan, what the heck does a doctor who works closely with GLP1s have to do with grief?" Turns out, quite a lot. Anyone who has experienced a significant weight loss or gain and has found themselves grieving the change in their form will probably want to share this conversation far a...

Elena Brower is a bestselling author, artist, podcast host, teacher, mentor and chaplaincy student. Her debut book, Art of Attention, was published in 2012, and her bestselling journals Practice You and Being You, along with her courses, classes, and talks, explore stages of studentship, practice, life, and listening. In this conversation, Meghan and Elena discuss Elena's latest book, Hold Nothing...

Ronald Simpson-Bey would call his grief a proponent of his survival. While he was incarcerated (for a crime he didn’t commit) during the early 2000s, his young adult son was fatally shot. Ronald’s conviction was finally overturned in 2012, and he would return to mainstream society as a grieving father who had lost such a formative piece of his life. These days (after becoming a paralegal while imp...

Kim Long is a psychologist based in Alberta, Canada. She and her team created the incredible resource hub, Dochas Psychological services, where they offer the groundbreaking Lifejacket app, as well as the Dochas compass, a short quiz that can help guide you toward the therapist and goals that will best serve YOUR desired outcome. Find out more about these groundbreaking tools here.    In this conv...

We need more people like Katie Leonard in the world, truly. When I heard about Katie's work, I knew I needed to sit down with her for this podcast. Katie is a pediatric hospice nurse. And while I've had a few wonderful conversations with hospice nurses on Grief is My Side Hustle, this one hit a bit differently. Katie reveals that, after a brief time in pediatric oncology, she wanted to branch outs...

Casey Mulligan Walsh is a gorgeous writer and her book now has two major awards to prove it!    I'm so excited to bring you all this conversation with my sweet, sweet friend, who found herself pondering what kind of legacy she'd leave the world of grief and loss- and ended up writing this gorgeous memoir! It is SUCH a gif to all of who are struggling in the wake of untenable, devastating pain. Cas...

Alison Larkin is such a gift. She is an English-American, having been born here in the states and then adopted by British parents who raised her across the pond.  These days, she is a comedian, novelist, actress, and audiobook narrator. Her novel, "The English American," sprang from her autobiographical one-woman comedy show about an adopted English woman who finds her birth parents in the United...

Kristina Amelong's brother, Jay, knew from an extremely young age that he was going to die. Not only that, but he predicted how it would happen, and that he would not live to be an adult. Kristina's gripping and gorgeous memoir, "What My Brother Knew," tells the heartbreaking story of a tragedy rooted in an understanding that reaches far beyond anything that she or I are capable of fully grasping;...

I think you all are used to me saying this by now, but I found Timothy Frie online- and stalked him into talking to me. He is fascinating, as is his work, and I think once you listen to this episode you’ll agree. Timothy Frie is a neuronutrition educator, nutritional psychology researcher, writer, and president of the National Academy of Neuronutrition. He helps neurodivergent people who have expe...

Hospice Nurse Julie (AKA Julie McFadden) is one of my favorite recurring guests. She is an RN/BSN nurse with a passion for education- she believes that people should know about the dying process BEFORE they're actually going through it with a loved one or themselves. We have a beautiful, funny, and candid conversation about how death and dying are reflected in the media and film, as well as what t...

As Meghan always says, "Art may not solve all your problems, but it CAN save your life." There's definitely a few champions of this philosophy in the world, of course- certainly artists themselves.    Today, however, we are lucky enough to be hosting the remarkable John Palfrey, President of the MacArthur Foundation. The MacArthur Foundation is famous for many things, namely their eponymous grant...

Sara Rian writes poems whenever a thought strikes her while washing the dishes, or folding laundry. However, her words, her profound understanding of the human spirit and what it is to grieve, will make you feel as though she wrote each poem for YOU. She's in your head, your heart- you'll feel her work in your bones. This might sound like hyperbole, but it's true, I promise. She has a superpower....

As their own website states, Ryan and his wife Calie Bowles started the Good Grief HQ community because they know what it's like to go through grief. They've lost parents, friends, pets, and had a miscarriage. They understand the deep ache that grief causes - the sleepless nights, confusion, and endless "what ifs".   Ryan is a dear friend and colleague in this space and I love his perspective on f...

Daria Burke is, according to her own website, an "Author, speaker and possibility pusher. An accomplished business leader and investor-turned-author, Daria is a multiplier of ideas and people, helping them expand to their highest potential, in business and in life." Indeed, Daria is a teacher. She taught herself how to push through the incredible pain of living with grief, poverty, and an addicted...

Hello, fellow grievers! This week I have a special BONUS episode for you, while we work HARD to continue to bring you quality content for our new season coming this fall.    My sweet friend Jennifer Pastiloff joins us just before the release of her new book, "Proof of Life" (available NOW at your favorite bookseller!). According to her own website, "Jen Pastiloff travels the world with her unique...

It's the season finale already- and I know how to leave a lasting impression! John Onwuchekwa, (a.k.a. "John O.") is a preacher, a writer, a husband, father, and brother. According to his own website, "Everything in John Onwuchekwa’s life hinges on the power of words, both spoken and written...in one way or another everything John does intersects with the beauty and power of words—both how he has...

Dr. Jessica Zucker, author of "Normalize It: Upending the Silence, Stigma, and Shame That Shape Women's Lives" is my guest this week...and man, is she someone who tells the truth. About everything.    Jessica is a L.A.-based psychologist who specializes in reproductive and maternal mental health. She has written extensively about how the landscape of her marriage changed in the face of profound lo...

My guest this week is the incomparable Nichole Sachs. Nichole was diagnosed with a degenrative spinal condition at age 19. Doctors warned her that her entire life would affected; her comfort, growth, ability to have biological children. The news was devastating, of course. According to her own website, "It brought me to the doorstep of Dr. John Sarno, then an attending physician at The Rusk Center...