The Grief Guardian Podcast

Episode 38 – The Witness Void | When You’re Present but Not Really There There’s a state many people slip into after loss, trauma, or long-term overwhelm. You’re awake. You’re functioning. You’re even talking to people. But inside, you feel like you’re watching life from a distance. In this episode of  The Grief Guardian Podcast , we talk about what I call  The Witness Void  — that place where you...

Episode 37 – Developmental / Life-Stage GriefGrief doesn’t only come from death. Sometimes it comes from change. In this episode of The Grief Guardian Podcast, we explore Developmental / Life-Stage Grief — the kind of grief that shows up when one chapter of life ends, and another begins. Becoming a parent. Watching your children grow up. Leaving a career. Aging. Stepping into a new version of your...

Episode 36: Anticipatory Joy + Loss | The Grief Guardian Podcast In this episode, we talk about the emotional whiplash that happens when joy and grief collide. Anticipatory joy is that excitement you feel while imagining your child’s future — the little moments, the big milestones, the life you were ready for. When loss hits, all that joy doesn’t just disappear. It becomes something you tiptoe aro...

Episode 35: Secondary Loss GriefIn Episode 35 of The Grief Guardian Podcast, we’re talking about something most grieving parents aren’t warned about: secondary losses. Losing your child is the first hit. Everything that crumbles afterwards… that’s what this episode is about. You might notice friendships fading, your relationship taking a strain, money getting tight, your identity changing, or work...

Episode 34 - Guiding Children and Teenagers Through Losing a Loved One Helping kids and teenagers through grief can feel overwhelming. They don’t always talk about what they’re feeling, and sometimes their behaviour is the only clue that something deeper is going on. In this episode of  The Grief Guardian Podcast , we break down how young people experience loss and how you can support them without...

Episode 33 – Beyond Belief: Facing Loss Without Religion Grief has a way of shaking everything, including the beliefs we once held onto. Some people turn to religion during times of loss. Others, like many of us, don’t. And some walk away from faith completely after tragedy hits. In this episode, I talk openly about what it’s like to face grief without relying on religion. No scripts, no pressure...

Episode 32 — Survivor’s Guilt: The Weight We Don’t Talk About Survivor’s guilt hits hard. It creeps in when you start to smile again, when you try to live your life, or when you have a moment that feels “too good” after losing someone you love. In this episode, we’re going straight into what survivor’s guilt looks like, why it shows up, and how to deal with it without beating yourself up. No sugar...

Episode 31 — “The Grief No One’s Talking About: Teens and the Under-16 Social Media Ban” Today, we’re talking about something most parents aren’t prepared for — the emotional fallout of the new under-16 social media restrictions. Yes, these changes are meant to protect kids. But for many teens, losing access to the online spaces where they connect, share jokes, and feel part of a group can hit har...

Episode 30 — When Grief Becomes Stuck: How to Know When You Need Help In this episode, we’re talking about something most people never bring up — what happens when grief stops moving. When the sadness stays heavy, the anger doesn’t settle, or life feels frozen in place. We look at what “stuck grief” actually is, why it happens, and the signs that your heart might need more support than time alone...

Episode 29 — Grieving the End of a Marriage: Why You Can’t Rush Healing After Divorce Divorce isn’t just the end of a relationship — it’s the loss of a version of yourself. The routines, the shared dreams, the imagined future — they all collapse at once. In this episode, Grant talks about the kind of grief that doesn’t get enough recognition: the pain that follows divorce. It’s a different kind of...

🎙️  Episode 28 – Is It Possible to Heal Without Finding a Purpose? The Grief Guardian Podcast with Grant Cosgrove We’ve all heard the phrases —  “Everything happens for a reason”  or  “You’ll find purpose in your pain.” But what if you don’t? What if your healing doesn’t come with a grand purpose or a clear “why”? In this episode, we explore one of the most honest questions in grief: 👉 Can you tr...

Episode 27 – How to Support Someone Who’s Grieving: What to Say & Why It Matters We’ve all been there — wanting to comfort someone who’s grieving, but not knowing what to say. You want to help, but your mind goes blank, and out comes the classic:  “Let me know if you need anything.” In this episode of  The Grief Guardian Podcast , we’re talking about how to truly support someone who’s grieving...

Episode 26 – Finding Meaning Through Someone’s Passing When someone we love passes away, it can feel like our entire world collapses. I know that’s how it felt when I lost my daughter, Mia. The question that follows — “Why?” — rarely has an answer that satisfies the heart. In this episode of  The Grief Guardian Podcast , we explore what it means to find meaning through loss — not to explain it awa...

Episode 25 – Healthy vs. Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms for Grief When grief hits—especially the loss of a child—it’s human to reach for anything that helps you survive the pain. But not everything that numbs you enables you to heal. In this episode of  The Grief Guardian Podcast , we’re breaking down the difference between  healthy  and  unhealthy  coping mechanisms during grief. Healthy coping allo...

Episode 24 – Moving Forward, Not Moving On Have you ever felt like life is moving on around you, but your heart is still stuck in the moment you lost someone? You’re not alone. In this episode, we explore what it really means to  move forward without moving on —to live fully while still carrying your grief with love and honour. When I lost my daughter Mia, I thought “moving forward” meant I had to...

Episode 23 – The Pillars of Healing When grief knocked me flat after losing my daughter Mia, I found myself desperate for something solid to lean on. Over time, I began to notice there were three things that consistently helped me stand back up. I call them the  Pillars of Healing : Connection to community Physical activity Finding purpose in the loss In this episode of  The Grief Guardian Podcast...

Episode 22 – Grief Caused by Relationship Breakups Grief isn’t only about death—it’s about loss. And one of the most overlooked but deeply painful losses we face is the end of a relationship. In this episode of  The Grief Guardian Podcast , I’m diving into breakup grief—why it hits so hard, how it shows up in our lives, and what steps you can take to start healing when moving forward feels impossi...

Episode 21 – Physical Outlets for Healing from Grief Grief doesn’t just live in your heart or your mind—it shows up in your body too. Tension, restlessness, sleepless nights, even feeling numb—these are all signs your body is holding onto grief. In this episode of  The Grief Guardian Podcast , I share how movement became a powerful tool in my own healing after losing my daughter. We’ll talk about...

Episode 20 – Finding Support When You’re Grieving Grief is heavy, but you don’t have to carry it alone. In this episode of  The Grief Guardian Podcast , I open up about one of the most difficult parts of my own journey after losing my daughter—finding the right kind of support. We’ll explore what support looks like, why it’s often so hard to ask for help, and the different ways you can find it—fro...

🎙️  Episode 19 – Grief and Special Dates: Birthdays, Anniversaries, and Holidays The Grief Guardian Podcast with Grant Cosgrove Some days hurt more than others. In this episode, we’re talking about one of the toughest parts of grief —  navigating special dates  like birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and death dates. These moments can feel like emotional landmines, stirring up memories and intens...

🎙️  Episode 18 – Grieving the Loss of a Pet The Grief Guardian Podcast with Grant Cosgrove Pet loss is real grief. And it’s time we talked about it. In today’s episode, I dive into a type of grief that often gets overlooked— the death of a beloved animal companion . If you’ve ever loved a pet, you already know: they’re not “just a dog” or “just a cat.” They’re family. And when they’re gone, it hur...

🎙️  Episode 17 – Grief & PTSD The Grief Guardian Podcast with Grant Cosgrove Grief doesn’t just break your heart—it can rewire your brain. Today, we’re talking about  PTSD and grief —not the textbook version, but the raw, personal, lived version that can come from losing someone you love, especially a child. I never thought PTSD applied to me… until it showed up in the darkest chapter of my li...

🎙️  Episode 16 – The Impact of Grief on Men The Grief Guardian Podcast with Grant Cosgrove Men grieve too—but too often, their pain is ignored. Society tells us to “be strong,” to “hold it together,” to be the rock for everyone else. But being the rock doesn’t mean we don’t feel. It doesn’t mean we don’t break inside. In this episode, I’m speaking directly to the men navigating grief. I share my o...

🎙️  Episode 15 – Tools for Working Through Grief: What Actually Helps The Grief Guardian Podcast with Grant Cosgrove “How the hell do I get through this?” Not “get over it”—because that’s not the goal. This episode is about  real tools  for surviving grief—mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. After losing my daughter, I found myself searching for anything that could help me breathe...

🎙️  Episode 14 – The 5 Stages of Grief: What They Are and How to Work Through Them The Grief Guardian Podcast with Grant Cosgrove You’ve heard of the five stages of grief— Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance —but grief isn’t a checklist. It’s chaos. It’s waves. It’s raw. In this episode, we break down the iconic Kübler-Ross model and get real about what each stage  actually  looks li...