Walk Through Grief with Grace

We are all movers. We are all dancers. In this episode, dancer and grief ritualist Julia Hartsell is back to share about the profound healing that we can experience through the simple act of moving our bodies. Movement of all kinds, from wiggling our pinkie finger to knitting to breaking down walls with a sledgehammer, has the ability to help us welcome sensation and pain, and in turn teach us thi...

In Western culture, we're expected to move on quickly after death. After the memorial service ends, it's back to business as usual. In this episode, guest and retired network television sports director Meg Streeter Lauck tells a love-filled story of caring for her husband for 20 years after his Parkinson's diagnosis. and 10 years with dementia. After his death on December 31st, 2020, she began a y...

Stillbirth. A topic we often steer clear of because of the sheer weight of life and death happening in the body. In this episode, Soul Chiropractor Tanya English shares about Edward Oliver, her son who was stillborn in 1994, and the healing journey she embarked upon after that tragedy. She encourages us to shift away from blame around death and to instead embrace forgiveness and celebration of lif...

We may be carrying childhood grief around with us each and every day, and until we take the time to heal that hurt, we will continue to miss out on immense joy and pleasure. In this episode, Trauma-Informed Master Coach Leslie Saglio explores healing the 'Mother Wound' and our inner child. She helps us face the idea of the 'impossible mother,' learn to embrace the sovereignty we have over our emot...

Anger is a common symptom of grief, and it can negatively affect all areas of your life. To help you release this anger, special guest and Trauma-Informed Master Coach Leslie Saglio leads us through a guided tapping meditation specially designed to help you let the anger go and improve your health, self-esteem, and relationships. Listen as many times as you need. Find Leslie here - Get your free "...

Grief is not just for death. It is crucial that we also name the layers of loss and honor the closing of businesses, the ending of relationships, the closing of chapters in our lives, and more. In this episode, dancer and grief ritualist Julia Hartsell shares how she honored the closing of her business, the Flowjo, with rituals like an obituary and a funeral. Listen for wisdom around learning to l...

On this podcast we often speak about the beauty of ritual and celebrating life, and in this episode Jenn shares how we can use ritual, symbols, and giving to celebrate the women of the world this upcoming International Women's Day.  Resources: https://www.ef.edu/blog/language/10-ways-international-womens-day-is-marked-around-the-world/ https://forum.generationequality.org/news/invest-women-and-gir...

'The tapestry of grief and the tapestry of love are woven in the same colors.' In this episode, guest Beau Stubblefield-Tave weaves a tapestry about losing loved ones, the struggle of addiction and mental health challenges, and the beauty of goodbye through his life experiences and insightful poetry. Listen for so many nuggets of wisdom on topics ranging from finding our own ways of expressing gri...

Are you curious about alternative funeral options? Are you interested in home funerals or eco-friendly burials, or simply looking to avoid the exorbitant costs of modern-day funerals? In this episode with Death Midwife and educator Jerrigrace Lyons, she answers your questions and shares how reclaiming end of life care can be a transformative practice that alters our relationship with death and gri...

Addiction often has the power to take our loved ones away both in life and through death. In this episode, Spiritual Life Coach Tatiana Berindei shares the life and loss of her brother to drug addiction, and his struggle to exist in a physical body. She expands on healing after his death through communicating with him and learning from Indigenous rituals. Listen for stories of family, strife, and...

Do you find yourself feeling guilty or regretful over things left unsaid? After her father's death, Maria Heartsong regretted not calling him one last time. In this episode, she shares how we can connect with lost loved ones and how it is never too late to say what we want to say. She gifts us with one of the songs she receives from beyond the veil and with a heart song activation. A Soothing Hear...

Can't get to sleep? Stressed? Grab your favorite cozy blanket and lie down on your back for a treat! In this episode, Jenn leads you through a Yoga Nidra Practice based in the lineage of Sivananda Yoga.  You will experience "Yogic Sleep" - a deep relaxation practice to bring you into 'rest and digest' mode.  Enjoy mid-day for a full body recharge or in the evening to prepare your Nervous System fo...

Have you felt shattering grief that left you on the ground, crying and banging your fists, wondering how you could possibly go on? In this episode, triathlon coach Erinne Guthrie tells us about the worst day of her life - the day she lost the love of her life, and how through spirituality she was able to really and truly reconnect with him. Find inspiration and connection through Erinne's story of...

Fairytales aren't just for children! Listen as Jenn tells the beautiful and winding tale of The Serpent Prince. Through stories like this one from Norway, we can learn lessons around grief, letting go, and the power of speaking up. Discover insights around the balance of the Sacred Feminine and Masculine, as well as the healing power of radical acceptance and steadfast compassion.  May you draw gu...

How do you deal with the grief of losing someone who is still alive? In this episode, poet Elana Bell shares the loss of her mom, not to death, but to Parkinson's disease. She shares poems that detail the journey of grieving who her mom once was as she was becoming a mother herself. You can find Elana and her books here. Do you have limited listening time? We've identified some especially moving p...

Has the loss of a mother broken your connection to mind, body, and spirit? In this episode, life coach Misha Safran shares the impact of the loss of matriarchs, including the pain of the first year after death and her journey to accepting the reality of deep pain and loss in order to feel intense joy. She reminds us that when there is deep grief, it is because there has been deep joy. You can find...

Do you find yourself hurting with unexplained aches, pains, and tightness? This hurt may be a manifestation of stress and grief being held in the body. In this episode, movement coach and personal trainer Ann Greenwald helps us get to the root of our pain. She also shares with us game changing release techniques to soothe knots and breathing techniques to release the diaphragm.  You can find Ann h...

Has grief left you feeling frozen or unable to do what you love? When faced with the death of her grandmother, Sara Avant Stover was unable to meditate, dance, or practice yoga. In this episode, she shares how her relationship with grief shifted, and how she learned it can be an anvil of change. When grief comes knocking at your door - learn how to give it a seat at the table. You can find Sara he...

As you move through each moment of every day, generations of Ancestors are behind you cheering you on. Join host Jenn Cormier for a guided visualization of seven generations of ancestors. Jenn is a Grief Guide who brings twenty years of experience in the Healing Arts to clients who are moving through life transitions, celebrations and grief. In this episode, Jenn draws from the well of her experie...

Dragonflies - to some they may be just a bug, but for Ellen Kittredge, they are a powerful symbol of the Spirit and love of her husband Matt who died at age 30 from Leukemia.  It is common to look for signs and symbols from beyond in our grief, and nature often provides us with this connection. Ellen is a Nutritional Counselor, Minister of Walking Prayer, and practitioner of Earth Based Healing Mo...

Stories from near and far, old and new, have the power to aid us in our grief journey and connect us to our Ancestors in surprising and moving ways. Valerie Tutson, the co-director of the Rhode Island Black Storytellers, is a powerful storyteller, and joins us in this episode to share a South African Myth about how we got the stars and their reminder that our loved ones are always with us. To lear...

In life and death, in birth and dying, community is key. We often find ourselves isolated as we move through important life events, but we can look to Caribbean traditions to discover the positive force of community and ritual. Our guest Omileye Achikeobi-Lewis, a trauma-focused counselor, writer, artist, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Doctoral Student of Chinese Daoist Medicine, and fifth-generation Vis...

Mantra and song are powerful tools for healing and connecting with those we have lost. Join Minister of Metamorphosis Karma Cloud as she shares some of her mantras, which she 'catches' from nature, celestial bodies, and loved ones who have moved on and delivers to us in simple English. May you feel inspired to sing along or perhaps be inspired to listen for your own song. You can find Karma here:...

Do you feel like you're stuck in grief and life just isn't fair? Join Lewis Mehl-Madrona M.D., Ph. D. and Barbara Mainguy M.A., the authors of "Remapping Your Mind: The Neuroscience of Self-Transformation Through Story'' (and many others) as they share how to move through grief - in community and creatively.  Come glean a perspective on how to face mortality. You can find out more about them and g...

Thank you for joining us here! This is a space where grieving hearts gather around stories of loss and love, where our shared humanity opens us to new perspectives and possibilities for healing and living fully once again. The Walk Through Grief with Grace Podcast episodes are released weekly, in a unique rhythm of cycles of 7 episodes. The first four episodes of each series are engaging conversat...