The Living Loss: Navigating Life Transitions & Invisible Grief

Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought, "I don't even know who I am anymore?" As we move through different decades of our lives, from the carefree exploration of our twenties to the hustle of our thirties and the shifting priorities of our forties, we inevitably outgrow past versions of ourselves. In this episode of The Living Loss Podcast, licensed mental health counselors Daiana and Cass...

Daiana Bernard and Cassandra Harris Towner, both licensed mental health counselors, talk with Andy Ellwood about quiet grief, identity shifts, and what it looks like to rebuild after multiple losses at once. Andy shares how religious expectations, friendship loss, divorce, miscarriage, career upheaval, and later becoming a father all reshaped his sense of self. In this episode, Andy explains how h...

Daiana Bernard and Cassandra Harris-Towner open with a candid conversation before moving into the heart of the episode: how cumulative grief, secondary loss, identity loss, and estrangement can pile up when life falls apart. They also prepare listeners for an upcoming interview with Andy Ellwood, whose story illustrates these themes in a deeply personal way. In this episode, they connect clinical...

When life goes completely off script, how do you navigate the avalanche of multi-layered sorrow? In this episode, Daiana and Cassandra reflect on their powerful conversation with Kristy Halverson (Episode 3). They break down the reality of cumulative grief, the crushing weight of ambiguous loss during her mother's 14-year terminal cancer journey, and the beautiful freedom found in letting go of so...

Licensed Mental Health Counselors Cassandra and Daiana sit down with author and nomadic traveler Kristy Halvorsen to explore the quiet, layered grief that follows caregiving, major life changes, and profound identity shifts. When loss is invisible to the outside world, how do we find the space to heal?  Kristy shares her personal journey through overlapping seasons of loss, including the passing o...

Welcome back to the Living Lost Podcast! As licensed mental health counselors, hosts Daiana Bernard and Cassandra Harris Towner are here to unpack the quiet, complex griefs that don't come with a funeral. Because you can't heal what you don't acknowledge. Before next week's special interview with author Kristy Halvorsen, Daiana and Cassandra set the stage by breaking down the clinical vocabulary o...

Welcome back to Season Two of The Living Loss Podcast ! Licensed Mental Health Counselors Daiana Bernard and Cassandra Harris-Towner kick off the new season by diving into the quiet, non-death losses that disrupt our lives. From navigating summer schedule chaos and sudden life pivots to shattering the "assumptive world" we build in our minds, this episode explores what happens when life simply doe...

In this special edition of The Living Loss Podcast , host Daiana Bernard, LMHC, sits down with her close friend and cousin, Eliana Perez, for a relaxed, "coffee with family" conversation about the first- and second-generation bicultural experience. Together, they unpack the unique emotional landscapes of navigating identity between two cultures ( ni de aquí, ni de allá ) and shed light on various...

While Daiana and Cassandra are behind the scenes preparing for Season 2, they wanted to keep the conversation going. This week, they are bringing you Part 2 of our 80’s Baby and cumulative grief conversation. Enjoy the episode, and they will be back with fresh content very soon! In this replay, Cassandra and Daiana shift the conversation from simply surviving a chaotic generational timeline to int...

While Cassandra and I are behind the scenes preparing for Season 2, we wanted to keep the conversation going by revisiting an episode that is incredibly close to our hearts. If you constantly feel like you are bracing for the other shoe to drop, you aren't alone. In this replay of Episode 3, we unpack the heavy, overlapping weights of collective and cumulative grief. We explore how decades of non-...

In this special solo edition of The Living Loss Podcast , host Daiana Bernard, LMHC, steps to the mic for an intimate, heart-to-heart conversation in Spanglish. While taking a break between seasons, Daiana shares her personal journey as a Brooklyn-born Dominican-American navigating mental health, psychology, and el duelo in her first language. Together, we break down what a "Living Loss" ( pérdida...

During our brief hiatus, we're sharing a replay of one of our most touching conversations. Daiana drops in for a special intro before Cassandra’s powerful interview with pet loss advocate Adam Greenbaum. Adam shares the story of losing his beloved dog, Baxter, navigating anticipatory grief with his senior dog, Sophie, and how he turned his pain into Love Baxter, a platform supporting pet parents t...

The Living Loss Podcast is officially on summer break! While we recharge, we are replaying some of the most impactful conversations from Season One. Keeping it real, society gives us rituals for romantic breakups and family passing, but there is no public script or timeline for the ache of losing a close friend. Whether the friendship experienced a gradual fade, a sudden ghosting, or a shift becau...

Have you ever felt the quiet, exhausting helplessness of desperately trying to save someone you love? It is a very specific kind of pain, and a heavy grief that the world rarely validates. In this special Summer Series replay, we revisit a deeply moving conversation with licensed mental health counselor and author Joel Asencio about his book, How Much Could a Clementine Weigh? . While we touch on...

What a journey it has been! In this Season 1 finale, we take a look back at the past 24 episodes of The Living Loss Podcast . As licensed mental health counselors, we dive deep into the quiet, complex griefs that don’t come with a funeral because you truly cannot heal what you don’t acknowledge. From behind-the-scenes blunders (like trying not to look like Casper under the studio lights) to the pr...

In this episode licensed mental health counselors Daiana Bernard and Cassandra Harris-Towner sit down with certified grief educator, best-selling author, and international speaker Heidi Dunstan. Following the sudden loss of her husband in 2018, Heidi discovered firsthand how ill-equipped society is to handle deep pain. In this deeply moving and practical conversation, Heidi shares the unintentiona...

In this episode, Daiana and Cassandra dive deep into a form of disenfranchised grief that is rarely spoken about: the invisible emotional toll and identity crisis tied to hearing loss. From the daily exhaustion of listening fatigue to the isolation of feeling left out, we explore why this quiet loss cuts so deep and how we can begin to validate the pain it causes. We are joined by the incredible V...

This episode explores the complex nature of quiet, unacknowledged griefs and the trap of waiting for a perfect future self to find happiness. Cassandra and Daiana share personal insights and practical strategies for living in the present, releasing unrealistic expectations, and embracing self-compassion. Key Topics: The illusion of future happiness and the trap of waiting for the 'perfect' time Th...

Please Note: This episode contains discussions of domestic violence, relationship trauma, and complex grief. Our conversation is meant for educational and empowering purposes, but we understand these topics can be heavy. Please protect your peace and prioritize your well-being as you listen. In this episode of The Living Loss Podcast , host Daiana Bernard sits down with advocate Melissa Issa to ex...

In this heartfelt interview, Suzy McNamara shares her profound journey through the grief of losing her husband to early onset Alzheimer's and her sister unexpectedly. She explores the nuances of ambiguous loss, caregiver burden, and finding love and purpose amidst profound grief, offering valuable insights and hope for those navigating similar paths. Connect With Us: Join the Community : We’re bui...

Daiana and Cassandra, with special guest Lee Horton-Carter, retired psychotherapist, explore the concept of ambiguous loss and family estrangement, shedding light on the psychological and emotional impact of living with estrangement. We would like to mention that today’s conversation does touch on the subject of sexual abuse and could be triggering to some listeners. It is not the overall focus bu...

If you've ever wondered why the second year of grief feels harder than the first, or how to survive the holidays after a loss , this episode is for you. Daiana and Cassandra reunite to explore the complex grief tied to holidays, traditions, and milestones. They dive into the "quiet losses" we often overlook and offer a guide to supporting yourself and others through these heavy transitions. In thi...

In this heartfelt episode, Cassandra Harris-Towner and guest Adam Greenbaum explore the profound grief of losing beloved pets, the societal minimization of pet loss, and the importance of infrastructure and support for pet owners. They share personal stories, insights on disenfranchised grief, and practical lessons on honoring pet memories and supporting others through loss. Adam Greenbaum the fou...

In this heartfelt episode, Cassandra Harris-Towner interviews Shruti Trivedi about living with the complex grief of pregnancy and baby loss. They explore the nuances of ambiguous loss, delayed grief, and practical frameworks for healing, emphasizing the importance of validation, self-care, and community support. Connect With Us: We’re building a space where every loss is seen. Email us your story....

In this replay Daiana shares personal insights on grief brain, relationship dynamics, and practical coping strategies. She briefly explores navigating grief, emotional exhaustion, and the importance of self-compassion during difficult times. In this episode, Cassandra and Daiana delve into the complexities of grief, particularly focusing on the concept of 'grief brain' and its effects on mental cl...