Podcasts by Whats Your Grief Podcast

Grief Meets Existential Dread from 2023-05-31T08:20

In this episode we're going deep, talking about a very common but rarely discussed issue in grief: existential dread. Loss can make us face big questions about life and purpose. It makes us face...

Mother's Day&Father's Day Grief from 2023-05-09T16:53

May is here and that means the looming grief triggers of Mother's Day and Father's Day are upon us. In this episode we cover all the basics - why it's hard, who is impacted (spoiler alert: it is...

When Grief Meets Anxiety from 2023-04-12T21:59

Anxiety is one of those grief experiences that is incredibly common and yet often catches people off guard. If you experienced difficult levels of anxiety before a loss, it can feel worse than e...

What Are You Doing Here? from 2023-03-12T14:42

This week we're reflecting on what's were doing here. Not in the existential sense (though we're certainly always angsting about that on some level). But in the sense that we're curious what you...

Decades On, Grief Still Surprises Us from 2023-02-22T21:54

Though there have been significant losses in our lives in the decades since, each of us looks back to the deaths of a parent early in life as formative to our lives and specifically our work in ...

Ask Me Anything (about Grief) from 2023-01-31T16:00

Litsa's flying solo this week, answering questions about grief submitted on Instagram. Talking about supporting partners, siblings, navigating grief conversations with friends, plushies, and mor...

New Year, Same Me from 2023-01-14T10:21

We're two days into 2023 and the theme for us has been . . . meh. That 'new year, new me' rhetoric gets old fast. In this episode we're talking about why moving into a new year can feel hard, es...

Winter of Our Disconnection from 2022-12-23T16:19

Eleanor's been feeling pretty disconnected this holiday season. Though that might sound better than feeling terrible, it turns out that numbness and disconnection are their own version of unsett...

Feeling Relief in Grief from 2022-12-12T19:27

Relief is one of the more common grief emotions and yet it is one that people often feel ashamed to mention. So today we're talking about relief in grief - what it is, what it isn't, how to unde...

Holiday Musings on Family&Impermanence from 2022-12-01T14:53

This week we were feeling the post-Thanksgiving emotional grief hangover. That means musings on family, holidays past and present, and the ways we grieve the things we assumed would always be pa...

Grieving the Past, Present, and Future from 2022-11-10T22:20

This week we talk about yet another unexpected aspect of grieving - realizing that we in many ways grieve the past, the present, and the future. This expands on a few things we talked about in t...

When Families Grieve Differently from 2022-11-01T14:46

This week we're answering a listener question about how to cope when the differences in family grief styles start to cause strain between family members. 

Join the WYG member community fo...

Nonfinite Grief (grieving the life you expected) from 2022-10-25T20:11

In this episode we talk about the little-discussed, but incredibly common experience of nonfinite grief. This is an experience that can happen after a death, but also after countless nondeath lo...

When Grief Feels Ugly, Mean&Messy from 2022-10-17T02:59

This week we're discussing when and why grief can leave you with a mountain of ugly, mean, and messy feelings. 

Join the WYG member community for grief education, connection, accountabili...

Grief Hindsight from 2020-09-18T12:57:41

After a death we do a lot of looking backwards. We think about what we should have known or done differently. We imagine a different world, and ideal world, if things had just taken another path...

Grief Expectations from 2020-09-01T13:49:38

What we believe about grief often starts from a young age. We get messages from family, friends, community, and the media about what grief is 'supposed' to look like. Those messages become belie...

Is Grief Ever 'On Hold'? from 2020-06-30T18:48:23

Terms like delayed grief and absent grief get thrown around a lot. Recently, people have been suggesting that distancing may be putting people's grief 'on hold'. In this episode, we talk about w...

Grief Math and Other Musings from 2020-06-24T16:57:10

In this episode we ramble and reflect out loud a bit, so don't say we didn't warn you.  Thinking about the ways grief has us doing mental math calculations up, down, and sideways. How old would ...

Positive Psychology, Grief, and PERMA from 2020-06-06T06:46:59

Though positive psychology may sound like a field that is all about just thinking happy thoughts, nothing could be further from the truth. This well-researched, practical approach to boosting we...

A Lesson in Avoiding Avoidance from 2020-05-20T20:38:31

When the world changes, the way we operate in the world has to change. Grief forces us to make new decisions about the things we do, the things we don't do, and how we cope. Today we talk about ...

In Grief, Is It Ever Too Late? from 2020-05-14T14:55:24

When a lot of time has passed after a loss, we hear all sorts of questions - is it too late for counseling? Is it too late to reconnect with people I lost touch with? Is it too late to ask for s...

7 Types of Grief and Loss to Know Right Now from 2020-05-08T15:03:57

There is a lot of discussion right now about the many ways people are experiencing grief - the grief of death related losses, but also many other types of grief that are coming up in the world. ...

Is It Ok To Talk To My Kids About My Dead Mom? from 2020-05-05T23:12:23

We received a question recently about talking to children about people who have died, especially those people the child never met. We get questions like this a lot. Is it normal? Is it okay? Wil...

Binge-Worthy Grief Movies and Television from 2020-05-01T15:21:58

Seeing as a lot of us are spending more time at home than usual, we asked our readers/listeners for some of the best depictions of grief in movies and television. In this episode, we share your ...

What's Your Grief Question? from 2020-04-22T20:26:55

We did an "Ask Us Anything" on Instagram and turns out your grief questions were a little too big to answer on Instagram. So today we are answering some of your pressing questions about grief - ...

Grief in the Time of COVID-19 from 2020-04-17T04:33:58

Whether you were grieving before the coronavirus crisis or you've just lost a loved one and are navigating through the dark days of early grief, the current crisis is changing the way we grieve....

Navigating Social Media While Grieving from 2018-03-30T19:34:28

With over 150 million social media users in the US alone, we can no longer conceptualize grief support and support systems without considering online social interaction.

As the co-founder...

Grief Themes in Pixar's Coco from 2018-03-20T23:34:35

Pixar must have a secret deal with Kleenex. They seemed determined to bring audiences to tears with every movie they make. This is fine by us, though, because these tender and relatable films ma...

Grief in TV, Movies, and Pop-Culture from 2018-03-13T17:58:14

We're back after a brief hiatus with an update on WYG and our plans for the future of this podcast. We're especially interested in talking about grief in current events, pop-culture, and the wor...

Coping with Identity Changes After a Loss from 2017-11-02T19:06:44

A loss of any kind can lead to difficult identity changes. Shifts in one's sense-of-self, roles that no longer need to be fulfilled, and added responsibilities culminate to create overwhelming s...

Grief and Defense Mechanisms from 2017-06-05T15:38:54

Sigmund Freud first proposed the concept of ‘defense mechanisms’ as an element of his influential theory of personality. For those of you who took Psych 101, think back to the Id, Ego, and Super...

Returning to Work After the Death of a Loved One from 2017-04-27T17:48:21

Many people have to return to work within days after experiencing the death of a loved one. Others have a little more flexibility, but must eventually take the step to return to the workplace an...

The Conflicting Emotions of Grief from 2017-03-09T20:06:14

One emotional experience that many grieving people find particularly confusing is the realization that their thoughts, emotions, and needs occasionally seem to conflict with one another. In this...

Grieving the Loss of a Home from 2017-02-15T22:09:28

People give up homes for various reasons. Sometimes the circumstances are in their control (such as making the choice to sell a house and move to a new one) and sometimes they aren’t (like in th...

Grief in 'This is Us' from 2017-01-13T21:12:03

We've been telling you for weeks to get caught up on NBC's 'This is Us' because we're going to talk about it.  Well, today is the day.  If you've been watching This is Us, then...

How to Handle Holiday Tradition After a Death from 2016-12-22T17:28:59

By far one of the hardest outcomes to accept about the holidays after the death of a loved one is that tradition needs to be changed or skipped. Traditions your loved one used to be involved wit...

Managing Expectation at the Holidays and Other Topics from 2016-12-08T21:15:59

People tend to have a lot of expectations about the holiday season.  This is true during times of peace and during times of turmoil. After the death of a loved one, grieving people continue to h...

Grief in 'Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life' from 2016-11-30T18:59:42

In this special edition of the What's Your Grief Podcast Litsa and Eleanor discuss the recent Gilmore Girls revival. Not your typical gossip session, this discussion focuses specifically on the ...

Dating a Widower and Other Topics from 2016-11-21T18:57:24

Season 2: Episode 3: Dating a Widower and Other Topics

0:00 - 5:00 : NFDA Conference Impressions

The intersection between grief...

Grief in Six Words and Other Topics from 2016-10-03T18:30:32

In this episode of the What's Your Grief podcast we discuss the new grief website, Grief in Six Words, adjusting to the school year after a death, answer a reader's question about grief counseli...

Loneliness in Grief and Other Topics from 2016-09-08T19:49:54

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 1 of the What's Your Grief Podcast. This season we're going to shake up our format a little and cover several different topics during each 30 minute episode. In this...

How Attitudes About Death Impact Grief from 2016-06-08T18:15:12

It stands to reason that how a person feels about life and death, in many ways, will impact the way they grieve.  Perhaps they hold on tightly to their pain for Listen

Understanding the Difference Between Support and Comfort from 2016-04-25T15:47:39

When something sad, bad, or anxiety producing happens in the life of someone we care about, our immediate instinct is to comfort.  Of course it is – we’re good people!  And often this instinct i...

Reconnecting with Life After Loss from 2016-03-31T19:15:14

What have you stopped doing since experiencing the death of your loved one?  More specifically, what do you no longer do that you used to previously enjoy or find fulfilling? These may be things...

Parenting While Grieving from 2016-03-09T16:44:05

As if parenting we’re hard enough, you’ve recently experienced the death of someone you love. You’ve done your best to shelter your children from death, loss, and grief for their entire lives, a...

Dealing With Valentine's Day After a Death from 2016-02-10T15:43:52

Although Litsa and I have never been big on Valentine's Day, we realize many of you may have warm, fond memories of Valentine's Days past.  Regardless of where you typically fall of the Valentin...

Expanding Our Understanding of Loss from 2016-01-21T20:17:48

There is a common misconception that death is the only loss that results in grief.  Although the loss of a loved one is one of the most devastating types of loss, there are many other circumstan...

Thinking About New Year's Resolutions from 2015-12-28T16:41:36

With New Years just a few days away, you may be tempted to make a resolution for 2016; especially if 2015 has been a tough year.  In this episode of the What's Your Grief Podcast, we discuss the...

Your Questions About Holiday Grief Answered from 2015-12-09T18:27:20

In this episode of the What’s Your Grief podcast, we answer your questions about coping with holiday grief.

• I’m worried the holidays will be very sad and glum. How can I be strong f...
  Listen

The Guilt of Feeling Better and Living Life After a Loss from 2015-11-10T15:11:06

After the death of a loved one, things like feeling better, letting go of belongings, making changes, and just generally living life after the loss can be complicated. Things like when to remove...

The Continuum of Negative Coping from 2015-09-30T16:28:34

After the death of a loved one, it is easy to find yourself engaged in negative coping.  These types of coping allow for people to avoid grief triggers, difficult emotions, and tough situations....

Going Back to School After a Death from 2015-08-31T16:22:54

It is normal to be nervous about sending your child back...

Grief Raves and Faves from 2015-08-20T16:55:54

In this episode of the What's Your Grief Podcast, Litsa ...

Getting Married After a Death from 2015-07-23T23:53:48

Although your wedding is a happy and joyous occasion, it can be a bittersweet when someone important has died and isn't there for your special day.  There are lots of little ways to bring yourse...

Milestones and Weddings After a Death from 2015-07-23T23:51:49

When someone dies, those they leave behind not only grieve for the present but they also grieve for their loved one's absence in the future. For children and teens, complicated feelings and emot...

Locating Grief Support Locally and Beyond from 2015-07-06T18:29:39

After a death, finding grief support in your commu...

Maintaining Relationships After a Death from 2015-06-29T16:26:31

When times are hard, the support of friends and fa...

Guilt and Regret in Grief from 2015-06-08T14:15:22

Feelings of guilt and regret are common after the ...

Supporting a Grieving Teenager from 2015-06-01T18:02:40

Sup...

Dealing With Your Loved One's Belongings from 2015-05-13T17:07:45

How to approach the daunting task of sorting throu...

12 Ways Grief Makes You Feel Crazy from 2015-05-04T14:58:05

Simply put, grief can make you feel like you're going crazy.  Anyone who's experienced a loss knows how disorienting grief emotions and the demands of adjustment can be.  In this episode of the ...

All About Grief Friends from 2015-04-18T00:38:40

Grief re-writes your address book. Sometimes the people ...

Continuing Bonds With Deceased Loved Ones from 2015-04-07T18:02:03

With decades of grief theory that focused on closu...

Grief and Special Days from 2015-03-23T14:19:05

Every day can feel tough after the death of a loved one,...

Getting Realistic About Gratitude from 2015-03-16T14:22:06

The practice of finding gratitude is a simple and accessible coping tool that can help to shift your attitude and perspective.  Yet, when you feel like life is awful and unfair, it can seem impo...

Understanding Secondary Loss from 2015-03-09T14:46:13

The death of someone you love can create a ripple effect of losses or secondary losses.  From loss of faith to loss of financial security, secondary losses are profound and require coping and ad...

Using Your Support System Effectively from 2015-02-27T15:06:45

Although most of us feel we have a good understanding of...

Mastering Grief Triggers from 2015-02-18T21:43:53

A grief trigger is anything that brings up memories rela...

Understanding the Five Stages of Grief from 2015-02-09T15:27:45

The theory behind the 'five stages of grie...

Ten Types of Grief from 2015-01-26T17:02:13

The type of grief one experiences after a death...

Extroverts and Grief from 2015-01-20T15:48:39

Do you consider yourself an introvert, extrovert, or amb...

Introverts and Grief from 2015-01-20T15:45:45

Do you consider yourself an introvert, extrovert, or amb...

Identifying Your Grief Coping Style from 2015-01-11T22:07:53

Grievers are often challenged to find effective coping tools to help explore, understand and process the complicated experience of grief.  The tools that prove most helpful are those that fit wi...

Surviving the Grief of an Overdose from 2014-12-17T18:37:13

The death of a loved one is always devastating.  When that loss is the result of an overdose, there can be emotions that bring unique challenges in addition to the typical symptoms of grief.

A Grief-Movie Review: Wild from 2014-12-15T17:59

Grief themes are common in books, television and movies.  The memoir Wild by Cheryl Strayed resonates so strongly with the grief experience that it's become widely embraced by countless...

Misconceptions About Grief from 2014-12-06T01:57:12

It's hard to imagine what grieving the death of a loved one is like until you've experienced it first hand.  Many grievers find themselves suprised by the physical, emotional and logistical toll...

When Condolences Go Wrong: What Not to Say to a Griever from 2014-12-06T01:51:35

After a death supportive family and friends often struggle to find the right words to say to their grieving loved one.  Unfortunately, in an effort to provide comfort to the griever, well intent...

Grief and the Holidays from 2014-11-30T18:49:26

This time of year can be particularly difficult for people grieving the loss of a loved one.  Spouses, parents, children and siblings muddle through parties, presents and merriment to finally co...