BW 188: Hospice Nurse: What Death Taught Me About Grief & Hope

What do hospice nurses see at the end of life that most of us never talk about?   In this conversation, hospice nurse and GLADD founder Christa McDonald, RN shares what thousands of deaths have taught her about grief, regret, love, and how we can live (and grieve) differently.   If you’re a widow who feels like you’re “supposed” to just get over it, this episode will give you language, perspective, and permission to grieve in a healthier, more hope-filled way.   In this episode, we cover: * Why we live in a grief-avoidant culture and how that hurts widows * “How you live is how you die” and what that means for your next chapter * Christa’s story of walking with death from age 13 and how GLADD was born * What hospice nurses actually see and why many patients experience peace * Practical ways to honor your person and stop feeling guilty for still grieving   Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome & who Christa is 01:00 – Teen volunteer to hospice nurse: how death “found” her 06:00 – “We are a grief-avoidant society” and the cost of pretending 10:00 – The story of Christa’s stepdad and the birth of GLADD 15:00 – What hospice nurses notice at the end of life 18:00 – Signs and comforts near death (and why they matter for the living) 22:00 – Why “just get over it” doesn’t work & what to do instead 26:00 – How to connect with Christa + next steps with Brave Widow   Connect with Christa: GLADD Community: https://gladdcommunity.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grievewithchrista   Next steps: 1. 🎯 Find your season of grief (free quiz): https://bravewidow.com/quiz 2. 📅 Join the live “4 Seasons of Grief” webinar: https://bravewidow.com/live 3. 🤍 Explore Brave Widow Academy: https://bravewidow.com/academy   If you’re new here, my name is Emily Tanner. I’m the founder of Brave Widow® and Brave Widow® Academy.   I help widows move from barely surviving their loss… to rebuilding a life they can actually love again without feeling like they’re betraying their person.   By day (and for 20+ years), I’ve led large teams and complex operations in the corporate world.    After my husband Nathan died in 2021, just shy of our 20-year anniversary, I took everything I knew about leadership, systems, and change — and started applying it to grief.   Since then, I’ve: Shared my story publicly to make widows feel less alone. Launched the Brave Widow podcast, now with 180+ episodes and listeners around the world. Coached hundreds of widows 1:1 and in groups, and talked with thousands more through the podcast, communities, and events. Built Brave Widow Academy, a 6-month coaching program with a clear framework for moving from deep grief to rebuilding a life you can love again.   I don’t teach “just think positive” grief tips.   I teach widows how to: Heal their heart. Stop waiting on “time” to fix everything. Take small, brave steps toward a life that feels meaningful again.   How I Got Here…   2021: My husband Nathan dies unexpectedly. I’m 4 kids in, overwhelmed, and drowning in paperwork, decisions, and pain. Therapy helps, but I still feel stuck with no roadmap.   2021–2022: I start devouring books, interviewing widows, trying grief groups, and studying coaching — desperate to find something that actually helps me feel different.   2022: I start the Brave Widow podcast, recording episodes while terrified and crying between takes — but determined that no widow should feel as alone as I did.   Year 1: I begin coaching widows 1:1. Word spreads quietly. The same patterns and problems keep showing up, so I start building frameworks instead of one-off advice.   Year 2: I launch Brave Widow Academy — a structured, 6-month coaching program with a step-by-step path: from deep grief, to stability, to rebuilding.   Year 3: Brave Widow has listeners around the world. I’ve personally coached hundreds of widows and spoken with thousands more through consults, lives, emails, and DMs.    Today: My work is simple:   Help widows stop surviving each day… and start rebuilding a life that makes them genuinely glad to be alive again.