Getting Used To It: You Need to Hear This: A Conversation on Grief, Mental Health, and Surviving the Hardest Year of Our Lives

Send us Fan MailTwo life coaches dive into the most devastating experiences they've faced as families, creating a powerful space for understanding grief, trauma, and healing. Suzee reveals the heart-wrenching journey through her teenage son's suicide attempt and subsequent hospitalization. She describes the surreal experience of having to surrender her child's care to professionals while simultaneously processing a staggering series of deaths in their social circle during that same year.Beth shares the trauma of losing her only sibling to murder in Brazil thirteen years ago. With remarkable candor, she explains how she's only recently been able to acknowledge the drug-related circumstances of his death and the unique pain of losing "the last witness" to her early life history.Their conversation weaves through the complexities of processing trauma - both as individuals and as family units. They discuss how Western culture's discomfort with grief often leaves people isolated in their darkest moments, expected to "move on" when they're still in shock. Both women reflect on how their families navigated these crises, with spouses, children, and themselves all processing events in vastly different ways.What emerges is a profound exploration of how grief changes over time but never truly disappears. Even years later, both women are still discovering aspects of their trauma they haven't fully processed. Their professional coaching backgrounds provide unique insights into supporting others through crisis without adding to their burden.This deeply moving episode offers no easy answers, but rather something more valuable - permission to acknowledge the messiness of grief and the ongoing nature of healing. Whether you've faced similar circumstances or simply want to better support someone who has, this conversation provides compassionate guidance for life's most challenging moments.If you or someone you know is struggling, you're not alone. You can call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988—it's free, confidential, and available 24/7. Help is always available.For listeners outside the U.S., please visit www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html for a list of international resourcesThanks for tuning in to this episode of Getting Used To It!If you enjoyed today’s conversation, please consider subscribing, rating, and leaving us a review—it helps others discover the show! We’d also love to hear your thoughts, so drop us a comment or connect with us on Bluesky @gettingusedtoit.bksy.social.Stay connected, stay curious, and we’ll see you next time!