Coming Back: Conversations on life after loss
by Shelby Forsythia, Intuitive Grief Guide
What does life look like after the funeral? After the divorce is final? After the diagnosis? Whether your loss is a person, a relationship, a job, a pet, or a dream, loss shapes who you are and how you choose to live in the world. Join Shelby Forsythia, Intuitive Grief Guide as she explores the ideas, resources, and stories that help us "come back" to life after death, divorce, illness and more.
Episodes
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Introducing 'Grief Grower,' my NEW podcast full of helpful tools and hopeful conversations for life after loss
Let's keep growing through grief on my new show, Grief Grower, a weekly podcast full of practical tips, comforting guidance, and insightful interviews for navigating life after death, divorce, diagnosis, and other major losses. Because grief isn't something to "get over"—it's something to grow...
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E136: SEASON 10 FINALE: Your Grief Belongs + A Big Announcement!
Your grief is normal, and your grief has ALWAYS, ALWAYS belonged. Plus, a BIG announcement! Order my new book, Your Grief, Your Way here: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/your-grief-your-way Find 90-minute Zoom workshops here: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events Get grief support for just...
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E135: Everything Is Spiritual (Including Grief!) with Rob Bell
What if death is not a thing we're all waiting for, but instead is an integral part of every second of every day? This week, Rob Bell and I are discussing grief through the lens of his new book Everything Is Spiritual. We're talking about how two total opposites can be true at the same time, why...
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E134: Shaping the Story of Grief with Diane Zinna
Diane Zinna became an adult orphan at 23 after losing her father at 15 and her mother the day she graduated from a master's program in creative writing. Each time she sat down to write, themes of grief and loss filled the page. Diane's new novel, The All-Night Sun, tells the story of a grieving...
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E133: Techology That Leaves a Legacy with Art Shaikh
When Art Shaikh's father died, he left Art letters and flowers to deliver to relatives that were still living. Inspired by the human desire to leave a legacy after death and continue to be there for loved ones who are living on, Art created CircleIt, a free app that helps you send letters…
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E132: Coming Home to Yourself with Mona Luna
Within the course of a year, Mona Luna acknowledged two major griefs in her life: the grief of growing up with a father struggling with alcoholism and the grief of enduring emotional abuse in a long-term romantic relationship. Yoga, therapy, and working with life coaches helped her return her to...
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E131: Moving the Body Through Loss with Avni Trivedi
Osteopath, doula, and zero-balancer Avni Trivedi marries Eastern and Western practices to treat grief in the body. After a myriad of losses including being present during her grandmother's stroke, she studied the body, which—intuitively—became a doorway to studying grief. Today, we'll talk bout…
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E130: Embodying the Practice of Grief with Sara Chizek
What does it mean to make love to grief? To welcome it into your body instead of casting it out like garbage? This week, I'm speaking to Sara Chizek about the sensuality and creativity that arrives when we practice the art of grief embodiment. After shutting herself off to the four-year-old girl...
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E129: Transmitting Unspoken Gratitudes with Mana Bhatt Sanghvi
After her father's death in 2016, Mana Bhatt Sanghvi committed to living a live with no regrets. Her business, Treasure Texts, helps people communicate unspoken gratitudes to the people they love while they are still alive to receive them. This week, we're talking about the different between...
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E128: Grief in the Language of the Heart with Cristina Chipriano
Cristina Chipriano grew up knowing grief, losing her 5-year-old cousin, her aunt, and her godmother all before second grade. After becoming a social worker, she helped create grief support programs in Spanish at Bo's Place in Houston, where much of the community is Latino. Today, Cristina and I…
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E127: Experiencing Grief in the Body with Victoria Albina
Have you ever felt grief in your body? This week, Victoria Albina is teaching all of us how to use the body as a method to move from resistance to acceptance, release people-pleasing and perfectionism, and harness the oh-so powerful vagus nerve to pay close attention to grief. This conversation…
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E126: Honoring Kids, the Forgotten Mourners with Gary Shockley
A massive amount of family deaths plus his work as a Hospice chaplain enlightened Gary Shockley to the reality of kids as "forgotten mourners." His children's book, My Heart Sings a Sad Song is a non-denominational guide for children and their caregivers to sparking conversations about grief and...
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E125: I Am My Mother's Daughter with Dara Kurtz
Dara Kurtz received decades of wisdom from her dead mother and grandmothers after stumbling across a Ziplock bag of letters. Her new book, I Am My Mother's Daughter is an inside look at the intimate wisdom shared across maternal generations and a love letter to the power of preserving the written...
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E124: SEASON 9 FINALE: Grief Is a State of Transition
It's helpful to remember that grief is an experience, not an obstacle or a destination. Plus, enroll now in my best-selling online grief support course, Life After Loss Academy, beginning August 31. Now at a lower price due to COVID-19. Join me August 31, 2020 for a 12-week online course that…
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E123: The Leftover Pieces with Melissa Bottorff-Arey
Melissa Bottorff-Arey's life turned upside down when her son, Alex, took his own life during his junior year at college. Her new podcast, The Leftover Pieces, features conversations on living life after suicide loss. This week, we're discussing the rage that often follows learning more…
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E122: Getting Curious in the Midst of Grief with Dr. Jenn Hardy
Instagram-famous therapist Dr. Jenn Hardy is known for her intuitive wisdom on boundaries, self-care, rest, and grief. Today, we're talking about how most of us underestimate the weight of emotional labor (especially in COVID-19), and why it's impossible to compare losses. Also, we touch on how…
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E121: Grief in the Jewelry Box with Lindsay Joy Taylor
Lindsay Joy Taylor, founder of The Joyful Jewelry Box, lost her mom when she was just 13 months old. Growing up without true memories of her mom, Lindsay Joy found solace and comfort in her mom's jewelry box. She now makes keepsake and remembrance jewelry so that others can honor their loved ones...
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E120: Being Known and Finding Belonging with Denise Soler Cox
Denise Soler Cox lost her father and her brother before the age of 18. Convinced she was "the most unlucky person she knew," she believed she was doomed to a life of isolation and not-belonging. A seminar in her twenties opened Denise's eyes to the realization that she could invent a new story....
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E119: Divining My Way to Acceptance with Rachel Wilkinson
At the age of 38, Rachel Wilkinson's dream of motherhood ended. Thrust into the emotional and confusing grief of death of a lifelong dream, she turned to ancient practices of witchcraft and divination to create and direct her life after loss. This week, we're talking about the power of dreams and...
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E118: Running Into Grief with Katie Arnold
Almost immediately after giving birth to her second daughter, Katie Arnold got the news that her father was going to die. Less than 10 weeks later, he passed away from terminal kidney cancer and Katie was forced to reckon with motherhood and the loss of a parent at the same time. Her book Running...
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E117: Speaking Grief with Lindsey Whissel Fenton
Speaking Grief is a new television documentary that features grieving and expert voices from a variety of backgrounds—all with the goal of kickstarting conversations about grief and loss. This week, I'm talking to producer, writer, and director Lindsey Whissel Fenton about how we can become more...
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E116: My Husband Is Not a Rainbow with Kelley Lynn
On July 13, 2011 Kelley Lynn woke up to an entirely new life. Her husband, Don, collapsed from a massive heart attack at work just four years and nine months into their happy marriage. Kelley suddenly became a widow. This week we're talking about how loss forces us to reinvent ourselves, why we...
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E115: Grieving When a Pet Dies with Kevin Ringstaff
The death of his cat prompted Kevin Ringstaff to study pet loss and find ways to open up conversation on the devastation that comes with the loss of a pet. Today, we're discussing why the loss of a pet is so devastating, how to cope with the guilt of euthanizing a pet, and how to navigate coming...
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E114: Motherless Mother's Day with Cheryl Strayed
When she was in her senior year of college, Cheryl Strayed's mother, Bobbi, received a cancer diagnosis and died in just seven weeks. Today, I'm speaking with her on Motherless Mother's Day 2020 about the death of her mom and how we can live full, beautiful lives after a mother dies. This is a...
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E113: Grief Day by Day with Jan Warner
Ten years ago, Jan Warner lost the "person who held her kite string"—her husband Artie. In the years after his death, Jan wrestled with suicidal thoughts and the urge to wallow. She began writing in an attempt to wear different "perspecticles" about her loss, and in 2018, she published a book...
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E112: SEASON 8 FINALE: A Coronavirus Uncertainty Meditation
In the midst of coronavirus, life is anxious, overwhelming, and terribly uncertain. I'm sharing a quick mindfulness meditation you can use in the face of the unknown. Plus, I'm announcing the next session of my 12-week online course, Life After Loss Academy. Join me May 4, 2020 for a 12-week…
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E111: My Hope Is Still Healing with Frankie Orella
When she was just 17 years old, Frankie Orella lost her mom to breast cancer. Her religious community was less than helpful and while she remained a part of the church, Frankie also looked to music and songwriting to "speak" to the pain of her loss. Her latest endeavor is a series of songs based…
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E110: Freedom Is Acknowledging "I Don't Understand" with Kim Peacock
Kim Peacock watched her daughter fall off a cliff to her death while on a family vacation in 1998. A joyful event instantly became a nightmare as she wrestled with her religious foundations and her need to know "WHY?". This week, we're talking about the grief of the empty room when a child dies,...
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E109: What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Weirder with Kelli Dunham
Comedian, nurse, and ex-nun Kelli Dunham had two partners die in her arms within the course of five years. You might think she's cursed, but she sees it a little differently. Join Kelli and I as we discuss the role of humor in grief, why finding meaning doesn't make grief magically "go away," and...
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E108: Spoiler Alert! You're Going to Die with Tammy Faulds
At the age of six, Tammy Faulds was diagnosed with cancer. Her yearly visits to an oncology office are a regular reminder that she's going to die one day, and before that happens, she wants to live a life she's proud of. This week, Tammy and I are talking about how Western society equates death...
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E107: The Dangers of Romanticizing Grief with Gabrielle Valdes
Gabrielle Valdes is a former hopeless romantic on a quest to help others live better by learning to love better. On this breakup + relationship geared episode, we're talking about how romanticizing grief keeps us isolated, why the grief of betrayal and loss of trust hurt so much, and how to...
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E106: How to Give and Receive with Care with Janet Reich Elsbach
In her book Extra Helping, Janet Reich Elsbach shares the beauty and bounty of receiving through food. This week, we're talking about how to slow down and be more present while caregiving, how to stop tying receiving to "weakness" or "inability," why food politics surrounding chemo, cancer, and...
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E105: Unravel with Stephenie Zamora
Stephenie Zamora was on top of the world until the sudden suicide of her recent ex-boyfriend brought it all crashing down. Her new book Unravel takes grievers deep into the world of loving and grieving people who abuse us, understanding traumatic grief as a major root cause of PTSD, and…
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E104: I Hear You with Michael Sorensen
How often have you felt HEARD, I mean REALLY HEARD in your grief? Michael Sorensen is the author of I Hear You and we're talking about the tool of emotional validation i.e. helping people feel heard and understood. This week, we'll touch on why we're all starving for validation, how to get…
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E103: Death Is Inevitable; Grief Is Not with Jennifer Mathews
Her TED Talk has a disclaimer because it's so controversial! What happens when we're happy, joyful, or even at peace when our loved one dies? Jennifer Mathews is expanding what it means to grieve because when her partner died from cancer she did not grieve in the traditional way. We're talking...
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E102: The Merciless Mother Scream with Victoria Markham
When her three-and-a-half-year-old-son, Koa, died suddenly in a home accident, Victoria Markham was thrust into the world of grief. Her documentary RE:MEMBER is an inside look at working with the beauty and pain of grief. Today, we're talking about releasing guilt associated with the death of a...
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E101: Supporting Grieving Kids with Jana DeCristofaro
What would happen if we gave kids space and support to grieve? This week, I'm talking to Jana DeCristofaro from the Dougy Center for Grieving Children and Families. We're discussing why repeating the facts of what happened is often necessary for kids, why you might consider making a scrapbook or...
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In the Meantime: God Is Joanne Fink's Path to Connection
Religion is a touchy subject in grief. But for some like Joanne Fink, it's the touchstone for their coming back. Joanne Fink's work, books, cards, and Caremojis: https://zenspirations.com/ https://whenyoulosesomeone.com/ Season 8 of Coming Back premieres January 1, 2020! In the meantime... Enter…
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In the Meantime: Emily Washcovick Validates the Impact of Mental Illness
What would happen if we saw mental illness through the same lens as physical illness? Bipolar advocate Emily Washcovick riffs on the validity of mental illness as REAL illness. Emily Washcovick's work: https://www.bipolarbroughtbalance.com/ Season 8 of Coming Back premieres January 1, 2020! In…
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In the Meantime: Death Doula Alua Arthur Is Anything but Goth
There's no skeletons, black lipstick, or bats here! There's a perception that grief and death are morbid… but Alua Arthur and I are turning that myth on its head. Alua Arthur's work: http://www.goingwithgrace.com/ Season 8 of Coming Back premieres January 1, 2020! In the meantime... Enter to win...
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In the Meantime: Sarah Nannen Prioritizes Being Human
What if we were just humans doing the human thing? Sarah Nannen and I are talking about listening and being present. Sarah Nannen's book, podcast, and work: https://www.sarahnannen.com/meditation Season 8 of Coming Back premieres January 1, 2020! In the meantime... Enter to win one of three...
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In the Meantime: Rachel Whalen and I Talk About Comparing Griefs
You're not supposed to compare your griefs with the griefs of others. But can you compare your griefs to each other? Rachel Whalen and I say YES. Rachel Whalen's work: https://unexpectedfamilyouting.com/ Season 8 of Coming Back premieres January 1, 2020! In the meantime... Enter to win one of…
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E100: SEASON 7 FINALE: Introducing Life After Loss Academy
Join me January 1, 2020 for a 12-week online course that will help you feel safe in the world again, say goodbye to "the perfect griever," and love the person loss has forced you to become. Enroll now: http://shelbyforsythia.thinkific.com/courses/life-after-loss-academy In the meantime... Enter…
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E99: Creativity for the Bereaved with Joanne Fink
Artist Joanne Fink lost her husband suddenly to a heart attack in 2011. Of course, he was more than just her husband; Andy was her business partner, IT director, and the person who held down the fort when she went to trade shows and client meetings. This week, we're talking about the sudden need…
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E98: Winning the Worst Kind of Lottery with Rachel Reichblum
In just three years, Rachel Reichblum lost both of her parents to the SAME TYPE OF BRAIN CANCER. Really… what are the odds? Today we're talking about living in survival mode vs. thriving mode, why it's necessary to "shelve spirituality" for a while after loss, and the immense pressure to find...
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E97: From Heartbreak to Wholeness with Kristine Carlson
Thirteen years ago, Kristine Carlson's husband was on a routine business trip when he died on a flight. The author of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, Dr. Richard Carlson was—and still is—remembered in very public ways. This week, Kristine and I are talking about not getting the luxury of saying...
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E96: When a "Do-aholic" Grieves with Kristen Meinzer
One year ago, Kristen Meinzer suddenly lost her job. She was left with questions, grief, and the inevitable identity struggle that job loss produces. Today, we're talking about what to DO in the aftermath of sudden loss (and why Kristen embraces being a do-aholic), the difference between forced...
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E95: You Can't Break Up with Grief! with Emily Washcovick
Her first manic episode and hospitalization in October 2018 absolutely changed the way Emily Washcovick saw herself. Today, she's launching Bipolar Brought Balance to slay the stigma surrounding mental health and add her voice to the growing community of mental health advocates. This week, we're...
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E94: I Met God at the Sunrise with Miami Knight
In eight years, Miami Knight lost her dad, her sister, and her son. A serendipitous vision board party plus a continued conversation with god brought her to a place where she actively chose and decided to come back. Today, we're talking about how we can visualize a different reality in the...
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E93: Motherless Daughters with Hope Edelman
"Soldier on" was Hope Edelman's coping method for the sudden death of her mother until seven years later, a broken engagement brought her mother's death roaring to the surface. Hope started writing her New York Times Bestseller Motherless Daughters as a way to comprehend her loss and connect with...
Topics in this show
About this show
What does life look like after the funeral? After the divorce is final? After the diagnosis? Whether your loss is a person, a relationship, a job, a pet, or a dream, loss shapes who you are and how you choose to live in the world. Join Shelby Forsythia, Intuitive Grief Guide as she explores the ideas, resources, and stories that help us "come back" to life after death, divorce, illness and more.
Hosted by
Shelby Forsythia, Intuitive Grief Guide