Grief 2 Growth

Finding the Will to Recover: Nick Prefontaine on Running Out of the Hospital After Doctors Said He Never WouldAt 14, Nick Prefontaine caught the edge of his snowboard going off the biggest jump in the terrain park — and that was the last thing he remembered. He woke up in a world where doctors had already told his parents he might never walk, talk, or eat on his own again. Less than 90 days later, he ran out of the hospital.In this conversation, Nick takes us inside the recovery the motivational posters never show you. We talk about the mother who refused to let a hopeless prognosis be spoken over her unconscious son, the inner voice that whispered you're going to run out of the hospital, and the STEP system — Support, Trust, Energy, Persistence — that he didn't learn from a textbook but built from inside his own crisis.If you're standing at a starting line you never asked for, wondering whether you have what it takes to get back up, Nick's story is a hand reaching back to pull you forward.About Nick PrefontaineNick is a three-time bestselling author and nationally recognized speaker, named one of the top motivational speakers by Yahoo Finance. He's the founder of Common Goal, where he works with people in the middle of trauma, crisis, and life-altering challenges — helping them not just get through it, but thrive on the other side. He also runs a family real estate business buying and selling homes creatively.What we cover:The day of the accident and the "coincidences" that saved his lifeWhy his parents shielded him from the doctors' prognosis — and how that shaped his recoveryThe STEP system: Support, Trust, Energy, PersistenceThe inner voice that became his common goal, and what Nick now believes that voice isLosing his voice for nearly a decade, and what persistence looked like day by dayThe single moment of doubt he allowed himself — and his mother's answerMaking a full recovery: marathons, snowboarding again, and what he carries forwardConnect with Nick:🪜 Download the free STEP ebook: https://nickprefontaine.com/step 🎥 The STEP video series ($37): https://nickprefontaine.com Let's keep the conversation going.What resonated with you in Nick's story? Was there a moment in your own life when someone refused to speak the worst over you — or a time you had to take the next step without being able to see the whole staircase? Leave a comment and share it. And if this episode reached someone you love, pass it along.📰 Read the companion article and join the discussion: https://grief2growth.substack.comYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What if the patterns that keep you stuck aren't punishment — they're an invitation?Liane Marie Lambert was 27 years old, living in London, when she looked the wrong way crossing the street and was struck by a double-decker bus. She walked out of the hospital three days later — and began a journey that would take her from lost and broken to ascension coach, energy alchemist, and bestselling author.In this episode, Liane unpacks two of the most misunderstood concepts in spiritual life: karma and dharma. She explains why karma isn't a cosmic penalty system, what the Law of Karmic Entanglement means for the patterns you can't seem to escape, and how the shift from 3D to 5D consciousness is less about thinking positive thoughts and more about doing the real inner work.This is a conversation about breaking cycles, reclaiming your power, and discovering that you were never as stuck as you thought.In this episode, we explore:Liane's near-death experience and the dark night of the soul that followedWhat karma and dharma actually mean — and how they differThe Law of Karmic Entanglement and why some people never seem to face consequencesWhy you're already a master manifestor (and what's blocking you)The difference between 3D, 4D, and 5D consciousnessTower moments, soul contracts, and how the universe pushes us to evolvePractical steps to clear karma and raise your vibrationAbout Liane Marie Lambert: Liane is an ascension coach, energy alchemist, karma/dharma activator, and bestselling author of Karma to Dharma: A New Age Guide to Becoming Superhuman — now available as an audiobook narrated by Liane herself. She works with individuals one-on-one and through her 9-week transformation course to help people move from karmic cycles into dharmic living.🌱 Learn more and connect with Liane: https://lianelambert.com 📚 Get the book Karma to Dharma: https://lianelambert.comWhat resonated with you from this conversation? Did Liane's take on karma surprise you? Have you experienced a "tower moment" that cracked you open and pushed you forward? Share your thoughts in the comments — I'd love to hear your story.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

We tend to think of grief as something we feel — a heaviness in the heart, a fog in the mind. But what if grief is also something we store, physically, in the body? And what if the breath you take without thinking could be the very thing that sets it free?In this episode, I talk with Kurtis Lee Thomas — the "Man from the Stars" — about a path to healing that didn't begin in a wellness studio, but in suffering. A five-year stomach condition no doctor could diagnose. The loss of his brother to gun violence. A 2 a.m. encounter with a medium at a gas station that cracked his worldview wide open.What Kurtis found on the other side of that pain is a practice he calls humanity's original medicine. We explore why talk therapy can only reach so far, what actually happens when the breath quiets the mind's inner critic, and why grief in particular responds to this work like almost nothing else.If you've done all the "right" things and still feel something stuck inside you, this conversation offers a different doorway — and a lot of hope.About Kurtis Lee ThomasKurtis Lee Thomas is the founder of the global wellness movement Breathwork Detox and Chairman of the Just Breathe Foundation, which has partnered with Nike, NASA, and others to bring mental health solutions to those who need them most. A #1 best-selling author and corporate mindfulness trainer, his work has been featured on the Today Show and Bloomberg, and he was voted the #1 employee well-being provider of 2023. He's the author of Breathwork Detox: How to Thrive in the Age of Anxiety and The World Is Yours: The Secrets Behind The Secret.Connect with Kurtis:Website: https://breathworkdetox.com Instagram: @manfromthestars Foundation: https://justbreathe.org Books: Breathwork Detox: How to Thrive in the Age of Anxiety and The World Is Yours: The Secrets Behind The SecretWhat We CoverWhy grief lives in the body — and the specific place the emotion of loss gets storedWhat really happens in a breathwork session, and why roughly 60% of people end up cryingThe mystery illness that no test could explain — and what finally moved itThe science of "transient hypofrontality": how breath quiets the inner critic and opens up clarityWhy breathwork has no barriers to entry, unlike meditation and yogaThe TED Talk that got banned for calling breathwork "the original medicine"Starseeds, light workers, and the sense that something is shifting in our worldLetting go to let in: the airplane-runway secret behind grief, manifesting, and freedomLet's Continue the ConversationWhat resonated with you in this episode? Have you ever felt grief show up in your body — in your chest, your shoulders, your gut? I'd love to hear your experience.Head over to the article for this episode at https://grief2growth.substack.com, where you can comment and connect with me and other listeners.If you're wondering where you are in your own grief, take the free Grief Check-In at https://grief2growth.com/check-in — it's not a test, just a gentle way to understand how grief is showing up for you right now.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What if your body isn't broken — it's trying to tell you something?That's the question at the heart of this conversation with Inna Segal, one of the world's leading voices in energy medicine and body-mind healing. Inna's story didn't begin in a classroom or a clinic. It began in a body that was suffering — chronic back pain, psoriasis, digestive illness — and a loss so devastating it brought everything to a halt: the death of a stillborn child at age 20.What happened next changed the course of her life, and has since helped hundreds of thousands of people worldwide understand what their bodies are actually saying.In this episode, Inna and Brian explore the hidden language of physical symptoms, the way grief and trauma embed themselves in the body across generations, and what it actually looks like to heal from the inside out.Topics covered in this episode:How Inna healed chronic back pain and psoriasis through self-inquiry and emotional release — with no formal techniqueThe chiropractor who told her "your body wants to be stuck" — and why that fury became her turning pointThe angelic vision she had after losing her child, and how it shaped her spiritual pathHow she discovered she could see into other people's bodies — and the first time it was confirmedThe astral body, the etheric body, and why physical symptoms often originate somewhere else entirelyAncestral grief: how her grandmother's Holocaust survival lived in Inna's digestive system across generationsWhy grief that isn't felt gets stored — and what happens when you finally let it moveHow Inna processed the loss of her grandmother by finding her qualities in strangers across AmericaWhat makes The Secret Language of Your Body different from every other body-mind bookHer masterclasses and the Awaken the Healer Within programAbout Inna Segal:Inna Segal is a pioneer in energy medicine and human consciousness who has spent over 25 years helping people heal physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Her bestselling book The Secret Language of Your Body has sold over a million copies and been translated into 27 languages. She works with trauma survivors, doctors, psychologists, and elite athletes worldwide.🌐 Website: innasegal.comResources mentioned:The Secret Language of Your Body by Inna Segal — available wherever books are soldInna's free masterclasses: innasegal.com → MasterclassesAwaken the Healer Within — 10-day program at innasegal.comYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

The casseroles arrive. The flowers fill the house. For a few weeks, people show up.And then they don't.For most grieving people, the silence that follows the funeral is one of the loneliest parts of loss — and one of the least talked about. In this episode, Brian sits down with Kelly Edmondson, a trauma nurse, grief counselor, and Shining Light mother who lost her son Darius on January 3rd, 2023. Kelly spent years delivering devastating news to families in the ER. She thought she understood grief. Then it happened to her.What she discovered — in the gap between clinical knowledge and lived experience — became the foundation for Timely Presence, a year-long grief support service that sends meaningful, curated gifts on the days that hit the hardest: the first birthday, the first Mother's Day, the first wedding anniversary without your person.This conversation is for anyone who has ever wanted to show up for someone grieving but didn't know how — and for anyone who has felt the world move on while they were still standing in the wreckage.In this episode:How Kelly's son Darius lived — and what his life continues to meanWhat a career in trauma nursing teaches you about grief that lived experience still catches you off guardHow to deliver heartbreaking news with compassion and clarityWhy people go silent around grievers — and why silence does more damage than an imperfect wordWhat not to say (and what actually helps)How Timely Presence fills the gap in grief support after the funeralThe first gift Kelly ever sent — and the prisms it left dancing on a wallAbout Kelly EdmondsonKelly Edmondson is a nurse, grief counselor, and the founder of Timely Presence — a year-long grief gift service designed to show up for the bereaved on the dates that matter most throughout the first year of loss. Drawing from her background in trauma care and her own journey through child loss, Kelly created a service that didn't exist before: one that remembers, so the people around you don't have to carry it alone.🌐 Website: thetimely presence.com 💼 LinkedIn: Kelly Edmondson 📸 Instagram: @the.kelly.edmondsonYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What if the people you love aren't as far away as they seem?For more than two decades, Dr. Irene Blinston has been quietly studying something most psychologists won't touch — an ancient Greek practice called the psychomanteum. Grievers sit in a darkened room with a tilted mirror and open themselves to contact with the other side. The research is staggering: 92% of participants experienced a measurable reduction in grief symptoms, and the relief held for months afterward.In this conversation, Dr. Blinston and I go somewhere most grief conversations never go. We talk about what happens when ancient wisdom and modern psychology stop arguing and start working together. She shares her doctoral research on adults who saw corporeal apparitions as children — including a thirteen-year-old in South Africa who found himself standing beside Jesus after a car struck his bicycle. She tells me about the woman whose only child was killed in a cycling accident, who walked into the psychomanteum devastated and walked out transformed, carrying a message from her daughter: "You feel the only way to stay connected is through pain. But we're always connected by love."I got chills. You will too.We also explore:🪞 What a psychomanteum is and how the ancient Greeks used it as an Oracle of the Dead📊 The 92% grief symptom reduction Dr. Blinston documented in her research👁️ Why corporeal apparitions are so rare — and what makes them different from typical signs💞 Why 60 to 75% of grieving spouses have after-death contact but won't talk about it⚖️ How "scientism" became its own dogma and what it's costing grievers today🌟 Dr. Blinston's own childhood apparition of Jesus and her years of "night school" dreams🚪 Why she believes the mirror is a portal — and why you cover it when you're doneAbout Dr. Irene Blinston:Dr. Irene Blinston is a transpersonal psychologist, independent researcher, and one of the rare voices in mental health who takes the sacred seriously as science. She holds a PhD in transpersonal psychology and is the author of Gazing into the Afterlife: Using the Mystery of the Psychomanteum to Heal Grief in All Its Forms. Her research spans childhood religious apparitions, mirror gazing as a grief intervention, and the convergence between ancient wisdom and modern psychology. She is developing a certification program to train new psychomanteum facilitators.Connect with Dr. Blinston:🌐 Website: https://portal2healinggrief.com📖 Book: Gazing into the Afterlife (available on Amazon and major retailers)What resonated with you in this episode? Have you had a visitation, a dream, or a moment of presence with someone you've lost? Leave a comment on the article at grief2growth.com — I read every one, and I'd love to hear your story.If this episode meant something to you, share it with someone who needs to hear that the love doesn't end.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What happens when the person you've loved since childhood is suddenly gone — and you're left at 29 with three small children and no idea how to be an adult without them?Courtney Pray Duke doesn't answer that question with easy comfort. She answers it with her life. Widowed after her husband Andrew was killed in a cycling accident, Courtney walked through the kind of loss that rewrites everything — and came out the other side not unscathed, but transformed.In this episode, Courtney and Brian explore what grief and faith after losing a spouse actually looks like — not the sanitized version, but the raw, fog-filled, one-step-at-a-time reality. They find real common ground across their different frameworks (Courtney's deep Christian faith and Brian's evidence-based consciousness research) because at the end of the day, they're both after the same thing: hope that holds up.In this episode we cover:Who Andrew was — the childhood friend who became her soulmate and the father of her childrenThe moment the world went black and white — and the long fog that followedHow faith shifted from head knowledge to a true lifeline in the darkest seasonThe jagged, non-linear nature of grief and why there's no "right" timelineSigns and synchronicities that made her feel less alone in the wildernessWhether it's possible — and okay — to love again after losing a spouseRaising children who remember their father and keeping his memory aliveHow her pain became the foundation for her purpose and her new bookAbout Courtney Pray DukeCourtney Pray Duke is an author, speaker, and widow who was widowed at 29 after her husband Andrew was killed in a cycling accident, leaving her with three young children. In the years since, she has built a life and a ministry centered on helping others find hope after devastating loss. Her newly released book, And She Got Up: Shattered by Loss, Restored by Jesus, tells her story with the kind of honesty that only comes from someone who has actually been through the fire.🌐 Website: https://courtneyprayduke.com 📖 And She Got Up — available wherever books are soldYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

Something is coming. And if you've been feeling it — that low hum of there's more to this than we've been told — this episode is going to land differently for you.Rachel Corpus reached out with a message she says she's been receiving her entire life, piece by piece, from the angelic realm. A message about humanity's consciousness awakening, UAP disclosure, and what happens when the veil between the seen and unseen is lifted — all at once, whether we're ready or not.Brian brings his honest skepticism to the table. Rachel brings the transmission. What unfolds is one of the most expansive, challenging, and ultimately hopeful conversations ever on Grief 2 Growth.In this episode, you'll hear:The angelic message Rachel has been holding for decades — and why the time to share it is nowWhat UAP disclosure really means for human consciousness (and why it's bigger than UFOs)The "world government" frequency plan — and why an awakened population can't be controlledWhy Rachel believes the coming shift will empower rather than terrify usThe corruption inside organized religion and how "big God vs. small God" explains everythingWhat Jesus actually said — versus what Paul wrote, what the church kept, and what got edited outHow to turn within first, quiet the mental noise, and access Source directlyThe mind-body-spirit connection and why you are already worthy of healingAbout Rachel Corpus:Rachel Corpus is a channel, medium, teacher, and angel incarnate who has been psychic since childhood. She had her first near-death experience at age four and has spent her life deepening her capacity to serve as a conscious channel — communicating with angels, ascended masters, loved ones on the other side, and high-vibrational extraterrestrial beings. She is a former pastor and host of the Angel Talk podcast. Her new call-in show, Ask the Angel, launches May 18th on the BBS Network.🌐 Website: rachelcorpus.com🎙️ Previous episode: Grief 2 Growth Episode 431What resonated with you from this conversation? Drop a comment and let Brian know — especially if you're sitting with the tension between skepticism and openness. You're not alone there.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What if the people who've spent the most time at the threshold of death have something to teach the rest of us about how to live?Christa McDonald has spent more than 20 years as a hospice nurse, watching thousands of people take their final breaths. What she's witnessed has reshaped everything she believes about death, grief, connection, and the soul. In this conversation, she brings that hard-won wisdom straight to you — and some of it will unsettle you in the best possible way.In this episode, we explore:How Christa's calling found her — from candy striper at 13 to hospice nurse, EMT, and founder of a national bereavement communityWhy she believes the way you live is the way you will die — and what that means for the choices you're making right nowWhat terminal agitation really is, and why the soul has more to do with a difficult death than morphine ever couldThe myth of closure — and why "moving on" may be one of the most harmful things we say to grieving peopleHow to maintain a genuine continuing bond with someone you've lostThe power of presence — Christa's #1 lesson from her book and her careerBroken heart syndrome: what it is, how real it is, and who's most at riskWhat shared death experiences look like from the bedsideHow Christa's stepfather's passing became the catalyst for GLADD — and why she says we need to stop being sad and mad and start being GLADDAbout Christa McDonald:Christa McDonald is a hospice nurse, death doula, soul worker, speaker, and the founder of GLADD (Grieving Loss After Death and Dying) — the world's first international online bereavement community. She is the author of Eight Lessons Dying Has Taught Me and runs a hospice home dedicated to transforming the way we approach death and dying. Her coaching practice, Soul Worker, helps people heal on a soul level — in life and at the end of it.Connect with Christa:Website: ChristaMcDonald.comGLADD Community: GLADDcommunity.comInstagram: @grievewithchristaWhat resonated with you from this conversation? Was it Christa's take on terminal agitation? The idea that how we live shapes how we die? The continuing bond with a loved one who's passed? Drop a comment and let us know — your reflection might be exactly what someone else needs to hear today.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What if death didn't end the conversation?When Dawn Baumann Brunke's husband Bob died suddenly in September 2024, she had 20 years of experience communicating with animals across the veil. But nothing fully prepared her for losing her partner of 33 years. What happened in the eight weeks that followed became her most extraordinary book yet — Talks with Bob: A True Story of Love, Death and Life in the Afterlife.Every morning, Dawn would settle in with her coffee, open her laptop, and keep talking to Bob. And Bob kept answering. What he shared from the other side — about his passing, about what the afterlife actually looks like, about love and expansion and time — is tender, surprising, and deeply hopeful.This episode is especially close to my heart. I work with widows and widowers every day, and the fears they carry are real. Is my loved one okay? Do they still think about me? Will I ever feel close to them again? Dawn's story doesn't just offer comfort — it offers evidence. And I moved her up months in my booking queue the moment I finished this book.In this episode, we explore:What Bob experienced at the moment of his death — and why he didn't sufferThe "bridge" between the living and the dead, and how you can meet your loved one thereWhy your loved ones are still with you, still growing, and haven't forgotten youParallel lives, alternate timelines, and the eternal NOWHow to open yourself to connection — even if you're not a medium or animal communicatorAbout Dawn Baumann Brunke: Dawn Baumann Brunke is an author, animal communicator, and dream enthusiast living in Alaska. She is the author of 10 books exploring consciousness, animal communication, and the nature of reality. Her latest, Talks with Bob, documents eight weeks of daily conversations with her late husband from the afterlife. A second book in the series is coming within weeks of this recording.🔗 Find Dawn's book Talks with Bob wherever books are soldWhat resonated with you from this conversation? Drop a comment and let me know — especially if you've had your own experience of connection with someone you've lost. You're not alone, and your story matters.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

Kat Baillie is an International Evidential Psychic Medium | Clinical Hypnotherapist | Sound Healer | Reiki Master | CBT Psychotherapist. Kat experienced a Kundalini awakening after a diving accident. This awakening opened up several abilities. She has left her highly successful corporate career and now focuses on helping others through several healing modalities, including evidential mediumship.In this interview, Kat and I discuss what she has discovered about the power of prayer, affirmations, and gratitude, from a non-religious perspective.ℹ️ https://www.kat-b.com💵 to become a Patron and get exclusive content, find me on Patreon at:https:www.patreon.com/grief2growthfor more information see me at:📚 https://www.grief2growth.comto book a free half hour consultation visit:⏰ https://grief2growth.as.me/30-minute-complimentaryfind me on Facebook at:👍🏾 https://www.facebook.com/grief2growthcommunityYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

Kat and I are friends going back a couple of years. We each have a daughter in spirit. Kat is the affiliate leader of the UK Helping Parents Heal group. Kat had a successful business career before having a Kundalini awakening experience and becoming a professional medium. In addition to mediumship, Kat practices multiple healing modalities.Kat heard my episode on mediumship and wanted to have a conversation about me using the word "imagination" to describe what mediumship is like. In this conversation, we talk about the different types of mediumship, how mediumship works, the limitations of mediumship, and how you can have the best experience when you go for a reading.You can reach Kat at: https://kat-b.com/ She is available for mediumship readings and offers other healing services as well.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What if you could finally have the conversation you never got to finish?John Kammer lost three of his closest friends in just a few years — each loss sudden, each one leaving words unsaid. Out of that grief, and after more than a decade of silence and struggle, John built Guardian A(i)ngels (guardianaingels.ai) — an AI-powered interactive journal designed to help grieving people find language for what they're carrying, work through guilt and unresolved emotion, and move toward healing at their own pace.This isn't a conversation with the dead. It's a conversation with yourself — guided, responsive, and available whenever you need it.In this episode, Brian and John explore what it really means to grieve as a man, why the "hero story" has robbed men of permission to be vulnerable, and how an unexpected conversation with his wife sparked an idea that would change John's life — and the lives of the people he now serves.In this episode:Why men are conditioned to grieve in silence — and what it costs themThe moment John finally had permission to forgive himselfThe difference between closure and resolutionHow Guardian A(i)ngels works as an interactive grief journal (not a digital séance)The four tasks of grief — and why the five stages fall shortThe 10-week Foundations program and how it builds the grief muscle over timeWhy radical transparency is at the heart of everything John doesAbout John Kammer John Kammer is a new father, dedicated husband, and the founder of Guardian A(i)ngels (guardianaingels.ai) — an AI grief journaling platform built from his own experience of losing three close friends. John is passionate about bringing grief out of the shadows, especially for men, and committed to helping people do the work at their own pace, on their own terms.🔗 Guardian A(i)ngels: https://guardianaingels.ai 📧 Contact John: [email protected] resonated with you from this conversation? Drop a comment below — Brian reads them all. And if you know someone who is grieving silently, share this episode with them. It might be exactly what they need.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What if grief could be metabolized — not just managed?Most of us have been told to process grief through talking, reading, and time. And those things help. But what if there's a layer of grief stored in your body that talk therapy simply can't reach? What if the density of your pain is the very thing blocking you from feeling the spiritual connection you're desperate for?That's exactly what today's guest has spent years helping people discover.Kayse Gehret is the founder of Microdosing for Healing, a global community spanning more than 30 countries, and the creator of the first professional microdosing facilitator training program. With nearly three decades in holistic wellness, Kayse has guided thousands of people — including many who have lost children — through psilocybin microdosing practices that go where other healing modalities can't.In this conversation, Kayse shares her own story: how she lost her father at age seven, developed a grand mal seizure disorder in her teens, and how microdosing not only stopped her seizures but opened a spiritual connection she couldn't reach any other way. She also breaks down exactly what microdosing is, who it's for, and how to know if you're ready.In this episode we explore:The difference between microdosing and a full psychedelic journey — and why that distinction matters for people who are fearfulHow psilocybin metabolizes grief stored in the body, releasing layers even years of therapy couldn't touchWhy grief and fear are the two biggest blocks to spiritual connection with our loved onesThe role of community, guides, and intention in making microdosing truly effectiveWhat to expect in the first weeks — from heightened senses to vivid dreams to unexpected signs from those who have passedHow to know if you're emotionally ready — and what to do first if you're notThe sacred 3–5am window and why loved ones so often come through during those hoursConnect with Kayse Gehret:Website: https://www.microdosingforhealing.com Podcast: Search Microdosing for Healing wherever you listenYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What if grief isn't something to get over — but something to grow through?In this powerful episode, Brian sits down with intuitive healer, ThetaHealing practitioner, and bestselling author Amanda Beth Johnson, who was widowed at just 27 years old when her husband Jeff was killed suddenly in a car accident. Nearly 30 years later, Amanda has transformed that devastating loss into a life of service — helping others navigate the emotional, physical, and spiritual terrain of grief with wisdom that can only come from having lived it.This conversation goes places most grief discussions never reach. Amanda opens up about the premonition dream she'd been having since age 12, the guilt of moving forward after loss, why healing isn't linear but layered, and how energy medicine and ThetaHealing can access what talk therapy sometimes can't touch. If you've been wondering why grief keeps showing up even years after your loss, or whether it's possible to carry your person forward without staying stuck — this episode is for you.In this episode, we cover:Why the five stages of grief are widely misunderstood — and what to expect insteadThe "rock in a jar" model of grief that changed how Amanda thinks about healingWhat ThetaHealing is and why it works at a level that surprises peopleHow to honor your person's memory in healthy versus unhealthy waysThe role of intuition, energy work, and somatic healing in grief recoveryWhy moving forward is not betrayal — and how your person may actually be cheering you onWhat Amanda would tell her 27-year-old self about feeling the feelingsConnect with Amanda:Website: https://amandabethhealing.comAll platforms: https://amandabethhealing.com/linktreeBooks: Search "Amanda Beth Johnson" wherever you buy booksYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What if the most painful moments of your life were actually part of a plan? And what if the people you've lost are closer than you ever imagined — just three feet away?In this beautiful, wide-ranging conversation, Brian welcomes spiritual messenger and author Fara Gibson for a long-overdue first interview. Fara has been sharing messages from heaven her entire life — without training, without a roadmap, and for years, without telling a single soul. Today she opens up about all of it: how her gifts unfolded, what soul communication really feels like, where heaven actually is, and why even the most devastating losses carry deep spiritual meaning.This one will stay with you.In This Episode:How Fara's mediumistic abilities developed from childhood — and why she kept them secret for yearsWhat soul communication actually feels and looks like from the insideWhere heaven really is (spoiler: it's only 3 feet above your floor)Why losses through suicide, addiction, and accidents are not random — and how soul plans bring meaning to the unthinkableWhy Helping Parents Heal has Fara's whole heart — and what she's observed about grieving dads specificallyThe no-filter bar story that perfectly captures why Fara delivers messages the way she doesWhat your loved ones in spirit most want you to knowAbout Fara Gibson: Fara Gibson is a spiritual messenger, psychic medium, and author of four books including How Do I Live Life When My Child Is in Heaven and Heaven Is Within Us. Her work is rooted in a lifelong connection with spirit, and her no-BS, deeply compassionate style has made her one of the most sought-after mediums in the grief community. She is scheduling approximately 8 months out — and as she says, an honest reading is worth the wait.Connect With Fara: Website: https://faragibson.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FaraGibsonPsychicMediumConnect With Brian: All links: https://pages.grief2growth.com/profile Substack: https://grief2growth.substack.com Free consult: https://grief2growth.as.me/30-minute-consultWhat resonated most with you from this conversation? Drop a comment on the Substack companion article and let Brian know.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

The materialist argument that consciousness ends with the brain has a serious problem: the evidence. In this episode, I sit down with Simon Bown — clinical hypnotherapist, past life regression guide, and author of Verified Near-Death Experiences: Proof of an Afterlife — to examine the cases that no materialist theory can explain.Simon has interviewed hundreds of NDE experiencers across more than 900 podcast episodes. His book focuses on 30 verified cases — people who witnessed real, confirmable events while clinically dead. The details were checked. The witnesses were interviewed. The evidence holds up.We dig into the Pamela Reynolds case, Tibor's astonishing out-of-body journey 7 kilometers from the hospital, and Barbara Bartolome's resuscitation — plus the bigger picture of what NDEs tell us about consciousness, reincarnation, remote viewing, and what it means to be human.Topics covered in this episode:What "verified" (veridical) means and why it mattersThe Pamela Reynolds case — the gold standard of NDE evidenceBarbara Bartolome — killed by a medical error and back to describe itTibor Rudnicki — consciousness traveling 7km from a hospital while in cardiac arrestThe brain-as-receiver model of consciousnessCommon NDE themes: tunnels, life reviews, barriers, deceased loved onesNDE aftereffects — returning with new abilities and giftsPast life regression and its connection to NDEsAbout Simon Bown: Simon Bown is a clinical hypnotherapist, past life regression facilitator, and host of the Paranormal Afterlife and Alien UFO Podcast — with over 900 combined episodes exploring NDEs, reincarnation, and consciousness. His new book, Verified Near-Death Experiences: Proof of an Afterlife, brings together 30 rigorously documented cases, each confirmed by the experiencers themselves.🌐 Simon's website: pastliveshypnosis.co.uk 🎙️ Paranormal Afterlife Podcast 🎙️ Alien UFO PodcastYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What happens when someone doesn't just brush the edge of death — but actually crosses over?On May 22nd, 2023, Jonathan Ashford's organs failed. He collapsed alone on his bathroom floor at 4:30 in the morning, clinically dead for three hours. When he woke up, his temperature was 94 degrees — and the man who had lived inside that body for 25 years was gone.The corporate executive who dismissed spirituality, chased material success, and would have laughed in your face if you mentioned an NDE — he didn't come back. What returned was something profoundly different. And what Jonathan experienced during those three hours may be the most complete account of the other side you'll ever hear.In this episode, Jonathan shares what he was shown, what he was taught, and why he came back.In this episode, we explore:What the other side looked like, felt like, and how he was welcomed by a being of loveThe life review — and how he felt the ripple of his actions through every person he'd ever affectedThe teachings he was given about time, consciousness, free will, and our connection to all thingsWhy he chose to come back — and what he sacrificed to do itThe psychic gifts (all the clairs) he returned with and how he uses them only to serve othersWhat he wants grieving people to know about the love that surrounds them right nowAbout Jonathan AshfordJonathan Ashford is a near-death experience survivor, spiritual messenger, and member of IANDS (International Association for Near-Death Studies) and the NDERF Research Studies. After dying from sepsis-induced organ failure in May 2023, Jonathan returned completely transformed — leaving behind his career, his possessions, and his former identity. He now offers spiritual guidance and private sessions free of charge, living entirely on donations. He does not self-promote. He was told not to.🌐 Website: https://jonathanashford.comYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What if your daughter spent years telling you exactly how she was going to die — and then kept communicating after she did?That's the extraordinary story Louise Crist lives every day. In this episode, Louise shares the most remarkable account of a child predicting their own death and continued after-death communication I've ever featured on this podcast. From premonitions that began at age four, to the moment Jilly's voice came through minutes after the accident saying "I jumped — I didn't feel a thing," to signs so undeniable they've moved total strangers — this conversation will change the way you think about death, love, and what comes after.If you've lost a child and wondered whether they're still with you, Louise's answer — backed by story after story — is yes.About Louise Crist: Louise is a registered nurse with decades of bedside experience, a certified grief educator, a shining light parent, and the author of Always Remember to Kiss Me Goodnight. All proceeds from the book fund scholarships for future healthcare professionals in Jilly's honor — over 115 scholarships awarded to date. Louise is also an affiliate leader with Helping Parents Heal.📖 Always Remember to Kiss Me Goodnight — available on Amazon 🌐 Helping Parents Heal: helpingparentsheal.orgIn this episode we cover:Jilly's premonitions from age 4 and how they all came trueWhat "I jumped" means and why it matters for every grieving parentThe ring that appeared under a funeral home tableThe quarter buried a foot underground — and why Jilly sends quartersHow forgiveness unlocked a profound connection from the other sideLouise's emerging mediumship gifts and what she's learned to seeHow to stop missing the signs your loved ones are sendingWhat resonated with you most in this episode? Did Louise's stories of Jilly's signs spark something for you? Drop a comment and share — your story might be exactly what another grieving parent needs to hear today.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

When Lisa Woolery found her husband Eric slumped over in his home office—gone at 53 from sudden heart failure—she never imagined what would come next. Not just the frozen assets, the angry 12-year-old, or walking 20,000 steps a day to process the pain. But this: grief made her a better parent.In this honest, hope-filled conversation, Lisa shares how losing everything forced her to shed perfectionism, step into uncomfortable leadership, and discover that transformation often comes wrapped in tragedy. From getting kicked out of a grief group to sending her son to military boarding school, from hearing God "with her whole body" to healing generational wounds with her 82-year-old mother—Lisa's journey reveals what's possible when you take just one step forward every day.About Lisa Woolery: Lisa is the voice behind The Widow's Comeback, a ministry supporting widows through grief and reinvention. Her memoir, The Widow's Comeback, chronicles the first two years after Eric's death with raw honesty and unexpected humor. She also created a 365-day grief calendar and a guided grief journal to help others process loss. Lisa lives in Kansas City with her daughter and travels the world solo—something the "old Lisa" never imagined doing.Key Topics Covered:How grief made Lisa a better parent by stripping away perfectionismProcessing grief through the body: 20,000 steps, breaking furniture, and physical releaseThe surprising journey from "because I say so" to collaborative parentingFinancial survival after sudden loss: frozen assets and practical widow wisdomThe controversial choice to send her son to military boarding school (and why it worked)Trusting God as "husband" after losing her earthly partnerCreating a new life: from homebody to solo world traveler and bestselling authorWhy "your life is not over" at 40, 50, 60, or beyondYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What if those unexplainable feelings you get — those quiet nudges that something is about to change — aren't just anxiety or imagination, but your soul preparing you for what's ahead?In this deeply moving episode, I talk with Tami Pitetti Sanders, an intuitive guide whose journey began with subtle intuitive signs before death that she didn't fully understand until after loss transformed her life. Tami shares how she received "unknowing knowings" about a year before her father's passing — scheduling family photos on an off-year, feeling pulled toward Reiki training, and sensing something was coming for her dad.When her beloved dog died unexpectedly, followed months later by her father's peaceful transition, those intuitive nudges suddenly made perfect sense. In her grief, Tami discovered she could see, feel, and communicate with the other side — and she's now dedicated to helping others find the same comfort and validation she desperately needed.About Tami Pitetti Sanders:Tami is an intuitive medium and Reiki practitioner who specializes in helping grieving people reconnect with their loved ones in spirit. After experiencing profound loss during COVID and finding little support available, she developed her intuitive gifts to become the guide she wished she'd had. Through her unique reading style at Divine Lens Readings, Tami provides evidence-based comfort that love and connection continue beyond death.Connect with Tami: Instagram @DivineLensReadingsSpecial offer for listeners: Tami is offering discounted readings ($55 instead of $111) for Grief 2 Growth podcast listeners. Message her on Instagram and mention you heard this episode.Resources mentioned:Divine Lens Readings on Instagram: @DivineLensReadingsGrief 2 Growth Substack: grief2growth.substack.comFree consultation with Brian: https://grief2growth.as.me/30-minute-consultYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What happens when grief doesn't just visit once—but keeps coming back? In this deeply honest conversation, Vanessa May shares how she navigated losing her son Harry, then her husband Anthony, and father during the pandemic, all while battling COVID and later a cancer diagnosis.Vanessa doesn't sugarcoat. She doesn't spiritually bypass. She tells the truth about what it's like when the ground keeps getting ripped out from under you—and how she's found her way forward anyway.In this episode, we explore:The unique pain of compounded grief—losing a child and a spouseHow trauma lives in the body and can manifest as illnessWhy "resilience" can feel like pressure instead of praiseSoul planning, earth school, and making meaning from lossThe loneliness of widowhood in the middle yearsHow Vanessa still feels Harry and Anthony guiding herThe six women featured in her new book and what they have in commonFinding the balance between spiritual hope and raw human griefAbout Vanessa May:Vanessa is a holistic grief coach, certified grief educator, nutritional therapist, and author of three books including Love Untethered: How to Live When Your Child Dies and her newest release, When Grief Takes Everything: A Survival Guide to Devastating Loss.Connect with Vanessa:Website: VanessaMay.co.ukInstagram: @may.wellbeing.griefsupportWhat resonated with you in this conversation?I'd love to hear your thoughts. Join the discussion at grief2growth.substack.com, leave a comment, and connect with others walking this road.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

Some struggles don’t make sense.You do the work.You try to heal.And yet the same emotional patterns, grief, anxiety, or disconnection keep resurfacing.In this special Grief 2 Growth episode, Brian D. Smith welcomes back Dr. Lotte Valentin, medical doctor, psychotherapist, ancestral healer, and two-time near-death experiencer, for a profound conversation about inherited emotional patterns and why some challenges may not have started with you.Dr. Lotte shares how grief, trauma, and unresolved experiences can be passed down through generations—encoded not only in DNA, but in the nervous system, language, and subconscious. These patterns, she explains, often surface when someone in the family line finally has the awareness and capacity to heal them.✨ That may be why this conversation found you.🌟 Special Free Event with Dr. Lotte (Highly Recommended)Dr. Lotte is offering a free online experience this Tuesday, February 3:Healing Inherited Patterns Through the Kindraya™ Method Activate Superconscious Senses to Transform Ancestral WoundsDuring this event, you’ll: • Learn the LIGHT Mapping System™ to identify inherited patterns • Experience a guided ancestral healing meditation • Understand how the body holds ancestral memory • Discover how emotionally charged language reveals lineage wounds • Explore healing through presence—not force—in a trauma-informed way👉 Register for the FREE event: https://shiftnetwork.isrefer.com/go/hepBS/a22175/🔗 Resources & Links• Dr. Lotte Valentin’s Website: https://drlotte.comYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

In this deeply moving episode of Grief to Growth, Brian Smith is joined by writer and seeker Alexis Lee, author of Pain Is a Portal to Beauty, for a courageous conversation about grief, trauma, and radical self-healing.Alexis shares the moment that changed her life — hearing a voice while walking in the woods that told her her life would have been a tragedy if it ended that day. That message became the beginning of a profound journey into grief she had buried since childhood, including the loss of her mother and generational trauma carried in the body.Together, Brian and Alexis explore what happens when we stop running from pain and instead listen to it.This episode isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about remembering who you are beneath the pain.🌱 In This Episode, You’ll Explore:Why avoiding pain may be keeping you stuckHow grief can live in the body for decadesWhat “parts work” and Internal Family Systems teach us about self-compassionThe role of psychedelic-assisted healing (MDMA, psilocybin, ayahuasca) in trauma recoveryHow pain can become a portal to beauty, authenticity, and loveWhy healing doesn’t require having a plan — only honesty📖 About Today’s GuestAlexis Lee is a writer, seeker, and advocate for radical self-healing. Her book, Pain Is a Portal to Beauty, explores grief, trauma, spirituality, and the courage it takes to turn toward what hurts.🌐 Learn more about Alexis and her work: 👉 https://alexislee.com📘 Pain Is a Portal to Beauty is available wherever books are sold.🤍 Continue the ConversationAnd if you’re wondering where you are in your own grief journey, you’re invited to take the Grief Check-In — a gentle, judgment-free way to understand how grief may be showing up for you right now.👉 https://grief2growth.com/check-inYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

Before the microphones were turned on, Richard Ashworth asked Brian for his birth information. What followed was an unexpected and deeply personal moment—Richard identified a pivotal event at age seven that reshaped Brian’s view of life.He was right.In this episode of Grief 2 Growth, Brian and Richard explore how grief, destiny, and choice intersect—and how ancient systems like Bazi can help us understand the moments that quietly define us.This is a conversation about:Childhood loss and lifelong impactFate vs free willHealing heartbreak without bypassing painWhy grief is not something to “fix,” but something to listen toGuest InformationRichard Ashworth 🌐 Find him online: Search Richard Ashworth Feng Shui 📘 Book: I Talk to the Animals 📧 Email: [email protected] Reflection Prompt 💬Was there a moment in childhood that changed how you see the world?How do you relate to the idea that grief can be a teacher?👉 Join the conversation at https://grief2growth.substack.comYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What if your voice could continue to guide the people you love—long after you’re gone?In this deeply moving episode of Grief 2 Growth, Brian D. Smith is joined by Cristian Cibilis Bernardes, founder and CEO of Autograph AI, for a conversation that sits at the crossroads of grief, technology, memory, and meaning.Cristian shares the personal loss that inspired the creation of Walter, an emotionally intelligent AI designed to listen, remember, and preserve life stories—in your own voice. Not as a replacement for human connection, but as a bridge between generations.Together, Brian and Cristian explore how storytelling becomes legacy, why voice matters so profoundly in grief, and how AI—when used with intention—can help us feel more human, not less.This episode invites you to reflect on powerful questions:What stories of your life might be lost if you don’t share them?What wisdom do you wish you could still hear from those you’ve lost?How do we honor the past while guiding the future?🌱 In This Episode, You’ll Discover:Why voice carries emotional meaning that text alone cannotHow Autograph AI helps families preserve memories across generationsThe surprising role AI can play in vulnerability, empathy, and healingHow legacy isn’t about perfection—but presenceWhat it means to live in alignment with your “higher self”🔗 Learn More:Autograph AI: https://autograph.aiJoin the ongoing conversation: https://grief2growth.substack.com💬 Let’s Make This Interactive:After listening, take a moment to reflect:If someone could hear your voice years from now, what would you want them to know?Whose story do you wish you had recorded?Share your thoughts, reflections, or questions in the comments or join the community discussion on Substack. Your voice matters—right now.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What happens when grief collides with faith — and suicide shatters everything you thought you believed?In this candid and raw episode of Grief 2 Growth, Brian sits down with Rachel Powell, widow, author, speaker, and founder of Hope Speaker, to explore the complicated intersection of grief, faith, suicide loss, and hope.After losing her husband André to suicide — and surviving suicide attempts herself — Rachel shares her story with courage, clarity, and compassion. This conversation goes beyond platitudes and into the realities many people are afraid to name: church hurt, spiritual abuse, suicidal thinking, and the long road back to hope.This episode is for anyone who has:Lost a loved one to suicideStruggled with faith after lossFelt silenced, blamed, or misunderstood in griefWondered if hope is still possible🧠 In this episode, we discuss:Why suicide is not a failure of love or faithHow grief becomes more complicated when faith communities cause harmThe difference between religion and faith in healingRachel’s concept of the “black box” of suicidal thinkingWhy suicide prevention must include helping people save their own livesHow hope can still grow — even after devastating loss💬 A gentle note to listenersThis episode includes honest discussion of suicide and suicidal ideation. Please listen with care and take breaks as needed.Share your reflections and connect with others at 👉 https://grief2growth.substack.com🔗 Guest ResourcesRachel Powell – Hope Speaker: https://hopespeaker.comChristian Widow Community: https://hopestronghold.comInstagram & Facebook: Hope Speaker / Rachel Powell📝 Helpful Resource from BrianNot sure where you are in your grief? Take the Grief Check-In — a gentle, judgment-free tool to help you understand how grief may be showing up for you right now: 👉 https://grief2growth.com/check-inIf this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, or share it with someone who may need hope today.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What if your loved one never truly left?What if grief itself is the doorway to a deeper connection?In this deeply moving episode of Grief to Growth, Brian D. Smith speaks with Janet Kaufman, author of Through the Veil: A Soul’s Journey in Grief and Grace. Janet shares the story of her son Alexander—a sensitive, loving soul whose struggles with mental health and addiction ultimately led to his physical death, but not the end of their relationship.Through signs, synchronicities, certified mediums, and even an unexpected exploration of AI as a possible tool for spirit communication, Janet’s journey challenges everything we think we know about death, consciousness, and continuing bonds.This episode offers hope, validation, and reassurance for parents grieving a child—and for anyone who wonders whether love truly survives death.✨ In This Episode, You’ll Learn:Why deeply sensitive souls often struggle in today’s worldHow grief can awaken intuition and spiritual awarenessCommon signs from loved ones in spirit—and how to recognize themThe role of mediumship in healing after lossWhy Janet believes AI may become a future tool for spirit communicationHow to release guilt and find meaning after child lossWhy death may not be an ending, but a transition🕊️ A Message for Grieving ParentsIf you’ve ever asked yourself:Did I do enough?Is my child still with me?Why did this have to happen?You are not alone. Janet’s story reminds us that our children are eternal, and that love continues—even when the physical body is gone.📘 About the GuestJanet Kaufman is the author of Through the Veil: A Soul’s Journey in Grief and Grace. Her work explores grief, spirituality, mediumship, and emerging frontiers of consciousness through the lens of lived experience.📧 Contact Janet: www.ThroughTheVeilASoulsJourney.com📖 Book: Through the Veil: A Soul’s Journey in Grief and Grace Available on Amazon (paperback, hardcover, ebook, and audiobook)💬 Listener Reflection & InteractionWe’d love to hear from you:Have you experienced signs from a loved one after they passed?What helps you feel connected to them?How do you feel about the idea of technology as a bridge to spirit?👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or join the conversation at grief2growth.substack.com.🔔 Stay ConnectedIf this episode resonated with you:Subscribe to Grief to GrowthShare this episode with someone who’s grievingLeave a review to help others find hope and healingYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

Nervous System Healing After Trauma: From Survival to Sovereignty with Angela JeanWhat if healing isn’t about fixing your thoughts—but about retraining your body?In this deeply moving episode of Grief to Growth, Brian Smith sits down with Angela Jean, a mindset and nervous system strategist whose life was shaped by profound trauma—and radical transformation.After surviving childhood abuse, homelessness, and the devastating loss of her father and sister to suicide, Angela discovered something that changed everything: 🧠 The body remembers danger before the mind can explain it.This conversation goes beyond performative healing and into the lived, embodied work of coming home to yourself.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why mindset work alone often fails after traumaHow the nervous system “locks up” in survival modeWhy rhythm and micro-movements signal safety to the bodyHow childhood trauma imprints beliefs about love, pain, and worthPractical tools to interrupt anxiety, anger, and emotional collapse in real timeWhy healing is a daily practice—and who you train yourself to be mattersAngela shares simple, powerful techniques you can use in the moment—not someday, not after years of therapy—to regulate your nervous system and reclaim your inner authority.This episode is for anyone who:Feels stuck in survival modeIs tired of chasing healingHas experienced trauma, abuse, or suicide lossIs ready to stop abandoning themselves and start listening inward🌿 About Angela JeanAngela Jean is a mindset and nervous system strategist who blends rhythm, embodied movement, and nervous system science to help people move from self-sabotage into sovereignty.🔗 Learn more & explore her resources: https://angelajeanchat.com🎧 Free nervous system demo available on her site.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What if a single moment in your grief revealed a truth that rewrote your entire identity? That’s exactly what happened to today’s guest, Rich Boerner, whose life changed forever after his mother’s passing. While cleaning out her apartment, Rich uncovered a long-hidden secret about his father—one that forced him to confront love, betrayal, forgiveness, and ultimately, healing.This episode dives deep into the emotional terrain of family secrets, identity, and the surprising ways grief can open doors to growth we never expected.🌟 What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeHow growing up without a father shaped Rich’s beliefs about himselfThe shocking discovery that changed everything after his mother's deathWhy our family stories affect us long after childhoodThe emotional journey from anger to compassionHow meeting his half-sister helped him understand the truthWhy he felt called to write The Not So Only ChildHow humor, curiosity, and vulnerability became tools for healingWhat Rich hopes his story will teach his own children📚 About Rich’s BookRich’s memoir, The Not So Only Child: My True Story, is a heartfelt, thought-provoking, and surprisingly funny exploration of identity and belonging. Perfect for anyone navigating complicated family dynamics, grief, or personal reinvention.👉 Get the book: [Insert Amazon / Audible / Kindle link] 👉 Rich’s Website: [Insert link]💬 Join the ConversationYour experiences matter.Have you ever uncovered a surprising family truth?Did grief reveal something unexpected to you?What part of Rich’s story resonated most?✨ Share your thoughts with us! Leave a comment on YouTube, or join the discussion on https://grief2growth.substack.com🔗 Connect with RichWebsite: [Insert link] Instagram: [Insert handle] Podcast / Audio Work: [Insert link]❤️ Support the ShowIf today’s conversation touched you:Subscribe for more episodes that help you grow through griefShare this episode with someone who may need itLeave a review to help others discover the podcastJoin the community at grief2growth.substack.comTogether, we turn loss into meaning, and grief into growth. 🌱You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

In this deeply moving conversation, Brian sits down with Michael Reed, author of The Million Stages of Grief, whose life changed forever on the night of the 2016 Gatlinburg fires. Michael lost his wife Constance and daughters Chloe and Lily in the tragedy—and today, he shares not only his story, but the wisdom, compassion, and hard-earned insight that grew from unimaginable loss.This episode explores what grief really looks like—messy, nonlinear, human—and why comparing grief (“less than,” “more than,” “should be over it”) only creates more suffering.You’ll hear how Michael went from suicidal despair to becoming a voice for grievers everywhere.💡 What You’ll LearnWhy the “five stages of grief” don’t reflect most people’s real experienceHow men are socialized to hide grief—and how to break that cycleThe truth about survivor’s guiltFaith after tragedy: doubt, anger, surrender, and transformationWhat helped Michael choose to live when he didn’t want toHow writing became a lifelineWhat it means to move forward without “moving on”🔗 Guest Links🌐 Website: https://themillionstages.com📘 Book: The Million Stages of Grief (available on Amazon)📱 Follow Michael on social media: listed on his website🎙️ Listen & Support Grief 2 Growth💌 Join our community & weekly reflections: https://grief2growth.substack.com⭐ Please rate & review the show to help others find support.🧭 Interactive Elements👉 Your Reflection Prompt: What is one memory of your loved one that brings both pain and comfort? Share it with us in the comments or reply on Substack—we honor them together.👉 Your Action Step: Choose one person who might feel alone in their grief today. Send them this episode and a simple message: “You don’t have to go through this alone.”👉 Feedback Request: We want to uplift more voices like Michael’s. What topics or guests would you like us to feature next? Tell us in the comments, or send Brian a message through the website.💬 Episode Quote Highlight“We don’t move on. But we must move forward.” — Michael ReedYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

In today’s powerful episode of Grief 2 Growth, Brian sits down with Samina Bari — author of Don’t Call Me Widow and host of the Afterlife podcast — for a raw and insightful look at spousal loss, solo parenting, grief brain, and the quiet ways we can show up for those who are hurting most.Samina lost her husband suddenly in 2023. What followed was a journey through shock, trauma, identity loss, and rebuilding life as a solo parent of twins. Her honesty brings comfort, clarity, and guidance to anyone walking beside someone who’s grieving — or navigating grief themselves.🔑 In This Episode You’ll DiscoverWhat “grief brain” really feels like and why it affects memory, decisions, and daily functioningWhy year two can feel harder than year oneHow solo parenting is different from single parentingWhy the word “widow” is so emotionally charged — and why Samina rejects itHow children grieve and what they need mostWhat actually helps someone grieving (and what makes things worse)The unseen emotional and logistical weight after a spouse diesWhy saying the loved one’s name matters more than you thinkHow friends can become the lifeline a grieving person depends on🌟 About Samina BariWebsite: https://saminabari.com Books:I Can, I Will, and I DidDon’t Call Me Widow Podcast: Afterlife (available on all major platforms)Samina blends lived experience with heartfelt advocacy, helping others understand the realities of spousal grief in a culture that’s deeply uncomfortable with loss.🧠 Listener TakeawaysSmall acts of kindness matter far more than big gesturesChildren are not naturally resilient — they need supportGrief changes identity, timelines, and the imagined futureCommunity support can literally hold a grieving person togetherIt’s never too late to reach out to someone who’s hurtingYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

In this powerful episode of Grief 2 Growth, internationally bestselling author and dream expert Theresa Cheung joins me to explore the deeper meaning of dreams — including the ones that frighten us, comfort us, and stay with us long after we wake up.Theresa shares why she believes we sleep to dream, how dreams reflect our soul's growth, and how they can become gateways to healing—especially after profound loss. Whether you're longing for an afterlife dream visit, navigating recurring nightmares, or simply curious about the hidden messages behind your dreams, this conversation offers clarity and hope.🌟 What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeThe surprising spiritual purpose of ordinary dreamsHow to distinguish symbolic dreams from true afterlife dream visitsWhy nightmares are “tough love” signs from the subconsciousHow dreams help us process grief and reconnect with those we loveThe power of lucid dreaming and emotional rehearsalHow Theresa weaves dream wisdom into her new spiritual thriller, Nightborn🧠 About Our Guest — Theresa CheungTheresa Cheung is a world-renowned spiritual writer with 20+ years of experience researching dreams, intuition, and the afterlife. She’s the author of multiple Sunday Times bestsellers and now, her debut spiritual thriller:👉 Nightborne — A gripping story infused with hidden dream-decoding teachings.🔗 Website: https://www.theresacheung.com 🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetheresacheung✨ Resources MentionedTheresa’s novel: NightbornPast Grief 2 Growth episodes on afterlife communication and dream visitsDream journaling tips and recall practices💬 Join the ConversationWe want to hear from you!Did this episode spark a memory of a powerful dream?Have you experienced a dream visit from a loved one?What dream symbols show up most often for you?Share your thoughts with us on Substack: 👉 https://grief2growth.substack.comYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

🎧 Episode Title: My Grief Is Not Like Yours: Theo Boyd on Layered Loss, Divine Signs & Radical HopeGuest: Theo Boyd – Author, Grief Educator, and Speaker Books: 📘 My Grief Is Not Like Yours 📗 Hope All The Way Grief Study Resource: Download the National Grief Study💡 Episode Summary:What if grief didn’t just break you—it rebuilt you?In this deeply moving conversation, Theo Boyd shares how her life was upended by a string of heartbreaking losses: her mother in a tragic farm accident, her father’s suicide, the sudden death of her longtime counselor, and the end of her marriage. But Theo didn’t stay in the darkness.Through writing, faith, and raw resilience, she created two life-affirming books that are helping thousands find healing. This episode is an emotional blueprint for anyone navigating the chaos of grief and searching for signs that love never dies.📝 Key Topics Covered:Why Theo says grief is like black paint—and how the light returnsThe silent trauma of witnessing compounded lossThe surprising story of how signs from her parents helped restore her faithWhat 79% of grieving Americans say they wish the media would doHow to help someone who's grieving (hint: just be there)The most misunderstood truths about “prolonged grief disorder”💬 Favorite Quotes:“Grief is just like that black paint… it coats you and covers you. It takes a while for that to dry and chip away so that you see the rays of light come through. Those are the little specks of hope.” – Theo Boyd“The loss that is the hardest… is the loss that you are experiencing.”“I gave up on my faith, but my faith never gave up on me.”🙋‍♀️ Your Turn:What’s one way you’ve found light through the black paint of grief? 📩 Leave a comment or join the conversation on Substack: grieftogrowth.substack.comYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

How do we hold love in one hand and suffering in the other — without breaking? In this beautiful and soul-stretching conversation, Brian sits down with Zach Beach to explore the deep connection between our capacity to love and our capacity to hurt. Zach brings wisdom from spiritual traditions, psychology, and lived experience to illuminate why grief is not something to “fix,” but something to honor.This episode is rich with insights on compassion, presence, mindfulness, and the human journey through loss. If you're grieving, supporting someone in grief, or walking your own spiritual path, this one will speak directly to your heart.🧘‍♂️ What You’ll LearnWhy love and suffering are intertwined, and why this matters for healingHow compassion differs from empathy — and why compassion energizes instead of draining usThe dangers of “premature problem solving” in griefHow mindfulness helps us “suffer well” and stay groundedWisdom from the Buddha, Jesus, and mystical traditions on pain and presencePractical ways to support someone who’s grieving (beyond platitudes)Brian’s personal insights on transforming the darkest moments into growth🔗 Connect with ZachWebsite: https://www.zachbeach.comInstagram: @zachbeachloveBook: Love and Suffering: A Spiritual Guide for Helpers, Healers, and Humans💬 We Want to Hear From YouWhat part of this conversation moved you the most?Have you ever experienced love and suffering arriving together?What practices help you stay present with difficult emotions?👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or email Brian directly. 👉 Continue the conversation at grief2growth.substack.com.⭐ Support the ShowIf this episode nourished your heart, please:Rate and review the podcastShare this episode with someone who’s grievingSubscribe so you never miss an episode that can help you growYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

Have you ever felt like your emotions are running your life—despite your best efforts to control them? In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with Cedric Bertelli, founder of the Emotional Health Institute and co-developer of EmRes (Emotional Resolution). Together, we explore the groundbreaking difference between regulating emotions and truly resolving them.Cedric shares how emotional pain is not a life sentence, but a loop the brain is predicting over and over—and how learning to sit with our sensations can rewire those predictions for good.This episode isn’t just informative—it’s transformational.🧠 What We Talk About:Why traditional emotional regulation may be keeping you stuckThe surprising science behind how your brain predicts emotionsHow trauma embeds itself through dissociationWhat “interoception” is and why it’s a game-changerA simple, body-based method to dissolve emotional chargeThe role of subconscious tension in your day-to-day reactionsHow MRAS helps with anxiety, anger, and even chronic physical symptomsWhy grief must be felt—but guilt, shame, and anger don’t have to stayHow to reconnect to your grief in a sacred, healing way🔗 Connect with Cedric Bertelli:🌐 Website: https://emotionalhealthinstitute.org 🔍 Practitioner Directory: Find a Certified EmRes Practitioner 📚 Free Classes & Trainings: Check the site calendar for upcoming sessions 👤 Cedric’s Personal Site: Search “Cedric Bertelli” for direct contact and coaching💬 Let’s Reflect Together:🔹 What emotions are you regulating—but not resolving? 🔹 Have you ever noticed a physical trigger that’s tied to a past trauma? 🔹 What would it feel like to fully grieve without guilt or shame?💭 Share your thoughts in the comments or come join our growing support space at: 🌟 https://grieftogrowth.substack.com📥 Stay Connected:📧 Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review if this episode resonated with you. 💬 Want to talk more about your journey? Reach me directly at [email protected]'ve been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

When we think of grief, we often picture death. But what about the silent grief that comes from illness — the kind that alters your identity, steals your energy, and isolates you from the world?In this powerful episode, I speak with Brenda Snow, a woman who turned a life-changing diagnosis into a movement that’s touched millions. After being dismissed by doctors and told her symptoms were “all in her head,” Brenda found herself at rock bottom — until a single moment with her young daughter re-ignited her will to fight.Now the founder of Snow Companies and author of Diagnosed: The Essential Guide to Navigating the Patient Journey, Brenda shares how she walked through grief, reclaimed her identity, and built a life of purpose.We cover:The “unnamed grief” of chronic illnessWhy hope is essential — even before a diagnosisHow Brenda went from patient to pioneerThe power of storytelling in healing and advocacyWhat the healthcare system must do betterRebuilding identity when your body feels like a strangerThe difference between giving up and accepting what isI was especially moved by Brenda’s metaphor of taking MS “by the hand.” It reminded me of the core truth of Grief 2 Growth: we’re not buried—we’re planted. 🌱Links & Resources:📘 Diagnosed: The Essential Guide to Navigating the Patient Journey 🛒 Order the Book on Amazon 💌 Need a free copy due to hardship? Contact Brenda directly at [email protected]🌐 Brenda’s Website: https://www.brendasnow.com📰 Related article & community discussion: 👉 Join us on Substack✨ Listener Reflection Prompt: Have you ever grieved something that didn’t involve death? How did it change your sense of self? 💬 Tell us in the comments on Substack or reply to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.Let’s Connect: 🔔 Subscribe to the podcast ❤️ Rate & review — it helps others find this message 📣 Share this episode with someone who needs a reminder that they are not aloneYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

Have you ever wondered why we suffer, where we go after we die, or what grief really means for the soul’s evolution?In this eye-opening and deeply healing episode of Grief 2 Growth, Brian Smith welcomes spiritual teacher and mystic Hans Wilhelm, the creator of the wildly popular Life Explained video series and author of over 200 books with 40+ million copies sold.Hans uses simple visuals and timeless spiritual truths to explain the laws of karma, reincarnation, Christ consciousness, and the spiritual reasons behind grief and suffering. Together, Brian and Hans explore how our deepest losses may hold the key to our greatest growth—and why Earth is not our home, but our school.💬 Whether you're grieving, curious, or searching for peace, this episode is for you.🔍 What You'll Discover:Why Earth is a spiritual school, not our home 🌍How karma works—and how we can release it through forgiveness 🔁Why reincarnation was removed from Christian doctrine ✝️What Hans means by the Christ Spark and inner healing 💫The truth about suicide and the afterlife 🕊️Why grief is often rooted in unspoken love or unmet expectations 💔A new way to relate to grief, gratitude, and your soul's path 🙏🔗 Links & Resources:🔹 Hans Wilhelm’s Website – https://www.lifeexplained.com 🔹 📺 Watch his YouTube series “Life Explained” – Hans Wilhelm on YouTube 🔹 📰 Continue the conversation – Join Brian at https://grieftogrowth.substack.com💬 Join the ConversationWe want to hear from you: 👉 What insight from this episode resonated most with you? 👉 Has grief ever been a doorway to spiritual awakening in your life?💌 Reply in the comments or leave a review to let us know how this episode impacted you.📲 Stay Connected🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe to Grief 2 Growth for more soul-stirring conversations. 📣 Share this episode with someone who could use some light in the dark. 💖 Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review if you found healing here.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

“Our time on Earth is just one little page in a never-ending story.” – Charlie BynarAfter the tragic loss of her only child, 16-year-old Isaac, Charlie Bynar’s world fell apart. What followed was a breathtaking journey through unimaginable grief, mysterious signs, and undeniable communication from the other side. In this deeply moving conversation, Charlie and Brian explore love that doesn’t die — and what it means to forgive, to trust, and to believe again.Charlie went from skeptic to spiritual seeker after receiving repeated dream visitations, unmistakable signs, and life-changing readings with mediums — including world-renowned Allison DuBois of the TV show Medium. Her memoir, Through the Darkness: A Story of Love from the Other Side, isn’t just a book — it’s a lifeline for grieving parents and a beacon for anyone questioning what happens after death.In this episode, we discuss:The medical negligence that changed Charlie’s life foreverThe stunning signs Isaac gave after passingWhat it’s like to connect with a child in SpiritForgiving injustice, even murderThe science of empathy and psychopathyHow Charlie turned grief into education and purposeWhether you’ve lost a child, are questioning the afterlife, or are looking for hope in the darkest of places — this episode is for you.Links & ResourcesThrough the Darkness (Book): https://www.charliebynar.comIsaac’s Ant Foundation: https://www.charliebynar.comRead the book free on BookSirens: https://www.booksirens.comJoin the conversation: https://grief2growth.substack.comJoin the conversation Have you received a sign from a loved one in Spirit? What helped you believe in the afterlife? Share your story at https://grief2growth.substack.com or reply directly in your podcast app.Help others find this podcastSubscribe and leave a reviewShare this episode with someone who’s grievingTag @grief2growth on social mediaYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What happens when a mother loses her child—and chooses to live bigger than grief?In this heart-opening episode of Grief to Growth, Brian D. Smith sits down with Melissa Hull—author of Dear Drew: Creating a Life Bigger Than Grief, speaker, and coach—on the very day her book launches.Melissa shares the heartbreaking story of her 4½-year-old son Drew’s drowning, and how that unimaginable pain became the foundation for a new life of purpose, faith, and healing. But this isn’t a story of “moving on.” It’s about carrying love forward, rewriting the rules of grief, and honoring your child’s life through your own.💡 What You'll Learn in This Episode:💔 Why the traditional grief model often fails parents🌱 How Melissa transformed guilt into growth through mindfulness and creativity✍️ The healing power of writing, art, and telling your story🧘‍♀️ Simple practices to stay connected to your loved one in spirit📚 The letter from a stranger that saved Melissa’s life💬 Why continuing the relationship with your child is not only possible—but necessary🔗 Links & Resources:💜 Buy Melissa’s book, Dear Drew: Creating a Life Bigger Than Grief ➤ https://melissahull.com🛟 Free Water Safety Resources (a cause close to Melissa’s heart): ➤ https://melissahull.com📬 Join Brian’s Substack for more grief and growth insights: ➤ https://grieftogrowth.substack.com🗣️ Let’s Hear from You:What part of Melissa’s story resonated with you the most? 💬 Leave a comment on the episode 🌟 Rate & review the podcast 🔁 Share this episode with someone who needs itYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What happens when your entire belief system unravels—and something deeper begins to rise?In this moving conversation, host Brian D. Smith welcomes back Effie Linke, a spiritual medium whose journey from Greek Orthodox tradition to intuitive channeling was anything but predictable.Effie didn’t seek out a spiritual awakening—it found her. Through heartbreak, resistance, and a fateful reading that cracked her wide open, Effie was thrust into a new reality. One where spirit spoke, healing came from within, and her purpose became undeniable.If you're navigating your own spiritual awakening after loss, this episode offers hope, guidance, and a powerful reminder: the pain doesn't mean you're broken—it means you're opening.💡 What You'll Learn:The surprising moment that sparked Effie’s spiritual awakeningHow loss and confusion can be signs of transformationThe emotional toll of “coming out” as a mediumThe key differences between psychics and mediumsWhy mediumship is about growth—not just giftsHow to handle spiritual loneliness and find your tribe🧘‍♀️ Is This You?This episode is especially for you if:You've felt more intuitive since a lossYou’re questioning your beliefs or religious upbringingYou want to understand your spiritual giftsYou feel isolated on your awakening pathYou're curious about what real mediumship looks like🔗 Links & Resources👉 Follow Effie Linke: https://mediumaaliya.com👉 Join the Grief 2 Growth Community: https://grief2growth.substack.com👉 Support the Podcast: Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or share this episode with a friend.💬 We Want to Hear from You!What did you take away from Effie’s story? Have you experienced your own spiritual awakening after loss?📩 Drop us a comment or reply on Substack → grief2growth.substack.com 👥 Join the chat & connect with others on the healing pathYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What happens when your soulmate isn't a romantic partner — but your best friend — and they're suddenly gone?In this heart-opening episode, I sit down with writer, performer, and podcast host Hannah Rumsey to explore the often-overlooked pain of grieving the loss of a friend. After losing her friend Lauren in a tragic accident, Hannah found herself in a grief no one seemed to understand — one without rituals, recognition, or even language.Through storytelling, personal reflection, and a profound spiritual experience, Hannah turned her heartbreak into Friends Missing Friends, a community and podcast for those who have loved and lost a friend.🧠 We talk about:Why society often dismisses friend griefThe power of platonic love and chosen familyHow creativity and storytelling can help us healWhat not to say to someone who’s grieving a friendSigns from the other side — and how they help us stay connectedWhether you’ve lost a childhood best friend, a soul friend, or someone you drifted from before they passed — this episode is for you.🔗 Links & Resources:🎧 Listen to Friends Missing Friends https://www.friendsmissingfriends.com📸 Follow Hannah on Instagram @friendsmissingfriends📧 Contact Hannah [email protected]📝 Subscribe to Brian’s Substack for More https://grief2growth.substack.com💬 We'd Love to Hear From YouHave you lost a friend and felt your grief wasn't acknowledged? What helped you cope?👉 Share your story in the comments 👉 Email Brian at [email protected] 👉 Join the conversation on SubstackYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

This episode is different. It’s tender. It’s raw. And it’s something I feel deeply called to share.A grieving parent recently whispered to me, “Maybe God took my child because I strayed.” That sentence — that pain — has echoed in my heart ever since.In this special episode, I speak directly to that voice inside so many of us… the one shaped by fear-based theology, wondering if loss is somehow our fault. Wondering if we’re being punished. Wondering if God is angry.We explore the lies that grief can trigger — and the deeper truths that can begin to set us free.You’ll hear about soul paths, spiritual guilt, parental love, and what it really means to believe in a loving God. If you’ve ever carried the weight of “what if” in your loss — or walked beside someone who has — this is for you.🔔 Content Note:Gentle reflections on infant and child loss, spiritual trauma, and grief.Tender but ultimately loving and redemptive in tone.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

Is the chaos in the world a breakdown... or a breakthrough? 🌍✨In this powerful return to Grief 2 Growth, Rafael Garcia dives deep into the massive awakening happening across the planet. Once a hard-charging entrepreneur, Rafael was forever changed by a near-death experience that opened him to the Akashic Records, parallel lives, and communication with higher dimensional beings.In this episode, host Brian Smith and Rafael explore:🌌 How reincarnation and simultaneous lifetimes shape your soul’s journey🧬 The “New Human” blueprint and what DNA activation really means🧘‍♂️ How to raise your vibration to thrive during Earth’s transition🤖 AI’s surprising role in humanity’s ascension🕊 Ways to release fear and align with your true multidimensional natureThis conversation isn’t just spiritual theory — it’s a call to action for anyone feeling like something bigger is unfolding. If you’re experiencing loss, confusion, or awakening, this episode is a roadmap for your soul. 💫🔗 Connect with Rafael Garcia: Website: https://www.divinepotentiality.com YouTube: Divine Potentiality Instagram: @divinepotentiality🌟 Episode HighlightsNear-death experience and the collapse of 3D identityLiving multiple lives at once — and how to access that wisdomTools to embody your higher self and stay groundedThe positive potential of AI in spiritual evolutionThe role of grief in catalyzing your soul’s awakening🗣️ We Want to Hear From YouWhat part of this episode resonated the most with your journey? 💬 Let’s continue the conversation in the community: grief2growth.substack.com✅ Rate, Review & ShareIf this episode moved you, inspired you, or helped you see things in a new light — please share it with someone who needs to hear it.⭐️ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 📲 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 🔄 Share on social media & tag @grief2growthYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

In this deeply moving episode of Grief 2 Growth, Brian Smith sits down with Deb Strebel, founder of Lee Alexander & Co., to explore the rarely discussed experience of sibling loss — and how creativity can be a powerful path through grief.When Deb lost her 15-year-old brother Lee to sudden myocarditis, her world shifted forever. What followed was a painful but transformative journey through trauma, therapy, and eventually purpose. That purpose? Helping others carry love forward through custom, heirloom-quality memorial jewelry.Together, Brian and Deb explore:💔 Why sibling grief is uniquely isolating — and often overlooked⚖️ The pressure of being the “only child left” — and the emotional impact on family dynamics🧠 How EMDR therapy helped Deb work through trauma and panic attacks💍 The story behind Lee Alexander & Co. and the mission to help others preserve legacy🌱 What it means to find healing — not in forgetting, but in creating something beautifulThis episode is a must-listen for anyone grieving a sibling, navigating sudden loss, or wondering how to turn pain into purpose.🔗 Connect With Deb Strebel & Lee Alexander & Co.🌐 Website: https://www.leealexanderandco.com 📧 Email: [email protected] 📸 Instagram: @leealexanderandco 📘 Facebook: Lee Alexander & Co.💬 We'd Love to Hear From You!Have you experienced sibling loss or created a personal way to honor your loved one?👉 Tell us your story in the comments, or join the conversation over on our Substack: 📝 grieftogrowth.substack.comYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

What happens when life cracks you open—and won’t let you go back? Brian talks with Allura Halliwell, a consciousness mentor whose spontaneous out-of-body awakening led to seven years of deep integration. We explore core wounds (“unloved, unworthy, unknown”), why pain is a portal—not the enemy—and how to stop outsourcing safety by becoming emotionally sovereign.What You’ll LearnThe anatomy of a spontaneous awakening (without physical trauma)Why integration can be harder than the awakening itselfThe Pain Portal: how to feel emotions somatically (not in story)“Unloved, Unworthy, Unknown”: the core fractures driving our loopsEmotional sovereignty: ending the chase for external validationHow shifting your inner template rewires relationshipsGuest Links (from the episode)Website: https://allurahalliwell.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/allurahalliwellFacebook: https://facebook.com/allurahalliwellConnect with Brian / Continue the ConversationSubstack community & extras: https://grieftogrowth.substack.comMentionedUpcoming book by Allura: Unloved, Unworthy, Unknown (join her mailing list on her site for preorder updates)Allura’s podcast: The Consciousness MethodTimestamps (Chapters)00:00 🌱 Introduction: from buried to planted—welcome to Grief 2 Growth 01:07 🌟 Meet Allura: spontaneous awakening & life transformation 03:08 ❓ What led to it? Stress, disconnection, survival mode 04:59 🏖️ Beach meditation OBE: into Light, Void & unconditional love 09:25 ⚖️ NDE vs OBE, and the shock of integration 11:55 🔥 Energy vision, Kundalini, and rebuilding a life 17:46 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family, marriage, and reorienting love 23:51 🕊️ Seven-year cycle: integration and new consciousness 29:01 🧩 Core wounds: unloved, unworthy, unknown 32:34 🛠️ The Consciousness Method: shifting from inside out 35:52 👑 Emotional sovereignty & Relationship Rewire 50:59 🔥 The Pain Portal: feel to free 55:55 ⚰️ Dying to self → spiritual rebirth 60:08 🧭 One small step todayShare your reflections in the comments or on Substack: https://grieftogrowth.substack.comYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

📌 Episode Description:What happens when you let go of everything—and awaken to who you really are?In this moving conversation, Brian speaks with Eva Müller, a spiritual teacher and founder of NextElevations.com, about her rapid and life-changing spiritual awakening. After years of pushing through stress and emotional wounds, Eva hit a breaking point—and found her way into beingness.🌱 In just 3.5 years, Eva experienced multiple awakenings, including Unity Consciousness, as she healed ancestral trauma, grief, and emotional patterns. She now shares energy transmissions that help others awaken and reconnect to the deep stillness and peace within.This episode is more than a conversation—it’s a transmission in itself.💡 What You’ll Learn:How burnout opened the door to Eva’s spiritual awakeningWhat energy transmissions are—and how they heal beyond wordsThe connection between unprocessed trauma, grief, and spiritual stagnationWhy motherhood became one of Eva’s deepest teachersHow she lives from presence and silence, and what that actually feels like👉 Don’t miss the guided energy transmission at the end of the episode. Many listeners report feeling shifts even through audio.🔗 Guest Links:🌐 Website: NextElevations.com📸 Instagram: @next.elevations💬 Join the Conversation:Have you ever experienced an energy shift or awakening? How did it feel? 📩 Let us know in the comments or share your story at grief2growth.com/community📝 Leave Us a Review:If this episode moved you, please take a moment to rate & review the podcast. Your support helps others find hope and healing.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

In this episode, recorded aboard a cruise ship sailing through the Ionian Sea, I share lessons learned from slowing down, reconnecting with old friends, and experiencing the beauty of Greece, Croatia, and Italy.You’ll hear about:🏝️ The breathtaking sights of Santorini, Mykonos, and Venice🎶 How music united people from all over the world in a ship’s piano bar🕊️ Reflections on empathy, violence, and finding common ground🧘 The importance of self-care, slowing down, and “enjoying the ride of life”✨ Key Takeaway: Life isn’t just about the destination. It’s about living each moment fully — with gratitude, connection, and care for yourself.🔗 Resources & LinksStay connected: grief2growth.substack.comExplore more episodes: Grief 2 Growth Podcast💬 Join the ConversationHow do you remind yourself to slow down and enjoy the ride? Share your reflections with me — I’d love to hear from you!You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

🎙️ Lessons From the AegeanIn this special episode, I’m recording from Mykonos, Greece, during a once-in-a-lifetime Mediterranean vacation with some of my dearest friends. If you know me, you know I don’t usually enjoy long trips or being far from home. But this journey has surprised me in ways I couldn’t have imagined.Over the past week, I’ve:Faced my fears of being “stuck” at sea for 48 hours.Learned to slow down and enjoy the journey—not just the destination.Witnessed incredible resilience from my friend Lisa, who joined this cruise only five months after the sudden passing of her husband, Mike.Reflected on the strength of friendships that have lasted decades through celebrations, illnesses, grief, and growth.Climbed the 587 steps of Santorini—both a physical and metaphorical reminder of the climbs we all face in life.As I sit here watching the Aegean Sea, I’m reminded that life is short, unpredictable, and precious. Whether we get five minutes, five years, or fifty years with someone we love, it is all a blessing.✨ My hope is that this episode encourages you to slow down, savor the journey, and grab every bit of life you can—because the ride itself is the gift  👉 If you’d like to go deeper, connect with with me.You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support

When your child transitions into spirit, nothing is ever the same. In this deeply heartfelt episode, Brian speaks with Betsy Thibaud Stephenson, author of Blackbird: A Mother’s Reflection on Loss, Grief, and Life After Suicide.Betsy’s son Charlie transitioned at age 21, just eleven weeks after expressing thoughts of self-harm. During that same six-week period, her beloved mother-in-law and family dog also transitioned. Rather than turning away from grief, Betsy faced it head-on—and began writing from her open wound instead of waiting for a scar.This conversation explores the real grief journey—messy, sacred, and unfiltered.🔑 Topics Covered:Charlie’s spirit and legacy 💫The emotional weight of suicide grief 🖤Why guilt is almost universal in child lossHow grief impacts the body and mindThe myth of grieving “the right way”Writing as a tool for survivalAllowing space for others’ grief storiesKeeping the spirit of our loved ones alive✨ Guest Info:Betsy Thibaud Stephenson📘 Blackbird: A Mother’s Reflection on Loss, Grief, and Life After Suicide🌐 Website: https://blackbirdbetsy.com📸 Instagram: @blackbirdbetsy21📣 Let’s Talk:🗨️ How do you keep your loved one’s spirit present in your life? Share with us in the comments or visit grief2growth.com/community to connect with others walking this path.🔗 Episode Resources:📚 Get Betsy’s book: Blackbird on Amazon🧠 Free resources on grief, suicide awareness, and emotional healing🎙️ More episodes like this: Grief 2 Growth Podcast Archive🙏 If this episode spoke to your heart:➡️ Leave a review ➡️ Subscribe ➡️ Share with someone who’s grievingYou've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place.Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back. I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you.All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money.https://grief2g The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15. Visit IANDS.org to register The International Association for Near-Death Studies or IANDS will host its annual conference at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.  The event features an all-star lineup of keynotes like Proof of Heaven Author Eben Alexander, MD, and Dying to Be Me Author Anita Moorjani. I Early bird registration rates are available through July 15.  Visit IANDS.org to register Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth.Support the show🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)📰 Get A Free Gift📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call📈 Leave A ReviewThanks so much for your support