Restorative Grief with Mandy Capehart

“There’s a moment in grief when you realize the story didn’t end… it just changed shape.”In this episode of Restorative Grief, Mandy is joined by filmmaker and Emmy-winning producer Jon Hill, whose feature film Above the Clouds was born from the loss of his father and shaped over thirteen years of quiet persistence. What began as heartbreak slowly became a creative path toward meaning, connection, and unexpectedly laughter.Together, we explore what it looks like to honor someone we love through art, why humor can coexist with deep sorrow, and how creative expression can help us move through grief without trying to rush past it. Jon shares the personal roots of his film, the long road to bringing it into the world, and the gentle hope he carries for anyone walking their own healing journey.This conversation is an invitation to hold grief with honesty, to stay open to moments of lightness, and to remember that restoration often arrives in ways we don’t expect.In this episode, we discuss:Turning personal loss into meaningful creative workThe surprising role of humor in the healing processWhat thirteen years of persistence can teach us about griefBalancing tenderness and levity when telling hard storiesHelping grieving people feel less alone in their experienceLinks + Resources from this episode:Learn more about Above the Clouds: https://www.abovethecloudsfilm.com/Learn about Jon's work: https://www.jonhilldirects.com/Learn more about Restorative Grief: https://www.mandycapehart.com/Become a Patron of the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/mandycapehart

“Much of what we experience while scrolling the news is actually grief trying to move through the body.”How do we stay present to the world’s suffering without being swallowed by it? In this episode, we explore the very real tension of living everyday life while absorbing constant global distress. From doomscrolling and body tension to the quiet pressure to stay informed, this conversation names what so many are feeling but struggle to articulate.We talk about how grief shows up physically in the body, why your nervous system responds the way it does to ongoing crisis, and how to practice what I call responsible distance. You’ll walk away with simple, grounded ways to stay compassionate and engaged without overwhelming your capacity to keep showing up.Links + Resources from this episode:MandyCapehart.com/coachingAround the Circle: National GriefPolyvagal Theory overview with Deb DanaGet the workbook for more on doomscrolling management