In this episode of A Gift For Grief, Narinder Moore reflects on the very different ways grief has touched her life.

Her Father was bedridden for five years and died in 2008. Narinder explained how she experienced a mixture of sadness and relief - comforted by knowing he was no longer suffering.

Years later, her grief took on a new shape. The sudden loss of her eldest brother Gurjit in 2021, followed by the death of her younger brother Jagdip in 2023.

This brought pain of a different kind - sharper, more unexpected, and deeply disorienting.

Narinder opens up about how the Sikh community stepped forward during these times of loss and she shares the important role of Sikh customs and traditions in mourning.

Members of the Sikh community came together to surround her family with prayer and support.

Those who were able to read from the scriptures brought the sacred words into the house, filling the home with comfort and reverence. The presence of the scriptures offered both spiritual strength and a reminder that she was not alone in her grief.

This heartfelt conversation explores how grief is never the same twice, and how faith, culture, and community can both comfort and challenge us in times of loss.

Connect with Narinder through her Facebook group or Facebook page, both called - The Live Well Learning Hub.

Narinder's book 'Reflections' A Guided Journal: is available from Amazon.

Recommended reading:

Anita Moorjani Dying to Be Me

Bill Kirkpatrick: Going Forth

The Miracle Morning: Hal Elrod

A Gift For Grief: Louise Bates

Donna Ashworth: Growing Brave

Connect With Your Host Louise Bates: https://linktr.ee/louisebates

If this episode moved you, please consider leaving a review and sharing it with someone who might need it.

You help this show reach others walking their own path through grief.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of A Gift For Grief, I talk about the words we use around loss.

So often, people mean well but don’t know what to say - and sometimes the phrases we’ve all heard, like “they’re in a better place” or “everything happens for a reason”, can sting more than they soothe.

I share some reflections on the language of grief: what feels supportive, what can feel blunt, and how even simple, honest words can make a big difference.

I also explore how grief can shift the way we speak and listen to each other.

If you’ve ever struggled to find the right thing to say - or wished someone had said something different, this conversation is for you.

Connect with your host Louise Bates: https://linktr.ee/louisebates

If this episode moved you, please consider leaving a review and sharing it with someone who might need it.

You help this show reach others walking their own path through grief.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this gentle and heartfelt solo episode, I reflect on the first year of grief and the many emotional “firsts” that come with loss: The first birthday, Christmas, holiday, anniversary, and even the first unexpected moment of laughter.

I share personal stories, including how my husband Bill and I honour our son Matthew’s birthday, and why we’ve chosen sunshine over tradition when it comes to Christmas.

I also explore the emotional weight of anticipation, the quiet moments that catch us off guard, and the small, meaningful rituals that help keep love present in our everyday lives.

This episode is for anyone navigating the painful first year, or supporting someone through theirs, or simply trying to understand the complex, unpredictable journey of grief.

You’ll be gently reminded that:

• There’s no right way to grieve—only your way
• It’s okay to feel joy, guilt, longing, and laughter all at once
• Even in grief, there are glimmers of love and connection

If this episode moved you, please consider leaving a review and sharing it with someone who might need it.

You help this show reach others walking their own path through grief.

Connect with your host Louise Bates: https://linktr.ee/louisebates

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grief and loss are experiences we never ask for but they shape us in profound ways.

In this deeply personal episode, I open up about my own journey through grief: the loss that shattered me, the heartbreak I never expected, and the surprising gifts that emerged from the pain, such as clarity, resilience, compassion, and a deeper connection to life and much more.

This conversation is an honest invitation to see grief as more than something to “get through.” Instead, what if we approached it as a sacred journey, a path that, while brutally painful, can transform us in ways nothing else can?

Whether you’re grieving a loved one, navigating a major life change, or supporting someone through loss, this episode will help you:

• Understand the hidden lessons and gifts in grief
• Find meaning and hope during painful seasons
• Embrace healing while honoring your loss

Grief can break us but it can also open us.

If you’ve ever wondered how to keep going when life falls apart, or how to show up for someone who’s hurting, this episode is for you.

Connect With Louise Bates: https://linktr.ee/louisebates

If this episode moved you, please consider leaving a review and sharing it with someone who might need it.

You help this show reach others walking their own path through grief.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I dive deep into the classic concept of the five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

But are these stages really universal? And do they truly reflect your unique grief journey?

Join me as I explore:

• The origins of the five stages and why they’ve become so popular.
• Common misconceptions and myths around grief stages.
• How grief is a deeply personal experience that doesn’t always follow a set path.
• Ways to recognise and honour your own unique process of healing.
• Tips for supporting yourself and others through grief, beyond the stages.

Whether you’re grieving a loss or supporting someone who is, this episode will help you find freedom from expectations and embrace your own authentic grief.

Tune in and discover why your grief story deserves to be honoured on its own terms.

Recommended reading: On Death & Dying by Elizabeth Kubler Ross

Connect with Louise Bates: https://linktr.ee/louisebates

If this episode moved you, please consider leaving a review and sharing it with someone who might need it.

You help this show reach others walking their own path through grief.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“How many children do you have?”

It’s a question that comes up easily in conversation, often asked with good intentions and without much thought.

But for those of us who have experienced the loss of a child, it can bring a wave of emotion.

It touches a tender part of us, stirring grief, love, and the quiet reality of what could have been.

In this episode, I explore the emotional weight this question can carry. I speak honestly about the pause that comes before answering, and the personal journey of navigating between truth and emotional safety.

I share my own experience with this question, and offer reflections on how we can hold space, for ourselves and for others when loss is part of the story.

This episode is for anyone who carries grief quietly, who continues to love a child no longer here, and who wishes their experience could be acknowledged without needing to explain.

In this episode, I reflect on:

The emotional impact behind a seemingly simple question

What it’s like to parent a child who is no longer living

Why grief often lives in the things left unsaid

How to honour our children while protecting our own emotional boundaries

The unique challenges of invisible motherhood or fatherhood

Connect with Louise Bates: https://linktr.ee/louisebates

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I am delighted to welcome my dear friend, Catherine Williamson, as my guest.

This episode reflects the quiet, often unacknowledged grief that follows the end of a relationship. Unlike death, there’s no formal goodbye—just the lingering presence of memories, lost dreams, and shared routines. It speaks to the pain of mourning someone who is still alive, the emotional confusion it brings, and the lack of visible closure.

Yet, within this sorrow lies a potential gift: the opportunity for healing, reflection, and growth. The message is one of compassion and solidarity for anyone navigating heartbreak—not just from a person’s absence, but from the end of love itself. It invites us to honour our grief, not fix it, and to gently uncover meaning amid the loss.

If you are grieving someone who is still alive, if your heart is heavy with unanswered questions and silent prayers, know that you are not alone.

Let us walk this path together, with open hearts and gentle hands, as we seek to find the gift within our grief.

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might find it helpful.

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review – it helps us reach more people navigating the journey of grief.

Recommended reading:

The journey by Brandon Bays

The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield

Permission to screw up by Kristen Hadeed

Connect with Catherine Thompson: https://linktr.ee/catherinewilliamson

Connect with Louise Bates: https://linktr.ee/louisebates

#relationships #breakup #heartbreak

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grief doesn't adhere to a schedule.

It comes in waves, in quiet moments, and sometimes in the most unexpected ways.

My guest today Vicki Holton has walked through many forms of grief, each unique in its own weight.

Now, she faces a new and deeply painful chapter: the anticipatory grief of knowing her son lives with a life-limiting heart condition.

In this heartfelt conversation, we explore the complexities of grieving—what it looks like, how it evolves, and what might lie ahead.

While this episode holds sorrow, it is also woven with hope, strength, and unexpected light.

Recommended Book: Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might find it helpful.

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review – it helps us reach more people navigating the journey of grief.

Connect with Vicki through her socials: Vicki Holton

Instagram: AEBWELLNESS

Connect with Louise Bates: https://linktr.ee/louisebates

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.