Navigating grief during the holidays can feel especially heavy when the world expects joy, celebration, and togetherness.

In this compassionate episode of Courageous Retirement, host Vona Johnson welcomes clinical psychologist and grief educator Dr. Richelle to offer gentle help and practical support for anyone experiencing loss during the holiday season.

Together, they explore how grief is more than the loss of a loved one—it can also stem from changes in health, relationships, identity, purpose, or life transitions common in midlife and retirement. Dr. Richelle explains how unprocessed grief can affect emotional well-being, energy, and relationships, and why acknowledging grief is a vital step toward healing.

This conversation offers practical ways to cope with grief during the holidays, including:

• managing holiday loneliness,
• setting healthy boundaries,
• simplifying expectations, and
• creating meaningful rituals that honor both loss and hope.

Dr. Richelle emphasizes the importance of giving yourself permission—to feel, to rest, and to approach the holidays honestly and gently.

Drawing from both her professional expertise and personal journey through loss, Dr. Richelle provides reassurance and wisdom for those seeking peace during grief. If you are carrying sorrow into this season, this episode offers understanding, encouragement, and a reminder that you are not alone—and that healing is possible, even during the holidays.

✨ You don’t have to do the holidays the way you always have. You get to do them your way.

Episode Chapters:
00:00 Understanding Holiday Loneliness and Grief
00:19 Introducing Dr. Richelle, Clinical Psychologist & Grief Educator
01:19 What Grief Really Is (More Than Loss)
01:38 Emotional Impact of Grief
05:39 Short-Term Energy Relieving Behaviors (STERBs)
08:42 Dr. Richelle’s Personal and Professional Journey
19:57 The “Backpack” of Accumulated Loss
23:10 Navigating Grief During the Holidays
24:25 Coping Strategies for the Holiday Season
27:25 Creating Meaningful Rituals
30:34 Giving Yourself Permission to Grieve
34:40 Resources for Grief Recovery
38:55 Grounding Exercise for Holiday Stress
42:22 Final Thoughts and Season Conclusion

Resources:
Learn more about Dr. Richelle’s Grief Recovery Method®, take the What’s Blocking You? Quiz, and explore her books Journey Through Grief and Loss and Abundant Soul HERE.

Notable Quotes:

Scripture for Reflection:
“The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul…
They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold.

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Thank you for stopping by today! Remember to Engage Your Faith and Live Your More as you reap the benefits of Courageous Retirement!

To watch the video, check out my YouTube Channel!

Learn more about the show, author Vona Johnson, and more at vonajohnson.com!

Schedule a free 15 minute Your Path to More call with Vona.

Join ClubMore!

What does your life say about your faith?

That is a question that can stop us in our tracks.

In this touching Christmas episode of Courageous Retirement, Vona Johnson invites you to slow down and reflect on the one thing that truly matters. Inspired by her annual Christmas card and a tender memory of her dad during the advanced stages of dementia, Vona shares how a simple phrase he repeated about her stepmom revealed a deep truth about faith, love, and legacy.

Drawing from 2 Peter 1:10, Vona explores how faith is more than belief—it is a lived expression of knowing Jesus, growing spiritually, and allowing our actions to reflect the One we follow.

Through personal stories of loss, forgiveness, and God’s gentle leading, she encourages listeners to step into a deeper, more intentional walk with Christ this Christmas season.

Whether you’re entering this holiday season with loved ones who don’t share your faith or simply feeling the weight of this stage of life, remember this: we are uniquely equipped to help others feel loved because we know what it means to love Jesus.

As you gather with family and friends, let your presence reflect His. Being with Jesus is the only thing that truly matters—so shine a little of His light, share a little of His love, and let every conversation be touched by His grace.

Episode Timestamps:
00:00 — Introduction: Reflecting on Faith
01:21 — A Personal Story of Loss and Faith
02:42 — The Imperfection of Humanity and the Need for Forgiveness
04:39 — The Importance of Faith and Spiritual Growth
08:10 — Practical Steps to Deepen Your Faith
09:49 — Final Thoughts and Christmas Reflections

Quotes from the show:
 "Don't be fooled by the glossy finishes you see of the people dressed up in walking through the doors every Sunday, sitting in the pews looking perfect each week. Every person sitting there has something going on in their life."

 "Faith is a precious gift...too many of us get this beautiful gift and we place it up on a shelf and we admire how beautiful it is, but we never take it off the shelf and we never open it up and allow it to truly change our lives."

Scripture:
2 Peter 1:1-10
John 1:1

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I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message!

Thank you for stopping by today! Remember to Engage Your Faith and Live Your More as you reap the benefits of Courageous Retirement!

To watch the video, check out my YouTube Channel!

Learn more about the show, author Vona Johnson, and more at vonajohnson.com!

Schedule a free 15 minute Your Path to More call with Vona.

Join ClubMore!

Are you approaching retirement but still feel called to more?

In this episode of Courageous Retirement, Vona Johnson sits down with Beverly Smith, a Faith-Driven Executive Résumé Writer and Job Search Strategist, to break down the myths surrounding retirement and explore what it looks like to finish well before or after retirement.

Together, we talk about:
✨ Why retirement isn’t the end—it’s a new beginning
✨ How to overcome age bias with confidence and clarity
✨ Ways to align work, calling, and God-given purpose in this season
✨ Practical tools for transitioning into meaningful work or service
✨ The importance of volunteering, documenting your impact, and staying engaged
✨ Real stories of believers living passionately in their “best season” of life.

Whether you’re considering part-time work, exploring a new career direction, or simply seeking God’s peace and purpose, this conversation will encourage you to trust the path He’s placing before you.

Quotes from the show:
"I will not sit here and tell you that there are not people that do have an age bias. There are. Those are not the places that you're gonna be working...that's a door God's closed for you. But I think so many people have bought into that lie that they're afraid and they're just like, 'I have to stay stuck until then, and I have to work until 62, 65, 70, whatever that magic number is in this role, and I can't do it any other way.' And I'm just here to tell you that you can (find other work)." Beverly

"I lived my, my whole adult life, you know, checking off all the boxes, but I never really understood what it meant to just surrender and trust Him (God) with everything, including my work." Vona

Scripture:
"And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:19 NLT

Email Beverly: beverly@cssar.com
Connect on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverlydsmith/
Download Beverly's Free Guide: 3 Steps to Reinvent Your Career at Any Age.

Download Vona's Free Finish Well QuickStart guide.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction: Embracing a New Chapter
00:52 Meet Beverly Smith: Transitioning with Purpose
02:10 Overcoming Age Bias and Finding Fulfillment
04:47 Aligning Your Work with God's Call
08:54 Practical Steps for Career Transition
15:24 The Importance of Volunteering and Documentation
22:02 Redefining Retirement: Finding Joy and Purpose
30:37 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message!

Thank you for stopping by today! Remember to Engage Your Faith and Live Your More as you reap the benefits of Courageous Retirement!

To watch the video, check out my YouTube Channel!

Learn more about the show, author Vona Johnson, and more at vonajohnson.com!

Schedule a free 15 minute Your Path to More call with Vona.

Join ClubMore!