If you’ve ever felt completely shut down after a loss—unable to cry, think, or even get out of bed—this episode reveals why that happens and how to gently bring yourself back to life, one small step at a time.

In today's episode, I'm joined by Ashley Milus, a trauma-informed somatic grief and life transition coach who helps individuals navigate the emotional and physical toll of loss—whether through death, divorce, chronic illness, or other major life changes. Her practice is deeply informed by her own journey through complex personal grief, including serious health challenges and the loss of loved ones. Ashley supports clients in reconnecting with their bodies, regulating their nervous systems, and gently moving through emotions that feel overwhelming. With compassion and a strong understanding of trauma responses, she creates safe, validating spaces where healing can begin. Through this integrative somatic approach, Ashley helps people rediscover their sense of self and move forward with renewed strength and clarity. She also offers free consultations for those curious about exploring this path.

Throughout this episode, Ashley offers meaningful insight into how somatic healing addresses grief not just as an emotional or mental challenge, but as a full-body experience. She explains how our nervous systems instinctively protect us through responses like numbness or shutdown, and how working with these patterns can support deeper, lasting healing. Drawing on her own lived experiences, she illustrates how reconnecting with the body can restore a sense of safety, presence, and vitality. Ashley also shares practical, compassionate ways to support those experiencing grief, especially in the wake of sudden or traumatic loss. Her emphasis on listening, presence, and authentic connection brings depth to the episode—and reminds us that healing begins not with fixing, but with truly being there for one another.

Tune in to episode 334 as Ashley Milus shares how her personal journey through illness and loss led her to become a somatic grief coach—helping others heal by reconnecting with their bodies, regulating their nervous systems, and finding safety, presence, and meaning after profound grief.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

What is Somatic Healing? (3:12)

Why we shut down during grief (5:30)

Working with the nervous system (6:33)

The power of compassionate presence (9:30)

Storytelling as a healing tool (10:32)

Supporting someone after sudden or traumatic loss (13:34)

A personal story of transformational support (15:51)

How to be the right kind of support (19:41)

Rethinking condolences: Why “Sorry for your loss” isn’t enough (21:46)

What to say: Creating comfort through connection (24:03)

Connect with Ashley Milus:

Website

Instagram

Book a FREE session with Ashley Milus!

Let's Connect:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

The Grief and Happiness Alliance

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

Together we can change the world if we all practice unconditional love.

Let's Connect:

• You can join the Grief and Happiness Alliance which meets weekly on Sundays by clicking here
• You can order the International Best Selling The Grief and Happiness Guide by clicking here.
• You can order Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief by clicking here at Amazon:
• You can listen to my podcast, Grief and Happiness, by clicking here
• Request your Awaken Your Happiness Journaling Guide here

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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

Most companies give grieving parents just three days to "move on"—but what happens when the real pain begins on day four? We explore the deeper reality of child loss, the healing power of grief retreats, and why workplaces must do better to support employees through unimaginable loss.

In today's episode, I'm joined by Kelly McDyre, the President and CEO of the Child Loss Foundation, an organization devoted to supporting parents who have experienced the unimaginable loss of a child. With more than a decade of nonprofit leadership experience, Kelly has dedicated her career to creating compassionate spaces for healing through retreats, resources, and workplace programs. Her work is deeply personal—sparked by the sudden death of her 12-year-old nephew in 2010, which led her to walk alongside grieving families with empathy and purpose. Kelly previously served as Executive Director at Faith’s Lodge, where she helped establish a sanctuary for bereaved parents, and later played a key role in its merger with the Believe Foundation to form the Child Loss Foundation. She also founded Child Loss at Work, an innovative program designed to help employers provide meaningful support to grieving employees.

Throughout this episode, Kelly offers heartfelt insights into her journey and the impact of the Child Loss Foundation’s work. She shares how the organization came to life through the merging of two powerful missions—Faith’s Lodge’s retreat-based healing model and the Believe Foundation’s practical financial support. Kelly introduces listeners to the foundation’s expanding national reach and its goal to create more accessible grief retreats across the country. She also explains how Child Loss at Work is transforming the way employers approach grief in the workplace, advocating for more compassionate policies and better understanding. With warmth and wisdom, Kelly reminds us that while grief never fully fades, it can coexist with joy—and that no parent should ever have to navigate loss alone.

Tune in as Kelly McDyre shares how her family’s loss inspired her to create healing retreats for bereaved parents and workplace programs that bring empathy, connection, and space for both grief and joy.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Meet Kelly McDyre and the Child Loss Foundation (1:00)

The origins: Faith’s Lodge and the Believe Foundation Merge (1:45)

Kelly’s personal connection to child loss (6:00)

Retreats as safe spaces for grieving parents (9:50)

Expanding the reach of grief retreats (10:30)

Grief and joy can coexist (15:00)

What not to say to a grieving parent (20:30)

Fixing grief support at work: The “3 days off” problem (24:00)

Loss at work: A program to transform workplace compassion (25:30)

Writing, rituals, and the lifelong nature of grief (31:30)

Connect with Kelly McDyre:

Website - Child Loss Foundation

Facebook - Faith’s Lodge

Instagram - Faith’s Lodge

Kelly’s LinkedIn

Let's Connect:

Website

LinkedIn

The Grief and Happiness Alliance

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

Would your loved one want you to be happy?

Let's Connect:

• You can join the Grief and Happiness Alliance which meets weekly on Sundays by clicking here
• You can order the International Best Selling The Grief and Happiness Guide by clicking here.
• You can order Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief by clicking here at Amazon:
• You can listen to my podcast, Grief and Happiness, by clicking here
• Request your Awaken Your Happiness Journaling Guide here

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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

If you’ve ever questioned your ability to keep going after life breaks you open, this episode will show you how three simple words can become a lifeline in the darkest moments.

In today's episode, I'm joined by Theresa Bruno, a writer, speaker, and grief guide who hosts the Soul Talks podcast—a space dedicated to exploring healing, spirituality, and the resilience that follows profound loss. Once a successful entrepreneur running a regional marketing agency, Theresa’s life shifted dramatically after enduring back-to-back tragedies: the collapse of her business and the sudden loss of her husband to suicide. These life-altering experiences led her to embrace storytelling as a path to healing and to create welcoming spaces where others could share their own stories of pain and survival. Her debut book, He's Not Coming Back: Rewriting Life After Loss, blends personal narrative with practical tools designed to help others rebuild. Through her work, Theresa encourages people to reconnect with their inner strength, find spiritual grounding in their own way, and embrace the powerful truth that we are all enough.

Throughout this episode, Theresa opens up about her journey through grief with remarkable honesty and depth. She reflects on the early days of isolation and shame, and how leaning into spiritual practices and nature slowly helped her reclaim her sense of self. Theresa shares how small, intentional actions—like opening the curtains each morning or journaling moments of gratitude—became stepping stones toward healing. She highlights the importance of community, vulnerability, and the power of being seen and heard in safe spaces. Her message, centered on the transformative strength of storytelling and the mantra "I am enough," offers comfort and clarity to anyone navigating grief and the process of rewriting their life.

Tune in as Theresa Bruno shares how surviving unimaginable loss, embracing spiritual practices, and creating safe spaces for storytelling helped her navigate grief and rediscover a sense of purpose, hope, and self-worth.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

From perfectionism to rock bottom (01:25)

The birth of Soul Talks and her book (03:40)

The power of storytelling and safe spaces (5:25)

Spirituality as a lifeline in grief (6:42)

Letting go of judgment through community (10:00)

Small steps that save you (18:50)

Nature as a healer (20:30)

Daily practices for joy and gratitude (22:59)

Reclaiming dreams and self-worth (24:47)

Connect with Theresa Bruno:

Website

Instagram

YouTube

TikTok

Get Theresa’s book

Let's Connect:

Website

LinkedIn

Facebook

The Grief and Happiness Alliance

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

What would you really love to do now? Don’t wait! Just do it!

Let's Connect:

• You can join the Grief and Happiness Alliance which meets weekly on Sundays by clicking here
• You can order the International Best Selling The Grief and Happiness Guide by clicking here.
• You can order Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief by clicking here at Amazon:
• You can listen to my podcast, Grief and Happiness, by clicking here
• Request your Awaken Your Happiness Journaling Guide here

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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

When grief left them speechless, award-winning authors Julia Park Tracey and Christine Walker turned to fiction—not just to cope, but to give their sons a voice that would live on forever.

In today's episode, I'm joined by Julia Park Tracey and Christine Walker—two accomplished creatives who have transformed personal grief into meaningful art. Julia is an award-winning author, journalist, and publisher at Sibylline Press. Her historical novels The Bereaved and Silence are inspired by ancestral stories and deeply shaped by the loss of her stepson. Christine is a visual artist, designer, and writer whose novel Tap Dancing at the Bluebird, drawn from her grandmother’s Depression-era diaries, was reimagined through the lens of losing her son, Quinn. Both women use their work to explore themes of loss, healing, and transformation.

Throughout this episode, Julia and Christine share how their sons’ deaths profoundly influenced their creative processes. Julia describes how grief deepened the emotional truth of her characters and led her to speak openly about loss, both in life and on the page. Christine talks about infusing her novel’s character with Quinn’s essence—his “quinescence”—to give him a lasting literary presence, and how painting helped her process pain when words failed. Together, they reflect on the healing power of storytelling and the ways creativity can offer connection, comfort, and a sense of continuity through grief.

Tune in to episode 328 as Julia Park Tracey and Christine Walker share how channeling their grief into writing and art helped them honor their sons, process profound loss, and discover a lasting sense of connection, creativity, and healing.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Julia’s story: Writing through historical grief and personal loss (1:14)

Christine’s journey: From garden journals to literary healing (6:12)

Giving their sons a literary afterlife (9:40)

How grief alters language and social norms (14:17)

To tell or not to tell: Sharing a child’s death publicly (17:24)

Redefining happiness: Can we ever feel joy again? (23:39)

Writing fiction as a healing tool for grievers (28:22)

When grief silences you: Finding voice through action (31:45)

Connect with Julia Park Tracey:

Website

Instagram

LinkedIn

Facebook

TikTok

Get Julia’s books!

Connect with Christine Walker:

Website

Instagram

X

Facebook

Get Christine’s books!

Let's Connect:

Website

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

Let's Connect:

• You can join the Grief and Happiness Alliance which meets weekly on Sundays by clicking here
• You can order the International Best Selling The Grief and Happiness Guide by clicking here.
• You can order Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief by clicking here at Amazon:
• You can listen to my podcast, Grief and Happiness, by clicking here
• Request your Awaken Your Happiness Journaling Guide here

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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