Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays. This is a special episode recorded on Christmas Eve to share our Christmas thoughts and be a friendly voice on a hard day.

Grief doesn’t just live in our minds — it lives in our bodies.

In this episode, we’re joined by Jessica Maguire, physiotherapist and globally recognized nervous system expert, to explore how grief, trauma, and emotional pain are stored in the body — and how healing begins through the nervous system.

Drawing from over 20 years of study, 14 years of clinical practice, and her own lived experience of loss, Jessica helps us understand why grief can feel overwhelming, unpredictable, and exhausting — and what we can do to gently support our bodies through it.

• How grief shows up in the nervous system

• Why grief can resurface long after a loss

• What “trauma lives in the body” really means

• The long-term effects of chronic stress and burnout

• How to build emotional safety biologically, not just mentally

• Small, accessible ways to find calm in early grief

To learn more: https://www.jessicamaguire.com/

In this episode, we explore one of the most surprising parts of grief:
the moment a tiny spark returns — a glimmer of joy, curiosity, creativity, or energy — even while your heart still aches.

To talk about this, we’re joined by Lila Sullivan, founder of Flourish Plants, whose grief journey has inspired thousands. After losing her dad, Lila found a note from him encouraging her to keep living well — even after he was gone. That message became a guiding force in rebuilding her life, eventually leading her to start a plant business rooted in healing, creativity, and the belief that small sparks matter.

Lila’s story is tender, brave, and incredibly relatable — especially for anyone trying to figure out what it means to keep living after loss.

In this episode, we explore one of the most tender parts of grief: allowing ourselves to feel joy again — without guilt, without pressure, and without making it mean that our grief has disappeared.

We’re joined by Joseph Jay, widower to his wife Casey and dad to Annie. Joseph has been an early and loyal listener of Two Girls With Grief, and recently crossed his one-year death anniversary — a milestone that has brought reflection, growth, heartbreak, and moments of unexpected joy. His honesty, vulnerability, and commitment to healing (both his and Annie’s) make this conversation incredibly special.

This episode is heartfelt, spacious, and real. If you’ve ever felt afraid of joy, guilty for laughing, or unsure how to live fully while grieving, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.

• What the early days after losing Casey looked like

• How becoming a solo parent shaped his grief

• What the one-year mark revealed about where he’s been — and where he’s going

• How fatherhood, survival, and grief collide in unexpected ways

The holidays have a way of magnifying absence — especially a holiday centered on gratitude, family, and tradition. In this special 25-minute mini-episode, Rachel and Kendel talk honestly about what Thanksgiving feels like when someone you love is no longer here. Whether this is your first holiday without them or the year where it quietly hits harder than expected, this episode is a gentle companion.

Together, we explore how grief shows up at the table, how to navigate complicated emotions, and how to create space for both gratitude and grief.

Special Tuesday Episode release:

In this heartfelt and incredibly important episode of Two Girls With Grief, we sit down with Kelly, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the Camp Erin Online Programs Manager at Eluna. With more than eleven years of experience supporting grieving children and teens, Kelly has dedicated her career to ensuring young people feel seen, understood, and never alone in their grief.

In this heartfelt episode, we sit down with Jack Ciapciak, a TV writer and storyteller who has captured hearts online through his honest reflections on grief and love after losing his fiancé, also named Jack.

Jack opens up about their beautiful love story, the Hudson River Park bench that became both a place of proposal and remembrance, and how he continues to live fully — not in spite of grief, but alongside it.

We explore what it means to honor someone’s legacy, how love continues to evolve after loss, and the quiet power of rituals that keep memory alive. Jack’s perspective reminds us that grief doesn’t end — it transforms, deepening our capacity to love, to create, and to keep showing up for life.

• Jack’s story of love, loss, and the memorial bench that holds so much meaning.
• How his late fiancé’s words — “Find out who you are, try not to be afraid of it” — continue to guide him.
• The importance of creating rituals and physical spaces that honor loved ones.
• How grief and authenticity intertwine — and how to keep living fully in their memory.
• The role of storytelling and creativity in processing loss.
• What it means to build legacy, both for those we’ve lost and for ourselves.Follow Jack @JackCiapchiak

Special Tuesday Episode release:

In this heartfelt and incredibly important episode of Two Girls With Grief, we sit down with Kelly, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the Camp Erin Online Programs Manager at Eluna. With more than eleven years of experience supporting grieving children and teens, Kelly has dedicated her career to ensuring young people feel seen, understood, and never alone in their grief.

Eluna and Camp Erin are nationally recognized for their transformative grief programs for kids, and Kelly plays a pivotal role in expanding their mission into the digital space. Since joining the team in 2022, she has been leading the launch of Eluna’s first-ever direct-care online support programs — a vital lifeline for families navigating loss, especially those impacted by the pandemic and frontline work.

Together, we explore how grief shows up for kids, what adults often misunderstand, and the practical steps caregivers can take to create safety, openness, and connection for young grievers.

• How grief looks different in children vs. adults

• Why grief often appears in “waves” or “bursts” for kids

• Common emotional + behavioral signs that a child is grieving

• What makes Camp Erin such a transformative experience for grieving kids

• How peer support normalizes grief for children and teens

• The blend of traditional camp fun + intentional grief activities that helps kids feel safe and understood

• The importance of connection in healing — and why kids often open up more with peers than adults

• What caregivers often get wrong (and how to gently get it right)

• Age-appropriate ways to talk to children about death and grief

• How grieving adults can support grieving children even while carrying their own pain

• The power of “sitting in the mud” with a child instead of fixing or minimizing

• Kelly’s vision for accessible digital grief support

• Why online programs matter — especially post-pandemic

• How these resources will help families who traditionally haven’t had access to grief care

  
  

🧠 In This Episode, We Explore:✨ Understanding Childhood Grief✨ Inside Camp Erin & Eluna✨ Supporting Kids Through Loss✨ Eluna’s Online Expansion

In this heartfelt episode of Two Girls With Grief, Rachel and Kendel sit down with Sabrina — known online as @SabForTony — to explore what it means to live beautifully while grieving deeply.

After losing her husband, Tony, Sabrina began sharing her story with raw honesty on TikTok and Instagram, building a powerful community of over 100,000 people who resonate with her vulnerability and courage. Now living in New York City, she’s created her Living Well series — a reminder that grief and joy can coexist, even on the hardest days.

Together, we talk about: 💭 How Sabrina began her grief journey and built SabForTony 🏙️ What it meant to move to New York City and rebuild in a new chapter of life ❤️ The tension between honoring grief and choosing joy 📱 How sharing her story online has built connection and community 🌿 What “living well” looks like when your heart is still healing

In this heartfelt episode of Two Girls With Grief, Rachel and Kendel sit down with Sabrina — known online as @SabForTony — to explore what it means to live beautifully while grieving deeply.

After losing her husband, Tony, Sabrina began sharing her story with raw honesty on TikTok and Instagram, building a powerful community of over 100,000 people who resonate with her vulnerability and courage. Now living in New York City, she’s created her Living Well series — a reminder that grief and joy can coexist, even on the hardest days.

Together, we talk about: 💭 How Sabrina began her grief journey and built SabForTony 🏙️ What it meant to move to New York City and rebuild in a new chapter of life ❤️ The tension between honoring grief and choosing joy 📱 How sharing her story online has built connection and community 🌿 What “living well” looks like when your heart is still healing