Between Here and Heaven

Between Here & Heaven | Hosted by Tara Delaney

What happens when you’re already carrying profound grief—and life asks you to carry even more?

In this personal solocast, Tara Delaney reflects on the losses and changes that followed the death of her son, Sloan. From losing her nephew, Isaac, to being laid off after a 16-year career, she shares the exhaustion, fear, and questions that can arise when painful experiences keep coming.

Tara explores how grief affected her sense of safety, including the fear of another devastating phone call. She also reflects on seeking support through therapy, moving through periods of darkness and light, and finding room for faith when the path ahead feels uncertain.

This is an honest conversation about feeling overwhelmed, questioning what comes next, and taking small steps toward a life that still holds meaning.

In This Episode

• Navigating additional loss while grieving a child
• The emotional impact of losing a longtime career
• Fear and uncertainty after life-changing news
• Seeking support through therapy
• Moving between moments of darkness and light
• Faith, closed doors, and the possibility of new beginnings

For Anyone Carrying More Than Others Can See

You don’t have to have everything figured out to reach for support. If you’re facing grief, a major transition, or several losses at once, this episode offers companionship in the uncertainty.

Support the Show

Follow Between Here & Heaven on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. If this conversation resonates with you, share it with someone who may feel alone in what they’re carrying.

Your ratings and reviews help others find these conversations about grief, healing, and enduring love.

Content Note

This episode discusses bereavement, suicide loss, job loss, and emotional distress. Please listen at your own pace.

Some memories play like old home movies—the smiles, the laughter, and the everyday moments we wish we could step back into.

In this personal solocast of Between Here & Heaven, host Tara Delaney shares a letter to her son, Sloan. Through memories of their life together, including moments with his dog, Leo, she reflects on the ache of missing him and the love she continues to carry.

“How could we have known that only three days later, you would be gone?”

This episode offers space for remembrance, longing, and the feelings that can be difficult to put into words. For anyone missing someone they love, it is an invitation to feel less alone. For those supporting someone through loss, it offers a glimpse into a mother’s continuing bond with her son.

In this episode:
• Memories that return like home movies
• The meaning ordinary moments take on after loss
• Remembering Sloan and the life they shared
• Leo’s place in their story
• A mother’s enduring love for her son

Listen & Connect

Follow Between Here & Heaven on Spotify or Apple Podcasts for more conversations about grief, love, healing, and connection.

If this episode speaks to you, please share it with someone who may find comfort in it. A rating or review also helps others discover the show.

A gentle listening note: This episode discusses the death of a child and a mother’s grief. Listen at your own pace and take breaks whenever you need.

When someone dies, support often arrives all at once—but as the weeks pass, the world moves forward even though grief has not ended.

In this heartfelt episode of Between Here & Heaven, Tara welcomes Kelly Edmondson, a bereaved mother, nurse, certified grief counselor, and founder of Timely Presence.

Kelly shares how losing her son, Darius, deepened her understanding of what grieving families need after the funeral, especially on meaningful dates when grief can intensify. She also introduces Timely Presence, a year-long support service offering personalized, milestone-timed gifts that remind grieving families: You and your loved one have not been forgotten.

In this conversation:

• Why grief support should continue after the funeral
• What grieving people may need but struggle to ask for
• How significant dates can affect grief
• The importance of presence, remembrance, and continuing bonds
• How Kelly’s love for Darius became part of her purpose
• The mission behind Timely Presence

Connect with Kelly and Timely Presence:

Website: https://thetimelypresence.com/
Kelly’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.kellyedmondson/
Timely Presence Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetimelypresence/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimelyPresence
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-edmondson/

If this episode speaks to you, follow Between Here & Heaven, leave a rating, and share it with someone who may need to feel remembered today.

No death—just a different way of life.

What if the signs we receive from those we love are more than coincidence?

In Part 2 of Tara’s moving conversation with Michelle Lyn, author of I Am Still Here, Mom, Michelle continues the extraordinary story of her connection with her son David—affectionately known as “Monkey”—following his death at just 19 years old.

Michelle shares how multiple mediums provided unexpected validations about David’s passing, the questions she asked about Heaven and the afterlife, and the deeply personal conversations she recorded in her journal between herself, David and her spirit guide.

Together, Tara and Michelle explore grief, spiritual communication and the possibility that the people we love remain present—guiding, comforting and reminding us that love never ends.

This conversation is for anyone grieving a loss, searching for signs or wondering whether love can truly continue beyond this physical life.

Content note: This episode includes a heartfelt discussion of grief and the death of a child.

If this conversation brings you comfort, please share it with someone who may need its message—and follow Between Here & Heaven for more conversations about grief, healing, love and connection beyond the veil.

No death—just a different way of life.

Connect With Michelle Lyn

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/i_am_still_here_mom/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576582348452

Purchase I Am Still Here, Mom: Conversations with My Son From Heaven on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FBQKFPL9

Can Love Speak From Heaven? A Mother’s Incredible Story — Part 1

What if love continues to speak to us—even after death?

In the Season 2 premiere of Between Here & Heaven, Tara sits down with Michelle Lyn, author of I Am Still Here, Mom, to share the extraordinary journey that began after the death of her 19-year-old son, David—affectionately known as “Monkey.”

Following David’s passing, Michelle began experiencing unmistakable signs, synchronicities and connections that challenged everything she thought she knew about death. What started as a grieving mother’s search for answers became a deeply personal exploration of Heaven, the afterlife and the possibility that those we love remain closer than we realize.

In Part 1 of this moving two-part conversation, Michelle shares:

• The devastating loss that changed her life• The first signs she received from David• The people and experiences David seemed to guide into her path• The validations that made her believe these connections were real• How grief slowly opened the door to a new understanding of love and life after death

This conversation is for anyone grieving a loss, searching for signs or wondering whether love can truly reach us from Heaven.

Content note: This episode includes a heartfelt discussion of grief and the death of a child.

Follow Between Here & Heaven so you don’t miss Part 2, when Michelle shares more of her extraordinary journey and the spiritual communication recorded in her personal journal.

If this episode brings you comfort, please share it with someone who may need to hear its message.

No death—just a different way of life.

Connect With Michelle Lyn

Follow Michelle and learn more about I Am Still Here, Mom:

Instagram:⁠https://www.instagram.com/i_am_still_here_mom/⁠

Facebook:⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576582348452⁠

Purchase I Am Still Here, Mom: Conversations with My Son From Heaven on Amazon:⁠https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FBQKFPL9⁠

If this conversation brings you comfort, please follow Between Here & Heaven, share the episode with someone who may need its message and join us for Part 2 of Michelle’s extraordinary story.

No death—just a different way of life.

In Part Two of this deeply moving series, we step into the light and remember Paul for who he truly was — not defined by addiction, but by the love, compassion, and humanity he carried.

This episode explores the reality of trauma and addiction, the impact of PTSD and unresolved pain, and the journey toward healing after loss. Through a mother’s story of grief, faith, and resilience, we reflect on how love continues, how meaning can be rebuilt, and how a life is never defined by its hardest chapter.

Laura shares the truth about addiction recovery, grief and loss, and healing after suicide, while offering hope to families walking through trauma, mental health struggles, and emotional pain. This conversation speaks to the power of compassion, trauma-informed healing, and finding purpose after loss.

Because behind every struggle, there are a million other things that make a person who they are.

If you are navigating grief, trauma, addiction, or the healing journey, this episode offers light, understanding, and hope.

Paul’s life and legacy continue through a foundation and scholarship established in his name, helping future students and honoring the light he brought into the world.Contact: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Tara DelaneyHost & Creator | Between Here & HeavenCo-Founder & Transformation Coach | Blue Wings Within

If you are struggling with grief, loss, or purpose book a free discovery call: bluewingswithin.com

#GriefSupport #FaithAndHealing
#HopeAfterTrauma
#LegacyOfLove
#BetweenHereAndHeaven
#BlueWingsWithin

Columbine, PTSD, Trauma & Addiction Recovery

In this powerful episode of Between Here & Heaven, Tara Delaney sits down with Laura Atkinson to explore the long-term effects of trauma following the Columbine High School shooting.

While the nation remembers April 20, 1999 as a day of tragedy, many survivors have carried invisible wounds for decades. Laura shares the story of her son, Paul (“Pauly”), who survived Columbine but later struggled with unprocessed trauma, PTSD, addiction, and the complex realities of coping after mass violence.

This episode explores:

• The lasting psychological impact of school shootings

• PTSD in trauma survivors

• Addiction as a trauma response

• Early intervention and trauma-informed care

• The gap in long-term mental health support

• Parenting through trauma and substance use

• Suicide awareness and prevention

We discuss how trauma can live quietly beneath the surface — and why naming it is essential for healing.

This conversation is not about blame. It is about awareness, advocacy, and understanding how trauma affects individuals, families, and entire communities.

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of school violence, PTSD, addiction, and suicide.

In Part Two, we explore healing, legacy, and why addiction did not define Paul — love did.

Paul’s life and legacy continue through a foundation and scholarship established in his name, helping future students and honoring the light he brought into the world.
Contact: [email protected]

Tara Delaney
Host & Creator | Between Here & Heaven
Co-Founder & Transformation Coach | Blue Wings Within

If you are struggling with grief, loss, or purpose book a free discovery call: bluewingswithin.com

#Healingafterlossforwoman #Trauma #NervousSystemHealing #Lifepurposecoaching #EmotionalHealingforWomen

In this deeply personal episode of Between Here & Heaven, host Tara Delaney—transformation coach and creator of Blue Wings Within—sits down with her mother for an honest, behind-the-scenes conversation about what really happens after a loved one dies.

Together, they walk through the days, weeks, and months following the sudden loss of Tara’s son, Sloan—not just the emotional devastation, but the logistical reality of grief that so few people talk about.

From police calls and mortuary decisions to packing up an apartment, handling financial responsibilities, retrieving personal belongings, and planning memorial services, this episode gently exposes the overwhelming list of tasks that descend on families at the exact moment their hearts are breaking.

Tara’s mom shares how she stepped into the role of steady guide—handling decisions, paperwork, and practical matters when grief made it nearly impossible for Tara to think or breathe. Their conversation sheds light on the physical toll of grief, the importance of community support, and why no one should ever have to navigate loss alone.

This episode also offers real, lived guidance, including:

• The first steps to take after a sudden or unexpected death

• What mortuaries help with—and why choosing one early matters

• Financial, legal, and logistical tasks families don’t expect

• The role of community, family, and asking for help

• How grief impacts the body, not just the heart

As a transformation coach, Tara’s work is centered on helping people survive the unthinkable and rebuild their lives with support, compassion, and meaning. This episode reflects that mission—offering clarity, comfort, and a sense of steadiness during one of life’s most overwhelming moments.

If you are grieving, supporting someone who is grieving, or want to be better prepared for the realities of loss, this conversation is here to walk beside you.

To learn more about Tara’s coaching work and grief support resources, visit www.bluewingswithin.com.

Because grief is not just emotional—it is logistical.
And with guidance, support, and love, it becomes survivable. 💙

#BetweenHereAndHeaven
#LifeAfterLoss
#NavigatingGrief
#GriefJourney

#SoulWork

#GriefEducation

In this powerful and tender episode of Between Here & Heaven, I sit down with Stewie and Preston—two of my son Sloan’s best friends from high school, lovingly known as “the three stooges.”

As a transformation coach, my work is rooted in helping people navigate loss, rediscover meaning, and transform grief into purpose—and this conversation reflects that mission in one of the most honest ways possible.

This episode offers a rare and deeply human look into how young men experience grief, how layered loss shapes them, and how love and laughter continue even after unimaginable heartbreak.

The first part of this episode goes deep.

Preston opens up about losing Sloan, along with both of his grandparents—two of the people he was closest to—all within the past two years. He shares what that kind of compounded loss does to a young man, how it changes his perspective on life, and how he’s learned to keep moving forward while carrying profound grief and love side by side.

Stewie shares his own journey through loss—the death of Sloan, another close friend, his dog, and his grandparents. Together, we explore how men cope when grief stacks up, what they don’t always say out loud, and the quiet ways they carry pain, loyalty, and devotion to the people they’ve loved.

Both Stewie and Preston reflect on:

• What losing Sloan meant to them

• What they would say to him now

• Any regrets they carry—or peace they’ve found

• And the lessons Sloan taught them that will stay with them for life

Then… the conversation shifts.

From heartbreak to humor.

We laugh as we remember the boys the way they were—playing football, boxing in the front yard, sitting around bonfires at my house, talking about girls, taking trips, and creating memories filled with brotherhood and joy. Stories that remind us that laughter doesn’t disappear after loss—it becomes sacred.

I share how I saw them back then… and how I see them now.
How grief has shaped them into grounded, compassionate men.
And how deeply grateful I am to still have them in my life—woven into Sloan’s story, and mine, forever.

This episode is about grief, brotherhood, masculinity, memory, and the healing power of laughter.
It’s about honoring the pain without losing the joy.
And about how love never leaves—it simply changes form.

If this conversation resonates with you and you’re navigating your own season of loss, healing, or transformation, you’re invited to learn more about my coaching work at www.bluewingswithin.com.

Because healing isn’t about forgetting—it’s about learning how to live, love, and laugh again. 💙

#grief

#loss

#compoundedgrief

#heartbreaktohumor

#brotherhood

#transformation

In this deeply moving episode of Between Here & Heaven, host Tara Delaney—transformation coach, health and grief guide, and creator of Blue Wings Within—sits down with Registered Dietitian, educator, and mentor Brenda O’Day for an intimate conversation on grief, nourishment, and the eternal nature of love.

Both women come from lives devoted to healing through nutrition—learning how to feed the body—yet it was through profound personal loss that they discovered a deeper truth: the soul has its own hunger.

Brenda shares her journey of losing both parents within months of each other, and the unexpected moments of connection that followed—subtle, sacred reminders that love does not end when life does. Together, Tara and Brenda explore how grief reshapes the way we show up for others, how loss deepens compassion in caregiving and teaching, and how nourishment extends far beyond food into connection, presence, and spirit.

This episode gently weaves together themes of:

• Grief and the hunger for connection

• Signs from loved ones in the afterlife

• End-of-life experiences and spiritual awareness

• How loss transforms our purpose and service

• Why love may be the greatest form of nourishment we will ever receive

As a transformation coach, Tara’s work is rooted in helping others turn grief into purpose, reconnect with their inner wisdom, and create lives guided by meaning, health, and love. If this conversation resonates with you and you’re feeling called to explore your own healing journey, you’re invited to learn more at www.bluewingswithin.com.

If you are navigating loss, longing for reassurance that love continues, or seeking a more soul-centered understanding of healing, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.

Because healing isn’t just about feeding the body—it’s about remembering that love never leaves. 💙