Darcy Walker Krause | Understanding and Navigating Grief in All Its Forms

In this episode of the NICU Today Podcast, we are joined by Darcy Walker Krause, Founder and CEO of Grieve to Thrive, LLC. With an impressive career spanning both law and social work, Darcy has dedicated her life to grief education, advocacy, and organizational leadership. After earning her Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law and practicing labor and employment law for five years, Darcy shifted her focus, earning her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. Since then, she has spent over a decade supporting individuals and organizations through the complexities of grief and loss.

Darcy previously served as Executive Director of the Uplift Center for Grieving Children in Philadelphia, where she led transformational growth and supported countless families through loss. Today, through Grieve to Thrive, she provides grief-focused consulting, workshops, and educational services, helping workplaces and communities foster a grief-informed culture.

On today’s episode:

• What inspired Darcy to transition from law to grief education and family support.
• How her personal experience losing her mother at a young age shaped her passion for this work.
• The different types of grief and how they can manifest in daily life.
• How NICU families can navigate the sense of loss that comes with premature birth or extended NICU stays.
• The importance of allowing space and time to grieve—and how families can recognize when they need support.
• Understanding the complex emotions that often accompany grief, especially in the NICU experience.
• Darcy’s biggest piece of advice for families learning to live, heal, and grow through loss.

Darcy’s wisdom and compassion offer invaluable perspective for families and professionals alike. This episode sheds light on the many forms of grief, emphasizing that healing begins when we give ourselves permission to acknowledge, understand, and embrace the process.