"Can a person you're getting to know sit with your pain and hold it alongside you? Can they listen and be present for whatever grief you're sharing with them, without trying to fix it or ignoring it? Can they just let your grief be? Can just be in the room with you?"

In this solo episode of Grief'd Up, host Rebecca Feinglos gets vulnerable about one of her favorite topics: dating while grieving. Rebecca shares hard-won wisdom from four years of post-divorce dating as someone who lost both parents, exploring the delicate balance between authenticity and not "killing the vibe" on a first date.

Rebecca opens up about the evolution of grief disclosure in her dating life, from formal, sit-down conversations in college to simply linking her social media in dating profiles so potential partners could learn about her loss on their own time. She discusses the relief of finding partners who could "hold" her grief without trying to fix it, and why she found herself gravitating toward slightly older partners who had more life experience with loss.

The conversation dives into common dating pitfalls for grievers: expecting a partner to save you from your sadness, assuming shared grief automatically equals compatibility, and wrestling with weird milestones like when to bring someone to the cemetery. Rebecca challenges listeners to trust their gut, find partners brave enough to ask questions about their loss, and remember that the right person won't be scared of their grief. 

Join Rebecca as she offers big sister advice on navigating new relationships when loss is part of your story.

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