What if the feelings you've been working hardest to avoid in grief — anger, shame, fear — aren't the villains you think they are?
In this deeply nourishing conversation, I'm joined by Dr Chloe Paidoussis Mitchell: Chartered Counselling Psychologist, author, and someone who has navigated profound personal loss herself. Chloe brings a message that I believe every griever needs to hear — that our most difficult emotions aren't signs that something is wrong with us. They are sacred signals, pointing us toward what we love, what we've lost, and who we're becoming.
We talk about grief as a multilayered, lifelong teacher. About what it means to exist in two worlds at once — functioning on the surface, while something deeper is quietly being reconstructed. And about the simple, body-based practices that can help us stop running from our feelings and start listening to them instead.
In this episode, we explore:
- Why calming the body must come before processing the mind in acute grief
- The neuroscience of co-regulation — and why even 20 seconds of a hug changes your physiology
- How to be with someone who is grieving (hint: it rarely requires words)
- Making friends with anger: giving yourself permission to feel the rage, safely
- Why shame and anger so often live together in grief — and how to move through both
- Journalling, dancing, stomping, screaming: embodied ways to express difficult grief emotions
- The 30-second heart-breathing practice you can do right now, even if you're busy
- What it means to "walk in two worlds" as a griever
Are you journeying with grief?
JOIN GRIEF COCOON, my new monthly virtual support session - a sacred space for grief in busy lives: https://tanyawilkinson.co.uk/grief-cocoon
DOWNLOAD MY FREE Grief, Grace & Growth journaling ebook: https://tanyawilkinson.co.uk/grief-grace-growth-journal
GUIDED "FIND YOUR SAFE PLACE" MEDITATION: https://youtu.be/RO1G2oAOIEU
Disclaimer:
This podcast is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Nor is it a substitute for professional support.
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You can connect with Dr Chloe Paidoussis-Mitchell and her work here:
- Website: www.dr-chloe.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/dr.chloe.paidoussis.mitchell/
- Chloe's book The Loss Prescription: A Practical Roadmap to Grief Recovery is out now
The theme music for Death on the Daily is Set Free by Katie Gray, which is used with artist's permission.
You can connect with Katie and her music and work here https://www.katiegray.com.
This podcast is edited by David Strutt, who you can contact here for any editing needs: [email protected]
Chapters
00:00: Introduction: Emotions as Signposts in Grief
01:59: Personal Stories of Loss and Resilience
04:42: The Messy Reality of Human Existence and Loss
07:07: Making Friends with Loss and Grief
09:34: First Steps to Being Present with Big Feelings
11:31: The Power of Presence and Support in Grief
15:03: Self-Compassion and Self-Touch Practices
19:28: Nature as a Source of Resilience and Grounding
23:08: Curating a Life of Beauty and Connection
25:42: Making Friends with Difficult Feelings
29:13: Healthy Ways to Express and Move Through Anger
35:18: Supporting Busy Lives to Connect with Grief
37:04: Simple Practices to Access, Soothe and Acknowledge Grief
38:16: Resources and Connecting with Dr. Chloe
39:08: Closing Remarks and Gratitude