What happens when your soulmate isn't a romantic partner — but your best friend — and they're suddenly gone?

In this heart-opening episode, I sit down with writer, performer, and podcast host Hannah Rumsey to explore the often-overlooked pain of grieving the loss of a friend. After losing her friend Lauren in a tragic accident, Hannah found herself in a grief no one seemed to understand — one without rituals, recognition, or even language.

Through storytelling, personal reflection, and a profound spiritual experience, Hannah turned her heartbreak into Friends Missing Friends, a community and podcast for those who have loved and lost a friend.

🧠 We talk about:

• Why society often dismisses friend grief
• The power of platonic love and chosen family
• How creativity and storytelling can help us heal
• What not to say to someone who’s grieving a friend
• Signs from the other side — and how they help us stay connected

Whether you’ve lost a childhood best friend, a soul friend, or someone you drifted from before they passed — this episode is for you.

🔗 Links & Resources:

🎧 Listen to Friends Missing Friends
https://www.friendsmissingfriends.com

📸 Follow Hannah on Instagram
@friendsmissingfriends

📧 Contact Hannah
[email protected]

📝 Subscribe to Brian’s Substack for More
https://grief2growth.substack.com

💬 We'd Love to Hear From You

Have you lost a friend and felt your grief wasn't acknowledged? What helped you cope?

👉 Share your story in the comments
👉 Email Brian at [email protected]

👉 Join the conversation on Substack

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

Grief doesn’t follow stages, timelines, or rules.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doing this right?”—you’re not alone.

That’s why I created the Grief Check-In.
It’s not a test. There are no right or wrong answers.
 

In just a few minutes, you’ll gain clarity, reassurance, and language for what you’re experiencing.

👉 Visit grief2growth.com/checkin

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)
📰 Get A Free Gift
📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call
📈 Leave A Review

Thanks so much for your support

This episode is different.
 It’s tender. It’s raw. And it’s something I feel deeply called to share.

A grieving parent recently whispered to me, “Maybe God took my child because I strayed.” That sentence — that pain — has echoed in my heart ever since.

In this special episode, I speak directly to that voice inside so many of us… the one shaped by fear-based theology, wondering if loss is somehow our fault. Wondering if we’re being punished. Wondering if God is angry.

We explore the lies that grief can trigger — and the deeper truths that can begin to set us free.

You’ll hear about soul paths, spiritual guilt, parental love, and what it really means to believe in a loving God.
 If you’ve ever carried the weight of “what if” in your loss — or walked beside someone who has — this is for you.

🔔 Content Note:

Gentle reflections on infant and child loss, spiritual trauma, and grief.Tender but ultimately loving and redemptive in tone.

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)
📰 Get A Free Gift
📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call
📈 Leave A Review

Thanks so much for your support

Is the chaos in the world a breakdown... or a breakthrough? 🌍✨

In this powerful return to Grief 2 Growth, Rafael Garcia dives deep into the massive awakening happening across the planet. Once a hard-charging entrepreneur, Rafael was forever changed by a near-death experience that opened him to the Akashic Records, parallel lives, and communication with higher dimensional beings.

In this episode, host Brian Smith and Rafael explore:

• 🌌 How reincarnation and simultaneous lifetimes shape your soul’s journey
• 🧬 The “New Human” blueprint and what DNA activation really means
• 🧘‍♂️ How to raise your vibration to thrive during Earth’s transition
• 🤖 AI’s surprising role in humanity’s ascension
• 🕊 Ways to release fear and align with your true multidimensional nature

This conversation isn’t just spiritual theory — it’s a call to action for anyone feeling like something bigger is unfolding. If you’re experiencing loss, confusion, or awakening, this episode is a roadmap for your soul. 💫

🔗 Connect with Rafael Garcia:
Website: https://www.divinepotentiality.com

YouTube: Divine Potentiality

Instagram: @divinepotentiality

🌟 Episode Highlights

• Near-death experience and the collapse of 3D identity
• Living multiple lives at once — and how to access that wisdom
• Tools to embody your higher self and stay grounded
• The positive potential of AI in spiritual evolution
• The role of grief in catalyzing your soul’s awakening

🗣️ We Want to Hear From You

What part of this episode resonated the most with your journey? 

💬 Let’s continue the conversation in the community: grief2growth.substack.com

✅ Rate, Review & Share

If this episode moved you, inspired you

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

Grief doesn’t follow stages, timelines, or rules.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doing this right?”—you’re not alone.

That’s why I created the Grief Check-In.
It’s not a test. There are no right or wrong answers.
 

In just a few minutes, you’ll gain clarity, reassurance, and language for what you’re experiencing.

👉 Visit grief2growth.com/checkin

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)
📰 Get A Free Gift
📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call
📈 Leave A Review

Thanks so much for your support

In this deeply moving episode of Grief 2 Growth, Brian Smith sits down with Deb Strebel, founder of Lee Alexander & Co., to explore the rarely discussed experience of sibling loss — and how creativity can be a powerful path through grief.

When Deb lost her 15-year-old brother Lee to sudden myocarditis, her world shifted forever. What followed was a painful but transformative journey through trauma, therapy, and eventually purpose. That purpose? Helping others carry love forward through custom, heirloom-quality memorial jewelry.

Together, Brian and Deb explore:

• 💔 Why sibling grief is uniquely isolating — and often overlooked
• ⚖️ The pressure of being the “only child left” — and the emotional impact on family dynamics
• 🧠 How EMDR therapy helped Deb work through trauma and panic attacks
• 💍 The story behind Lee Alexander & Co. and the mission to help others preserve legacy
• 🌱 What it means to find healing — not in forgetting, but in creating something beautiful

This episode is a must-listen for anyone grieving a sibling, navigating sudden loss, or wondering how to turn pain into purpose.

🔗 Connect With Deb Strebel & Lee Alexander & Co.

🌐 Website: https://www.leealexanderandco.com

📧 Email: [email protected]

📸 Instagram: @leealexanderandco

📘 Facebook: Lee Alexander & Co.

💬 We'd Love to Hear From You!

Have you experienced sibling loss or created a personal way to honor your loved one?

👉 Tell us your story in the comments, or join the conversation over on our Substack:
📝 grieftogrowth.substack.com

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

Grief doesn’t follow stages, timelines, or rules.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doing this right?”—you’re not alone.

That’s why I created the Grief Check-In.
It’s not a test. There are no right or wrong answers.
 

In just a few minutes, you’ll gain clarity, reassurance, and language for what you’re experiencing.

👉 Visit grief2growth.com/checkin

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)
📰 Get A Free Gift
📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call
📈 Leave A Review

Thanks so much for your support

What happens when life cracks you open—and won’t let you go back? Brian talks with Allura Halliwell, a consciousness mentor whose spontaneous out-of-body awakening led to seven years of deep integration. We explore core wounds (“unloved, unworthy, unknown”), why pain is a portal—not the enemy—and how to stop outsourcing safety by becoming emotionally sovereign.

What You’ll Learn

• The anatomy of a spontaneous awakening (without physical trauma)
• Why integration can be harder than the awakening itself
• The Pain Portal: how to feel emotions somatically (not in story)
• “Unloved, Unworthy, Unknown”: the core fractures driving our loops
• Emotional sovereignty: ending the chase for external validation
• How shifting your inner template rewires relationships

Guest Links (from the episode)

• Website: https://allurahalliwell.com
  
  
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/allurahalliwell
  
  
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/allurahalliwell
  
  

Connect with Brian / Continue the Conversation

• Substack community & extras: https://grieftogrowth.substack.com
  
  

Mentioned

• Upcoming book by Allura: Unloved, Unworthy, Unknown (join her mailing list on her site for preorder updates)
• Allura’s podcast: The Consciousness Method

Timestamps (Chapters)

00:00 🌱 Introduction: from buried to planted—welcome to Grief 2 Growth
 01:07 🌟 Meet Allura: spontaneous awakening & life transformation
 03:08 ❓ What led to it? Stress, disconnection, survival mode
 04:59 🏖️ Beach meditation OBE: into Light, Void & unconditional love
 09:25 ⚖️ NDE vs OBE, and the shock of integration
 11:55 🔥 Energy vision, Kundalini, and rebuilding a life
 17:46 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family, marriage, and reorienting love
 23:51 🕊️ Seven-year cycle: integration and new conscious

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

Grief doesn’t follow stages, timelines, or rules.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doing this right?”—you’re not alone.

That’s why I created the Grief Check-In.
It’s not a test. There are no right or wrong answers.
 

In just a few minutes, you’ll gain clarity, reassurance, and language for what you’re experiencing.

👉 Visit grief2growth.com/checkin

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)
📰 Get A Free Gift
📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call
📈 Leave A Review

Thanks so much for your support

📌 Episode Description:

What happens when you let go of everything—and awaken to who you really are?

In this moving conversation, Brian speaks with Eva Müller, a spiritual teacher and founder of NextElevations.com, about her rapid and life-changing spiritual awakening. After years of pushing through stress and emotional wounds, Eva hit a breaking point—and found her way into beingness.

🌱 In just 3.5 years, Eva experienced multiple awakenings, including Unity Consciousness, as she healed ancestral trauma, grief, and emotional patterns. She now shares energy transmissions that help others awaken and reconnect to the deep stillness and peace within.

This episode is more than a conversation—it’s a transmission in itself.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

• How burnout opened the door to Eva’s spiritual awakening
• What energy transmissions are—and how they heal beyond words
• The connection between unprocessed trauma, grief, and spiritual stagnation
• Why motherhood became one of Eva’s deepest teachers
• How she lives from presence and silence, and what that actually feels like

👉 Don’t miss the guided energy transmission at the end of the episode. Many listeners report feeling shifts even through audio.

🔗 Guest Links:

• 🌐 Website: NextElevations.com
• 📸 Instagram: @next.elevations

💬 Join the Conversation:

Have you ever experienced an energy shift or awakening? How did it feel?
 📩 Let us know in the comments or share your story at grief2growth.com/community

📝 Leave Us a Review:

If this episode moved you, please take a moment to rate & review the podcast. Your support helps others find hope and healing.

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

Grief doesn’t follow stages, timelines, or rules.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doing this right?”—you’re not alone.

That’s why I created the Grief Check-In.
It’s not a test. There are no right or wrong answers.
 

In just a few minutes, you’ll gain clarity, reassurance, and language for what you’re experiencing.

👉 Visit grief2growth.com/checkin

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)
📰 Get A Free Gift
📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call
📈 Leave A Review

Thanks so much for your support

In this episode, recorded aboard a cruise ship sailing through the Ionian Sea, I share lessons learned from slowing down, reconnecting with old friends, and experiencing the beauty of Greece, Croatia, and Italy.

You’ll hear about:

• 🏝️ The breathtaking sights of Santorini, Mykonos, and Venice
• 🎶 How music united people from all over the world in a ship’s piano bar
• 🕊️ Reflections on empathy, violence, and finding common ground
• 🧘 The importance of self-care, slowing down, and “enjoying the ride of life”

✨ Key Takeaway: Life isn’t just about the destination. It’s about living each moment fully — with gratitude, connection, and care for yourself.

🔗 Resources & Links

• Stay connected: grief2growth.substack.com
• Explore more episodes: Grief 2 Growth Podcast

💬 Join the Conversation

How do you remind yourself to slow down and enjoy the ride? Share your reflections with me — I’d love to hear from you!

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)
📰 Get A Free Gift
📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call
📈 Leave A Review

Thanks so much for your support

🎙️ Lessons From the Aegean

In this special episode, I’m recording from Mykonos, Greece, during a once-in-a-lifetime Mediterranean vacation with some of my dearest friends. If you know me, you know I don’t usually enjoy long trips or being far from home. But this journey has surprised me in ways I couldn’t have imagined.

Over the past week, I’ve:

• Faced my fears of being “stuck” at sea for 48 hours.
• Learned to slow down and enjoy the journey—not just the destination.
• Witnessed incredible resilience from my friend Lisa, who joined this cruise only five months after the sudden passing of her husband, Mike.
• Reflected on the strength of friendships that have lasted decades through celebrations, illnesses, grief, and growth.
• Climbed the 587 steps of Santorini—both a physical and metaphorical reminder of the climbs we all face in life.

As I sit here watching the Aegean Sea, I’m reminded that life is short, unpredictable, and precious. Whether we get five minutes, five years, or fifty years with someone we love, it is all a blessing.

✨ My hope is that this episode encourages you to slow down, savor the journey, and grab every bit of life you can—because the ride itself is the gift  

👉 If you’d like to go deeper, connect with with me.

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)
📰 Get A Free Gift
📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call
📈 Leave A Review

Thanks so much for your support

When your child transitions into spirit, nothing is ever the same. In this deeply heartfelt episode, Brian speaks with Betsy Thibaud Stephenson, author of Blackbird: A Mother’s Reflection on Loss, Grief, and Life After Suicide.

Betsy’s son Charlie transitioned at age 21, just eleven weeks after expressing thoughts of self-harm. During that same six-week period, her beloved mother-in-law and family dog also transitioned. Rather than turning away from grief, Betsy faced it head-on—and began writing from her open wound instead of waiting for a scar.

This conversation explores the real grief journey—messy, sacred, and unfiltered.

🔑 Topics Covered:

• Charlie’s spirit and legacy 💫
• The emotional weight of suicide grief 🖤
• Why guilt is almost universal in child loss
• How grief impacts the body and mind
• The myth of grieving “the right way”
• Writing as a tool for survival
• Allowing space for others’ grief stories
• Keeping the spirit of our loved ones alive

✨ Guest Info:

Betsy Thibaud Stephenson

• 📘 Blackbird: A Mother’s Reflection on Loss, Grief, and Life After Suicide
• 🌐 Website: https://blackbirdbetsy.com
  
  
• 📸 Instagram: @blackbirdbetsy21
  
  

📣 Let’s Talk:

🗨️ How do you keep your loved one’s spirit present in your life?
Share with us in the comments or visit grief2growth.com/community
to connect with others walking this path.

🔗 Episode Resources:

• 📚 Get Betsy’s book: Blackbird on Amazon
  
  
• 🧠 Free resources on grief, suicide awareness, and emotional healing
• 🎙️ More episodes like this: Grief 2 Growth Podcast Archive
  
  

🙏 If this episode spoke to your heart:

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

Grief doesn’t follow stages, timelines, or rules.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doing this right?”—you’re not alone.

That’s why I created the Grief Check-In.
It’s not a test. There are no right or wrong answers.
 

In just a few minutes, you’ll gain clarity, reassurance, and language for what you’re experiencing.

👉 Visit grief2growth.com/checkin

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)
📰 Get A Free Gift
📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call
📈 Leave A Review

Thanks so much for your support

What do you do when the life you dreamed of is shattered overnight?

Weston Brandon was just 23 when his wife, Lauren, died days after giving birth to their premature son. In this raw and powerful episode, Weston shares how he moved from heartbreak to healing, how he reopened his heart to love, and how he now helps others rediscover purpose after profound disruption.

From signs from the other side to the powerful D.R.I.V.E. framework he created, Weston’s story will inspire anyone who’s lost a loved one—and is wondering how to live again. ❤️‍🩹

This is not just a story of grief. It’s a story of overhaul—and it might just change the way you see your own pain.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

• How Weston navigated the NICU and the sudden loss of his wife
• The moment of divine clarity that reframed his entire grief journey
• What it’s like to raise a newborn as a grieving father
• How he opened his heart again to new love without “replacing” his first
• Why gratitude is magnetic—and how it accelerates healing
• His D.R.I.V.E. framework: A roadmap from disruption to rebirth
• How to honor your loved one while still building a new life

🔗 Resources & Links:

📘 Weston's Book: The Overhaul: Fixing Your Mindset & Driving Success
👉 https://www.westonbrandon.com

🌐 Visit Weston’s Website
👉 https://www.westonbrandon.com

👥 Join the Grief 2 Growth Community
👉 https://www.grief2growth.com/community

🎧 Subscribe & Leave a Review
👉 Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
(Your reviews help us reach more hearts that need healing ❤️)

💬 We Want to Hear From You!

How did this episode touch your heart?
 ➡️ Share your thoughts in the comments or tag us on social media @grief2growth

🙏 Thank You for Listening

If Weston’s sto

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

Grief doesn’t follow stages, timelines, or rules.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doing this right?”—you’re not alone.

That’s why I created the Grief Check-In.
It’s not a test. There are no right or wrong answers.
 

In just a few minutes, you’ll gain clarity, reassurance, and language for what you’re experiencing.

👉 Visit grief2growth.com/checkin

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)
📰 Get A Free Gift
📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call
📈 Leave A Review

Thanks so much for your support