And just like that, we're an award-winning podcast!

In this special episode, I’m sharing a replay of my conversation with Kathy Barron, founder and editor-in-chief of Women Who Podcast Magazine. We talk about the journey behind Grief and Light, the power of being recognized as an award-winning podcast, and why grief isn’t a linear process—it’s deeply personal, unpredictable, and life-changing.

We dive into stories of life after loss, the sneaky ways grief shows up in everyday life, and how giving yourself permission to feel can actually deepen your connection to life and others. Whether you’re a griever, a podcaster, or simply curious about the human experience, this conversation offers insights, validation, and hope.

Key Takeaways:

• There are no “steps” in grief—everyone experiences it differently.
• Grief shows up unexpectedly, even in ordinary places like grocery stores.
• Giving yourself permission to grieve is essential for healing and integration.
• Recognition and community make a difference—even in the often-lonely world of podcasting.
• Facing grief can deepen connection, empathy, and the richness of life itself.

If you’ve ever experienced loss, or want to understand grief more deeply, tune in, follow and subscribe to Grief and Light wherever you listen to podcasts, and connect with me on social media for more conversations, resources, and support.

Related Links:

• Award-Winning Podcast Announcement on IG
• Live Conversation replay on IG

Grief Support Resources for the Road:

• Grief Tending Toolkit
• Access our online community

Hosted by: Nina Rodriguez

• Creator of Grief and Light, Grief Guide
• griefandlight.com
• @griefandlight
• Resting Grief Face on Substack

Subscribe for more conversations that explore grief, healing, and what it means to be human.

Support the show

Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this.

Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

If you’ve ever wondered how to keep living, and even loving, after losing someone you can’t imagine life without, this episode is for you. 

I sit down with Shawn Dinneen, creator of HeartStrings Journals, to hear her deeply personal story of grief, resilience, and rediscovering life and new love after the devastating loss of her fiancé to an overdose in 2022.

***Video version available here***

Shawn shares how journaling became a lifeline during her healing journey, inspiring her business and mission to support others navigating loss. We explore the messy middle of grief, how community, self-reflection, and courage help us carry sorrow while making room for hope and love again. This is an honest, tender conversation about loss, resilience, and the ways grief and joy can coexist.

Key Takeaways:

• Healing after loss is personal, nonlinear, and requires compassion toward yourself.
• Journaling and reflection can provide a powerful outlet for processing grief.
• Stigma around addiction obscures the humanity of those affected.
• Systemic barriers make seeking help for addiction challenging.
• Unresolved pain and trauma frequently underlie addiction.
• Community and shared experiences help break the isolation of loss.
• Opening your heart to love again is possible, even after profound heartbreak.
• Grief and joy can coexist, and healing doesn’t mean forgetting.

Guest: Shawn Dinneen

• heartstringsjournals.com
• Submit your story to Paths of Purpose
• Shop HeartStrings Journals
• @heart_stringsjournals

Hosted by: Nina Rodriguez

• Creator of Grief and Light, Grief Guide
• griefandlight.com
• @griefandlight
• Resting Grief Face on Substack

Subscribe for more conversations that explore grief, healing, and what it means to be human.

Support the show

Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this.

Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

How can we better support grieving kids and teens? 

In this episode of the Grief and Light podcast, Nina Rodriguez sits down with Michelle Cove, award-winning media maker, communications manager of Experience Camps and Grief Sucks,  in charge of making content across multiple platforms to build a more grief-smart culture. Together, they explore how teens navigate loss, the misconceptions surrounding teen grief, and the importance of creating safe spaces where young people can both process pain and simply be kids.

***Click here to watch on YouTube***

Michelle shares powerful insights from her work at Experience Camps, where children connect, play, and heal, emphasizing that grieving teens often seek companionship over solitude. They also discuss the dual process model of grief, the role of intuition in both grief and life decisions, and how storytelling through digital platforms, pop culture, and personal experience can foster understanding and community. 

This episode is a reminder that grief doesn’t have to be faced alone and that creating space for honest conversation is one of the most healing acts we can offer.

Key Takeaways:

• Grief is universal, yet we often struggle to talk about it openly.
• Experience Camps provide a safe, supportive space for grieving children to connect and heal.
• Building a grief-smart culture involves learning how to communicate about loss effectively.
• The dual model of grief allows fluid movement between processing intense emotions and returning to daily life.
• Pop culture can be a powerful tool for starting conversations about grief with teens.
• Teens often seek companionship over solitude when navigating loss.
• Validating a grieving person’s feelings without trying to "fix" them is essential.
• Grief can manifest differently across various life milestones.
• Intuition plays a crucial role in guiding grief and life decisions.
• Sharing stories of grief fosters connection, understanding, and community.

Guest: Michelle Cove

• Grief Sucks!
• Experience Camps
• Freeway Ride
• michellecove.com

Hosted by: Nina Rodriguez

• Creator of Grief and Light, Grief Guide
• griefandlight.com
• @griefandlight
• Resting Grief Face on Substack

Subscribe for more conversations that explore grief, healing, and what it means to be human.

Support the show

Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this.

Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

Whether you’re a griever, creative, or lover of independent film (and puppies!), this conversation is a moving exploration of how film can help us navigate trauma, honor legacy, and find our way back to light.

In this powerful episode of the Grief and Light podcast, acclaimed filmmaker and educator Michael Flores shares the deeply personal journey behind his award-winning feature film, Dogs on the Sendero. The film follows Sol, a grieving teacher who embarks on a transformative road trip with his dog, Rosie, after the devastating loss of his wife. Through their journey, the story explores grief, cultural identity, healing, and the quiet power of companionship.

***Click here to watch on YouTube***

Michael opens up about the emotional and creative process of making a film inspired by real-life experiences with gun violence in schools, the delicate balance of weaving humor and hope into stories of loss, and the role that pets, art, and cultural roots play in the healing process. He also discusses the challenges and serendipity of independent filmmaking during the pandemic, the importance of building a small but dedicated team, and how storytelling can foster empathy and human connection.

Free Grief Support Resources:

1. Grief Tending Toolkit
2. Access our online community

Key Takeaways:

• Storytelling can help us navigate grief and find healing.
• Gun violence in schools leaves long-lasting emotional ripples.
• Independent filmmaking requires trust, resilience, and creativity.
• Cultural identity can anchor and guide healing journeys.
• Grief is universal and can be processed and expressed through art.
• Pets can provide comfort, grounding, and purpose in the aftermath of loss.
• Humor and grief can coexist, offering balance in emotional storytelling.
• The creative process is often shaped by personal experiences and cultural identity.
• Signs and serendipity often guide creative journeys and personal healing.
• Empathy and emotional connection are at the heart of impactful storytelling.

Guest: Michael Flores

• senderomovie.com
• IMDB
• @dogs_on_the_sendero

Hosted by: Nina Rodriguez

• Creator of Grief and Light, Grief Guide
• griefandlight.com
• @griefandlight
• Resting Grief Face on Substack

Subscribe for more conversations that explore grief, healing, and what it means to be human.

Support the show

Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this.

Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

In this powerful episode, strategist, musician, and author Mike de la Rocha opens up about healing generational trauma, redefining masculinity, and reconnecting with his father through emotional truth-telling.

***Click here to watch on YouTube***

Drawing from his debut book Sacred Lessons: Teaching My Father How to Love, Mike explores how grief, silence, and inherited definitions of manhood shaped his early life—and how choosing vulnerability, mentorship, and collective healing became transformative. This intimate conversation unpacks the emotional cost of disconnection, the ancestral wisdom that guides us, and why healing the masculine lineage is essential for future generations. From the power of Ubuntu to the ongoing presence of loved ones beyond the veil, Mike reminds us that true healing is never solitary—it’s sacred, relational, and deeply human.

Whether you're navigating your own father wound, unpacking what it means to be a man in today’s world, or seeking connection with those you've lost, this episode offers insight, hope, and a path toward repair.

Grief Support Resources for the Road:

1. Grief Tending Toolkit
2. Access our online community

Key Takeaways:

• Healing yourself can create ripple effects across your family, including your father.
• Sacred Lessons is both personal memoir and a collective call to interrupt cycles of silence and disconnection.
• True healing is communal—it requires community, mentors, and intergenerational support.
• Redefining masculinity starts with emotional honesty, not suppression.
• Nature, ancestral practices, and rituals can anchor us during times of grief and transformation.
• The philosophy of Ubuntu ("I am because we are") underscores our collective healing journey.
• We remain connected to those we’ve lost through continued bonds and spiritual presence.
• Societal norms around manhood are shifting—and there is real hope in that change.
• Listening with openness is the first step toward breaking inherited patterns.
• Healing the masculine is healing the world.

Guest: Mike de la Rocha

• sacredlessons.com
• Get the book
• Instagram: @mrmikedelarocha
• Photo Credit: Wade Brands

Hosted by: Nina Rodriguez

• Creator of Grief and Light, Grief Guide
• Learn more: griefandlight.com
• Instagram: @griefandlight

Subscribe for more conversations that explore grief, healing, and what it means to be human.

Support the show

Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this.

Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

Maryam De Groef on child and sibling loss, organ donation, food allergy awareness, faith, and the many ways her daughter, Zeynah, lives on.

In this heartfelt and powerful episode of the Grief and Light podcast, host Nina Rodriguez speaks with grief educator, somatic practitioner, and mother Maryam De Groef about the unimaginable: the sudden loss of her 9-year-old daughter, Zeynah, to an anaphylactic reaction caused by a severe food allergy in 2023.

*** Watch on YouTube ***

Maryam shares the deeply personal journey of navigating profound grief, witnessing her surviving child process sibling loss, and the life-affirming decision her family made opting for organ donation—a decision that has saved and transformed the lives of others, with ripple effects that may span generations.

Together, they explore the urgent need for greater awareness around food allergies and anaphylaxis, especially in children, as well as the power of cultural sensitivity in medical care, and the often-overlooked grief of siblings left behind. 

Maryam also speaks to the role of faith, nervous system healing, and her work guiding others through trauma with somatic tools like breathwork, reiki, grounding, and emotional regulation practices.

This conversation is a tender and inspiring reminder that legacy isn’t just what we leave behind, it’s also what we give forward.

Key Takeaways:

• Food allergies can be fatal—awareness, preparedness, and education save lives.
• Grief affects the whole family, including siblings, who often go unseen in their pain.
• Organ donation is an act of profound love, capable of impacting dozens of lives now and in the future.
• Cultural and spiritual sensitivity in how loss is communicated matters deeply in trauma-informed care.
• Embodied healing practices like breathwork, grounding, and nervous system regulation, can offer relief and resilience through overwhelming grief.
• Legacy can ripple for generations, transforming pain into purpose and continued life.

Grief Support Resources for the Road:

1. Grief Tending Toolkit
2. Access our online community

Mentioned in this episode:

• Trillium Gift of Life Network
• Red Sneakers for Oakley
• Natasha Allergy Research Foundation

Guest: Maryam de Groef

• Instagram: @maryamdegroef
• Personal website

Hosted by: Nina Rodriguez

• Creator of Grief and Light, Grief Guide
• Learn more: griefandlight.com
• Instagram: @griefandlight

Subscribe for more conversations that explore grief, healing, and what it means to be human.

Support the show

Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this.

Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

What if preparing for death could actually help you live more fully?

In this powerful episode, Nina Rodriguez speaks with Marni Blank, certified end-of-life doula and founder of Begin With The End, about why planning for death is one of the most compassionate acts we can offer, both to ourselves and those we love.

***Click here to watch on YouTube***

This conversation weaves together the legal logistics of wills, advance directives, and digital assets with the emotional and spiritual tools needed to live with more intention and prepare with less fear. Marni also shares her deeply personal journey into this work, sparked by her mother’s car accident, a moment that exposed the overwhelming reality of end-of-life care when you're unprepared.

*** Plan Well Organizer: Download Here ***

Whether you're grieving, caregiving, or simply ready to get your affairs in order, this episode offers clarity, comfort, and a gentle push toward meaningful, compassionate action.

Topics We Explore:

• How to start honest, heart-centered conversations about death
• Why everyone over 18 needs a will and advance directive
• How to protect and pass on your digital legacy
• The biggest myths about grief, and what it actually looks like
• What a death doula does and how they support families
• How to shape a legacy rooted in values, not just valuables
• Why compassion and curiosity are essential in grief support
• How emotional presence and practical planning can coexist

Key Takeaways:

• Preparing for death is a profound act of love
• Grief is nonlinear and deeply individual
• Legal and digital planning is essential at any age
• Legacy lives on through stories, values, and human connection
• You don’t have to navigate end-of-life or grief alone
• Talking about death early can ease suffering later
• It’s possible to be both prepared and present during loss

Whether you’re facing loss, supporting someone in grief, or simply want to live with more intention, this episode will give you language, tools, and hope.

Grief Support Resources for the Road:

1. Grief Tending Toolkit
2. Access our online community

Guest: Marni Blank, Esq

•  Founder, Begin With The End
•  beginwiththeend.co
•  Instagram: @beginwith_theend

Hosted by: Nina Rodriguez

• Creator of Grief and Light, Grief Guide
• Learn more: griefandlight.com
• Instagram: @griefandlight

Take action today:

✅ Create or update your will
✅ Have a conversation about end-of-life wishes with someone you love
✅ Organize one part of your digital life
✅ Share this episode with someone who needs it

Subscribe for more conversations that explore grief, healing, and what it means to be human.

Support the show

Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this.

Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

Grief doesn’t pause when you arrive at work, so why do so many workplaces expect us to carry on as if nothing happened?

In this powerful episode of Grief and Light, host Nina Rodriguez is joined by Dr. Mekel Harris and Janet Gwilliam-Wright, co-founders of Bloomwell Partners, a consulting firm transforming how organizations handle grief and loss in the workplace. 

***Watch on YouTube***

Drawing from their personal experiences of loss and their expertise in psychology, leadership, and organizational development, they dive into how employees can advocate for themselves while grieving, and how leaders can meet them with compassion instead of confusion.

From navigating the emotional toll of returning to work after a death, to shaping grief-informed policies and building a workplace culture rooted in empathy, this conversation offers tangible strategies for both individuals and organizations.

If you’ve ever felt like you had to perform while grieving, or if you're a leader unsure how to support a grieving team member, this episode is for you.

Grief Support Resources for the Road:

• Grief Tending Toolkit
• Access our online community

Key Takeaways

• You have agency while grieving at work. Learning to speak up about your needs is part of healing, not a disruption.
• Grief impacts performance, presence, and decision-making. It’s not just emotional, it’s physical and cognitive too.
• Compassionate leadership is a skillset, not a personality trait. It can be learned, practiced, and integrated into team culture.
• Grieving employees often feel robotic and disconnected. Making space for real emotion helps restore connection and trust.
• Grief doesn’t follow a timeline. Long-term care and policy flexibility matter just as much as immediate support.
• Peer support and grief ambassadors can help normalize conversations around loss and reduce isolation at work.
• Organizations that support grief retain talent. Empathy and loyalty go hand-in-hand in the modern workplace.
• Emotional intelligence is essential for today’s leaders. It’s no longer optional; it’s a core competency.

Referenced in this episode:

• Janet Gwilliam-Wright on a mission to build compassionate organizations
• Grieving with Grace: Dr. Mekel Harris' Grief-Informed Approach to Relaxing into the Pain
• 5 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Grief-Informed Clinician

Connect with Bloomwell Partners:

• growwithbloomwell.com
• [email protected]
• IG: @bloomwellpartners

Connect with Nina Rodriguez:

• IG: @griefandlight
• griefandlight.com

Support the show

Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this.

Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

In this solo, audio-only episode, host Nina Rodriguez explores the unspoken grief many of us are carrying right now—the grief of uncertainty. 

From political turmoil and climate anxiety, to the dizzying pace of technological change, we’re living in times that feel increasingly unsteady.

This isn’t just stress; it’s a kind of ambient grief. It's the ache of losing the future we thought we were heading toward.

The episode reflects on:

•  Why uncertainty feels so destabilizing to our nervous systems
•  How ambient, ongoing grief impacts our sense of safety
•  The importance of slowing down to recalibrate and feel
•  What it means to find your anchor through ritual, rhythm, or aligned action
•  How we can take meaningful action without burning out

Whether you’re doomscrolling, feeling disoriented, or just trying to catch your breath, this conversation offers gentle perspective and practical footholds for staying grounded in chaotic times.

If you’ve been quietly wondering, “Is it just me?” this episode is for you.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe to the Resting Grief Face Substack for the full written version.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Substack article: The Grief of Uncertainty in Unprecedented Times
• Podcast episode: Grief vs. Grieving
• Podcast Episode: The Liminality of Grief

Takeaways:

• Grief is not limited to the loss of loved ones.
• Uncertainty can lead to feelings of grief for lost safety and predictability.
• Slowing down is essential for processing grief.
• Finding clarity requires intentional reflection and presence.
• Grief can manifest as living loss, an ongoing and ambiguous experience.
• Anchoring ourselves in uncertainty involves returning to the body and small rituals.
• Community and connection can serve as powerful anchors during difficult times.
• Purposeful action can transform anxiety into focus and motion.
• Each person has a unique role to play in the process of transformation.
• You do not have to be okay to be worthy of love.

Grief Support Resources for the Road:

• Grief Tending Toolkit
• Access our online community

Connect with Nina Rodriguez:

• IG: @griefandlight
• griefandlight.com
• 1:1 Grief Support
• Subscribe to my newsletter

Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

Support the show

Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this.

Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

What does it mean to parent a child whose life is both a miracle and a medical emergency? 

In this tender and unflinching conversation, Broadway actor and author Jody Gelb shares the story of her daughter Lueza—her first child, born with disabilities resulting from a catastrophic birth injury—whose life was defined by both relentless caregiving and radiant joy.

***

Click here to watch on YouTube

***

Through the lens of her micro-memoir, SHE MAY BE LYING DOWN BUT SHE MAY BE VERY HAPPY, Jody speaks to the reality of raising a medically fragile child with cerebral palsy, where hope and anticipatory grief coexisted, and where love lived in the details, even amidst exhaustion and heartbreak. She takes us inside her NICU experience, evolution, reflects on self-judgment, ritual, and resilience, and explores what it means to live close to both life and death for years at a time.

This is an episode for caregivers, grievers, artists, and anyone who knows what it’s like to live inside a contradiction, and still find meaning there.

***

Free Download: GRIEF TENDING TOOLKIT 

ACCESS OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY

***

Takeaways:

• Micro memoirs offer a powerful, distilled way to tell grief stories with clarity and emotional punch.
• Parenting a medically complex child requires living in constant contradiction: hope and heartbreak, joy and sorrow.
• The NICU experience leaves a lasting emotional imprint and is often under-discussed.
• Anticipatory grief changes how we relate to time, memory, and presence.
• Grief rituals and proximity to death can empower us to live more intentionally.
• Siblings of medically fragile children have unique emotional experiences that deserve recognition.
• Even in the most difficult circumstances, love and laughter remain possible, and necessary.

Connect with Jody Gelb:

• jodygelb.com
• Buy the book
• About Lueza

Connect with Nina Rodriguez:

• @griefandlight
• griefandlight.com
• 1:1 Grief Support

Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

Support the show

Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this.

Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers