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

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Connect with Nina Rodriguez:

• griefandlight.com
• @griefandlight
• Resting Grief Face on Substack

Grief and Light is an award-winning, independent podcast exploring the honest, messy, and deeply human experience of loss. New episodes wherever you watch or listen.

Thank you for listening! 

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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: gr

Send us Fan Mail

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Connect with Nina Rodriguez:

• griefandlight.com
• @griefandlight
• Resting Grief Face on Substack

Grief and Light is an award-winning, independent podcast exploring the honest, messy, and deeply human experience of loss. New episodes wherever you watch or listen.

Thank you for listening! 

If this conversation resonated with you:

✅ Share this episode with someone who needs it
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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

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Nina Rodriguez:

• griefandlight.com
• @griefandlight
• Resting Grief Face on Substack

Grief and Light is an award-winning, independent podcast exploring the honest, messy, and deeply human experience of loss. New episodes wherever you watch or listen.

Thank you for listening! 

If this conversation resonated with you:

✅ Share this episode with someone who needs it
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✅ Leave a review! It helps this podcast reach more hearts

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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:

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Nina Rodriguez:

• griefandlight.com
• @griefandlight
• Resting Grief Face on Substack

Grief and Light is an award-winning, independent podcast exploring the honest, messy, and deeply human experience of loss. New episodes wherever you watch or listen.

Thank you for listening! 

If this conversation resonated with you:

✅ Share this episode with someone who needs it
✅ Follow Grief and Light so you never miss a conversation
✅ Leave a review! It helps this podcast reach more hearts

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

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Nina Rodriguez:

• griefandlight.com
• @griefandlight
• Resting Grief Face on Substack

Grief and Light is an award-winning, independent podcast exploring the honest, messy, and deeply human experience of loss. New episodes wherever you watch or listen.

Thank you for listening! 

If this conversation resonated with you:

✅ Share this episode with someone who needs it
✅ Follow Grief and Light so you never miss a conversation
✅ Leave a review! It helps this podcast reach more hearts

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:

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Nina Rodriguez:

• griefandlight.com
• @griefandlight
• Resting Grief Face on Substack

Grief and Light is an award-winning, independent podcast exploring the honest, messy, and deeply human experience of loss. New episodes wherever you watch or listen.

Thank you for listening! 

If this conversation resonated with you:

✅ Share this episode with someone who needs it
✅ Follow Grief and Light so you never miss a conversation
✅ Leave a review! It helps this podcast reach more hearts

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

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Nina Rodriguez:

• griefandlight.com
• @griefandlight
• Resting Grief Face on Substack

Grief and Light is an award-winning, independent podcast exploring the honest, messy, and deeply human experience of loss. New episodes wherever you watch or listen.

Thank you for listening! 

If this conversation resonated with you:

✅ Share this episode with someone who needs it
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In this moving episode of Grief and Light, host Nina Rodriguez sits down with Bryan and Danielle Docobo to explore their journey through profound loss, love, and advocacy following the death of their son Ethan, who passed away from the rare genetic disorder Coats Plus Syndrome. As parents navigating complex grief while raising their surviving son Liam, who lives with the same diagnosis, Bryan and Danielle speak candidly about the emotional, spiritual, and logistical realities of their path, as they work against time to save him.

***

How you can help:

• Contact: [email protected]
• Visit: coatsplusfoundation.com
• Donate to the Coats Plus Foundation
• (June 13th) Father's Day Tournament

***

Danielle, a dedicated pediatric nurse, and Bryan, a real estate attorney and podcast host, share how they turned heartbreak into hope through the creation of the Coats Plus Foundation. Their mission includes fundraising, research, awareness, and building a supportive community for families navigating rare diseases.

This heartfelt conversation covers the duality of grief and joy, the spiritual lessons they’ve learned, the importance of vulnerability, and how taking action has become a healing force in their lives. Whether you’re a grieving parent, a rare disease advocate, or simply someone walking through loss, their story reminds us that love never ends, and neither does the impact of a life, no matter how short.

***

Click here to watch on YouTube

***

Takeaways:

• Grief is lifelong and evolves with time. It is not something to “get over,” but something we live with.
• Naming the problem (such as a diagnosis) allows families to shift into problem-solving and advocacy.
• Community is everything. Whether through foundations, peer support, or safe spaces for grief.
• Rare disease diagnoses are devastating, but can serve as a catalyst for collective action.
• Guilt is common when balancing the needs of multiple children in medical crises.
• Hope lives in action—advocacy, fundraising, and awareness-building create purpose from pain.
• Spirituality and brotherhood provide grounding during uncertain times.
• Men also need safe spaces to express grief and vulnerability.
• Special needs children contribute immense value and joy to their families.
• Presen

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Nina Rodriguez:

• griefandlight.com
• @griefandlight
• Resting Grief Face on Substack

Grief and Light is an award-winning, independent podcast exploring the honest, messy, and deeply human experience of loss. New episodes wherever you watch or listen.

Thank you for listening! 

If this conversation resonated with you:

✅ Share this episode with someone who needs it
✅ Follow Grief and Light so you never miss a conversation
✅ Leave a review! It helps this podcast reach more hearts

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Pet loss is real grief — and it deserves real support.

In this heartfelt episode of Grief and Light, host Nina Rodriguez is joined by pet loss grief specialist, Grant Hazell, for an intimate conversation about the grief of losing a beloved animal companion. Together, they explore the deep bonds between humans and pets — often referred to as “soul pets” — and why losing them can be just as devastating as the loss of a human loved one.

You'll hear about:

• The unique types of human–pet relationships and what makes them so significant
• How society often invalidates or overlooks pet loss grief
• The role pets play in the lives of seniors, children, and people with disabilities
• Navigating anticipatory grief and the complexities of euthanasia decisions
• How to continue the bond with your pet through rituals, memories, and honoring their legacy

Click Here to watch on YouTube

Whether you're grieving the loss of a dog, cat, service animal or any cherished companion animal, this episode offers compassionate insight and validation.

🐾 You’re not alone — your grief is real, and your soul pet mattered.

Free Download: GRIEF TENDING TOOLKIT 

ACCESS OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY

Takeaways:

• Pet loss is a significant form of grief that is often overlooked.
• The bond between humans and pets can be profound and life-altering.
• Disenfranchised grief refers to grief that is not socially acknowledged.
• Understanding the human-pet bond can help validate feelings of loss.
• Grief is a personal journey that cannot be fixed or rushed.
• The grief of losing a pet can be as severe as losing a human loved one.
• Older individuals may experience deeper grief due to pet loss as companions.
• The categories of human-pet bonds help explain the depth of grief.
• Pets often fulfill emotional needs that may not be met elsewhere. 
• The bond between humans and pets can help alleviate feelings of isolation.
• Anticipatory grief is a valid and often overlooked aspect of pet loss.
• Pet loss encompasses more than just death; it includes separation and surrender.
• Euthanasia decisions can lead to significant guilt and remorse for pet owners.
• Grief rituals can help maintain a connection with deceased pets.
• Love for pets continues beyond their physical presence.
• It's important to approach pet loss with compassion and understanding.
• People who surrender pets often face stigma and judgment from others.

Connect with Grant Hazell:

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Nina Rodriguez:

• griefandlight.com
• @griefandlight
• Resting Grief Face on Substack

Grief and Light is an award-winning, independent podcast exploring the honest, messy, and deeply human experience of loss. New episodes wherever you watch or listen.

Thank you for listening! 

If this conversation resonated with you:

✅ Share this episode with someone who needs it
✅ Follow Grief and Light so you never miss a conversation
✅ Leave a review! It helps this podcast reach more hearts

Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

In this deeply moving episode Nina is joined by Liz Quinn — grief advocate, and host of the Healing Hearts Podcast. Liz opens up about her personal journey through layered loss, including the death of her daughter Alivia, and both of her parents. With tenderness and clarity, she shares what it means to grieve as a mother, how guilt and love can coexist, and how the relationship with a child in spirit continues to evolve.

// Click here to watch on YouTube //

The conversation also explores the experience of pregnancy after loss, the secondary grief felt by surviving children, and the often unseen labor of tending to grief while parenting. Liz also shares her journey through anticipatory and ambiguous grief as she lost her mother to Alzheimer’s and dementia, followed by the death of her father to esophageal cancer.

Nina and Liz offer insights into how one's healing journey can evolve into a purpose-driven mission, and emphasize the importance of storytelling and community in the grief process. This episode is a poignant reminder that grief is not something to fix — it’s something to honor, carry, and live with love.

Free Download: GRIEF TENDING TOOLKIT 

// ACCESS OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY //

Takeaways:

• You don't necessarily feel like a mother when you don't have a child physically.
• The love for a child begins the moment you know they are yours.
• Grief is a journey that shapes who you are.
• Honoring lost children is a vital part of healing.
• It's okay to not want to hold a baby after loss.
• You either know or you just do it when it comes to having more children.
• Building a relationship with a child in spirit takes time.
• There is no right or wrong way to navigate grief.
• Sometimes, mothers know best when it comes to healing traditions.
• Support groups can be both helpful and challenging.
• Siblings can experience grief for a sibling they never met.
• The loss of a child reshapes family dynamics and identities.
• Transforming grief into purpose can lead to personal growth.
• Shared stories can initiate healing for both the storyteller and the listener.
• Grief is a lifelong journey that evolves over time.
• Life after loss can still be beautiful despite its challenges.

Connect with Liz Quinn:

• @healing_hearts_podcast
• Healing Heart

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Nina Rodriguez:

• griefandlight.com
• @griefandlight
• Resting Grief Face on Substack

Grief and Light is an award-winning, independent podcast exploring the honest, messy, and deeply human experience of loss. New episodes wherever you watch or listen.

Thank you for listening! 

If this conversation resonated with you:

✅ Share this episode with someone who needs it
✅ Follow Grief and Light so you never miss a conversation
✅ Leave a review! It helps this podcast reach more hearts

Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers