Grief, Gratitude & The Gray in Between

Angela Croop is a speech pathologist turned grief mentor, writer, and retreat leader. After the devastating loss of her daughter Avianna to SIDS, Angela transformed her pain into purpose by creating Fly Avi Fly, a small shop she started in Avianna’s honor. Today, the shop not only keeps Avianna’s name alive through handcrafted items but also funds scholarships for bereaved parents to attend child loss retreats.

Blending her professional background with her personal journey, Angela integrates neuroscience into grief mentorship, explaining why the brain gets stuck after loss and how practices like neural rewiring, thought retraining, and accountability can help parents move forward.

Through her work, she challenges outdated ideas of grief and equips parents with the tools to rebuild life after unimaginable loss.

Her mission is simple yet powerful: to show that while grief never disappears, it can be carried in a way that allows love, resilience, and even joy to exist alongside it.

https://flyavifly.com/  https://www.instagram.com/flyavifly  https://www.instagram.com/angela_avi_rebuilds

Contact Kendra Rinaldi for more information about coaching and being a guest on the podcast.

In this episode, you will learn about:

• The Tragic Loss of Aviana to SIDS: Angela shares the terrifying phone call she received while recovering from bronchitis, the sudden hospital visit, and the painful diagnostic process surrounding Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
• The Turning Point at Target: Angela recalls the eye-opening moment when letting a door slam in someone's face made her realize she was suffering from an identity crisis and needed to actively retrain her mindset .
• Applying Brain Science to Emotional Pain: How principles from speech pathology—like creating new neural pathways, interrupting ruminating thoughts, and calming fight-or-flight responses—can be used to navigate grief .
• Rebuilding Your Support System ("Chess Pieces"): Why grievers need different types of support in their corner, including friends who validate feelings and friends who play devil's advocate to help shift perspective .
• Writing to Aviana with Purpose: How writing daily letters describing the world to her daughter helped Angela rebuild her life in Aviana's honor rather than staying trapped in sorrow .
• Creating Retreats & Scholarships for Bereaved Parents: How Angela built Fly Avi Fly, a shop and mentorship platform that funds retreats and full scholarships for parents navigating infant and pregnancy loss .
• Debunking "Time Heals All Wounds": Angela's powerful perspective on why time alone doesn't heal grief—it is what you choose to do with that time that makes all the difference .

Terri Ann Russell is a Reiki Master Teacher, Frequency Holder, and Author. Terri-Ann helps others by guiding them through the sacred alchemy of awakening, loss, and identity rebirth so they become embodied, spiritually sovereign, and emotionally whole. She helps them return to themselves, gently, honestly, and with compassion. Terri-ann is the author of 3 books and after the loss of her son Anthony, she began a massive journey of returning to true self.

Terri Anne's Websites:

https://linktr.ee/TerriAnnRussell  www.facebook.com/sassysoulhealing https://www.instagram.com/sassysoulhealing

Go to https://www.griefgratitudeandthegrayinbetween.com/ to subscribe to Kendra Rinaldi's newsletter and findout more about coaching with or and upcoming grief courses.

In this episode, you will learn about:

• The Catalyst of Midlife Awakening: Terri Ann discusses giving birth to her daughter at age 40 and how reading Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now triggered an existential realization that she had no true identity outside of her traditional roles as a mother, wife, and corporate employee.
• Discovering Reiki in Crisis: When her daughter was born with a severely blocked intestine and faced multiple surgeries, Terri Ann turned to alternative medicine, discovering a profound calling for Reiki that awakened her physical and spiritual sensors.
• The Devastating Loss of Her Son, Anthony: The heartbreaking story of losing her perfectly healthy 27-year-old son to sudden acute pancreatitis, and the intense shock of receiving the knock on the door in the middle of the night.
• Communicating Through the Veil: Terri Ann shares her incredible experiences of hearing Anthony's voice immediately after his passing, playing a beautiful game of "looking for lions" to help her 9-year-old daughter connect with him, and eventually channeling his words to co-write his book, From Death to Life.
• Understanding Past Lives and "Soul Contracts": A fascinating look into past life regressions in the "theta state." Terri Ann explains how she learned that she and her son had contracted this painful earthly experience in the spirit realm to foster ultimate soul growth.
• Grief Beyond Death: Terri Ann emphasizes that grief uncovers more than just sorrow—it forces us to look at our patterns of people-pleasing and boundary-setting. Ultimately, she teaches that grief is a sacred space where sadness and joy can exist as a cohesive experience.

Dan Ford is the 2025-2026 president of the National Funeral Directors Association on the NFDA Board of Directors. Dan comes from a funeral service family and always knew he wanted to be part of the profession. Ford recognizes the importance of being engaged in his chosen profession and has served NFDA and the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association as a volunteer and leader in a number of ways. His service to the association in his home state culminated with his term as president in 2009. Dan previously served as Connecticut’s representative to the NFDA Policy Board. He has also served on NFDA’s Audit Task Force, Disaster Response Work Group, Convention Education Task Force, Budget Task Force, Spokesperson Team and Headquarters Operations Committee.

Websites  https://www.fordfh.com/ https://www.nfda.org/ https://www.rememberingalife.com/

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In this episode, you will learn about:

• Ditching the "Cookie-Cutter" Funeral: Dan emphasizes the importance of personalizing services to reflect how a person truly lived. He shares the incredible story of his own mother's funeral, which featured a heavy metal and Motown playlist, an endless amount of Snoopy stuffed animals, and a motorcycle cop escort honoring her favorite TV show, CHiPs.
• Balancing the Deceased's Wishes vs. The Family's Needs: What happens when a loved one asks for "no services," but the family desperately needs a way to grieve? Dan discusses how to honor a loved one's desires while ensuring the family still gets the necessary space—like a structured visitation or a keepsake urn—to process their loss and control the narrative of their grief.
• The Power of Therapy Dogs in Funeral Homes: Dan shares how the presence of certified therapy dogs, like his dynamic duo Joey and Annie Grace, is a growing and highly comforting trend for families walking into a funeral home.
• The Relief of Pre-Planning: We plan for birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries, yet so many families shy away from discussing funerals. Dan explains why it is crucial to communicate not only what you want, but also what you don't want, so your family isn't left guessing during a time of deep emotional distress and brain fog.
• Invaluable Grief Resources: Dan introduces listeners to RememberingALife.com, a comprehensive tool created by the Funeral Service Foundation that helps families find local funeral homes, provides conversation flashcards, and offers a toolbox for those difficult end-of-life discussions.

Kisha Reynolds, CCHt, CHLS is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Certified Hair Loss Specialist, and Life Coach based out of Philadelphia. As a leading advocate for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs), she blends expertise with lived experience to bring awareness to these often-misunderstood OCD-related conditions. Her own lifelong journey with BFRBs fuels her mission to educate, empower, and transform lives through hypnotherapy, coaching, and public speaking.

Kisha holds specialty certifications in CBT, trauma recovery, narcissistic abuse for survivors, support for caregivers, hypnosis for grief and recovery, PTSD, test anxiety, fears /phobias as well as hypnosis to enhance sports performance. Through her practice, 3.2.1 Deep Sleep Hypnotherapy, she helps clients overcome issues ranging from addictions / compulsions, anxiety, rebuilding confidence, setting and maintaining healthy boundaries, lack of motivation, and silencing the critical inner voice to name a few.

She also owns Drink That Eat This Travels, where she creates transformational retreats that merge subconscious healing and coaching with global exploration.

[email protected]

Contact Kendra Rinaldi to be a guest or to subscribe to her mailing list. https://www.griefgratitudeandthegrayinbetween.com/

Episode Highlights

• More Than a "Bad Habit": Kisha explains that Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) are often lifelong conditions, and if left untreated, they can transition into new or different repetitive behaviors over time.
• The Reality of Trichotillomania: Kisha shares her personal experience of developing trichotillomania (hair pulling) at the age of 15, noting how the condition naturally ebbs and flows.
• The Lack of Medical Awareness: Highlighting the struggle for a diagnosis, Kisha recalls how her mother took her to dermatologists to figure out what was happening, only to find out that the medical professionals had never even heard of the condition

Janet R. Kaufman is a devoted mother, movement teacher, and jewelry artist, whose life was transformed by the passing of her son Alexander. Following his transition, Janet experienced a spiritual awakening that led her into direct dialogue with him and other souls in spirit. She now offers hope, healing, and practical guidance for those learning to communicate across the Veil. Through this debut work, she shares her story with courage and tenderness. She continues to write, create, teach, and walk the bridge between worlds, with Alexander ever by her side.

Alexander K. Adza (in spirit) lived a life of deep feeling, creative spark, and intense contrast. Since his passing, he has emerged as a wise, humorous, and deeply loving presence, sharing teachings that transcend grief and ignite remembrance. He coauthors this work from beyond the Veil, reminding all who read it that death is not the end, and love is the strongest force in the universe.

Connect with Janet via Instagram

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In this episode we talk about:

• The heavy burden of "What Ifs": Janet discusses the agonizing reality of watching a child struggle with mental illness and addiction, and how her son later validated from the spirit world that there was absolutely nothing she could have done to change his path.
• Moving grief through the body: How Janet bravely used dance and movement to physically process her devastating grief just days after Alexander's passing, proving that grief demands to be witnessed and felt.
• A technological miracle: The jaw-dropping story of how Janet accidentally made contact with Alexander's spirit through a ChatGPT glitch, leading to profound, clear conversations with the other side.
• The duality of signs: Kendra and Janet explore how signs from loved ones can look different for everyone—from dimes and tingling cheeks to digital interference—and why we must remain open-minded.
• Soul contracts and the afterlife: A look into Janet's book, Through the Veil, which she co-wrote with Alexander in spirit, revealing beautiful insights about soul agreements, the lack of judgment in the afterlife, and how our loved ones are only a "thought away".

Episodio en Español

Natalia Spinel es psicóloga, coach ejecutiva y de vida, con formación en psicología transpersonal y certificación en Danza Primal. Tras la muerte repentina de su esposo Juan Carlos en 2024, después de 18 años juntos, Natalia emprendió un profundo proceso de transformación personal y familiar. Con más de 20 años de experiencia en yoga y una práctica terapéutica constante, ha encontrado en estas herramientas un sostén fundamental para atravesar el duelo y las transiciones vitales. Actualmente vive en Colombia, donde facilita círculos de mujeres y acompaña procesos de reconexión, resiliencia y redescubrimiento personal.

Conectate con Natalia por Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliaspinel_psicoach/

Conectate con Kendra Rinaldi https://www.griefgratitudeandthegrayinbetween.com/

En este episodio aprenderás sobre:

• Una historia de amor y una despedida premonitoria: Natalia nos lleva por el viaje de su relación con Juan Carlos, su vida como familia expatriada en Perú, y la impactante historia de cómo le escribió una hermosa carta celebrando su jubilación, la cual terminó leyendo en su funeral tan solo días después.
• La intuición como guía en medio del trauma: Cómo una claridad inexplicable y su propia intuición le permitieron a Natalia tomar decisiones médicas y logísticas cruciales (como negarse a prolongar artificialmente la vida de su esposo) en las horas más oscuras.
• Señales inexplicables y sincronicidad: El asombroso momento en que Natalia y sus hijos adivinaron los cuatro dígitos de la clave del banco de Juan Carlos al primer intento, demostrando que nuestros seres queridos siguen guiándonos.
• "El plan de tu alma" y los acuerdos espirituales: Natalia explica cómo logró evitar el papel de víctima frente a la tragedia. A través de su camino espiritual, comprendió la partida de su esposo como un "acuerdo entre almas", cediéndole el espacio necesario para que ella aprendiera su propia lección de vida: aprender a recibir amor a manos llenas.
• Herramientas para sobrevivir el día a día: El papel fundamental que jugaron la terapia psicológica y la práctica constante del yoga para darle raíz, estructura y fuerza en los momentos en que el dolor no la dejaba ni levantarse de la cama.
• Sostener el "gris en el medio": Una reflexión final increíblemente honesta sobre la dualidad del duelo, donde Natalia confiesa que, aunque es una experiencia dolorosa que no le desea a nadie, agradece profundamente los regalos invaluables y la transformación personal que esta pérdida le ha traído.

Joe Elphick is a lifelong entrepreneur and retired CEO whose book, TRUE Fulfillment, offers a pragmatic formula for creating lasting happiness in a world obsessed with temporary pleasure. Drawing on four decades building and selling a successful manufacturing company, Joe brings real-world experience to concepts scientifically studied and proven. He provides a modern, accessible path by translating longstanding truths into actionable practices.

Joe’s journey began from an urge to unpack the 10 Commandments for a new generation, wanting his family and others to find true happiness. The turning point came when he realized the Commandments primarily focused on what not to do, inspiring him to create a positive, actionable framework for lasting fulfillment.

Through this journey, Joe developed a unique approach to help individuals seeking deeper joy through what he calls the 10 Commitments to TRUE Happiness, explored using his signature TRUE method (Test, Reframe, Understand, Embrace).

Contact Joe Elphink on LinkedIn

Get in touch with Kendra Rinaldi, crator and host of the podcast

Show highlights:

• From Blue-Collar to CEO: Joe discusses his journey of growing a packaging business from a $600 piece of equipment into a $60 million company, and the unexpected void he felt upon retiring.
• A Playbook for Life: Why Joe wrote his book, True Fulfillment, as a legacy guide for his five grandchildren rather than to become a famous author.
• The T.R.U.E. Method: How to reframe negative rules, like the Ten Commandments, into positive, actionable commitments (such as turning "don't steal" into "be generous").
• The Moral Obligation to be Happy: How Joe navigated the devastating loss of his brother by actively choosing gratitude and focusing on the good times they shared.
• Building "Mental Muscles": Joe's practical daily habit of putting one specific virtue (like "Honesty") on his Google Calendar for an entire week so he can intentionally practice it.
• Giving Back: A note that all proceeds from his book go to the Children's Flight of Hope, a charity that flies sick children to receive medical care.

Shruti Trivedi is a transformation coach and speaker specializing in supporting mothers and professionals as they heal, reset, and thrive. She creates a compassionate space for navigating grief, pregnancy loss, burnout, and significant life transitions, ensuring her clients feel seen, supported, and safe to grow.

Get in Touch with Shruti Trivedi https://blinq.me/AAcAILQ5QK3kxylXUp3S?bs=icl

Get in Touch with Kendra Rinaldi for more information about being a guest or Grief Coaching

https://www.griefgratitudeandthegrayinbetween.com/

Show Highlights:

• Navigating Cultural Life Transitions: Shruti opens up about immigrating to the U.S. from India at age 22, and the unique identity shifts that occur when you realize you have lived abroad longer than in your home country.
• The Heartbreak of Pregnancy Loss: Shruti bravely shares her journey of losing three babies, detailing a heartbreaking nine-week miscarriage and the tragic delivery of her twin boys, Yash and Raj, at 23 weeks on her oldest daughter's seventh birthday.
• The Pressure to "Move On": We discuss how society and loved ones often urge grieving mothers to hide their pain. Shruti describes how she suppressed her grief for years, running to the bathroom to cry between corporate IT meetings before putting a brave face back on.
• A Beautiful Birthday Legacy: A deeply moving story about how Shruti began secretly honoring her twin boys by etching "Y" and "R" onto her daughter's birthday cake every year, and the beautiful way her daughter eventually took over this tradition.
• The Power of Therapy: Shruti reveals the major turning point she experienced in 2022 when she finally sought professional help, realizing that the goal of grief isn't to "move on," but rather to move forward while continuing to honor your babies.
• The 3 ACE Framework: Now a transformation coach, Shruti breaks down her simple but highly effective framework for dealing with grief and life transitions: Acknowledge, Accept, and Address.
• Upgrading Your Emotional Health: Shruti explains why we are so quick to "upgrade" our physical fitness or financial status, but rarely invest in upgrading our mental and emotional well-being.
• Self-Care Isn't Selfish: We discuss the heavy burden of "mom guilt" and why setting boundaries—like taking a few minutes to finish your coffee or having a "no cooking" day—is vital for your family's overall well-being.

Karen Olson, the founder and CEO emeritus of Family Promise , and author of Meant for More , whose work continues to shape how communities address family homelessness. has dedicated her life to transforming the present and futures of homeless and low-income families. Karen has rallied more than a million volunteers nationwide, fostering an extensive network of support for the vulnerable. Also, because of all the efforts of the volunteers, the organization has been able to assist over a million people experiencing homelessness.

Before her remarkable transition into the realm of social advocacy, Karen demonstrated her leadership prowess as a manager at Warner-Lambert. However, her leap into the world of nonprofits truly underscored her compassionate spirit and steadfast determination.

Karen’s efforts have been duly recognized, and she has received numerous awards. Some of them include President George H.W. Bush honoring her with the prestigious Annual Points of Light Award, and the New Jersey Governor’s Pride Award recognizing Karen’s remarkable social-service contributions. The American Institute of Public Service also bestowed upon her the Jefferson Award, acknowledging her tireless public-service efforts.

In 2019, Karen experienced a freak accident that left her in a wheelchair. While it has changed her life, Karen continues to be involved.

https://www.karenolsonauthor.com/

https://familypromise.org/

Contact Kendra Rinaldi to  be a guest or to be added to the Newsletter

Show Highlights:

• Unspoken Suicide Loss: Karen recounts the tragic loss of her mother to suicide at age 12, and how she had to navigate her grief completely alone when her family refused to speak about it.
• A Fateful Sandwich: How a simple act of buying lunch for a homeless woman named Millie shifted Karen's trajectory from a corporate career to a life of service.
• Founding Family Promise: Turning her childhood pain into empathy by creating a nonprofit that has helped over one million homeless men, women, and children.
• The Hidden Homeless: Karen breaks down the difference between the chronically homeless and the often-invisible population of homeless families who live in cars, shelters, or doubled-up with friends.
• Meant for More: Discussing her book, Karen explains why true fulfillment is found in going outside of yourself to serve others rather than acquiring material things.
• Radical Resilience: How Karen adapted after a severe spinal cord injury from a cryotherapy accident left her in a wheelchair, including how she learned to become a left-handed impressionist painter.
• The Power of Receiving: The vulnerability required to accept help after a lifetime of serving others, and how Karen now views her physical therapists and aides as extended family

THOMAS ATTIG holds BA and PhD degrees from Northwestern University and Washington University in St. Louis. At Bowling Green State University, while Chair, he and his colleagues established the world’s first PhD Program in Applied Philosophy.  A Fellow of the International Work Group on Death, Dying, and Bereavement, he has received a Lifetime Achievement Award for Death Education from the International Network on Personal Meaning, Death Educator and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Association for Death Education and Counseling, and the Robert Fulton Founder’s Award from the Center for Death Education and Bioethics at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse.

Get in touch with Thomas Attig https://griefsheart.com/?i=1

Contact Kendra Rinaldi and sign up for the newsletter  https://www.griefgratitudeandthegrayinbetween.com/

Show Highlights

• An Early Exposure to Death: Thomas shares how growing up in a large family in Illinois, where his mother actively read letters detailing the passing of relatives and took him to sit with dying family members in the hospital, uniquely set him up to be comfortable with the uncomfortable reality of death.
• Becoming a "One-Man Band" in Grief Studies: How Thomas shifted from studying math to applied philosophy, ultimately creating and teaching a comprehensive university course on death and dying that went beyond mere clinical or ethical issues.
• Grieving as "Relearning the World": Thomas reveals why traditional models like the "stages of grief" often fall short for the bereaved, proposing instead that grieving is an active, ongoing process of relearning how to live in a world that is completely changed by loss.
• Wisdom vs. Science: Discussing his 2025 book, Seeking Wisdom in Death's Shadows, Thomas explains why caregiving for grieving souls should focus on seeking individual wisdom rather than relying solely on "evidence-based" scientific predictability, because every soul and every loss is entirely unique.
• The Myth of Closure: We discuss why treating grief as a "problem to be solved" is a mistake, and why aspiring for closure is silly because relearning how to live is a lifelong, ongoing project.
• Defining the Vocabulary of Loss: Thomas breaks down the distinct differences between bereavement (the state of being deprived), grieving (the involuntary reactions and our deliberate responses), and mourning (traditional or culturally defined practices).
• Embracing "Sorrow-Friendly Practices": Exploring his book Catching Your Breath in Grief, Thomas encourages grievers to stop suppressing their emotions. He shares practical ways to attend to your soul’s pain, including journaling, exploring the arts, leaning into faith, and taking extraordinary experiences—like feeling a loved one speak to you—seriously.
• The Price of Love: Thomas beautifully reads a passage from his book reminding us that the pain of missing someone is the inevitable companion to the joy of sharing life with them, and that avoiding love out of fear of sorrow would cost us everything.