Grief, Gratitude & The Gray in Between

DonnA Meador is a women's dating coach, author, and speaker who helps smart, soulful women over 50 find love again without repeating old patterns or sacrificing who they are. At 66, DonnA has walked the path of love, loss, and rediscovery. She became a widow at 57 when her late husband, Pietro, passed away suddenly just 15 days after his 70th birthday.

As a self-proclaimed "dating intuitive," DonnA combines her strong intuition with lived experience to see beneath the surface, sense the energy behind choices, and guide women to trust their inner knowing. Her own journey of navigating "grief brain" and learning to open her heart to love a second time—she is now happily remarried to her husband, Jeff—gives her a unique and compassionate perspective on dating after loss.

DonnA is the author of the book "Dating, It's Not Personal," which she began writing in 2004 and published in 2014 as a love story dedicated to Pietro. She is also the creator of the YouTube channel Smart Dating Divas, where she and her husband Jeff share dating advice and a man's perspective.

Her core mission is to help women understand and embrace their immense value in relationships, reminding them to "look for love where it is and not where it isn't". Through her coaching, book, and online presence, DonnA empowers women to reconnect with their feminine wisdom, reclaim joy, and attract love that meets them soul-to-soul.

https://smartdatingdivas.com/    https://www.facebook.com/donna.s.meador

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dbsmeador/   https://www.instagram.com/smartdatingdivas/

Interview Highlights

• Sudden Loss & a Love Story: Donna shares her ten-year love story with her late husband, Pietro, who passed away suddenly from a heart attack and stroke while receiving cancer treatment.

• The Power of Declaration: Pietro had often declared he'd be happy to make it to 70 and didn't want to suffer. He passed away 15 days after his 70th birthday, getting everything he had declared, departing with hope in his heart.

• Receiving Support: A key piece of advice for the grieving: "allow people to love you the way they know how." Donna's community showed up with food and practical help because she was open to receiving it, even when she was too overwhelmed to ask.

• Navigating "Grief Brain": For nearly two years, Donna experienced "grief brain," which made her unable to perform simple tasks like reading a menu.

• Finding Love a Second Time: Donna discusses the challenge of opening her heart again, wondering, "How could I possibly fall in love when I'm already in love?". She explains that the heart simply grows to make room for more love and is now happily married to Jeff.

• A Continued Spiritual Connection: Donna shares that she still communicates with Pietro in his non-physical form and that he has even appeared to her now-husband, Jeff, as a spirit guide, offering his blessing and support.

• Donna's Core Message: Her passion is to help women understand their immense value in relationships. Her biggest tip is to "look for love where it is and not where it isn't".

Contact Kendra Rinaldi to be a guest on the podcast.

To book  a coaching discovery call email [email protected]

JULIE MCFADDEN, RN, is the New York Times bestselling author of Nothing to Fear  and a hospice/palliative care nurse with more than fifteen years of experience. Passionate about normalizing death and dying, she has more than one million followers on TikTok as @hospicenursejulie. She has been featured in Newsweek, Time, USA Today, and The Atlantic, and has appeared on Dr. Phil Primetime, Howie Mandel Does Stuff, and elsewhere.  Her most recent book THE NOTHING TO FEAR JOURNAL is an invaluable tool for putting our beliefs about death into practice through thought-provoking questions that prompt reflection, clarification, and planning.

Interview Highlights:

• Introducing Hospice Nurse Julie: Meet Julie McFadden, an RN known as "Hospice Nurse Julie" on TikTok (1.6M+ followers) and a New York Times bestselling author of "Nothing to Fear" and "Nothing to Fear Journal"

• Breakups as Grief: She shares how a painful breakup at 28-29 was a "greatest gift," fostering self-discovery and growth, and how breakups represent profound, often unvalidated grief and transitions.

• Fear of Transition: Kendra and Julie explore how fear of the unknown, not death itself, makes life transitions scary, and criticize society's "fix-it" culture that avoids uncomfortable emotions.

• Finding Hospice: Unhappy in the ICU, Julie "took the plunge" into hospice nursing, even without prior experience, finding her calling and realizing the environment, not nursing itself, was the issue.

• Personal Beliefs on Death: Julie, having experienced tragic deaths young, believes we go to a place that feels "more like home" after death, a belief validated by her hospice work, though she emphasizes it's a personal journey. Faith can aid in peaceful dying, but is not a prerequisite; she's seen atheists die peacefully and religious people struggle.

• TikTok Phenomenon: Inspired by her nieces during COVID-19, Julie started TikTok, initially thinking it "stupid". Her fourth video went viral, leading to rapid organic growth across platforms (1.6M+ on TikTok, 1.3M on Facebook, nearly 500K on Instagram, nearly 600K on YouTube) and a book deal, indicating people were "more ready to talk about this than we knew.

• "Nothing to Fear" Book & Journal: Her New York Times bestselling book is an educational resource with intertwined stories and an index. The "Nothing to Fear Journal" offers step-by-step guidance for preparing for death, exploring existential questions, and uncovering personal belief.

• Comfort in Biology: The most comforting aspect of death for Julie is the biology of the body, how it naturally prepares by shutting off hunger/thirst and increasing calcium, which she sees as a miracle and the primary reason she is not afraid of death.

TikTok   Instagram  YouTube  

HospiceNurseJulie.com

Contact Kendra Rinaldi for a Free Discovery call email her at [email protected] to set up an appointment.

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To be a guest visit https://www.griefgratitudeandthegrayinbetween.com/book-online

Leslie A. Rasmussen was born and raised in Los Angeles and graduated from UCLA. She went on to write television comedies for Gerald McRaney, Burt Reynolds, Roseanne Barr, Norm McDonald, Drew Carey, as well as The Wild Thornberrys and Sweet Valley High. After leaving the business to raise her boys, Leslie obtained a master's degree in nutrition and ran her own business for ten years. More recently, Leslie has been published on Huffington Post over twenty times and speaks on panels discussing female empowerment. She’s a member of the Writers Guild of America, as well as Women in Film and the UCLA Alumni Association. After Happily Ever After is Leslie’s debut novel and has won over fifteen awards, and her second novel, The Stories We Cannot Tell, has won eleven awards. Leslie has been interviewed about it on NPR and XM radio. Leslie’s latest novel, When People Leave, was released in May 2025. When Leslie isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, exercising, and spending time with friends. Leslie lives in Southern California with her husband and two sons.Links:

https://www.lesliearasmussen.com 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/leslierauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lesliearasmussenauthor

 Show Themes:

• Grief in Life's Transitions: A heartfelt discussion about how grief isn't limited to death but is a natural part of major life changes, like children leaving for college or moving into new chapters of life.
• Art, Grief, and Humor: Leslie explores how writing can be a powerful tool to process grief and how humor is a vital and natural part of healing, often reflecting a loved one's personality.
• The Power of Perspective: Discover how art takes on a new life when shared, highlighted by a reader who saw one of Leslie's books not just as a story, but as a "love story of a woman falling in love with her life".
• Finding Meaning and Community: Leslie shares her belief that storytelling helps people feel less alone, starts important conversations, and reminds us that everyone is navigating their own struggles.

Contact Kendra Rinaldi to be a guest or for a free discovery call [email protected]

https://www.griefgratitudeandthegrayinbetween.com/

https://www.instagram.com/griefgratitudepodcast

Show Highlights:

• Understanding Grief in Life Transitions: Kendra introduces the concept of grief not just as a response to loss, but as an emotion felt during significant life transitions, specifically focusing on children going to college This is a major change that can bring about complex emotions for both parents and teenagers.
• Kendra's Personal College Experience: Reflects on her own experience of leaving Colombia at 18 to attend college in the U.S., highlighting the different communication methods of the time (calling cards, letters) and how being in a new environment might have made her personal adjustment "easier" than for her family back home, who felt her absence more acutely in familiar surroundings.
• The Coexistence of Joy and Grief: Emphasizes that it's "okay to feel grief and also to be excited for your kids" as they embark on their college journey. The episode explores this "complex" emotional landscape where joy and sadness can exist simultaneously.
• Grief from a Student's Perspective: Discusses that teenagers themselves will also experience grief as they leave for college, particularly after returning home and realizing what they've missed, or when they miss their friends, relationships, and established routines.
• Validating and Honoring Emotions: Stresses the importance of naming these emotions as "grief" to acknowledge their multifaceted nature and the many other feelings (like regret) that can accompany it.
• Open Communication and Support: Encourages honest conversations with your children, letting them know you're excited for them but also miss them, which helps validate their own mixed emotions. Connecting with others who are experiencing similar changes is also vital.

• Invitation for Accompaniment: If you are going throgh a life transition and want someone to walk alongside you as you figure it out. Reach out for a FREE 15 min Discovery call 

email: [email protected]

Hey friends—this episode’s a little different. I went rogue and recorded it straight from my phone, just me sharing some raw, unfiltered thoughts on grief.

I talk about how grief isn’t just about big losses—it’s something we all feel, every single day. Even little things, like when dinner doesn’t turn out the way we hoped, can bring up that feeling. That’s why this podcast isn’t just for people going through major loss—it’s for everyone.

It’s wild to think it’s been over 5 years since I started this show. I’ve learned so much, and one big thing is this: if we wait until we feel “ready” to share our stories, we might miss the chance to help someone who needs to hear it right now. So I’m here to remind you—your gifts, your voice, your story? They matter. Don’t wait.

This episode is a gentle nudge that you’re not alone in what you’re feeling. I hope it helps you feel seen, and maybe inspires you to share your own story too. Grief is heavy, yes—but it doesn’t have to be depressing. There’s so much growth and connection that can come from it.

And hey—if you’re in the middle of a life transition and feel that little nudge to have someone walk alongside you as you figure out what this next chapter looks like, I’d be honored to connect. I offer a FREE discovery call to see if working together feels like the right fit. Just head over to my website to inquire and take that first step.

https://www.griefgratitudeandthegrayinbetween.com/resources

María Paulina tiene un título en educación y por más de 15 años enseñó a niños, adolescentes y adultos. Sin embargo, siguiendo las directrices de su alma, desde hace poco más de 10, se dedica a la comunicación intuitiva. Con el deseo de apoyar procesos de transformación en personas y animales a través de la comunicación intuitiva, precisamente, creó Amada Vida Mía… desde donde presta varios tipos de consultas y enseña comunicación animal, entre otras cosas. Y es la fundadora del Hogar Animal El Rincón. Además, María Paulina ha escrito 3 novelas tranformativas, un libro de autoayuda y un libro testimonial de edición limitada sobre la vida de un gran tenor colombiano. Porque escribir es algo que lleva dentro desde niña.

https://www.mariapaulina.co/

Canal de Youtube: https://youtube.com/@yosoymariapaulina?si=5SSE96nqhtVi9W15

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yosoymariapaulina?igsh=eGxwdjBiZjk3MDMy&utm_source=qr

Temas que hablamos:

• Experiencias Intuitivas Tempranas: Desde los cuatro años, María Paulina sintió un profundo "dolor de mundo" y vivió experiencias de desdoblamiento y viajes espontáneos a vidas pasadas, lo que transformó su visión de la existencia.

• Transición a la Comunicación Intuitiva: La grave enfermedad de su hija en 2014 la llevó a la meditación, abriendo sus canales para que seres fallecidos y animales comenzaran a comunicarse con ella, un proceso que describe como "soltar las riendas" y ser su yo auténtico.

• Nueva Percepción de la Muerte: Su comunicación con el "otro lado" ha transformado su relación con la muerte de dolorosa a una certeza de "plenitud absoluta" para quienes parten, aunque el dolor humano por la ausencia física sigue presente.

• Inquietudes Comunes de Clientes: La pregunta más frecuente que recibe es "¿están bien?" (personas o animales fallecidos), especialmente cuando la muerte fue por eutanasia, buscando aliviar la culpa y traer tranquilidad.

• Proceso de Comunicación: María Paulina no requiere objetos físicos (salvo foto de animales para centrar la energía); los seres se manifiestan con claridad solo durante las consultas, razón por la cual se describe como "comunicadora intuitiva" en lugar de médium.

• Mensaje de Animales Fallecidos (Honrar la Vida): Los animales que han partido piden a sus humanos "honrar la vida de ellos en lugar de sufrir su muerte", recordando su felicidad y contribuciones, lo que ayuda a cortar un hilo energético para su evolución.

• Mensaje de Animales Fallecidos (Animales "Atrapados"): Si persiste la inquietud sobre un animal fallecido, se recomienda buscar un comunicador animal que pueda liberarlo de un estado de "atrapamiento" del otro lado.

• Acompañar la Muerte Animal: Al acompañar a un animal moribundo, lo más importante es la "quietud energética" y un acompañamiento digno (calma, sosiego, poca interrupción física) para que su alma pueda desprenderse en un entorno amoroso.

Contacta a Kendra Rinaldi https://www.griefgratitudeandthegrayinbetween.com/

Grief can leave us feeling exposed, overwhelmed, and unsure of how to ask for what we need. In this solo episode, Kendra shares compassionate wisdom and practical tips for setting healthy boundaries and reaching out for support while grieving. Drawing from personal experience, she reminds listeners that protecting your energy isn’t selfish—it’s sacred. Whether you’re grieving now or supporting someone who is, this episode is a gentle guide for creating space to heal, one boundary at a time.

Contact Kendra Rinaldi if you'd like to be a guest or want to invite her as a guest speaker 

https://www.griefgratitudeandthegrayinbetween.com/

How can we support our teenagers when they're grieving—especially when their pain feels unreachable? In this  episode, Kendra speaks directly to parents navigating the delicate role of helping their teen through loss. Drawing from her own experiences of grieving as a young person, she offers practical, compassionate insights to help parents show up—not with perfect words, but with presence, patience, and love. Whether your teen is quiet, angry, or seems “fine,” this episode reminds you that your steady, caring presence can be an anchor through the storm.

Get in touch with Kendra Rinaldi https://www.griefgratitudeandthegrayinbetween.com/

Tony Stewart has made award-winning films for colleges and universities,, written software that received rave reviews in The New York Times and the New York Daily News, designed a grants-management application that was used by three of the five largest charities in the world, and led the development of an international standard for the messages involved in buying and selling advertisements, for which he spoke at conferences across Europe and North America. Carrying the Tiger is his first published book.

Tony and his late wife Lynn Kotula, a painter, traveled extensively in India and Southeast Asia, staying in small hotels off the beaten track and eating delicious food with their fingers when cutlery wasn’t available. Inspired by the experience of writing Carrying the Tiger, Tony is now studying to become a Certified Grief Educator.

www.tonystewartauthor.com

Show Highlights:

•Tony Stewart, author of Carrying the Tiger, shares his deeply personal memoir, chronicling his wife Lynn's 6.5-year battle with stage four cancer and his profound grief journey.

•Discover how Tony's daily writings to friends on CaringBridge evolved into his book, serving as a "love story told almost entirely by actions" that allowed Lynn to live fully despite her illness.

•Hear Tony describe the final weeks of Lynn's life in home hospice as "the best two weeks of my life," a "miraculous" time of deep physical care and spiritual connection.

•Learn about Lynn's powerful and comforting last words: "Don't bother me. I've got a lot to do," which left Tony with a sense of mystery and spiritual insight.

•Tony bravely discusses finding new love after immense loss, and the complexities of honoring Lynn's memory while opening his heart to a new relationship.

•Explore the meaningful origin of the book's title, "Carrying the Tiger," which stems from a Tai Chi concept of facing and making challenges less threatening.

•Gain insight into why Carrying the Tiger is described by readers as an inspiring and joy-filled experience, rather than a depressing one, despite its difficult subject matter.

Reachout to Kendra Rinaldi to be a guest or have her as a guest https://www.griefgratitudeandthegrayinbetween.com/

Beth  Bigler is a Pet Loss Grief Counselor, end-of-life animal companion doula, and pet chaplain. She works with individuals and families before, during, and after the loss of their beloved animal companion. She’s also known for her Instagram account @honoringouranimals where she shares daily original content and tips about pet loss grief which are a unique blend of tools, compassion, and “telling it like it is.” She works closely with animal care workers, veterinary professionals, and other pet industry brands on grief training and awareness. She is a regular contributor to podcasts, articles, and other media. Her debut book, Honoring Our Animals: 365 Meditations for Healing After Pet Loss is published by Quarto Books.  Beth is also a seasoned film/television professional, college instructor, and mom to a five-year-old son and two divine felines!

The best way to learn about Beth is through her Instagram @honoringouranimals or website: www.honoringouranimals.com

Other podcast episode with Beth

Recommended Pet Loss Books For Kids 6 and Under
Find Momo Everywhere by Andrew Knapp
Remembering by Xelena Gonzalez
The Tenth Good Thing About Barney by Judith Viorst
The Invisible Leash by Patrice Karst
Remembering Blue Fish (Daniel Tiger) by Becky Friedman

Show Highlights:

•Beth Bigler, a certified pet loss grief counselor, explains why pet loss is often a "disenfranchised grief," lacking societal acknowledgment despite being as intense, or even more profound, than human loss due to disrupted routines and deep emotional bonds.

•Gain insight into compassionate euthanasia, understanding it as a medical decision to ensure a "good death" for beloved pets, emphasizing dignity and avoiding suffering.

•Discover practical tools and strategies for coping with grief, including managing guilt and "what ifs," and developing self-compassion, noting how these skills are foundational life tools applicable to all major life events..

•Learn valuable tips for parents on supporting children through pet loss, advocating for honest, age-appropriate language, recognizing that children grieve in spurts, and involving them in memorializing rituals.

•Explore Beth's new book, "Honoring Our Animals: 365 Meditations for Healing After Loss," a practical resource offering daily guidance on coping, identity, and maintaining connection with beloved pets.

•Understand the power of maintaining daily rituals with your beloved, like greeting their photo, to comfort your brain and foster a sense of continuity after physical absence.

•Reflect on "anticipatory grief" and the concept that "your goodbye begins on day one," encouraging gratitude for every moment spent with your beloved animal.

Connect with Kendra Rinaldi at https://www.griefgratitudeandthegrayinbetween.com/