You don’t need to be a therapist to support someone grieving. In this episode, discover why presence matters more than credentials and how to show up with confidence, even when you feel unqualified.

You’ll hear:

• Why “comforter imposter syndrome” is so common

• How grievers often find the deepest support outside therapy

• Three questions to ask to boost your comforter confidence

• Practical ways to offer care without overthinking it

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I’m Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

Join Life After Loss Academy FREE for one month with code GRIEFGROWER: https://life-after-loss-academy.circle.so/checkout/life-after-loss-academy-membership?coupon_code=Griefgrower

...

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia 

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

What makes a “good death” for a beloved pet—and how do you grieve when society says, “It was just an animal”? Jana DeCristofaro of The Dougy Center joins me to explore pet grief, creating meaningful end-of-life rituals, and how to keep honoring your animal companion after they die.

You'll hear:

• What a “good death” for a pet might look like

• Why pet grief can feel even bigger or more profound than human loss

• How to break the stigma of memorializing pets on social media

Explore grief support and resources from Dougy Center: The National Grief Center for Grieving Children & Families: https://www.dougy.org/

Download Dougy Center's FREE 4-page guide for pet loss: https://www.dougy.org/assets/uploads/DoveLewis-Dougy-Center_After-the-death-of-a-companion-animal.pdf

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I’m Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

Join Life After Loss Academy FREE for one month with code GRIEFGROWER: https://life-after-loss-academy.circle.so/checkout/life-after-loss-academy-membership?coupon_code=Griefgrower

...

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia 

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

Discover how Life After Loss Academy has transformed the lives of grieving people facing death, divorce, diagnosis, and other major life changes. I share five real student stories and the healing they experienced through live coaching, supportive community, and the GRIEF Method program.

You’ll hear:

• How Lori honored her daughter’s memory while setting healthy boundaries

• Why Chris, a therapist, gained new tools to support both herself and her clients

• How Julia found stability and a grief-friendly workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic

• How Tammy embraced grief as a companion after divorce and empty nest

• How Kim rebuilt her identity after years of back-to-back loss

Whether you’re wondering if Life After Loss Academy is right for you or curious about whether this grief support program can truly work for you, these stories show what’s possible when you have practical tools and a compassionate community.

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I’m Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

Join Life After Loss Academy FREE for one month with code GRIEFGROWER: https://life-after-loss-academy.circle.so/checkout/life-after-loss-academy-membership?coupon_code=Griefgrower

...

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia 

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

When loss shatters your life, “rebuilding” can feel impossible—especially if it means leaving your person behind. But what if you don’t have to “get over” your grief to move forward? I’ll cover what rebuilding after loss really means, and how to carry your grief with you into a life that still holds peace, purpose, and joy.

You’ll learn:

• What rebuilding after loss actually looks and feels like

• Why the phrase “get over it” often causes more harm than healing

• A new way to think about grief as a lifelong companion

• How to rebuild your life without erasing the past

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I’m Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

Join Life After Loss Academy FREE for one month with code GRIEFGROWER: https://life-after-loss-academy.circle.so/checkout/life-after-loss-academy-membership?coupon_code=Griefgrower

...

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia 

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

Friendship grief is one of the most overlooked and heartbreaking parts of loss. I’m talking about why friends pull away after death, divorce, or diagnosis—and what to do about it.

You’ll hear:

• What friendship grief is and why it hurts so much

• 3 toxic grief tropes to look out for in your friendships

• My 5-step framework for navigating hurtful relationships—while grieving!

• How to set new boundaries and rules for friendship after loss

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I’m Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

Join Life After Loss Academy FREE for one month with code GRIEFGROWER: https://life-after-loss-academy.circle.so/checkout/life-after-loss-academy-membership?coupon_code=Griefgrower

...

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia 

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

How do you keep a loved one’s memory alive after they die? In this episode, I share how to use a Signs + Symbols Library—a powerful tool that helps you feel connected to someone you’ve lost through your five senses. Whether you believe in signs from the afterlife or just want intentional ways to remember your person, this episode is for you.

You’ll hear about:

• How to use sensory memory to feel close to your person

• What to do if signs feel “made up” or like you're "faking it"

• Ideas for losses without direct memories (such as miscarriage or estrangement)

• Spiritual and non-spiritual approaches to staying connected to a loved one who died

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I’m Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

Join Life After Loss Academy FREE for one month with code GRIEFGROWER: https://life-after-loss-academy.circle.so/checkout/life-after-loss-academy-membership?coupon_code=Griefgrower

...

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia 

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

What do you do when your own face reminds you—or others—of someone who died? In this conversation with Empower founder Cara Belvin, we talk about the surreal experience of resembling someone you’ve lost and how it shapes identity, memory, and the grief we carry.

Together we explore:

• Why looking like someone who died can feel comforting—or complicated

• The emotional weight of being a “living reminder” to friends and family

• Why parent loss is SO life-changing

• The powerful role of mentorship in navigating early parent loss

Become a mentor or volunteer with Empower—or get support for a grieving kid in your life: https://weareempower.org/

Join Life After Loss Academy FREE for one month with code GRIEFGROWER: https://life-after-loss-academy.circle.so/checkout/life-after-loss-academy-membership?coupon_code=Griefgrower

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I’m Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

...

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia 

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

Can you really let go of grief without letting go of love? These two powerful lists can help you release the pain of what can no longer be—while making space for what remains… and how you’d like to move forward.

You’ll learn:

• Why “letting go” doesn’t mean forgetting

• How to grieve the person you used to be

• How to grieve you thought you’d have

• Simple rituals to help you release and heal

Pre-order my new book, Of Course I’m Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now

Join Life After Loss Academy FREE for one month with code GRIEFGROWER: https://life-after-loss-academy.circle.so/checkout/life-after-loss-academy-membership?coupon_code=Griefgrower

...

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia 

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

If you’ve been wondering what to actually do after a loss or death, this episode is for you. I’m sharing the most important—and most overlooked—first step in grief. Before joining a support group, before reading the books, before trying to “process” the pain… you need this.

You’ll discover:

• Why grief can feel so disorienting, even when you’re “doing the work”

• What the Safety First Rule is and how to use it

• Real-life grounding practices from my students

• How to stop feeling like you’re failing at grief

Join Life After Loss Academy FREE for one month with code GRIEFGROWER: https://life-after-loss-academy.circle.so/checkout/life-after-loss-academy-membership?coupon_code=Griefgrower

Check out the Safety First Rule plus two more helpful grief tools in my free workshop: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/free-workshop

...

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia 

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

Thinking about grief coaching but not sure if you’re ready? In this episode, I’ll walk you through three important questions to help you figure out if coaching is the right next step for you and your grief.

You'll hear:

• Why feeling “stuck” might be a sign you’re ready

• What feedback and support really look like in grief coaching

• How to know if you have the capacity to engage with a grief coach right now

Join Life After Loss Academy FREE for one month with code GRIEFGROWER: https://life-after-loss-academy.circle.so/checkout/life-after-loss-academy-membership?coupon_code=Griefgrower

See if Life After Loss Academy is right for you by taking this two-minute quiz: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/free-quiz-is-life-after-loss-academy-right-for-you

...

Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links

Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia

Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy

Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast