Grief On Purpose

In this interesting and explorative episode, Laura engages in a profound conversation with Dr. Amy Robbins about death, grief, and spirituality. As a licensed clinical psychologist with two decades of experience, Dr. Robbins shares her journey into spiritually informed therapy, inspired by her own experiences with death and grief.The dialogue traverses Dr. Robbins' personal encounters with grief, the transformative impact of her aunt’s death, and her development of mediumship abilities. Together, they dive into the ineffable nature of the afterlife, the potential of plant medicine in accessing altered states of consciousness, and the importance of integrating spirituality into mental health practices. Through heartfelt anecdotes and a raw exploration of death, this episode brings light to the sacredness of grief and the profound connections that can emerge when we engage with it courageously and intentionally.

Dr. Amy Robbins is a Clinical Psychologist with nearly 20 years of experience in both traditional psychotherapy and spiritual intuition. She guides individuals in awakening to their essence, using the wisdom of death in a surprisingly positive way.

With a deep understanding of emotional health, Dr. Robbins helps people connect the dots that lead to a more meaningful life. Through her podcast, Life, Death, and the Space Between, she offers an ever-expanding library of resources that explore the intricate synergy between psychology and spirituality—empowering listeners to discover their true selves and live more fulfilling, connected lives.

Resources & SupportIf you’re looking for more support after listening to Fred’s episode, here are some resources that may help:

* The Light After: Grief Support Group

* The Light Within: Healing After Trauma

* Downloadable Grief Journal

* Grief & Trauma Resource Bundle

* Grief on Purpose Blog

Additional organizations and resources:

* Option B – resources for navigating grief

* My Grief Angels – online community and resources for grieving

* Life, Death, and the Space Between — Dr. Amy’s podcast

Grief doesn’t come with a map, but you don’t have to walk through it alone. I’m Laura Walton, LMFT and Founder of Grief on Purpose. I've created courses, resource bundles, and journals designed to give you tools, companionship, and a place to begin again. Whether you’re navigating the death of someone you love, carrying the weight of trauma, or simply looking for a gentle guide back to yourself, I'd be honored to walk with you.

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In this emotionally charged episode, host Laura Walton sits down with Nikki Boyer, executive producer of Hulu's 'Dying for Sex' and co-creator of the Wondery podcast by the same name.Together, they talk about the raw depths of grief, propelled by the poignant (and sometimes humorous) story of Nikki's best friend, Molly, who embarked on a sexual journey after being diagnosed with stage four terminal cancer.

Nikki recounts the profound moments of grieving, from Molly's final breaths to the enduring signs that keep her spirit alive. Laura and Nikki explore the transformative power of grief, the surprising humor that can coexist with pain, and the enduring love that grows even after death. They talk about what anchors them through the times when their world is cracked open. This conversation is an intimate invitation to embrace the uncomfortable, to carry grief with purpose, and to find unexpected humor in life's most challenging chapters.

Nikki Boyer is an Emmy-nominated Executive Producer of the FX/Hulu and Disney+ limited series Dying for Sex, which is currently nominated for nine Primetime Emmy awards, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. She co-created, starred in, and Executive Produced the original Wondery podcast Dying for Sex, which won the Ambies Award for Podcast of the Year and was named one of Apple’s Favorite Podcasts of the Year.

Off-camera, Nikki is a certified life coach, a passionate dog rescue advocate, and a longtime volunteer for the Suicide Prevention Hotline. Whether behind the mic, on screen, or in conversation, her work is fueled by vulnerability, humor, and a profound belief in the healing power of storytelling.

Resources & SupportIf you’re looking for more support after listening to Nikki’s episode, here are some resources that may help:

* The Light After: Grief Support Group

* The Light Within: Healing After Trauma

* Downloadable Grief Journal

* Grief & Trauma Resource Bundle

* Grief on Purpose Blog

Additional organizations and resources:

* Option B – resources for navigating grief

* My Grief Angels – online community and resources for grieving

* Hospice Foundation of America - hospice care support

* Cancer Care - counseling, resource navigation, support groups, and more

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In this evocative episode, host Laura Walton dives into the terrain of death and grief with legendary comedian Fred Armisen. From a chance connection to a deep conversation, Laura and Fred navigate the profound, often taboo subject of mortality, exploring how grief can be a sacred invitation to feel more deeply and connect in unimaginable ways.

Fred opens up about the unexpected death of his close friend, Steve, and how it shattered his world, transforming his relationship with both grief and life. He shares his unique perspective on death, his fascination with the aesthetics of funerals, and his hopes for his own 'haunting' send-off.

With raw honesty, Fred recounts the physical and emotional toll of his grief, the surprising way it manifested, and the impact it had on his day-to-day life. This conversation is a tribute to the transformative power of grief, the importance of embracing mortality, and finding connection through shared sorrow. Laura and Fred hold space for the harsh realities of death, the unfiltered emotions, and the beauty of remembering those who have died. This episode offers a deeply compassionate and profoundly human exploration of what it means to live and grieve on purpose.

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In this insightful episode of Grief on Purpose, Laura welcomes author Jacob Tobia to delve into the intricate layers of grief, masculinity, and society. Jacob, a non-binary author of 'Sissy' and their new release 'Before They Were Men', breaks down their journey of self-discovery and the profound impact of their father's death on their view of grief.As they discuss Jacob's transformative experiences, they explore how societal constructs of masculinity stifle male grief, leading to deep, intense societal issues that affect all populations. Jacob opens up about caring for their father through a devastating and painful accident and illness, the disillusionment with the medical system, and the noticeable lack of men in grief support spaces. Jacob points out the ways in which men are told to be "strong" and how this has a far-reaching impact, an impact that might be solved with compassion and awareness. They also talk about their relationship with their father as a queer, non-binary person raised in North Carolina and how it evolved through an episode of MTV's True Life, patience, and their father's dying process.Together, Laura and Jacob contemplate the possibilities of a world where men are free to grieve openly and the transformative power of embracing grief with curiosity and courage. This episode is a reminder that grief is universal, and that in grief, there is possibility for sacred beauty and profound connection.

Jacob Tobia (pronouns: they/them) is a gender nonconforming writer, producer, and performer based in Los Angeles. A member of the Forbes 30 Under 30 and the OUT 100, Jacob made television history voicing the nonbinary character of Double Trouble in Netflix’s She-Ra and The Princess of Power. Their writing and advocacy have been featured by The New York Times, Time, The Guardian, Good Morning America, and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, among others. Originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, Jacob has worn high heels in the White House twice. They are the author of Sissy and Before They Were Men.🎧 The full episode with Jacob Tobia is available on Substack, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon, and www.griefonpurpose.com.

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In this deeply personal episode, Laura sits down with therapist Beth Freese to talk about what happens when death settles in early and reshapes everything. When Beth was just 15, her close friend died by suicide. That moment didn’t just break her heart — it cracked something open inside her. One day she was a teenager navigating high school, and the next day she was navigating life and death.

Beth opens up about how that death changed the course of her life. She talks about the strange mix of feeling deeply connected to some people while feeling completely alone with others. Over time, those early days of pain led her toward yoga, breathwork, and eventually, therapy as a career.

This isn’t just a clinical conversation. It’s smart, raw and honest. Beth talks about how grief never really leaves you — but how she’s learned to live with it in a different way. With vulnerability and clarity, she speaks about the long road of healing, the messy sacredness of growing up too fast, and the quiet courage it takes to keep going.

This episode is for anyone who has experienced death at a young age. For anyone who felt alone before they were ready. And for anyone trying to build something meaningful from what’s left behind.

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In this piercingly tender episode, Laura sits down with grief therapist and bereaved mother Jenny Robbins to explore the lifelong terrain of traumatic loss — not from a distance, but from inside of it. Thirteen years ago, Jenny’s 19-year-old son Cade died under tragic, uncertain circumstances, alone, on a walk home from a party. Since then, Jenny has walked a path carved out by pain, devotion, and deep intentionality, turning toward grief with both hands open, rather than running from it.
Together, Laura and Jenny dive into the brutal truths of traumatic grief, the questions that never get answered, the ache that occasionally softens but never disappears, and the discipline of healing when it would be easier to shut down. Jenny opens up about how grief remade her as a mother, as a therapist, as a yoga practitioner, and as a human being awake to the weight of love and loss. She talks about her continued relationship with Cade, from river rituals to quiet moments on the yoga mat where his presence is felt in the air, in the hawks overhead, in the breath itself.

This is not a story of “getting over" grief. It’s about staying and loving tenderly. It's about rebuilding inside the ruins and letting grief make you into someone softer, wiser, and more expansive than before. With rawness, Jenny shows us what it means to allow the journey of grief to take us where we need to go, and what to do along the way.

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In this compelling episode, Laura sits down with Terri Straut-- a mother from Littleton, Colorado, whose world was shattered in 2011 when her son, Patrick, died by suicide at just 18 years old. There are no soft landings after a loss like that. And Terri doesn’t pretend otherwise. What she brings is raw truth, hard-won wisdom, and a story soaked in love, devastation, and the brutal, everyday work of survival. She shares the moment it all cracked open — her husband’s scream, the last written words of her son, the last signs Patrick left behind. And in the wreckage, there were strange, revealing glimmers of something bigger — unexplainable signs, sacred moments stitched into the painful moments.

Through it all, yoga became more than a practice. It became breath. It became staying alive. It became a connection to Patrick. This isn’t only a story about the all-too-soon death of a child. It’s about what happens after. When the casseroles stop coming, when you still have to get up, still have to mother, still have to live in a world your child no longer occupies. It’s about carrying grief like a second skin and learning, slowly, painfully, how to keep going. Together, Terri and Laura hold space for the ache, the rage, the softness, and the sacred. This is a conversation about rebuilding when you don’t even recognize the wreckage. It's raw, it's real, and it's a tribute to the fierce love that grief cannot kill.

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In this soul-baring episode, Laura sits down with Justine Monahan — an Australian expat, mother, and widow — to unravel the brutal and beautiful aftermath of death.

Justine’s story is shaped by love, loss, and choice. Her dad died when she was a teenager, and later her mom also died—giving Justine early experiences with grief that marked her path. Years later, she and her husband, Bob, built a life together in motion, full of travel, shared dreams, and eventually a home in Portland, OR. When Bob received a terminal diagnosis, he eventually chose Death with Dignity—a decision Justine supported, even as it left her navigating the painful aftermath. Suddenly, she found herself moving from partner and caregiver to solo parent, and facing a new chapter that hadn't been a part of the original plan.

This isn’t just a story about grief. It’s about survival. Choice. Reinvention. The messy, magnificent aftermath of being broken open and choosing to keep breathing anyway.

With unflinching honesty and tenderness, Justine speaks about the hollow nights, the sorrow, the rituals, and the everyday bravery of showing up for a life she didn’t expect or envision. She takes us inside the beauty of death, and the relentless, sacred work of healing while mothering.

Laura and Justine don’t shy away from the hard stuff. Together, they hold space for the deep ache of grief. They talk about love after loss, rebuilding in ruins, and how to create a new rhythm when an old one vanishes.

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In this episode, sound healer Joya Sosnowski shares her grief story, including the death of her 18-year-old son Weston. In this honest and inspiring conversation with Laura, Joya shares how grief has become a pathway to deeper awareness and spiritual connection. Joya discusses the intuitive sense she had before Weston's accident, the layered emotions surrounding his upcoming birthday, and the significant moments that have shaped her journey with grief.

Joya explains how her practices—drumming, movement, and meditation—have helped her stay grounded, while experiencing profound pain and simultaneously maintaining an openness to life's deeper mysteries.

This conversation explores territory beyond typical grief discussions: how death can shift our perspectives, how connection continues beyond physical presence, and how embracing difficult emotions might actually expand our capacity for living fully.

For those navigating loss or supporting someone through grief, this episode offers insights not for "moving on" after a death, but for allowing it to inform a more meaningful relationship with life itself.

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In this episode, Laura is joined by longtime yogi and meditation practitioner Sam Zeitlin for a powerful conversation about loss, embodiment, and the quiet rituals that hold us together. After losing both of her parents and several close friends, Sam turned instinctively inward—leaning on her meditation practice not as an escape, but as a place to land. She shares how body scans, breathwork, and stillness became her lifeline during the disorienting fog of grief, helping her re-enter her body, soften into sorrow, and slowly make sense of a world that had changed overnight. Alongside her reflections on Iyengar yoga, inversions, backbends, and Ayurvedic nourishment, Sam reminds us that grief doesn’t always need fixing—it needs witnessing. This episode is a tender, spacious exploration of what it means to grieve with presence, practice, and love.

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