Grief doesn’t just reshape us, it can redirect the entire course of our lives in ways we never saw coming. 

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Video available here

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For Kim Burditt Barlett, that redirection began the day her brother Jon, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, died by suicide in 2010. What followed was a profound transformation that eventually led her into suicide prevention work and, ultimately, to her role at Stop Soldier Suicide.

In this episode, Kim sits down with Nina to explore the layered reality of suicide loss—the silence, the stigma, the unanswered questions, and the way it can feel both isolating and overwhelming, even in a room full of support. Kim speaks to the particular complexities faced by military families, where grief is often compounded by systemic gaps, cultural expectations, and a lack of adequate support.

They also dive into the Black Box Project, a groundbreaking effort at Stop Soldier Suicide that analyzes digital behavior from voluntarily donated devices to better understand risk and, hopefully, save lives. Kim discusses the powerful act of families choosing to share their loved one's digital footprint, transforming loss into a legacy of prevention and protection for others.

Kim also introduces Sibling Strong Retreats, the adventure-based healing community she co-founded for sibling loss survivors.

Throughout the conversation, Kim reminds us that grief may break us open, but what grows from that fracture can be meaningful, connective, and deeply human. 

And with compassion, courage, and a willingness to stay present to our pain, post-traumatic growth is possible.

Key Takeaways

• Meaning-making is a natural and powerful response to grief.
• Life can redirect entirely after a significant loss, sometimes toward unexpected purpose.
• Peer support is crucial, especially for suicide loss survivors.
• Post-traumatic growth can coexist with grief.
• Being honest with children about loss builds trust and emotional resilience.
• Sibling loss carries unique secondary losses and identity shifts.
• Many mental health professionals lack adequate suicide prevention training.
• Military families often face systemic gaps in grief and mental health support.
• Sharing details of a loss is a personal choice; no one owes their story.
• Community-driven approaches are essential in addressing the suicide crisis.
• Choosing how to respond to grief can be empowering and transformative.

Guest: Kim Burditt-Barlett, MSW

• Sibling loss survivor of USMC veteran Jon D.S. Hoffman
• stopsoldiersuicide.org/BlackBoxProject
• @stopsoldiersuicide
• siblingstrongretreats.com

Hosted by: Nina Rodriguez

• Creator of Grief and Light, Grief Guide
• griefandlight.com
• @griefandlight
• Resting Grief Face on Substack

Grief Support Resources for the Road:

• Grief Tending Toolkit
• Access our online community

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Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers