In this honest and emotionally vulnerable episode of Blindsight, host Bill Lundgren sits down with therapist and guide dog user Darran Zenger for a heartfelt discussion on one of our most avoided emotions—sadness.

Darran opens up about preparing to say goodbye to his beloved guide dog, sharing what it’s like to sit in the rawness of grief while still showing up with empathy and presence. Bill reflects on the loss of his own father and the misguided emotional norms he grew up with, particularly the message that “men don’t cry.”

Together, they unpack:

The nature of sadness as neither good nor bad

The toxic cultural expectations—especially for men—to suppress emotion

The difference between sadness and depression

How suppressed grief can manifest as anger or even violence

Practical tools for navigating sadness: music, movement, journaling, reaching out, and community

Whether you're grieving, caring for someone who is, or just trying to understand your own emotions better, this episode is a powerful invitation to feel more deeply and heal more fully.

Chapter Markers

00:00 – Opening: Mental health is not a luxury

01:05 – Introducing sadness: it’s not good or bad, it just is

02:24 – Bill’s personal story about emotional suppression

04:05 – Darran’s guide dog and sitting with loss

07:00 – The masculine pressure to suppress emotion

09:30 – The cost of unprocessed sadness

11:58 – Toxic positivity and being told to “buckle up”

14:27 – The need for empathy over solutions

16:37 – Sadness vs. depression: how to tell the difference

20:36 – What sadness looks like in daily life

22:00 – Music, movement, and peanut butter: self-care ideas

25:24 – Writing and drawing as emotional processing tools

26:56 – The power of bilateral stimulation and nature walks

29:13 – Medication, sleep, and the role of therapy

31:17 – Group therapy and peer support for grief

33:38 – Final thoughts: it’s okay to feel

35:58 – Next time on Blindsight: “A is for Anger”