Susan, your host, welcomes Dr. Chris Sopa to today’s episode. Dr. Chris is an Industrial Organizational psychologist, speaker, and researcher who has spent the last 20 years studying human potential and self-awareness. After experiencing several tragic and challenging life events, Dr. Chris became a student of her own life and is compelled by the belief that when self-aware, we can extract the lessons from our life experiences and use them to guide us.

Key Takeaways:

• Dr. Chris shares her experience going through back surgery that later became more complicated; she went through this alone, and it was an event that revolutionized her life.

• Be present to connect with the signs.

• Shift from a victim perspective to an active perspective.

• When you are grieving the loss of someone, no one realizes what you are going through.

• Sometimes, it is hard to ask for help.

• Most of the time, people don’t know what to say or do to help someone grieving.

• “I got tired of living in fear.” We create our reality, so Chris started to develop a new life.

• Our feelings drive our behavior; sometimes, we need to nourish the feelings we want to hold consciously.

• Choose radical acceptance and be present in it.

• We tend to judge others in the same way we judge ourselves.

• Choose consciously how close you will allow people to get to you.

• Boundaries are meant to protect yourself energetically.

• How can you slow your brain down?

• If you could only choose one feeling to feel for the rest of your life, what would that be? (Other than happiness, pick a feeling) Knowing the feeling you value the most it would be easier for you to choose what brings you closer to that state.

• Your best is different every day; give yourself grace.

• Find one small thing every day that brings you joy.

• Don’t look back; you are not going that way. Look forward!

Resources:

Tendrilsofgrief.com

Email Susan: [email protected]

If you find this episode helpful, please donate

The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz

Meet Dr. Chris Sopa

Visit Chris Sopa’s website

Susan, your host, welcomes Pierce Freelon. Pierce is an accomplished musician, producer, and educator from Durham, North Carolina. He is the co-creator of Beat Making Lab, an Emmy Award-winning PBS web series, and is the writer, composer, and co-director of the PBS animated series The History of White People in America, an official selection of the Tribeca Film Festival. His Grammy-nominated children's music has been featured on The Today Show, NPR, and MSNBC, as well as in Rolling Stone.

In today’s episode, Susan and Pierce discuss grief from a different angle, from the gratitude and love implied in being together and caring for someone moving out of this life. Pierce wholeheartedly shares his loving memories with his father and how he experiences life without him by his side.

Key Takeaways:

• Pierce shares his grief journey that started when he lost his father in 2019.

• Pierce talks about how his father’s diagnosis with ALS made them experience a series of losses in its progression.

• Pierce compares the care given to a newborn to the care of a terminal patient; the first is on its way into this life, and the other is moving out of it.

• Grief is the price we pay for love.

• Susan highlights the value of compassion, especially during grief.

• Pierce organized a group where people get to honor their loved ones who passed, telling their stories through their puppets.

• We can connect with the lost people however possible; Susan shares how she asks for signs, and Pierce talks about what “Lasagna” meant for their family.

• Signs come naturally and organically; they will be powerful and moving.

• Pierce talks about his book Daddy & Me: Side By Side.

• Grieve gently and tenderly, hold space for you, and stay compassionate.

Resources

Tendrilsofgrief.com

Email Susan: [email protected]

If you find this episode helpful, please donate

Meet Pierce Freelon

Pierce’s Website

Pierce’s Instagram

Daddy & Me, Side By Side

Where Our Spirit Resides, a puppet show.

Susan, your host, welcomes David Price to today’s conversation. David is a life coach who got into life coaching because of his own personal transformation. He was able to achieve so much in his own life; for most of his life, he was completely miserable, sad, angry, and frustrated. He felt like a complete failure in every way, but when he began to learn and practice the things he now teaches and trains:  personal responsibility, the power of thoughts and words, life design and creation, and goal setting and achievement, his life became joyous abundant, and prosperous. He's been blessed to teach and train hundreds of men and women on how to do the same.

Key Takeaways:

• David shares his grief story that began when his father died when he was a very young age.

• There are thoughts and beliefs we have that just don’t serve us 

• David talks about the power of reframing and refocusing.

• Surround yourself with the right people; family isn’t everything. Remember, you chose the energy around you. 

• Are you going to live your life according to other people's expectations, or will you design and create the life you want? That is your choice.

• You can learn things the easy way or the hard way.

• You don’t need to know all the ‘hows’, plan, set goals, choose to live an intentional life.

• Don’t pressure yourself; allow yourself to process and not judge your grieving process.

• Most of the time, you don’t have to say anything to grieving people; just sit with them silently, listen if they want to talk, and be there for them.

• We often take more negativity than we realize (TV, music, anything), and choosing positive input can make all the difference.

• If it doesn’t feel good, don’t do it.

• Bad things happen to all of us, and really bad things happen to some of us.

• What do I really want to do with my life?

• Be kind to yourself; it helps more than you think.

• No situation is hopeless; it is worth getting up in the morning and trying it again over and over again.

• Perseverance is the ultimate tool to take you where you want to go.

Resources

Tendrilsofgrief.com

Email Susan: [email protected]

If you find this episode helpful, please donate 

Meet David Price

Take Back Your Life

Susan, your host, welcomes Emily Grace. Emily started her career as a shy people-pleaser who overworked to prove her worth in the world and relied on others for validation and approval. Now, she is a leading international feminine embodiment coach, living from her authentic, feminine self. She is proof that your sensitivity and femininity can be your greatest superpowers if you learn to embrace them.

Having navigated her own internal struggles (including PTSD, grief, depression & anxiety & addiction), she now helps other women do the same, especially through challenging transitions. She guides women to trust themselves, to honor their value, to process their emotions in a safe environment, and to embody their purpose. The result is an authentic embodiment of self.

Emily saw how so many high-achieving, sensitive women were letting their sensitive, emotional side of themselves hold them back in their lives and careers as they tried to fit themselves into masculine templates for success and leadership. Emily created systems to support women in unsubscribing from these ways of being and instead creating their own lane for success. Through her signature program Reclaim, online courses, books, and retreats, Emily has helped hundreds of women reclaim their true selves, embody their wholeness, embrace their sensitivity and femininity as gifts, and honor their soul’s calling.

She is certified in trauma-sensitive feminine embodiment coaching, integrative wellness life coaching, aromatherapy, and breathwork facilitation.

Emily is also a sought-after speaker, the author of Wholeness Within: Insights from One Woman’s Journey of Creating a Life and Career in Alignment, and the podcast host of Guide to Wholeness. 

Key Takeaways:

• Emily shares her grief story that began with the death of her father, with whom she had a complicated relationship.

• Pay attention to your feelings and emotions arising through your grief, identify them, and feel them.

• You can pay it forward in many ways; you don’t have to have a coaching certificate.

• Every grief is different; there is no better or worse grief or death. Grievers often feel they are doing it wrong. Be kind to yourself, give yourself a break, and let your feelings be!

• Healthy boundaries also mean not holding space for certain people and walking away from relationships that are not serving you anymore.

• Susan addresses the different layers of grief and the many losses involved, including some friendships.

• Breathwork helps to feel and clear emotions and also to get you closer to your intuition.

• Forgiveness is crucially important in your healing process, leading you to be more of your authentic self.

• Make space for your grief, and create a ritual around it.

Resources

Tendrilsofgrief.com

Email Susan: [email protected]

If you find this episode helpful, please donate.

Meet Emily Grace

Visit Grace’s Website, Guide to Wholeness, and her work as a Medium.

Read Wholeness Within: Insights from One Woman’s Journey of Creating a Life and Career in Alignment

Listen to Emily’s Podcast Guide to Wholeness.

Book a complimentary 20-minute discovery session 

Susan, your host, welcomes Debbie Weiss to today’s episode.

With over 50 years of experience dealing with some of life’s toughest challenges, Debbie is an expert in chasing your own dreams despite your circumstances. She is the author of the soon-to-be-released memoir, On Second Thought, Maybe I Can. as well as a co-author in the Amazon best-seller collaborative book Heart Whispers. In addition, Debbie is an entrepreneur running both an insurance agency and her online store, A Sprinkle of Hearts, host of the Maybe I Can podcast, inspirational speaker, family caregiver, and mother.

Debbie has overcome her own limiting beliefs and fears, allowing her to begin to live her best life, and her life’s passion is to help and inspire others to do the same. In her spare time, Debbie loves to laugh, dance, read, and stay active.

Key Takeaways:

• Debbie shares her grief story, which began with her husband's death at 63.

• Debbie wrote a memoir.

• Susan addresses the negative impact of toxic positivity.

• Debbie cultivated positivity while grieving, which is a very challenging task.

• Debbie felt she was the victim for many years, which filled her with resentment.

• How you look at things is your choice; there are many things you cannot control, but others you do have control over.

• At some point, you will choose to move forward; you will know when the time comes.

• Hold space for the grievers; listen to them talking about their loss and their memories of their loved ones who passed. It is an honor to be invited to someone's precious memories and story.

• Choose carefully who will surround you when you are grieving.

• Debbie shares how she invested a lot of effort in shifting her mindset; consequently, her perception changed entirely.

• Remember, there is immense power in your thoughts and intentions.

• When you feel that you can’t, remember: “You’ve always had the power, my dear; you just had to learn it for yourself.”

Resources

Tendrilsofgrief.com

Email Susan: [email protected]

If you find this episode helpful, please donate

Meet Debbie Weiss

Follow Debbie on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn 

Listen to Debbie’s podcast: Maybe I Can

Visit Debbie’s Website

Order Debbie's Book On Second Though... Maybe I Can

Susan, your host, welcomes Jesse Brisendine to today’s episode. Jesse is an award-winning speaker and best-selling author. Jesse Brisendine is a world-renowned expert who works with individuals and organizations to move beyond their limitations, unlock their greatness, & build their Camelot. 

Business leaders, Hollywood celebrities, entrepreneurs, medical professionals, and educators have utilized Jesse's services to reduce stress, increase productivity, improve communication, elevate happiness, experience more daily joy, enhance company culture, build thriving businesses, and live fulfilling lives.

Jesse has helped to mentor over 4,000 people on their healing journeys following the loss of a loved one.

Jesse is a big fan of buffets, professional wrestling, and finding the silver lining in any situation.

Key Takeaways:

• Jesse explains why he firmly believes there is a purpose to pain and that within pain, you can always find purpose.

• Jesse shares how he found purpose through pain in his life.

• Jesse and Susan talk about the lonely feeling when grieving when you want the world to stop and just join how you feel.

• After one year of losing his friend, Jesse also lost his father; he became completely overwhelmed by his grieving and realized he needed to change his life narrative based on resilience and finding the light in the darkest moment of his life. 

• Jesse began the one-year 1000 Challenge, one year dedicated to healing.

• Susan reminds us there is no normal way of grieving nor a timeline for grief; grief your own way, let yourself feel!

• Do not identify with your grief. It is not who you are; it is how you feel.

• You don’t have to apologize for how you are grieving.

• Jesse emphasizes the value of compassion and empathy.

• Choose the life you want to live after loss. You can be the living legacy of the people you have lost.

• Life is like legos; you can build something really neat that can easily be knocked down; we can feel it is broken, but it is only displaced. 

Resources

Tendrilsofgrief.com

Email Susan: [email protected]

If you find this episode helpful, please donate 

Seed for the Soul: Living as the Source of Who You Are, Chuck Hillig

Meet Jesse Brisendine

Listen to Jesse’s TED TALK

Visit Jesse’s Website

Follow Jesse on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn

Grab your free copy of the Mindset Mastery Blueprint

Susan, your host, welcomes Amanda Kirkland to today’s episode. Amanda is a personal growth coach, and her journey to becoming a personal growth coach started with her own struggles throughout her teenage and adult years; she went through multiple toxic and dysfunctional relationships. Now she’s a self-professed practitioner of self-care! A BABE — Balanced, Authentic, Babe, Extraordinaire. Today her life is like 31 flavors of Baskin Robbins ice cream.

Key Takeaways:

• Amanda shares that losing her mother, whom she wasn’t in contact with for the past ten years, leaves her confused about how she should feel regarding this loss.

• Amanda and Susan talk about dysfunctional relationships and how they set boundaries to protect themselves and their mental health.

• Holding space in your life for someone who has hurt you in the past is possible under certain conditions that avoid falling into old patterns.

• Let people know that you need to be trusted.

• Take time to learn how to set boundaries and care for yourself.

• Feel your emotions, don’t let them sit inside your soul.

Resources

Tendrilsofgrief.com

Email Susan: [email protected]

If you find this episode helpful, please donate.

Meet Amanda Kirkland

Visit Amanda’s website

Follow Amanda on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Email Amanda at [email protected].

Susan, your host, welcomes Patrick Kucharson to today’s episode. Patrick is a B-gift-giver by nature; he runs Better Gift Coach, a free newsletter that is a weekly 1-minute shortcut to always having awesome gift ideas well in advance. Each week, he enjoys sharing a story of the best gift someone has ever received, analyzing it, and providing guidance on how others can replicate it.

Key Takeaways:

• Sometimes all you want is for people to be present.

• Give people the gifts they want to receive, not what you want to give.

• Patrick talks about gifts given in times of crisis; he highlights one of his episodes called What someone grieving really needs.

• Offer three ways in which you could help a grieving person; this way, they could have choices. Some grievers are not ready to tell what they need.

• When thinking of a gift, offer the most lasting value you can offer them.

• Best gifts are often not the most expensive, but they usually are handmade and personally crafted for the receiver.

• If you really want to make an impact, mark the special day in your calendar so that when the anniversary of the event comes, you can make sure this particular person will receive something special from you.

• Patrick lists several presents that could be really impactful for a grieving person.

• Sometimes “I owe you…” gifts could be the best idea; this way, the griever can choose when to collect his or her gift.

• Patrick shares a particular story from a subscriber.

Resources

Tendrilsofgrief.com

Email Susan: [email protected]

After the Shock: Getting You Back On the Road to Resilience When Crisis Hits You Head On, by Becky Sansbury 

Meet Patrick Kucharson

Learn more about Better Gift Coach Newsletter: The free Better Gift Coach newsletter is a 1-minute-a-week shortcut to always having awesome gift ideas well in advance. Every week, the free newsletter shares an entertaining story of the best gift someone has ever received, analysis on what made it special, and tips on how you can do your own version of that gift. The newsletter has been featured in the New York Times, Real Simple Magazine, and Yahoo!

Susan, your host, welcomes Vanessa Cardenas to today’s episode. Vanesa is a highly experienced C-Suite Executive, Mentor, Coach, and Speaker. She holds a degree in Industrial & Organizational Psychology from Baruch College in New York. She is also the founder and CEO of Understanding Ear, LLC, where she empowers individuals and groups to heal from a betrayal, amplify their authenticity, and find love and happiness on their terms. If you’re feeling betrayed and could benefit from having a trusted advisor, reach out to Vanessa.

Key Takeaways:

• Vanesa shares how she became a betrayal coach.

• Vanesa realized she was going through betrayal for a purpose.

• There is considerable power in sharing your story.

• There is no expiration date for grief; you keep walking through it.

• Vanesa suggests three different journals: a dumping one, where you can put all your rage in it: one to write your dreams; and then, a beautiful one, where you can pour all your progress into it.

• It is OK not to be OK.

• When you cry, there is an ending. Remember you will heal!

• After betrayal, you need to learn how to trust again.

• Vanesa shares 10 tips:

1. Acknowledge that you are grateful for people to be there for you. You have to communicate what you need.

2. Show up, Be present for those who are grieving (you don’t really have to say anything). It is OK not to know what to do but please don't leave a griever alone.

3. Don't compare stories; everybody’s grief is different.

4. Ask questions (but not complex ones, a griever’s head is not that sharp sometimes).

5. No complaints.

6. Do not be a cheerleader; mirror the feelings of the griever.

7. Don’t shame the grievers about the past, present, or future.

8. Hold space for the griever; answer back!

9. Remind the griever that you care about him/her, a griever needs to hear “You can count on me.”

10. Be patient, grief is hard.

Resources

Tendrilsofgrief.com

Email Susan: [email protected]

Donate and support Tendrils of Grief

Meet Vanesa Cardenas

Linktr.ee/VanessaCardenas

Follow Vanessa on Instagram

Read Vanessa’s blog

Dealing with the Devastation of Your Partners' Betrayal: What to Do When Your World Falls Apart, by Vanessa Cardenas

Dealing with the Devastation of Your Partner's Betrayal: How to Talk to Your Kids, Parents, In-Laws, Friends, and Others, by Vanesa Cardenas

Susan, your host, welcomes Meghan Smith Brooks to today’s episode. Meghan is an Ordained Unity Minister and the author of Unraveling Grief: A Mother’s Spiritual Journey of Healing and Discovery, which details her grief experience when she lost her son when he was just 19 years old. Meghan shares how she was able to pull herself out and find a sense of gratitude for this new path she has been set on in this week’s episode.

Key Takeaways:

• Meghan shares her grief story and the murder of her son.

• Meghan spent two months walking around like she wasn’t in her body.

• How did Meghan find gratitude after she found out about her son’s death?

• Meghan is so grateful that she had a spiritual foundation to stand on.

• Pain and loss are part of our human reality.

• Meghan still has moments when she wants to scream.

• Sometimes you have to forgive the people who killed your loved one, not for their sake, but yours.

• You can live in a dark hole when someone you love passes away, but it’s up to you to get past that.

• Susan remembers her arguing with her husband about where to go to eat.

• It’s a choice to be angry at someone.

• Grief is your teacher. It broke Meghan open.

• When Meghan wrote her book, it helped her oldest son cope.

• It becomes an ongoing blessing when you can be vulnerable and create something beautiful out of your pain.

• How does Meghan spiritually help people in grief?

• Every day you get to choose how you will show up and what you do to make a difference.

• Keep breathing; keep moving forward.

Resources:

Tendrilsofgrief.com

Email Susan: [email protected]

Learn more about Meghan Smith Brooks:

Unityawakeningways.org

Meghan on LinkedIn

Unraveling Grief: A Mother’s Spiritual Journey of Healing and Discovery