In this episode of The Grief Lounge, I’m joined by author Sasha Hughes for a conversation about mother loss, grief, healing and the ways bereavement can shape our lives long after someone dies.

Sasha lost her mum to cancer when she was just 24 years old and in this conversation she speaks so openly about what happened afterwards. The grief, the self-sabotage, the drinking, the partying, searching for love, trying to outrun the pain and eventually finding herself again.

We speak about grief after losing a parent, the impact bereavement has on your mental health, identity loss, relationships, motherhood, spirituality and learning how to live alongside grief rather than fighting against it.

Sasha also shares the story behind her novel Love, Grief and More Sex Than Pinot, inspired by her own experiences of grief, healing and self-discovery.

Although the book has humour, chaos and funny moments running through it, underneath it I could really feel the loneliness of grief and the ways we sometimes try to distract ourselves from pain we don’t yet know how to carry.

For me, the character feels lost in so many ways. Trying to outrun grief, trying to fill the emptiness, trying to find herself again in a world that no longer feels the same.

Because grief is messy. It changes you. It cracks you open and leaves you trying to rebuild around the missing pieces.

This episode will resonate if you have experienced:

• mother loss
• grief after losing a parent
• cancer bereavement
• emotional trauma after loss
• self-sabotage and grief
• grief and alcohol
• loneliness after loss
• healing after bereavement
• identity loss after grief
• complicated grief
• mental health struggles after loss

As always on The Grief Lounge, this is an honest conversation about grief, love, loss and the reality of trying to rebuild your life after losing someone you love.

Guest: Sasha Hughes
Book: Love, Grief and More Sex Than Pinot

If you would like to connect with Sacha you can find her website here:- www.sachahughes.com

instagram https://www.instagram.com/sachahughes/

facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SachaHughesAuthor?locale=en_GB

link to purchase Love, Grief and More Sex Than Pinot https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=love+grief+and+more+sex+than+pinot&crid=32NTM2G31DTL4&sprefix=love+grief+%2Caps%2C128&ref=nb_sb_ss_mvt-t11-ranker_1_11

You can find me - Sadie over on my website www.thegriefcoachuk.com

or connect via instagram @the_grief_coach_uk

If you would like to join The Grief Lounge Community over on facebook click the link here https://www.facebook.com/groups/thegrieflounge/⁠⁠⁠

In this episode of The Grief Lounge, I am joined by Sara Rian, a grief poet, self published author, licensed therapist, mother, wife and griever.

Sara began writing grief poetry after the death of her mum in 2018. Her mum died by suicide, and in this conversation Sara shares so openly about that loss, the trauma around it, and the deep love and connection she had with her mum.

I first came across Sara’s words on Instagram, and they were one of those accounts that just stopped me. The kind of words that feel so deeply relatable they almost feel like home.

We talk about mother loss, suicide grief, attachment, trauma, and what it means to grieve someone you loved deeply, and the kind of love that holds both the beauty and the hard parts.

Sara shares how writing became a way for her to put words to something that felt impossible to hold. Her poems have reached so many people in the grief community because they say the things many of us feel but cannot always explain.

We also talk about the grief community online, why it can feel easier to be understood by strangers, and how creativity can give grief somewhere to land.

Sara also shares the work she is doing around grief poetry workshops, creating spaces where people can write, share and feel seen in their grief.

This conversation is raw, warm and honest. It is about grief, but also about love, connection, community and the words that help us feel less alone.

If you have experienced mother loss, suicide loss, complicated grief, or have ever found comfort in poetry after loss, this episode is for you.

If you would like to read the poem that Sara read in the episode click the link here:-

https://www.instagram.com/p/DVROaG6jvX-/?igsh=dW93aXg3ZG44YmRs

You can find Sara via her website www.sararianbooks.com on her facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/sararianbooks/) over on Substack https://sararianbooks.substack.com/ or on Instagram @sara_rian_books

You can join the waitlist for the next Poetry workshops here:-https://thememorycircle.com/#waitlist

If you would like to join The Grief Lounge community page please join here https://www.facebook.com/groups/thegrieflounge/

If you would like to make contact with me you can do so through my website www.thegriefcoachuk.com or via Instragram @the_grief_coach_uk

This week’s episode of The Grief Lounge is a deeply personal one.

Today would have been Chris’s 55th birthday, and this is my third birthday without him.

I felt called to record this episode to share what it really feels like to navigate grief on birthdays and special days. The build-up, the decisions, and the reality of trying to honour someone you love while also holding your own needs and the needs of your children.

I talk about the time my son and I spent remembering Chris, the moments that felt beautiful, and the ones that completely broke my heart.

There were also moments that felt like connection. I asked for a sign the night before, and on the journey to the coast, two of the songs from Chris’s funeral played on the radio. Moments like that are hard to explain, but they stay with you.

This episode also holds something very special. On Chris’s birthday, I received my copy of The Feminine Arts, the book I have co-authored. Reading my chapter, where I write about Chris, our story and the life we built together, on his birthday felt deeply emotional and significant. More than coincidence, it felt like connection.

This episode speaks to anyone grieving a partner, navigating birthdays and anniversaries after loss, or trying to make sense of the signs, love and connection that can continue after someone has died.

It is about grief, love, memory, and the reality of living a life you never expected to be living.

If you would like to purchase The Feminine Arts book to read the chapter here is the link ⁠⁠⁠https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GWWTX1DF⁠⁠⁠ I hope you enjoy it.

Please know you do not have to walk through grief alone. Join The Grief Lounge Community on facebook, a closed group for those navigating the loss of their loved one.⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/thegrieflounge/⁠⁠⁠

My website ⁠⁠⁠www.thegriefcoachuk.com⁠⁠⁠

My Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@the_grief_lounge_uk⁠⁠

In this episode of The Grief Lounge, I’m joined by Jack Waddington. Jack is an author, having written his first book after the loss of his brother Sam. I'm on a journey to see you Sam . . Jack is also an artist, who illustrated the cover for the book, and a secondary school teacher. In this episode Jack and I have a deeply honest conversation about sibling grief, loss and the lifelong bond between brothers.

Jack shares the story of his brother Sam, who lived with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and died at the age of 26.

We talk about what it was like growing up alongside Sam, the role Jack played as a sibling and carer, and how Duchenne shaped not just Sam’s life, but the whole family’s.

This is a conversation about love, responsibility and the kind of connection that does not end with death.

Jack speaks openly about the shock of losing his brother, the guilt that can come with sibling loss, and the reality of navigating grief as a young man.

We also talk about men’s mental health and the importance of creating space for honest conversations around grief, vulnerability and emotion.

Writing became a way for Jack to process his loss and stay connected to Sam. His book, I’m on a Journey to See You Sam, is both a tribute to his brother and a way of raising awareness about Duchenne muscular dystrophy, disability and the experience of sibling grief.

If you have experienced the loss of a sibling, are supporting someone who has, or want to better understand the impact of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, this conversation offers honesty, insight and connection.

More about Jack.

Jack is a London-based writer, practising artist, and art teacher. His debut memoir, I’m on a Journey to See You, Sam, began as diary entries written in the days and months after the death of his younger brother, who lived with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. He was also selected for the Local Author Showcase at the 2026 Ealing Book Festival.

Alongside writing, Jack creates drawings and paintings, and designed the book’s cover artwork himself. He lives in London with his wife. Jack continues to write, teach art, and explore ways to work with keeping his relationship with Sam very much connected.

You can follow and connect with Jack on Instagram @jackwaddington_

You can purchase I'm on a journey to see you Sam from Amazon here https://amzn.eu/d/0eadhISA

If you would like to join our Facebook Community page where you will be joined by other navigating grief here is the link

https://www.facebook.com/groups/thegrieflounge/

My website is www.thegriefloungeuk.com and my instagram account is @the_grief_coach_uk

Thank you so much for listening to this episode. Please share the link for the podcast to anyone you may feel would benefit.

You do not have to navigate the path of grief alone.

In this episode I talk about the loss of a life partner and something I came across recently called the widowhood effect.

When I read about it, it didn’t just make sense in my head, I felt it. It helped me understand why this kind of loss can feel so overwhelming and so all consuming.

The widowhood effect is a term used in research that shows how losing a partner can impact not just how we feel, but our physical health, our sense of safety, our identity and our whole life.

In this episode I share some of that research, but also what it actually looks like in real life.

Because losing a partner is not just losing a person. It is losing the life you built together. The routines, the roles, the shared responsibility, the future you thought you were walking into.

I talk about the emotional impact, the physical toll grief can take on the body, the financial pressure that often comes with this loss, and the reality of becoming a solo parent while grieving.

Supporting children through their grief whilst carrying your own is something that is hard to put into words, but I try to here.

This episode is not about comparing grief.

It is about understanding why this loss can feel so different, and why it can touch every part of your life.

If you have lost a partner and have found yourself questioning why this feels so overwhelming, I hope this helps you feel seen.

If you are here to understand someone in your life, I hope this helps you understand what they may be carrying.

If you know someone else who may benefit from listening to this episode please feel free to share.

Also it really makes a huge difference if you follow this podcast and review it. Thank you.

If you would like to join the Grief Lounge Community on Facebook here is the link https://www.facebook.com/groups/thegrieflounge/

You can connect with me via my website www.thegriefcoachuk.com or on instagram @the_grief_coach_uk

This week I’m talking about the moon… and I know this is a grief podcast, so stay with me.

After watching the Artemis mission, something really landed for me about grief, love and the ways we stay connected to the people we’ve lost.

I’ve always been drawn to the moon. It became a place I turned to when Chris was ill and even more so after he died. I’ve sat under it, talked to it, cried under it and found comfort in its constancy when everything else felt like it was falling apart.

In this episode, I share why so many of us look to the sky when we’re grieving. From naming a star after Chris, to hearing Reid Wiseman honour his wife Carroll by carrying her memory to the moon, this is a conversation about love, remembrance and connection that doesn’t end when someone dies.

Grief changes. It moves. It softens. But the love stays.

If you’re navigating grief, loss or bereavement, this is a gentle reminder that you’re not alone and that connection can still be felt in ways we might not always be able to explain.

If you know anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one please share this episode. You could also share the link to The Grief Lounge community space on facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/thegrieflounge/

You can connect with me via my website www.thegriefcoachuk.com or via instagram @the_grief_coach_uk

In this episode, I’m reflecting on something that’s been sitting with me since my conversation with Katie Rizzo, in my last episode… the way grief doesn’t just belong to the closest relationships.

We often think grief is reserved for partners, parents or children, but the truth is it reaches so much further than that. It ripples out into friendships, past connections, and even people we may never have met in person.

I share my own experience of grieving someone I had never met face to face, and how that left me trying to make sense of what that kind of grief is. The kind that comes through connection, through shared moments, through being part of someone’s life in a way that doesn’t always fit into neat boxes.

We explore the impact people have on us, often without even realising it, and how those connections can carry real loss when someone dies. I also touch on disenfranchised grief, and what I describe as vicarious grief… the grief we feel through others, through their stories, and through the relationships we build in ways that aren’t always visible.

If you’ve ever found yourself grieving someone and questioning whether you have the right to feel that way, this episode is for you.

Your grief matters. Your connection matters.

This is a space for honest conversations about grief, loss and what it really feels like to live with it.

If you would like to connect with me you can find me through my website www.thegriefcoachuk.com or on instagram @the_grief_coach_uk

If you are looking for a space where you will be supported by others navigating their grief journey join us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/thegrieflounge/

In this episode, Katie Rizzo shares the story of losing her son Nicholas to addiction.

What unfolds between us is a conversation about grief, love and loss that feels deeply familiar, even through very different experiences.

In this episode of The Grief Lounge I sit down with Katie for a really honest and heartfelt conversation about grief, addiction and loss.

Katie shares the story of her son Nicholas, his addiction, and the devastating reality of losing him. We talk about the complexities of addiction, the stigma that surrounds it, and how it impacts not just the person but the whole family.

This conversation goes deeper than loss. We speak about community, connection, the importance of saying their names, and the ways we stay connected to the people we love. We also talk about signs from loved ones, support groups, and how sharing stories can help us feel less alone.

We touch on the systems around addiction and mental health, both in the UK and the US, and the reality that they don’t always support families in the way they should.

Katie also shares the inspiration behind her book The Trimesters of Grief, a deeply personal reflection on carrying her son, losing him, and carrying him again through grief. The book is beautifully written and includes personal poems that capture moments, memories and emotions in a way that words alone often cannot.

This is a conversation about a mother’s grief, but also about the shared experience of love, loss and learning how to carry it.

Katie's memoir The Trimesters of Grief will be released on October 6 by Koehler Books, with Blackstone Publishing handling the audiobook.

Her second book None of Them Are You, a collection of poems, will be released on October 31 on Dia de los Muertos.

PLEASE SHARE THE EPISODE TO SOMEONE WHO IT MAY SUPPORT AND HELP

ABOUT KATIE

Katie Rizzo is an author, educator and speaker based in Arizona.

For the past fifteen years she has taught Anatomy and Biology at both community college and public high school level. She holds two master’s degrees, one from Yale University and another from the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Her writing has been published in literary journals including Prosetrics and The Literary Magazine, and in anthologies such as the HG Wells Short Story Competition. She has also earned places in the juried Aspen Words Conference.

She lives in Arizona with her husband and their two dogs.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to grief and this conversation
02:15 Katie’s journey from medical background to motherhood
06:03 The impact of addiction on family life
09:45 Understanding the stigma around addiction
11:52 Grief, identity and loss
24:59 The Trimesters of Grief and Katie’s book
34:26 Addiction and grief explored more deeply
37:12 How addiction affects the whole family
39:19 Addiction as a disease
42:08 The broken system of addiction treatment
49:51 The challenges within rehabilitation
55:04 The importance of community in grief
01:06:30 Differences in grief support between the UK and US
01:07:55 Intentional grieving and self investment
01:09:02 The power of connection
01:11:39 Signs and synchronicities
01:16:21 Navigating insensitive comments and identity loss
01:17:56 Keeping memories alive
01:22:53 Community and emotional support
01:25:39 The physical impact of grief
01:28:09 Showing up authentically in grief
01:33:13 Sharing stories and honouring loved ones

If you would like to connect with Katie you can do so using the links below:-

Website https://katierizzo.com
Instagram @katierizzo007
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-rizzo-098978280
Vimeo https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/1174477105

If you would like to connect with me you can find me here:

www.thegriefcoachuk.com

@the_grief_coach_uk

In this episode of The Grief Lounge, I’m talking about a type of grief that so many of us experience, but rarely have the words for… disenfranchised grief.

Have you ever felt like you were grieving something deeply, but couldn’t really talk about it? Like it mattered so much to you, but didn’t seem to matter to anyone else? Maybe you’ve felt unseen, dismissed, or even questioned yourself and wondered if you’re overreacting.

I’ve been there.

In this episode, I’m sharing some of my own experiences of grief beyond death. Things like divorce, infertility, IVF, the loss of friendships, pet loss, and even the impact of the pandemic. These are all real losses, but they’re often not recognised in the way that grief “should” be, which can leave you feeling like you have to carry it quietly on your own.

I talk about how grief isn’t just emotional, it lives in the body too. When we push it down or minimise it, it doesn’t just disappear. It stays with us. It builds. And over time, it can come out in ways we don’t always expect.

This episode is about giving you language for those invisible losses. It’s about helping you understand that your grief is valid, whether it’s connected to love, relationships, identity, missed milestones, or a life that didn’t turn out the way you thought it would.

I also touch on why this kind of grief can feel so isolating, how society can unintentionally minimise certain losses, and why having safe spaces to talk, process and be seen is so important.

If you’re carrying something that feels heavy but hard to explain, I want you to know this…

You’re not too much.
You’re not overreacting.
And you’re not alone.

Not all grief is visible, and not all loss is understood. But that doesn’t make it any less real.

If this resonates with you, you’ll always have a space here.

If you would like to connect you can contact me via my website www.thegriefcoachuk.com or via instagram @the_grief_coach_uk

Please join our grief community on facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/thegrieflounge/

In this episode of The Grief Lounge, I share my personal experience of grief, loss and love as I reflect on the difference between the first year and the second year of my grief journey.

I talk honestly about the early days of grief, the numbness, brain fog, emotional overwhelm and physical impact that loss can have on the body and nervous system. I also explore how my grief didn’t begin the day my husband died, but was shaped by years of anticipatory grief, prolonged isolation and the national pandemic, creating layers of what is often called complicated or compounded grief.

This episode is a raw reflection on what it means to live through loss while the world keeps moving, including the impact of COVID, shielding, and the long-term effects of isolation on mental health, identity and connection.

I share the reality of navigating grief as a parent, the heartbreak of changing relationships, and the loneliness that can come when support fades. Alongside this, I reflect on what has helped me begin to heal, from self-compassion and community to understanding grief as both emotional and physical, and learning how to carry love and loss together.

This is an honest conversation about grief, healing, resilience and personal growth, and a reminder that if you are on your own grief journey, you are not alone, your grief is valid, and there is no right way to navigate loss.

Keywords

grief, grief journey, loss, love after loss, healing from grief, complicated grief, pandemic grief, COVID grief, mental health, coping with loss, widow grief, anticipatory grief.

If you would like to connect with me you can find me via my website : www.thegriefcoachuk.com

or via instagram @the_grief_coach_uk

Maybe you are looking for a community space where you can feel supported in your grief..... Join our Facebook page herehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/thegrieflounge/