Claire Bidwell Smith is a licensed therapist, international speaker, and the best-selling author of five books on grief and loss, published in 22 countries. Widely recognized as a leading voice in contemporary grief work, she has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, CNN, MSNBC, Scientific American, Goop, and Oprah Daily, among many others.

Today, we have a conversation about what grief is, and the specific ways that we are experiencing it in 2026. Claire sheds light on how our grief needs safety and connection, how community can help us, and the value of empathy when there is collective and disenfranchised grief. 

Claire expresses hope for the future generations in holding space for grief and supporting others when they experience this inevitable, human emotion. 

Thank you for listening. Remember - your stories matter, your feelings are valid, and the universe has your back. 

Resources //

https://clairebidwellsmith.com/

https://www.instagram.com/clairebidwellsmith/

In today’s episode, I share with you the concept of Wintering, based on Katherine May’s book of the same title, as well as the feelings of sorrow many of us are experiencing not just due to the season, but because of the state of the world. 

Also, I share a bit about SAD, better known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, brought on in these cold, dark months, and ways to care for ourselves physically and emotionally. 

Thank you for listening. Remember - your stories matter, your feelings are valid, and the universe has your back. 

In this first episode of 2026, Year of the Horse, I’m here to talk to you about the power of releasing expectations. I’m sharing the nitty-gritty details of why this practice matters and how it can help you build a new muscle and distress tolerance. With stories about motherhood and self-care, I hope you take what you need and know that you aren't alone.

A gentle reminder that it’s still winter, we can move slowly and gently as we shed last year. 

Thank you for listening. Remember - your stories matter, your feelings are valid, and the universe has your back.

October is ADHD awareness month, and in honor of that & my own kiddo today, I share some candid stories about what this journey has looked like for us as a family. It’s an episode that sheds light on how having a neurospicy kiddo impacts the family as a whole and flips the script on what we “typically” learn about parenting.

I leave you with some of our hardest moments and biggest wins, as well as how to think about showing up for your students, friends, or relatives who have ADHD. 

Thank you for listening. Remember - your stories matter, your feelings are valid, and the universe has your back. 

Resources:

https://www.adhdawarenessmonth.org/

Dr. Becky “The Single Most Important Parenting Strategy” 

Inspired by this Moth Card Deck -

Think about:

A time you felt the HEAT.

A time you got burned.

A time you fanned the flames.

Hello - I’m back! Today, I talk about the summer I accidentally took off from here and what I’ve learned from falling apart. 

This episode isn’t about putting a pretty bow on the unraveling that is bound to happen in midlife; it’s about learning to turn within when your compass goes awry. 

It’s an honest chat about the inner work that never ends if we want to keep choosing ourselves. 

Resources // 

https://brenebrown.com/articles/2018/05/24/the-midlife-unraveling/

Thank you for listening. Remember - your stories matter, your feelings are valid, and the universe has your back.

Mandy

Does anyone else have some anxiety about how the first half of the year has gone? Maybe you aren’t “on track” with your goals, or life is "lifing" too hard that you feel stuck?

Today, I want to share some ideas about what happens when our brain tries to take control by using some of my own stories about the last 6 months. Spoiler: not a lot has gone as planned. 

I’ll leave you with some reminders & a lucky duck glimmer that I hope will make you feel seen & have a giggle at the unpredictable nature of life.

I’m sharing something special with you all today. After 5 years I finally got the courage to write a eulogy for my mom.

We never got to have a service and I was never able to honor her in this way; I’m sharing some of the stories that describe who she was as a person, a mother, colleague, and grandmother. 

My hope is that you can learn more about me by learning more about her - some might say we are two peas in a pod.

This is also a testament that your grief journeys and rituals can look like whatever you want or need them to. If you never got to speak about your person the way you’d hoped you can use this as a practice for yourself. 

Thank you for listening.

Remember - your stories matter, your feelings are valid and the universe has your back.

Grief Bombs. The reality is that no amount of time keeps them away. And that's ok. It's hard. And it's natural. 

In this episode, I share the story of the “biggest” grief bomb I’ve had in the almost 5 years since my mom has died, how I dealt with it, and how I’ve reflected on it. 

The idea in these moments is to pause and let it be. Give yourself a moment to recognize what you feel and honor it. Don't push it away. 

Thank you for listening. Remember - your stories matter, your feelings are valid, and the universe has your back.