The Kindred & Brave Project

Welcome back! Today I reintroduce myself and some of the big-picture goals for this podcast. I talk about the messy things that have been going on behind the scenes in this wild ride called life. Finally, I share some of the conversations I’m so excited to have as we enter the last third of the year. 

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

Sara Rian is a poet, author, mother, wife, licensed therapist, and griever living in Metro Detroit. She has been drawn to grief poetry ever since her mother died in 2018. As a mental health professional, suicide loss survivor, and grieving human, Sara shares her work with others to let them know that they are not alone in their love or grief. 

In this episode, Sara and I have a vulnerable and authentic conversation about imposter syndrome in our humanness, our shared grief stories, and Sara’s beautiful words. We talk about how difficult and bittersweet it is to be motherless mothers and how we work to continue the bonds with our own mothers and help our children learn to meet them. 

Sara shares her journey to becoming a therapist and the work that her and her mom did to talk about the hard things. She reads a brand new poem for us. 

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

Resources //

https://www.sararianbooks.com/

https://www.instagram.com/sara_rian_books/

In today’s episode, I share the unexpected loss of a pet and my son's big reaction to it. The story I share has some lessons about cumulative grief and what it is, knowing your own kiddo and honoring their needs, and remembering that sometimes we need to sit with them in the dark instead of trying to turn on the light. 

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

In this micro episode, I share the stories about how I’ve learned about my grief since my mom died. 

Learning about our grief is a way to understand how it shows up in our bodies and brains (hint: our body knows first). It’s a vulnerable choice to sit with the grief as it comes and examine the emotions it brings us. 

It’s self-awareness and self-compassion. 

Resources // 

Season 3: Episode 3 Collective Grief // with Claire Bidwell Smith 

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

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