When someone dies, the relationship does not simply disappear.

Even after loss, people often continue to feel connected through memories, rituals, objects, music, traditions, dreams, or the ways their loved one shaped who they are. In grief work, these ongoing connections are called continuing bonds.

In this episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, Heather Stang and Amanda Palermo explore Step 6 of the Mindfulness & Grief System: Continuing Bonds.

Heather and Amanda talk about the natural ways people stay connected after loss, why continuing bonds are a healthy part of grief, and how relationships continue to evolve over time. They also explore complicated grief relationships, the difference between comforting connection and emotional avoidance, and why grief does not require letting go of love.

Through personal stories, mindfulness practices, and honest reflection, this episode offers a compassionate approach to understanding how connection can continue after death.

You will learn:

• What continuing bonds are and why they matter • Why relationships continue after loss • How grief changes connection instead of ending it • The role of rituals, objects, and memory in grief • How to navigate complicated or difficult relationships after death • Why mindfulness and self-compassion matter in continuing bonds work • How grief can coexist with love, meaning, and growth

This episode is not about "moving on" from the person you love.

It is about learning how the relationship changes, and discovering what connection can still look like now.

🧘 Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Continuing Bonds 01:00 Reviewing the Mindfulness & Grief System 10:00 Why Continuing Bonds comes later in grief work 11:30 Repeating the story of the loss 13:00 "That relationship does not end. It changes." 14:00 Realizing you can still have a relationship 15:30 Why continuing bonds are not toxic positivity 16:00 Wearing a loved one's clothes after loss 19:00 How continuing bonds evolve over time 20:00 The "taiko taco" remembrance story 21:30 Why people say "move on" 23:00 Replaying the story of the death 24:30 The fear of forgetting someone 25:00 Focusing on the story of their life 26:00 The imprint meditation practice 27:00 Continuing bonds with complicated relationships 31:00 Heather's experience with the imprint practice 33:00 Grief, abuse, and trauma-sensitive care 35:00 Learning to care for yourself 36:00 Holding multiple truths at once 38:00 "It wasn't toxic positivity. It was honesty." 41:00 Mother-daughter relationships and guilt 43:00 Trauma, grief, and healing 45:00 Trusting yourself in grief 47:00 "How am I going to get through this?" 49:00 Preview of Step 7: Allowing Transformation 53:00 Continuing bonds and choosing what to carry forward 54:00 Closing reflections

Resources and links:

🌿 Full show notes: https://heatherstang.com/podcast-64/

💜 Join Awaken Grief Support (Free 14-day trial): https://heatherstang.com/grief-group/

🎓 Mindfulness & Grief Coach Certification: https://heatherstang.com/mindfulness-grief-coach-certification/