In this episode of the Half Betty Podcast, Suzanne (Zanne) Hollingshead joins Andrea and Krista for an honest and moving conversation about loss, resilience, and finding purpose through life’s hardest seasons. Zanne shares her experience of losing her mother as a child and her sister in midlife, and how navigating these profound losses became a catalyst for transformation.

She talks about how her journey through grief led her to create supportive communities for motherless children, adults navigating loss, and women moving through perimenopause and menopause. Zanne’s story highlights the power of facing grief with courage, building connection, and turning personal hardship into advocacy. This episode is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is support, understanding, and a path toward meaning and hope.

Bio
Zanne Hollingshead is a trauma-informed well-being advocate, certified life coach, and community-builder with a deeply personal connection to her work. Trained through Martha Beck’s Wayfinder Life Coaching program and certified in Mother Loss Support through Claire Bidwell Smith and Hope Edelman’s professional program, Zanne specializes in supporting individuals and groups navigating loss, grief, and the transitions that arrive with midlife.

Her own experiences - losing her mother as a child, her sister in midlife, and dear friends along the way - inform her compassionate approach and the communities she has built. Zanne walks alongside her clients and participants with insight, care, and practical tools, helping them navigate life’s challenges while creating space for healing, growth, and new beginnings.

In collaboration with New York Times bestselling author Hope Edelman, Zanne co-facilitates weekly Motherless Daughters Community Calls and leads 12-week Support Circles for early childhood, adolescent, and young adult mother loss - programs she helped develop in 2023. Through her work, Zanne is dedicated to making sure no one facing grief or life transitions has to navigate them alone.

Zanne Hollingshead Instagram 

Growingthroughit.life
midlifemagic.community 

Motherlessdaughters.com

Zanne’s Five Words+ 

• Rule Breaker 
• On Purpose 
• Multisensory 
• People Connector
• Unstoppable
• Intuitive
• Soul-diver

References

We know the conversations in this episode may bring up strong emotions around grief, loss, and mental health. If you or someone you love is struggling, please know you don’t have to face it alone.

• In Canada: You can reach out to the Talk Suicide Canada line at 1-833-456-4566 (available 24/7)
• In the United States: Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (available 24/7)

If you’re listening from another part of the world, we encourage you to seek out local support - whether that’s a healthcare provider, community organization, or someone you trust. You are not alone, and reaching out for help is a brave and important step.

Women's midlife health resources:

Dr Lisa Mosconi PhD- Neuroscientist, Author of The Menopause Brain

Tamsen Fadal - Journalist, Women's Midife Advocate, Journalist 

Dr. Kelly Casperson MD - Urologist, Women's Midife Physician 

Dr Kudzai Dombo MD - GYN, Women's Midlife Physician 

Dr Sharon Malone MD - Menopause Expert, Chief Medical Advisor  

Alloy Women's Health Online Medicine Platform

Dr. Jayne Morgan, MD, Cardiologist and Vice President of Medical Affairs, at Hello Heart
Instagram
Hello Heart
Midi

Half Betty Sponsor Information

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Founder/Host: Andrea Rathborne

Creative Producer/Co-Host: Krista Gruen

Editors: Andrea Rathborne & Krista Gruen

Audio Engineer: Ryan Clarke

Episode sponsors:  Zaleska size-inclusive jewelry