Being Fruitful with Guy Branum
The Art of Grief
Comedian, author and actor Guy Branum (Bros, Platonic) joins us to talk about his new one-man show, Be Fruitful. We explore the concept of “pre-grieving,” especially as we enter middle age, and consider how love and grief are intertwined.
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Even When You Stop for Grief, Grief Doesn't Stop Happening
The Art of Grief
Megan and Karen return with Season 2 of the "Art of Grief" by exploring the concepts of unrelenting and compounded grief. Even as we began this podcast last year to process specific losses, we have been confronted with new emotional challenges, shocking losses and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. This gives us the opportunity to explore what Megan describes as both "micro" and "macro" forms of grief, as we explore the "grief spaces" we plan to explore in our new season, with episodes releasing every two weeks.
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The Music of Grief with Daphne Brooks
The Art of Grief
The preeminent music critic, award-winning author, and Yale professor Daphne Brooks joins us for a wide ranging conversation about music as an expression of grief and a portal to our feelings. We learn about what it’s like to bear “aural witness” across generations and communities, and get a better sense of why Brooks’ own writing is so elegiac.
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Faith and Consolation with Rev. Christina Shu
The Art of Grief
Reverend Christina Shu, Lead Interfath Chaplain at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, joins us for an intimate conversation about holding space for those confronting mortality and loss. She shares the transformative nature of being present with people as they grapple with the deepest questions. We discuss the delicate art of spiritual care across diverse faith traditions, the cumulative weight of grief work, the layering of loss that comes with palliative care, and burnout.
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Finding Emotional Nourishment with Millicent Souris
The Art of Grief
Writer and cook Millicent Soros joins us to explore her journey of understanding loss and the power of food to connect and heal. From early experiences of unprocessed grief to finding catharsis through cooking, Millicent shares insights on moving through pain, the fine line between coping and avoidance, and embracing the messy reality of emotions.
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On Sports, Scripts, and Signs with Natalia Molina
The Art of Grief
MacArthur Genius Fellow, writer and historian Natalia Molina joins us to talk about scripts of grief, as well as how we become open to signs from beyond in the processes of grieving and healing. We also discuss her award-winning essay, “How I learned the Dodgers are L.A.’s Language of Love,” which speaks with an open heart about her brother David’s unexpected death, and the celebration of their lives together beneath Dodger Blue skies in Echo Park, Los Angeles.
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Collective Grief and the L.A. Wildfires
The Art of Grief
We are joined by voices from around the city of Los Angeles to talk about their personal experiences with the L.A. wildfires, and communal grief in the wake of these catastrophic events. We also ask about their hopes for the future not only for themselves, but our community. Guests include: Myriam Gurba, Mai-Lin Cheng, Margaret Wappler, Guy Branum, Lien Ta, Natalia Molina, Sarah Gertrude Shapiro, Colin Campbell, Carolina Miranda, and Courtney Storer.
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The Poetics of Grief with Hala Alyan
The Art of Grief
This week we are joined by Hala Alyan, a Palestinian-American writer, poet, and clinical psychologist, who is also a professor at NYU. A specialist in trauma and cross-cultural identity, and the author of the award-winning novel Salt Houses, as well as four collections of poetry, including The Moon that Turns You Back (2024), Hala brings her expertise as a psychologist and a writer to talk about bearing witness to genocide, and the fatigue, anger and repetition that accompanies the grief of witnessing. She also reads poetry for us, and speaks openly about her own personal vulnerabilities and...
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Holiday Feelings
The Art of Grief
Karen and Megan record their first holiday special, and themselves get caught off-guard by some of their own holiday feelings, including the confluence of grief and joy. Karen opens up about the difficulty of Christmas this year, as well as in years past because it was her grandmother's favorite holiday. Megan talks about seeing the holidays anew through the eyes of her two young children. They also offer words of advice about what's worked for them in the past to calm the holiday overload.
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Grief Groups & Finding Your Place with Japhena Kay
The Art of Grief
Bereavement facilitator, author, and host of the podcast Good Mourning Today, Japhena Kay, joins us for a candid conversation about losing her son Chase to suicide, while animating her processes of grief that have evolved and transformed in the years since. She and Megan met in a grief group specifically for those who’ve lost their loved ones to suicide, and they both reflect on the meaningfulness of that experience, especially while combatting the silence and stigma related to death by suicide.
info_outlineMegan and Karen check in with each other after the 2024 election, and discuss their own range of emotional responses, including grief, anger, and even a sense of tragicomedy.
They also offer some thoughts around how to take care of yourselves and others during this intense, confrontational and difficult time.