You Don’t Heal Grief—You Live With It: An Embodied Approach to Loss
Tendrils of Grief
In this deeply grounding episode of Tendrils of Grief, I’m joined by Sheena Nancy Sarles—lifelong student of well-being, certified yoga teacher, author, and creator of Yoga for Living with Loss™—for a powerful conversation about grief as an embodied experience and the wisdom of learning to live with loss rather than trying to heal or fix it. After the profound losses of her parents, sister, and best friend, Sheena began to notice what many grievers intuitively feel but rarely hear validated: grief doesn’t only live in the heart or mind—it congests in the body. Through years of...
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Continuing bonds after death
Tendrils of Grief
In this deeply moving episode of Tendrils of Grief, I sit down with Ksenia Merck—artist, architect, and creative storyteller—to explore how love, creativity, and spiritual connection continue long after loss. Ksenia shares her powerful grief journey following the death of her husband, William F. Merck II, and how honoring his final wish led her to bring his genre-blending science fiction novel, Ghost Flower, to life through posthumous publication and her own original illustrations. What unfolds is an intimate conversation about enduring bonds, creative healing, and the unseen ways our...
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Beyond the Goodbye – Perspective on grieving from a funeral director
Tendrils of Grief
In today’s episode with Karen Roldan, a licensed funeral director, embalmer, and the creator of Behind the Funeral, to pull back the curtain on one of the most misunderstood industries in our lives — death care. With nearly twenty years of experience and a deep respect for the families she serves, Karen brings honesty, compassion, and clarity to conversations many of us avoid until we’re forced to have them. As a graduate of Worsham College of Mortuary Science and a licensed professional in funeral services, cremation, pre-need planning, and cemetery property, Karen offers a rare insider...
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Curious Compassion: A Gentle Look At Grief
Tendrils of Grief
Today I sit down with Kyle Kittleson, the on-camera host for MedCircle, known for making complex mental health topics accessible through thoughtful, compassionate conversations. Kyle opens up about his personal grief journey after losing his mother as a teenager and how unprocessed loss shaped his emotional world for years. Drawing from both lived experience and thousands of interviews with leading mental health experts, Kyle shares powerful insights on grief, trauma, emotional healing, and rebuilding life after loss. We talk about why there’s no “right” way to grieve, how avoidance...
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Don’t Call Me Widow
Tendrils of Grief
In this episode of Tendrils of Grief, I sit down with Samina Bari—a corporate leader, author, and grief advocate whose life changed forever after the sudden loss of her husband. Known for advising CEOs and boards on over $40 billion in global M&A transactions, Samina brings that same clarity and strength to a deeply personal conversation about grief, widowhood, and rebuilding life after loss. We talk openly about the realities of sudden grief—the loneliness, identity shifts, and emotional overwhelm that often go unseen. Samina shares why grief makes people uncomfortable, how...
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What Grief Really Feels Like
Tendrils of Grief
In this episode, I’m joined by Marie Crews, a transformational coach, speaker, retreat facilitator, and best-selling author whose work is grounded in one core belief: your story can set you free. For over 15 years, Marie has helped women rewrite the narratives that limit them—guiding them through grief, trauma, and profound life transitions with compassion, courage, and clarity. Marie’s 25-year journey of self-discovery led her to the practice that became her greatest healing tool: journal writing. This deeply personal process inspired her to create The Nautilus Way: Write Your Way Free,...
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Don’t Grieve Alone – There is a Community Ready to Support You
Tendrils of Grief
In today's episode Julie Fingersh, an accomplished writer and freelance journalist with a knack for exploring the intricacies of life. Through her essays, editorials, and reporting, Julie dives into topics like culture, wellness, relationships, and parenting adult children—all while offering insights on how to lead a better, more meaningful life. Her work has graced the pages of The New York Times, Oprah Magazine, The Huffington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, and The Miami Herald, to name a few. Julie's current blog is a midlife sequel to her award-winning humor column she wrote in her...
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What To Do When Your Faith Isn’t Enough
Tendrils of Grief
I sit down with Rev. Kate J. Meyer, LPC—an ordained minister, licensed professional counselor, hospice professional, and acclaimed author—whose life’s work is dedicated to bringing grief out of the shadows and helping people move through loss with honesty, compassion, and faith. Drawing from decades of experience in hospice care, private practice, and spiritual counseling, Kate offers deeply grounded insights into the emotional, spiritual, and psychological realities of grief. She shares why so many grievers feel unseen or misunderstood within their faith communities, how spirituality...
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Change Your Mind and Change Your Life
Tendrils of Grief
We sit down with Zoilita Grant, a transformational mindset expert with over 50 years of experience in subconscious reprogramming, hypnosis, and personal development. Zoilita has helped thousands of people break free from old patterns, release fear, and step into a life of clarity, confidence, and purpose. Known for her grounded, heart-centered approach, Zoilita blends science-backed techniques, hypnosis for healing, and mindset transformation tools that empower individuals to create real, lasting change. Her message is simple yet profound: everything you need to transform your life is already...
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What To Do When Grief Causes an Existential Crisis
Tendrils of Grief
In this episode, we sit down with Andrea, an author, poet, artist, book illustrator, and yoga practitioner who writes under the pen name Cheydrea. Andrea’s journey is one of brave authenticity, deep healing, and passionate storytelling. From her 15+ year journey of religious deconstruction to healing her inner child and navigating family estrangement, Andrea candidly shares her experiences and lessons learned along the way. Andrea’s passions extend to fostering healthy and sustainable relationships, including a 28+ year marriage shaped by religious and childhood trauma, as well as...
info_outlineI sit down with Rev. Kate J. Meyer, LPC—an ordained minister, licensed professional counselor, hospice professional, and acclaimed author—whose life’s work is dedicated to bringing grief out of the shadows and helping people move through loss with honesty, compassion, and faith.
Drawing from decades of experience in hospice care, private practice, and spiritual counseling, Kate offers deeply grounded insights into the emotional, spiritual, and psychological realities of grief. She shares why so many grievers feel unseen or misunderstood within their faith communities, how spirituality can be both a comfort and a complication after loss, and why honoring your grief—not rushing or minimizing it—is essential for true healing.
Together, Kate and I explore:
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What healthy grief really looks like
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Why faith doesn’t erase pain—and why it shouldn’t be expected to
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The difference between distraction and avoidance
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How grief evolves over time and becomes a lifelong companion
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Spiritual signs, continued bonds, and the unseen ways our loved ones remain close
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The deeply human experience of grief through the lens of hospice work
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How to navigate guilt, loneliness, overwhelming emotions, and those “grief waves” that resurface years later
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The importance of choosing carefully who you share your grief with—and who you don’t
This conversation is filled with wisdom, spiritual reflection, emotional validation, and practical tools for anyone walking through loss—whether you’re in the early days of grief or decades into your healing journey.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I grieving wrong?” or “Why does this still hurt so much?”—this episode is a gentle reminder that grief doesn’t disappear. It changes shape, it grows with us, and healing is never about forgetting… it’s about learning how to carry love forward.
Episode Highlights
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Rev. Kate J. Meyer
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grief and faith
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Christian grief counseling
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spiritual grief healing
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healthy grieving process
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grief and spirituality
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hospice grief insights
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navigating grief and loss
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emotional healing after loss
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Christian counselor grief
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complicated grief support
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understanding grief waves
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lifelong grief journey
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grief validation and support
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mental health and grief
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faith-based grief support
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grief and emotional wellness
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spiritual signs after death
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continued bonds in grief
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grief conversations 2025
Know Rev. Kate J Meyer, LPC
Faith Doesn't Erase Grief , The Red Couch, and The Yellow Dress are available at bookshop.org and wherever books are sold
Subscribe at: www.katejmeyer.com
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