Host: Nina Rodriguez | IG: @griefandlight

In this episode, I'll share my personal story of the sudden loss of my younger brother, only sibling, a day after we celebrated his 32nd birthday. I'll also ... READ MORE

In this episode, I share a physical grief-related experience that let me to understand one of the deepest truths about grief -- that grief is not this OR that; it's this AND that. I named this concept "felicitreza", or happy-sadness in English.

Grief is a million ... READ MORE

Grievers end up on the receiving end of hurtful and awful “advice” or “support” from often well-meaning, grief-illiterate people. What some consider support, the grieving experience as painful words that slice our healing wounds wide open again.

In short, it causes ... READ MORE

Grief is such a common experience, and yet we seem to understand so little about it. For decades, many believe the "stages of grief" are the only way to "recover" from a loss -- a sort of process to complete so you can "go on with life". The bereaved and grieving know all too well this is not how it actually ... READ MORE

Like many holidays, Father’s Day highlights the absence of our loved one no longer with us, and while many try to make it a joyful experience, fathers are often left to mask their feelings and suffer in silence.

Many men have been taught not ... READ MORE

Grief is an unwelcome companion that we never invite into our lives. It barges in unannounced, shattering our world and leaving us to pick up the pieces.  It feels as if a part of us has been torn away, leaving behind an emptiness that seems impossible to fill. But here's the thing, while the pain is undeniably real, the suffering can be  ... READ MORE

Shining a light on these topics and addressing them openly and honestly is a step towards making a positive difference, unshaming, destigmatizing, and ultimately saving lives.

“Fentanyl is the single deadliest drug threat our nation has ever encountered. Fentanyl is everywhere. From large metropolitan areas to rural America, no community is safe from this poison ... READ MORE

Domenique sheds light on the challenges that birthing parents often face within the U.S. healthcare system. She shares her own experiences and the ways in which she has sought to bring attention to the need for better support, empathy, and resources for parents who have experienced stillbirth. We delve into Domenique's advocacy work with Push for Empowered Pregnancy, and ... READ MORE

We celebrate the release of Amanda's inspirational memoir, "Trust Yourself to Be All In: Safe to Love and Let Go," quite literally an open-book perspective on generational trauma and healing, sibling loss, love, multiple losses, addiction and recovery, spirituality and healing. We discuss how to harness the power of various modalities like... READ MORE

Melinda's beautiful energy, her work, and her art reveal much about her story and philosophy about life, death, and life after life. We delve into her experience with loss after witnessing the decline and death of her best friend, Paige, due to cancer,  her work with the terminally ill, her grief and life coaching experience, her art, and what it means to live, love and grieve meaningfully... READ MORE

We explore how grief can transform and redefine our personal boundaries, either drawing them closer or pushing them further away, as well as how grief triggers, such as anger or sadness, can serve as indicators of these shifting boundaries. The episode also highlights the challenge of communicating these changing boundaries to others, and emphasizes the importance of honoring them as ... READ MORE

A candid exploration of the grief journey from a husband's perspective, providing unique insights into the challenges and triumphs of grieving as a couple. We share our experiences, discussing the initial shock and aftermath of the first three years of grief.
This episode offers a rarely-discussed perspective ... READ MORE

Andrianna is a certified family life educator, holds a B.S in Human Development & Family Studies, and is working on her masters degree in Social Work. She has worked in child advocacy, food banking, nurturing parenting, and in a hospital, where she focused on preventing burnout among staff.  As part of this mission and  ... READ MORE

"I never understood why when someone dies the bereaved post quotes with photos of nature — waves, sunsets, clouds, rain … and then my brother died. My only sibling. 

And I found myself living somewhere between the earth and the sky, crying into the sunset, because I finally understood that nature is the only force capable of holding the magnitude of my grief. "

- Nina Rodriguez
In the early years, I found that only ... READ MORE

Some stories are more layered than others. In this episode, we hear from a brave sister, Brittany Merz, doing everything in her power to honor her beloved sister, Samantha, who, as of this recording, passed a mere 10 weeks ago. You will hear an honest recount of the early grief days, in all of its heaviness and fogginess. You will also hear details in this story that are not ... READ MORE

Join us for a magical conversation with Danielle, a dedicated mother, women's health mentor, doula and female yoga teacher. She lives nomadically with her family, hosts Women's Circle Online, and Danielle is also the host of the Depths of Motherhood Podcast. She recently published her book,  “Reclaiming Circle: A Guide to Holding Women’s Circles”. In this episode, she also shares her grief story following her brother’s death by ... READ MORE

The sudden death of his mother, the loss of three close friends, and a sexual assault were among the catalysts of Jonathan Niziol’s 15-year spiral into alcohol, drugs, exercise addiction, anxiety and depression. His story, however, was kept hidden behind a carefully-constructed social media exterior, until now… READ MORE

An intimate conversation with Dr. Kelly S. Thompson, delving into the intricacies of her military upbringing and the unique sisterhood she shared with Meghan. Kelly candidly shares the challenges of navigating a relationship affected by her sister's addiction, estrangement, and ultimately, the looming shadow of death following Meghan's terminal diagnosis. Dr. Thompson is a retired military officer who holds an MFA and a Ph.D. in Creative Writing, and has been published in Chatelaine, Maclean’s, the Globe and Mail, and more. Her second memoir, STILL, I CANNOT SAVE YOU, was released in 2023, and was also ... READ MORE

I'm about to reveal a "secret" that's been a quiet cornerstone of my journey – a confession that feels like turning a page in our shared narrative. As we stand at the threshold of a new year, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the soul tribe that has grown with me since the podcast's inception on March 30th, 2023. The journey, which began as a personal exploration of my own grief, has evolved into something profound, a space of connection and authenticity that has touched lives in ways I could never have anticipated. As I stand at the intersection of past, present and future, I'm ... READ MORE