Words for what changes us.
I'm Nina Rodriguez. Writer, speaker, podcast host, grief-informed guide, and founder of Grief and Light™.
I write about grief, life and loss, resilience, post-traumatic growth, and the ways life's hardest experiences reshape who we become. My work helps people feel seen, helps professionals communicate with greater compassion, and helps create a more grief-informed, hopeful world.
The experiences that change us forever
deserve language that is honest, compassionate, and human.
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That's why I write.
Rather than offering easy answers, I explore the complexity of grief, identity, healing, and what I call felicitreza™, the coexistence of joy and sorrow. Living in the "and" of life, where multiple truths meet.
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Whether I'm writing a personal essay, a reported feature, or contributing to a collaborative project, my goal is always to help humans feel seen.
Featured Publications
the moments that interrupt the stories we thought we'd be living.
I love writing about
Identity after loss
Post-traumatic growth
Resilience
Grief-informed leadership
Sibling Loss
Grief and Bereavement
Podcasting
Creator sustainability
The power of the pause
Life transitions
The intersection of joy and sorrow (felicitreza™)
Emotional well-being
Community
Creator profiles
Embracing life's pivots
Living in the "and" of life
The human condition
The best writing
starts with listening
As the host of Grief and Light™, I've spent years listening to people at one of the hardest moments of their lives.
Those conversations have shaped the way I approach every assignment. I ask thoughtful questions, listen for what's beneath the surface, and write with the same care I hope readers feel when they arrive on the page.
If you're looking for someone who can write about emotionally complex topics without reducing them to clichés or clickbait, we should probably connect.
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I contribute reported features, personal essays, thought leadership, collaborative book projects, expert commentary, and brand storytelling for organizations that value depth, nuance, and humanity.
Book by Dr. Tasha Faruqui who was a guest on Grief and Light
AS SEEN IN
Vibe Check
Recent sample pieces to get a feel for my writing
"What happens when grief isn't as heavy as it once was"​
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Resting Grief Face | a Substack by Grief and Light​
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A simple question sparked an unexpected conversation. Drawing from a roundtable with fellow voices in the grief and resilience space, this essay explores the quiet shift from surviving loss to living fully again.​
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"Grieving One Child, Racing to Save Another: The Docobos and the Mission of the Coats Plus Foundation"
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Get Griefy Magazine​
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Bryan and Danielle Docobo lost one son to a rare genetic disease while racing to save their other son from the same diagnosis. This feature explores their family's journey and the mission behind the Coats Plus Foundation to advance research and bring hope to others.​
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"The Hairy Chin"
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Women Who Podcast Magazine
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​A profile of Spencer Moore and the unexpected story behind The Hairy Chin, a podcast that transforms one deeply personal experience into a broader conversation about breast cancer, chronic illness, and the power of self-advocacy.
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