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It happens often; we hear people say they want or need closure. We also hear it on crime shows and true crime documentaries, too. However, what feels more accurate, and what would be a more helpful expression of what those left behind genuinely desire? Listen to this quick Q&A on closure and discover why it's unhelpful and what would be a more accurate goal to aim for when grieving. Sudden or traumatic loss (or events) often leave people wanting closure. And that desire that may never be achieved, keeping someone grieving stuck in emotional jail.  However, it doesn't have to be that way. RESOURCES: Do Grief Differently™️ _______NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? Check out my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters.Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Susana is no stranger to grief. As a young child, she was a victim of sexual abuse. As a young adult, she lost her mother, later becoming her father's caretaker, only to eventually lose him. The death of her nephew to suicide was when she realized that she could do something - that she needed to do something. Susana would put her strengths, skills, training as a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist, education in Clinical Psychology, and, more importantly, the pain of her past into purpose by serving the most vulnerable - children. Three out of four children, ages 6-17, have experienced the loss of a loved one, a loved one becoming terminally ill, or anger due to changes within the family dynamics. Susana wanted to create and provide tools for children, parents, and school districts, to help them understand themselves and their grief experience better. These tools would be developed and communicated through her book and curriculum, The Hearts Matter Project. Susana later formed her non-profit, Shielding Hearts, to help spread her work and grow her services in her community and beyond.  CONNECT: Facebook Instagram Website | SusanaMorell.com RESOURCES: Book & Curriculum | The Hearts Matter Project ShieldingHearts. org _______NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? Check out my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters.Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

The question on today's podcast is one I have heard a lot and one I've also asked myself if I'm being honest. It's normal and natural to ask ourselves questions like this, and it doesn't mean that you mean any ill will towards others. It also doesn't mean other people are "bad"; bad things should happen to them instead. I see this question as an expression of trying to make sense of tragedy or challenges. When looking at outside circumstances, when you see other people living their lives in such a way that puts them in danger or exhibits risky behavior, and nothing ever seems to happen to them, it's normal to feel angry and even self-pity. As you will hear in this week's episode, I don't have all the answers. However, I know and understand grief and the impact it has on our psyche and lives. This is just one of those questions that are difficult to answer. CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:  Instagram Website LinkedIn Facebook _______NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? Check out my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters.Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Jill's father walked out of their home when she was sixteen months old and didn't return. He died in a plane crash, and her life was forever changed. Fortunately, her mental health was of the utmost importance, having received counseling and therapy throughout her childhood and adulthood. During that time, the groundwork was being laid to prepare her, or as Jill would say, God was preparing her hands for His work. And that she did. After finding her way from making jewelry for people celebrating special occasions to creating keepsakes in memory of loved ones, she inadvertently used her story, skills, and strengths in unexpected ways - supporting people through their grief in the co-creation of jewelry. God told her it was time to turn her pain into purpose, and her non-profit, Together We Heal Community, was born in 2018. One never knows where an idea will take us. Through Jill's story, explore how she turned an idea and, more importantly, her pain into purpose. RESOURCES: Together We Heal Community Workshops & Events CONNECT: Together We Heal Community | Facebook Together We Heal Community | Instagram Jill Batiansila | LinkedIn _______NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? Check out my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters.CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:  Instagram Website LinkedIn Facebook Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

In this first Q&A episode, Ruth asks why she's struggling more with her spouse's death than the death of her parents.In my response, I share a perspective you may find helpful when considering your losses. Whether you've been married for five, fifteen, or forty years, or your parents died when you were young or in your fifties, death may finalize the physical relationship; however, the emotional relationship carries on. I'd love to answer your question on the podcast. Submit your Q to my email at victoria@theunleashedheart.com with "Q for Grieving Voices" in the subject line. I will only use your first name -- or no name if you prefer! CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:  Instagram Website LinkedIn Facebook _______NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? Check out my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters.Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

What is to come in 2023 for Grieving Voices? Tune in to this episode to find out all of the details. Before you listen, I want to share that this episode came to be after months and months of stewing and contemplation, trying to logically come to a resolution of what to do about Grieving Voices. Should I stop podcasting? Take a sabbatical? I wasn't sure, and the answer certainly was not coming to me quickly, at least one that felt entirely right. And I realize that's because I was solely relying more on logic and less on my heart. So, with focused attention and intention, I went on a silent retreat for 15 minutes (i.e., meditating without any background sound). I set an intention going into it, and the answers to the questions came to me quickly and effortlessly. If you've never tried this, I highly recommend it. I've meditated many times; however, setting an intention first adds an intangible, powerful energy to the process. Moving forward, I will be working on a project to bring how grievers turned their pain into purpose in a way that serves humanity and society as a whole. They have created a non-profit, not-for-profit, foundation, organization, or form of technology. These episodes will be "Pain to Purpose" episodes. The intention is to share these resources I find with you while bringing hope in what's possible when we embrace the pain and mold it into something new. Doing so can be so healing, not only for yourself but also for others on a bigger scale. These are stories of creating positive ripples despite the grief.GUEST REQUEST: If you have turned your pain into purpose by creating a non-profit, not-for-profit organization, foundation, or technology and are willing to share your personal story of the journey to doing so, please apply to be a guest!  Another aspect of the podcast moving forward will be to follow up with previous guests from the past two and a half years in "Where Are They Now" episodes. And finally, shorts on answering listeners' questions in "My A to Your Q" episodes. I'm not committing to an episode every Tuesday, but if there is a new episode, it will still go live on Tuesdays.  Also, listen to this week's episode, where I share some behind-the-scenes life stuff with a few lessons thrown in for good measure. I ask a question, too, that is perfect for a New Year episode! I hope you stick with me if you've been around a while or are a new listener. I'm excited to shake things up for the podcast in 2023! Let's create some 2023 magic! ✨RESOURCES: Grieving Voices Episode on STERBs Passion Planner (receive $5 off with this link! CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:  Instagram Website LinkedIn Facebook _______NEED HELP? National Suicide Preve Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

What does family mean to you? Who makes up your family? Not only those you claim by blood but those you choose, who show up when life throws curveballs? There are reasons to grieve family; the family you wish you had and even the family you may wish you didn't have, too. We can't choose our family, but we have a say in their role in our lives. And, when a family is made up of less-than-loving relationships, we can even choose to fill the needs of our hearts by choosing to have people in our lives who feel like family. Relationships are complicated enough, however, add in family dynamics, and emotions can often run high. What do you do when that happens? In this episode, I explore these questions and more! RESOURCES: Grief Programs  Energy Healing (Biofield Tuning) YouMap CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:  Instagram Website LinkedIn Facebook _______NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? Check out my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters.Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

When you fill out your calendar, do you intentionally set time aside to reflect and for introspection? Probably not. Most of us don't do so. However, as Kevin shares in this episode, doing so for his grief has made all of the difference in his life. Kevin speaks to the cumulative losses of his career, his father, his mother, and subsequent divorce. He also shares the impact of having a small nuclear family and missing out on a larger, extended family community growing up. We often don't think about how our nuclear family of origin impacts our grief. However, it has everything to do with how we respond to it. Kevin grew up, as many of us do, unable to express his grief. As a result, it manifested in different ways. That is until he discovered the work of Grief Recovery. Kevin shares his experience working with me, addressing his grief through my program Do Grief Differently. Learn through our conversation how, as a male and someone who has experienced various losses, it is possible to recover from all of the emotions that make up grief; anger, sadness, bitterness, and everything in between.RESOURCES: Entrepreneurship Lives Here Podcast Interview with Victoria Volk Bryn Edwards with Victoria Volk Podcast Interview Book, Hold On To Your Kids The Social Dilemma The Emotional Wheel Empathy | The Cost of Dying Report Do Grief Differently™️ with Victoria Volk CONNECT: YouTube LinkedIn  Instagram _______NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? Check out my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters. CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:  Instagram Website LinkedIn Facebook Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Grief is cumulative, and it's cumulatively negative. Every loss we experience stacks on top of those before it. For Genesis Amaris Kemp, attending funerals started becoming a regular occurrence. Add the loss of loved ones before the Covid pandemic (and during) to the loss of a job during the same timeframe, and it can be challenging to find solid footing. Additionally, learning, for the first time, how to advocate for a parent in the healthcare system posed its challenges during this same period. Genesis's father walked into a hospital with elevated blood sugar. Three days later, he was paralyzed from the waist down, which was later identified to have occurred from a stroke. Additionally, he endured several other complications during his hospital stay that later caused a quick decline in health and, soon after, his death.  Trying to be a caregiver during Covid proved to show the disparity and gaps in the healthcare system. In addition to the losses she endured during the pandemic, she also was laid off from her corporate job in oil and gas. Genesis shares her experience of being a young black woman in a predominantly older white demographic of employment, describing that experience and sharing how one conversation with the company VP, and the experience as a whole, was empowering, heartbreaking, and eye-opening all at the same time. The Covid Pandemic showed us where we have a lot of work and repair to do within the healthcare system and how we live and work as a society. Genesis shares the lessons she learned during this timeframe and how she's become impassioned in serving others with what she's learned. RESOURCES: GEMS Podcast GEMS Podcast Episode with Victoria  Book CONNECT: Website Instagram _______NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? Check out my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters. CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:  Instagram Website LinkedIn Facebook Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Melissa's episode embodies several different ways one may experience grief. And as she shares each story, she also provides insight into loss from her perspective as a clinical psychologist. At age 4, her older sister (age 7) died of leukemia. Melissa's earliest memories are related to her sister battling leukemia for eighteen months and being bounced from house to house while her parents were away with her older sister for her healthcare.And, once her sister died, life went on as if it had never happened. Many peers didn't even know she had a sister until she was in high school. Her sister's death was something that was not talked about. Once a young adult, grief was once again a part of her life when her grandfather passed away. It would be the first time she and her sister would begin to talk about their grief from the past and present with each other. However, grief would knock on Melissa's door not once, not twice, but five more times. When Melissa was 25, her mother died unexpectedly at age 51 of a heart attack. Even more heartbreaking in that loss was that she and her mother had had a falling out eight months before her mother's passing, only adding to her grief. Seven months later, her younger sister of a pulmonary embolism. She would then experience three miscarriages before welcoming a healthy baby boy after a challenging and trying pregnancy, where she managed to carry her son to 36 weeks gestation. Melissa goes on to share how not all grief requires medication. She provides insight into her belief around this (a belief we both share) and the four women personality types that women (moms without moms, in particular) would benefit from having in their lives. This is an episode that moms without moms (due to a myriad of circumstances) would benefit from hearing, and anyone who has experienced devastating loss or trauma as a child.RESOURCES: Free Guides CONNECT: Website  Facebook Instagram _______NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? Check out my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters. CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:  Instagram Website LinkedIn Facebook Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

We are all going to die. However, none of us know when, although some may know how (as with a terminal illness). One thing we can do for ourselves and our loved ones, not knowing when our last day will come, is to prepare for it. We will spare our loved ones from making many complex (and conflicting) decisions. You can be your own hero and that of your loved ones by taking ownership of your life as you're living and in death. Being your own hero means that sometimes, it pays to take chances and take your shot. It means advocating for yourself, creating boundaries, and accepting the consequences of your choices. It's an act of choosing what is in your best interest and of service to your well-being. Being your hero demonstrates self-love and, in turn, shows others what's possible too. No one can live your life for you; unless you do something about it, others will undoubtedly plan your exit, which may or may match your end-of-life wishes. And we are so afraid to talk about death and have these very important issues with loved ones. This begs the question, are we more afraid of dying or living?RESOURCES: Online Grief Recovery Support Group starting 11/30/2022!  ________NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? You may also enjoy my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters. CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:  Instagram Website LinkedIn Facebook Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Tim's grief was compounded by the loss of his best friend and then-wife within a year of each other. It's enough to send anyone into a tailspin as it did for Tim.  He found himself at the lowest point in his life. Grief-stricken, he found solace in a bottle until a friend asked him if he thought he had been drinking too much. From then on, he considered his path and decided to change his approach to life. Love found him where he least expected it; in the arms of the widow of his deceased best friend. He and his now wife found themselves in the same grief boat and decided to give love a chance - to give their capacity to love a chance. In this episode, Tim shares how grief from past experiences of losing the people closest to him shaped his outlook on life. Additionally, he shares how his experiences serving in the British military gave him a unique perspective on life. Love helped to turn Tim's life around. More importantly, however, his renewed hope and outlook opened his heart to life again. "Life's too short to muck about. You need to do as much as you can with what life you've got."RESOURCES: Tim Heale Podcasts | Ordinary People Extraordinary Stories CONNECT: Instagram ________NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? You may also enjoy my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters. CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:  Instagram Website LinkedIn Facebook Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

 According to Johns Hopkins, 240,000 medical error deaths occur every year. Betsy learned that when it comes to the healthcare system and being a caregiver, becoming informed and a fierce advocate is the only option. Betsy learned real-life experience about medical advocacy while her husband survived prostate cancer, only to be diagnosed with bone marrow cancer five years later. Four years after his bone marrow cancer diagnosis, he passed away. Within six months of his passing, she went against the advice generally given to widows not to make any big decisions the first year and sold her home and moved. But her move wasn't to start over or escape; rather, she was moving toward support and people who knew her. In her words, she moved to where her "colonoscopy friends" were. Once she was surrounded by everything familiar, the loss of her husband hit hard, and she sought weekly support from a grief therapist. Through that support, she navigated the devastating loss of her husband, Jack. What followed was a strong desire to write a book that could offer support to other caregivers navigating the healthcare system. Through her writing, she shares with others the lessons she learned, caregiver tips, and practical advice for becoming the best advocate you can be for your loved one. Not everyone is assertive or forward in their approach to situations. And Betsy learned that southern charm and politeness don't move others to action. She has made it her mission to help others find their own inner bulldog. Because, when it comes to those you love, or yourself, there will never be anyone who cares more than you. RESOURCES: Book | The Patient Advocacy Handbook: Empowering You to Boldly Navigate the Healthcare System The Grief Recovery Institute Grief Index Study Empathy App | The Cost of Dying Report CONNECT: Website LinkedIn ________NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? You may also enjoy my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters. CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:  Instagram Website LinkedIn Facebook Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

What do you want to happen if you are incapacitated while on your deathbed or after you die? If you don't have a will, that decision may be left up to the state.  These are big questions that often don't have answers for those who are left behind. In the most emotional moments, the family is left to make decisions that weren't theirs. Each of us has a responsibility, not only to ourselves but those who would be left behind, to address our matters before those things are left to someone else to decide for us.  With a lack of preparation, this is the position we put our loved ones in, and it happens because we have an aversion to discussing these sensitive issues with those we love.  We don't like to think about the end of our lives. However, considering we may not know when that is, preparation negates some of the pain for those left behind in the wake of loss. For those who may be struggling with terminal illness/diagnosis, it's imperative to address as many of the topics as possible that Jen and I discuss in this episode. As a lawyer and seminary-trained pastor-type who specializes in creating wills and trusts for families, this is one conversation everyone needs to hear. Jen creates comprehensive plans through her values-based approach and helps clients reflect on their legacies and relationships.In this episode, you will learn the two mistakes most people make regarding estate planning and much more! RESOURCES: Ep 40 | Dr. Chris Kerr AfterCloud App INELDA CONNECT:  Business Website Personal Website LinkedIn ________NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? You may also enjoy my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters. CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:  Instagram Website LinkedIn Facebook Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

There are two camps of grievers; those who talk about their grief and share their stories and those who keep their grief and stories hidden. Regardless of the camp, you find yourself in, there is one common denominator that is often present with most, if not all, grievers - anger.There is a caveat to sharing your story, though. As we look for meaning in our experiences, including those that cause us grief, we can find ourselves repeating the story without ever getting into how the experience made us feel. Depending on the grief experience, we may disassociate ourselves from those experiences, never feeling the feelings, and recite what happened when speaking our stories to others as if it were a recipe card. Repeating only the story does nothing to help us move forward in our lives -- to move beyond the story. Anger adds to the feeling of powerlessness over something that cannot be changed or undone. It can impact our spirituality, too. And, if we pay attention to when anger shows up for us, it informs us where our attention to the pain needs to be. Over time, anger resulting from grief can chip away at our souls, our spirituality, and the essence of who we are. However, through Kim, Scott, and Christian's stories, we learn how sitting in the emotional pain (and the anger) can be the fuel and the catalyst for change and growth.If you are struggling with your grief, listen to this episode and then take a moment to reflect on your spirituality, anger, and the story you have lived. What has your grief (and anger) been trying to tell you?  ________NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? You may also enjoy my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters. CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:  Instagram Website LinkedIn Facebook Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Christian is one of nine children born and raised in Cuba during turbulent times and in the Catholic faith. His parents instilled in him the importance of excelling and reading. These early lessons laid a foundation. However, those lessons also set the stage for a desire to escape and not be seen. Introversion and depression plagued his adolescence, as was his knowledge of being gay. With courage, he came out to his family. Christian speaks about this challenging time in his life and the ones that came to be in the future, including the recent (and unexpected) decline of his mother's cognitive health.Through his breath and deep, internal work, Christian paved a path to personal empowerment and now leads others in doing the same. Through the lens of 30+ years of experience, he shares two of the biggest hurdles others have to personal freedom and empowerment.RESOURCES: Website Book | Awakening the Soul of Power: How to Live Heroically and Set Yourself Free CONNECT:  Instagram Facebook ________NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? You may also enjoy my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters. CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:  Instagram Website LinkedIn Facebook Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Less than 1% of Americans serve in the U.S. military. That leaves 99% of Americans who will never understand the cost of serving their country, particularly during wartime. Scott shares his path to emotional freedom from the scars of war after deploying to Afghanistan with his brother, Steven. Rather than Scott celebrating homecoming with his brother, he accompanied Steven, killed in action, in a casket draped with the American flag.Although Scott was scheduled to return to Afghanistan two short weeks after his brother's funeral, the mayor of Connecticut declared that he would not return to duty with his National Guard unit in Afghanistan because the family should have to endure the potential of another loss. But there is so much more to Scott's story. Because coming home after being in a war, doesn't necessarily feel like you're home. Scott put his grief to the side and picked up anger, and over the years, his grief ate away the core of his very being. He became someone he didn't recognize. His drinking got out of control, along with his anger, and he realized he could no longer go it alone and sought support.Like many grievers and veterans, Scott thought he was doing okay after a couple of years of therapy and stopped going. However, a life-threatening event with his spouse would occur, and he would later find his old patterns resurfacing. He sought support again and learned that growth and healing are ongoing processes.Whether you've served in the military, know or love someone who is serving or has served, or not, please listen to Scott's story. It may help bring a deeper understanding of the scars and costs of war - and America's 1%.RESOURCES: Podcast | Drive On Podcast Book | Surviving Son: An Afghanistan War Veteran Reveals His Nightmare Of Becoming A Gold Star Brother Veteran Resources CONNECT:  Instagram Facebook Twitter The real divide in the U.S. is that only one percent of us fight in war, and the rest don't understand the true cost of conflict. - an op-ed piece by "60 Minutes" producer Henry Schuster, Operation Proper Exit ______NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you or anyone you know is struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? You may also enjoy my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters. CONNECT WITH Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Every human being experiences trauma to some degree. We don't have to experience "Big T Traumas" for those experiences to leave an imprint on our hearts and bodies. At age 5, Kimberly had such an experience after witnessing her father physically abuse her mother while she and her older sibling were present. And, because they were in a vehicle, there was nowhere to run or hide. Afterward, her father dropped off her mother and sibling at a family member's home. On the other hand, Kimberly was taken by her father to sleep elsewhere and away from her family, with terror in her body and fear in her heart. From that day forward, Kimberly's life changed forever. Kimberly was left in the care of her father's sister and husband, where Kimberly went from a family unit of four and an older sibling she adored to becoming an only child. She became estranged from her immediate biological family in an instant. Her older sister remained with their parents and experienced the addition of more siblings that came along over the years that Kim had no part of, too, which only added to her grief over the years.Defining moments like these shape the rest of our lives and impact who we become and how we show up in the world. Kimberly had to learn how to build her self-esteem, that self-love is the best love, and that she was worthy of love no matter what she did or didn't do for others. Kimberly shares a lesson her adopted father shared with her: "Stand for something, or you'll fall for anything." I believe Kimberly did just that by finding and sharing her voice. RESOURCES: Book, The Epitome of Kimmy: Accept & Embrace It All Website (Free Affirmations) CONNECT: Facebook  ______NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you or anyone you know is struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? You may also enjoy my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters. 💛 Would you like to Learn Your Energy Type? Free Quiz ➡️ HERE! ⬅️ SUPPORT THE SHOW: Rate & Review: Apple Podcasts Purchase Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

People say you have to move on or that you should "be over it by now." However, no one tells you or shows you how to do it. For me, after struggling to get beyond the pain of my trauma and losses for 30+ years, the Grief Recovery Method was the how. Naysayers and doubters are welcome. 🤗 I was a skeptic, too. How could a process or method help me move on from the pain after sitting in it for 30+ years? I went into it with some doubt, convinced I would, at the very least, learn new tools, knowledge, and information I could use to help others. However, what I got was so much more. The program and my experience through it (albeit emotionally challenging and, at times, draining) exceeded my expectations. In this week's episode, I explore the phrase "How To Grieve..." We all find our way through the messiness of life and the grief that comes with it. However, what if there was an evidence-based process that cuts through the crap, gets to the heart of the story of what happened (the emotion and what's emotionally incomplete as a result), and brings with it peace within at the end of it. What would that experience be worth to you? Furthermore, what is doing nothing, or what you've always done, costing you? RESOURCES: NPR Article Do Grief Differently™️ Ep 115 | Martika Whylly Ep 116 | Reid Peterson Ep 117 | Phil Cohen Virgin River  ______NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you or anyone you know is struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? You may also enjoy my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters.💛 Would you like to Learn Your Energy Type? Free Quiz ➡️ HERE! ⬅️ SUPPORT THE SHOW: Rate & Review: Apple Podcasts Purchase my published book about my grief journey. CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:  Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

They say it's unnatural to lose a child. And, there's no word for a parent who has lost a child other than griever, which somehow doesn't embody all a parent experiences—much less childless parents. What is a word for a parent whose only child dies? As it turns out, there's maybe only one that might describe that inconsolable feeling - lost.  Phil found himself lost in an ocean of tears after his only son, Perry, 14 1/2 years old, and his friend became victims of a storm that came out of nowhere while fishing on their 19' fishing boat off the Jupiter inlet in Jupiter, Florida. It was a beautiful summer day that turned treacherous on July 24th, 2015, and it was a day that changed the trajectory of Phil's life forever, as grief does. The waves and tides of the ocean are often an analogy used for grief. There is irony in Phil's story of how he lost his only son, never to be found. However, what Phil did find was his voice, a calling in his pain, and lessons in the heartache along the way. Phil lives his life as if it were a love letter, continually being written to his beloved and only son. Although it's a letter, he would rather not be (metaphorically) writing, and he would change that day if he could, knowing that healing is the only thing he can do about it. Phil has chosen to listen to his son's voice, which he believes he heard one night while crying alone: "Get up, dad!" May this episode inspire others, especially if you've lost a child, to come to terms with what happened and what you cannot change, and dare to GET UP and do something about it now. RESOURCES: TEDx Talk | When I Lost My Only Child The work of Elisabeth Kubler Ross | The Five Stages of Grief® CONNECT: Website LinkedIn Facebook  ______NEED HELP? National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor If you or anyone you know is struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are HERE. Are you enjoying the podcast? You may also enjoy my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters.💛 Would you like to Learn Your Energy Type? Free Quiz ➡️ HERE! ⬅️ CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:  Instagram Website LinkedIn Facebook Support the show This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.