In this episode of the Half Betty Podcast, Suzanne (Zanne) Hollingshead joins Andrea and Krista for an honest and moving conversation about loss, resilience, and finding purpose through life’s hardest seasons. Zanne shares her experience of losing her mother as a child and her sister in midlife, and how navigating these profound losses became a catalyst for transformation.
She talks about how her journey through grief led her to create supportive communities for motherless children, adults navigating loss, and women moving through perimenopause and menopause. Zanne’s story highlights the power of facing grief with courage, building connection, and turning personal hardship into advocacy. This episode is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is support, understanding, and a path toward meaning and hope.
Bio
Zanne Hollingshead is a trauma-informed well-being advocate, certified life coach, and community-builder with a deeply personal connection to her work. Trained through Martha Beck’s Wayfinder Life Coaching program and certified in Mother Loss Support through Claire Bidwell Smith and Hope Edelman’s professional program, Zanne specializes in supporting individuals and groups navigating loss, grief, and the transitions that arrive with midlife.
Her own experiences - losing her mother as a child, her sister in midlife, and dear friends along the way - inform her compassionate approach and the communities she has built. Zanne walks alongside her clients and participants with insight, care, and practical tools, helping them navigate life’s challenges while creating space for healing, growth, and new beginnings.
In collaboration with New York Times bestselling author Hope Edelman, Zanne co-facilitates weekly Motherless Daughters Community Calls and leads 12-week Support Circles for early childhood, adolescent, and young adult mother loss - programs she helped develop in 2023. Through her work, Zanne is dedicated to making sure no one facing grief or life transitions has to navigate them alone.
Growingthroughit.life
midlifemagic.community
Zanne’s Five Words+
References
We know the conversations in this episode may bring up strong emotions around grief, loss, and mental health. If you or someone you love is struggling, please know you don’t have to face it alone.
If you’re listening from another part of the world, we encourage you to seek out local support - whether that’s a healthcare provider, community organization, or someone you trust. You are not alone, and reaching out for help is a brave and important step.
Women's midlife health resources:
Dr Lisa Mosconi PhD- Neuroscientist, Author of The Menopause Brain
Tamsen Fadal - Journalist, Women's Midife Advocate, Journalist
Dr. Kelly Casperson MD - Urologist, Women's Midife Physician
Dr Kudzai Dombo MD - GYN, Women's Midlife Physician
Dr Sharon Malone MD - Menopause Expert, Chief Medical Advisor
Alloy Women's Health Online Medicine Platform
Dr. Jayne Morgan, MD, Cardiologist and Vice President of Medical Affairs, at Hello Heart
Instagram
Hello Heart
Midi
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Founder/Host: Andrea Rathborne
Creative Producer/Co-Host: Krista Gruen
Editors: Andrea Rathborne & Krista Gruen
Audio Engineer: Ryan Clarke
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