There’s a moment many grieving parents experience, but rarely say out loud.
A moment where laughter returns, or a sense of lightness breaks through… and almost immediately, it’s followed by guilt.
In this episode, Bruce and Kristin explore the complex and often conflicting emotions that arise when joy reenters life after child loss. Why does happiness feel like betrayal? Why do we question our right to feel anything other than grief?
Through personal stories, including Bruce’s first unexpected laugh after loss and Kristin’s experience during a pregnancy after losing her son, this conversation gently unpacks the tension between love, loyalty, and healing.
They talk about:
• The emotional “whiplash” of joy and guilt
• The pressure to appear visibly sad
• The fear of forgetting, or being seen as “over it”
• How grief and joy can exist side by side, not in opposition
• And the slow, often reluctant permission to live again
If you’ve ever felt guilty for smiling, laughing, or simply feeling okay… this episode is for you.
Joy is not a betrayal.
It’s love, continuing to find a way forward.
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