Shows
Grief is a Sneaky BitchMary-Frances O'Connor | Tending to Our Grieving BodyMary-Frances O’Connor is one of the foremost experts on the impact of grief on the brain and the body. That’s why host Lisa Keefauver was thrilled to welcome her back to the podcast for a second time to discuss her latest book The Grieving Body: How the Stress of Loss Can Be an Opportunity for Healing. Just as Mary-Frances did in her book, she combines fascinating science, intimate storytelling, and her generous heart to help us better understand the physiological impact of the stressors of grief. Some of the themes explored include: Stress is a sig...2025-04-291h 12
Grief is a Sneaky BitchSerene Meshel-DillmanWelcome Serene Meshel-Dillman to the show. In this episode, host Lisa Keefauver engages in a profound conversation with Serene - a producer and filmmaker, about her documentary series 'Take Me Out Feet First.' now playing on Amazon Prime. – is a poignant documentary series delving into the deeply personal journeys of 25 terminally ill individuals as they navigate their end-of-life decisions and explore their options. They explore personal experiences of loss, the cultural context of grief, and the importance of discussing medical aid in dying. The conversation highlights the need for agency and dignity in end-of-life choices, emphasizing the significance of...2025-04-2148 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchConsolee Nishimwe & Barbara Becker | Pain, Resilience, & HopeConsolée Nishimwe and Barbara Becker joined host Lisa Keefauver for this powerful episode. In this episode, these friends explore the profound themes of grief, trauma, and resilience. They discuss Consolée's experiences as a survivor of the Rwandan genocide, and the importance of empathy and storytelling in the healing process. The conversation highlights the significance of creating safe spaces for vulnerability and the role of community support in navigating pain and hope. Consolee opens up about her journey of healing through storytelling, the transformation of her identity after trauma, and the importance of breaking the stigma surrounding HIV an...2025-04-081h 40
GRIEF AND LIGHTUncensoring Grief, Centering Aliveness, and Navigating Loss with Lisa Keefauver, MSWHow can we center aliveness in a world full of loss?In this heartfelt conversation, host Nina Rodriguez and grief activist, TEDx speaker, podcast host, and author, Lisa Keefauver, MSW dive into the complexities of grief, offering insights on grief literacy and the personal experiences that shape how we process loss. They explore the emotional impact of grief, highlighting the gap between learning about grief and living through it.The discussion unpacks the nuances of emotions, feelings, and moods, shedding light on how understanding these distinctions can support healing. Lisa shares...2025-03-1859 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchSundari Malcolm | Grief GemsSundari Malcolm, a Birth, Grief, and Death Doula, joined host Lisa Keefauver for this episode. In 2007, at 27 years old, and after 7 years of being her Caregiver, Sundari Malcolm lost her mother to Breast Cancer. 4 years later, her father died from the complications of Brain Cancer.Those experiences redirected her life, and she's made it her mission to equip people with the tools they need to manage life’s greatest transitions. This conversation travels topics deep and wide from friendship loss, the role of caregiving for one parent, to grieving a complicated relationship with the...2025-03-121h 12
Grief is a Sneaky BitchCole Imperi | Non-Clinical Approach to GrievingCole Imperi, a clinically trained chaplain and thanatologist joins host Lisa Keefauver to explore the multifaceted nature of grief. They explore the importance of grief literacy, the role of community support, and the cultural perspectives that shape our understanding of loss. Cole shares her experiences working with incarcerated individuals and discusses the concept of shadow losses, emphasizing the need for compassion and understanding in grief. The conversation highlights the significance of rituals, vulnerability, and the importance of building supportive communities for those navigating grief. MORE ABOUT GUESTCole Imperi is a thanatologist, author, an...2025-03-041h 08
Grief is a Sneaky BitchOlivia Abousaid | Finding Agency in GriefOlivia Abousaid joins host Lisa Keefauver for a profound conversation about the complexities of grief, particularly in the context of community, chronic illness, and cultural influences. They explore personal experiences of grief, the importance of rituals, the role of anger, and the necessity of finding agency amidst ongoing loss. The discussion emphasizes the significance of community support, the power of letter writing as a tool for processing grief, and the balance between experiencing joy and sorrow. Ultimately, the episode serves as a reminder that grief is a shared human experience that requires connection, understanding, and compassion. Our conversation traverses...2025-02-251h 16
Grief is a Sneaky BitchSusan Lieu | The Manicurist's DaughterSusan Lieu is a multi-hyphenate storyteller, activist, and author helping people live the stories they’ve always wanted. Her award-winning solo show 140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother evolved into her debut and truly extraordinary memoir, The Manicurist’s Daughter. In this episode we explore the complexities of grief beliefs shaped by family dynamics, the silence surrounding loss, and the impact of cultural context on mourning. Susan reflects on her mother's legacy, the circumstances of her death, and the cascading losses that followed, including shifts in family structure and identity. The conversation highlights the importance of being seen and hear...2025-02-051h 10
Grief is a Sneaky BitchSusan Grau | Infinite Life, Infinite LessonsIn this episode we discuss internationally celebrated celebrity intuitive medium Susan Grau’s new remarkable book, Infinite Life, Infinite Lessons. It is a deep dive into the soul's journey, offering insights into healing from grief and the afterlife. Susan shares her early memories of trauma and loss and the profound impact of her near-death experience. Our conversation delves into the definitions of spirit and soul, and how these concepts relate to our understanding of life and death. Susan explains what she’s experienced and learned about the spiritual connections that persist beyond death, the role of angels and guides, and...2025-01-281h 11
Grief is a Sneaky BitchAllison Gilbert | The Joy of ConnectionsEmmy Award-Winning journalist and author, Allison Gilbert, joined host Lisa Keefauver for an important conversation on the intersections of grief, joy, and loneliness. They dive deep into the lessons from Allison's latest book, 'The Joy of Connections: 100 Ways to Beat Loneliness and Live a Happier and More Meaningful Life.' co-authored with the late Dr. Ruth Westheimer. They explore early experiences of grief, the importance of peer support, and the tough love lessons from her co-author, Dr. Ruth Westheimer. The conversation delves into defining joy, the structure of their book, and the significance of communicating needs in relationships. They a...2025-01-211h 09
Grief is a Sneaky BitchJamie Thrower | Creativity in the EndPlease welcome my wonderful friend, Jamie Thrower to the show. They are a Creative, Death Doula and founder of the Queer Grief Club. This episode is all about the intersections of grief, art, and community. Jamie and Lisa explore how personal experiences with loss shape grief beliefs, the importance of creative expression in processing grief, and the need for safe spaces for grieving individuals, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community. Jamie shares their journey of using photography and art as tools for mindfulness and connection, emphasizing the significance of community in navigating grief. Jamie explores their own losses, including a...2025-01-071h 03
Grief is a Sneaky BitchDomenica Feraud | Exploring Grief On StageDoménica Feraud joined host Lisa Keefauver for a conversation about her play 'Someone Spectacular' and the experience of creating a play about grief. They discuss the early lessons about grief that Doménica learned from her parents, the losses she experienced as a child, and the impact of those losses on her understanding of grief. Doménica shares how her close relationship with her mother, Nathalie, shaped her identity and how her mother's sudden death led her to write the play. They also touch on the importance of open conversations about grief and the struggles of navigating life aft...2024-12-101h 15
Grief is a Sneaky BitchJessica Waite | The Widow's Guide to Dead BastardsJessica Waite, author of The Widow’s Guide to Dead Bastards is my guest in this thought-provoking episode. We explore the complexities of grief, betrayal, and healing through Jessica's personal journey as a widow. We discuss early memories of loss, the impact of mental health on relationships, and the importance of processing anger and forgiveness. Jessica shares her experiences with writing as a healing tool and the societal expectations surrounding grief. Our conversation emphasizes the significance of intuition, agency, and the need for compassion in navigating the aftermath of betrayal and loss. ABOUT THE GUEST...2024-12-031h 16
Grief is a Sneaky BitchSpecial Episode #1 | Lisa Keefauver & Co-Host Kousha NavidarAnswering your grief questions LIVE in this SPECIAL EPISODE of Grief is a Sneaky Bitch, with co-host Kousha Navidar. Co-host Kousha introduces 4 callers (Sachi, Robin, Bethany, and Sabrina) to Host Lisa Keefauver as she answers their questions in real time. They explore themes of compounding grief, the importance of communication in expressing needs, and the role of movement and rituals in processing loss. The conversation emphasizes the duality of experiencing joy amidst grief and the necessity of self-compassion in navigating the grieving process. Listeners are encouraged to find their own paths through grief, recognizing that there is no right w...2024-11-2655 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchAlica Forneret | Mother Loss & MotherhoodI’m thrilled to share that today’s guest is Alica Forneret. You might recognize her name as her writing and work about grief, work, and race have been featured in The The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Psychology Today, Huffington Post, GQ, and more. She is also an educator, speaker, and consultant dedicated to creating new spaces for people to explore grief and grieving. She is the Founder and Executive Director of PAUSE, a nonprofit focused on supporting Communities of Color through grief and end of life. In this episode, we explore some...2024-11-191h 12
Grief is a Sneaky BitchDr. Joanne Cacciatore | Bearing the UnbearableDr. Joanne Cacciatore is an expert in traumatic grief and she is also a bereaved mother. The conversation today is wide and deep exploring themes including: traumatic grief, the loss of a child, the healing practices and rituals required to metabolize loss, the ways in which our culture makes navigating the messy non-linear path of grief unnecessarily difficult, and so much more. Her best selling book, Bearing the Unbearable: Love, Loss, and the Heartbreaking Path of Grief, is one of my all-time favorite books on loss and a national award winning best seller that has helped revolutionize the way o...2024-10-291h 10
Grief is a Sneaky BitchTembi Locke | From ScratchKicking off Season 6 of the show, actress and author Tembi Locke shares her experience of grief and the lessons she learned after the death of her husband. She discusses the importance of bringing awareness to grief and the opportunity it provides for connection and aliveness. She emphasizes the need to hold both the pain of loss and the joy of the person's life. Tembi also talks about the impact her husband had on her and the importance of sharing stories and memories of loved ones. In this conversation, Lisa Keefauver and Tembi Locke discuss the daily challenges of grief...2024-10-2257 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchJessica Fein | Breath TakingJessica Fein has faced a lot of loss. Siblings, parents, and in 2022 her daughter Dalia. At the age of five Jessica’s daughter Dalia was diagnosed with a rare degenerative disease that would claim her life at 17. Before that moment came, and inspired by Dalia’s own insuppressible zest for life, Jessica and her family would discover how to live in the present when the future can’t be fixed. In our conversation today, and in her beautiful book, Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes, Jessica maps both her journey to becoming an adoptive mom and th...2024-05-241h 14
Grief is a Sneaky BitchHuman, Not Superhero (Episode Revisit) | Hui-Wen SatoI’m inviting you to revisit a very special conversation I had from Season 4 of this podcast with my guest pediatric ICU nurse, Hui-Wen Sato.Why? Well something absolutely crazy and horrible happened to the both of us shortly after we recorded that episode in November 2022. Just over 2 months later, on January 20th 2023, we BOTH received a Breast Cancer Diagnosis. On the EXACT SAME DAY. You'll hear a compelling new intro about the friendship that formed and of course have a chance to listen or re-listen to the profound wisdom Hui-Wen shares in our conversation.2024-05-071h 22
Grief is a Sneaky BitchJ.S. Park | As Long As You NeedMy guest today J.S. (Joon) Park is a hospital chaplain. Some of the other descriptions he uses for himself include: former atheist/agnostic, sixth degree black belt, suicide survivor, Korean-American, and follower of Christ. He is the author of a profoundly insightful, and at times poetic new book, As Long As You Need: Permission to Grieve. It’s part hospital chaplain experience and part memoir.In this episode, Joon shares a bit about his personal journey from growing up in a home with violence and a martial arts dojo to becoming a hospital chaplain, highlighting the...2024-04-301h 15
Grief is a Sneaky BitchRonit Plank | When She Comes BackToday, Ronit plank is a successful writer of fiction and non-fiction, an editor, a podcast host of not 1 but 2 shows, and a teacher. But long before she became all those things, she was a young girl born on a Kibbutz in Israel, shuffled across the globe to Seattle by 2 unhappily married parents. Soon after, her father left to start a new family on the east coast. And then the following year, her mother dropped her and her younger sister on his doorstep - announcing she was headed to India. Her mother was sad and lost a...2024-04-091h 19
Grief is a Sneaky BitchAlua Arthur | Briefly Perfectly HumanWe’re all just briefly perfectly human. That’s the profound reminder from our guest today, Alua Arthur. If we are brave enough to allow this truth be at the center of awareness in our day-to-day lives, Alua argues we could live a fuller, more compassionate, and even magic-filled existence. In our conversation today, and in her adventure-filled and beautifully honest memoir, Briefly Perfectly Human, she helps us see how we can make an authentic life by getting real about the end. Alua Arthur is a death doula, recovering attorney, and the fo...2024-04-021h 05
Grief is a Sneaky BitchNikki Mark | Tommy's Field5 years ago, while today’s guest, Nikki Mark, was driving her 12-year-old son, Tommy, to a soccer game, he turned to her and asked, “Mom, is it possible to go to sleep and not wake up?” Nikki told him that’s how one of his grandmothers passed away: “it’s the best way to go-no pain, no drama.” He surprised Nikki further by stating, “It must be hard for a parent to lose a child.” Something told her in that car ride to tell him all the things she loved about him. Three days later, Tommy passed away in his sleep. There's...2024-03-271h 12
Grief is a Sneaky BitchPeter Levine | Somatic ExperiencingI’m thrilled to share my conversation with Peter A. Levine, the renowned developer of Somatic Experiencing - a naturalistic and neurobiological approach to healing trauma, which he has developed over the past 50 years. He holds a Medical and Biological Physics doctorate from the University of California at Berkeley and a doctorate in Psychology from International University. He is the recipient of four lifetime achievement awards and is the author of several books, including Waking the Tiger, which has now been printed in 33 countries and has sold over a million copies. His memoir, An Autobiography of Trauma: A Healing Jo...2024-03-191h 13
Grief is a Sneaky BitchClaire Bidwell Smith | Invitation to Conscious GrievingIn this episode, I bring you my conversation with the wise and warm grief therapist and author, Claire Bidwell Smith.There are some common themes most grievers experience, regardless of the source of their loss. These include things like a loss of self-identity, heightened feelings of guilt, time spent ruminating on the what ifs, and increased anxiety and fear. What makes these typical experiences even more challenging is that they are so rarely named by others, or shown in media, and so we often feel even further isolated from the world and uncertain how to get...2024-03-051h 13
Grief is a Sneaky BitchDevin Moss | You Are Loved. You Are Not AloneMy conversation with guest Devin Moss was so rich and expansive, from our shared passion for the big existential questions to his rich and complex podcast series, Momento Mori (that dives deep into mortality), to his unexpected journey to becoming a Humanist Chaplain. He shares one of the most unique experiences of a bedside death I’ve ever heard. Soon after becoming certified Devin said yes to a request from an inmate on death row to have a non-theist chaplain accompany him in his final months on earth. Devin Sean Moss is a Humanist (nontheist) Cha...2024-02-271h 35
Grief is a Sneaky BitchDarnell Lamont Walker | Toward Healing & HappinessDarnell Lamont Walker joined me for an expansive conversation in this episode - from the questions you might want to ask yourself and others in life instead of waiting until death’s door, to the complex and layered experiences of grief and loss in the Black community, to the power of creativity and play as a tool of healing. Darnell is an Emmy-Nominated children's television writer who understands the power of representation and joy, creating content in hopes that all children get the opportunity to not only see themselves, but see how incredible they are and...2024-02-201h 05
Grief is a Sneaky BitchAsa Merritt | Six SermonsAs my guest, Asa Merritt knows, it's important that we see, hear, experience a wider expanse of grief stories that show the messy, beautiful, dynamic experience of a wide variety of losses. That’s why I’m thrilled to share my recent conversation with him. In his most recent project, Six Sermons, a new Audible Original series starring Stephanie Hsu from Everything Everywhere All At Once, Asa spent a month embedded with a team of pastors at a Lutheran church in Cincinnati, OH. Six Sermons is dedicated to the actor and musician Caz Liske, who died by s...2024-02-141h 09
Grief is a Sneaky BitchHonoring Your Not All Better Yet Days | Bonus Interactive EpisodeIn this interactive bonus episode, host Lisa Keefauver invites listeners to reflect on the importance of honoring or creating ritual for the anniversaries of the day their lives changed - even when they're “not all better yet.” This episode emerged after the overwhelming feedback she received from an essay she recently shared called “Honoring the ‘Not All Better Yet’ Anniversaries” about the one-year anniversary of her Breast Cancer Diagnosis. In this episode, listeners are:Guided through a compassion meditation,Invited to hold space for Lisa’s story of honoring the anniversary of her Breast Cancer diagnosis...2024-02-0739 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchJ.J. Duncan | Stories Create OpeningsMy guest, J.J. Duncan, knows firsthand both professionally and personally how powerful storytelling is and the openings they create. She is an award-winning television producer, writer, advocate, and co-founder of the nonprofit, “Not Today Cancer,” which raises funds for childhood cancer research. J.J. is widely known in the entertainment industry as an Executive Producer and Showrunner of such hits as Project Runway, and The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, among others. After losing her eleven-year-old son Mason to leukemia, J.J. also became known as a childhood cancer advocate, using her influence as a to...2024-01-301h 24
Grief is a Sneaky BitchGina Moffa | Moving On Doesn't Mean Letting GoMy guest, Gina Moffa, author of Moving On Doesn't Mean Letting Go: A Modern Guide to Navigating Loss, is a licensed grief and trauma psychotherapist and mental health educator in New York City. In practice for two decades, Gina helps people seeking treatment for trauma, grief, as well as challenging life experiences and transitions.Whether we’re grieving a death loss, the end of a friendship, a breakup or an ambiguous loss, 100% of us experience grief. Yet so many of us feel stuck because the old ways of thinking of grief don’t align with what we k...2024-01-231h 12
Grief is a Sneaky BitchSteph Sarazin | SoulbrokenMy guest, Stephanie Sarazin, is a writer, researcher, and ambiguous grief guide. In this episode, as in her award-winning book Soulbroken: A Guidebook for Your Journey Through Ambiguous Grief, she shares how her work began. After experiencing her own mid-life trauma, she embarked on an ambitious journey - spiritually and around the world—to understand, name, and heal the grief she found within her. Her efforts revealed a first-of-its-kind definition for “ambiguous grief,” whereby grief is onset by the loss of a loved one who is still living and wherein the experience of hope presents as a stag...2024-01-161h 18
Grief is a Sneaky BitchMeghan Riordan Jarvis | End of the HourIn her extraordinarily honest and beautiful memoir, End of the Hour, and in our conversation in this episode, Meghan Riordan Jarvis lays bare her experience of PTSD following the deaths of both of her parents within two years of each other. Meghan’s story and perspective is unique as she has spent the past 20+ years as a psychotherapist specializing in trauma, grief, and loss. She opens about her unraveling and the necessary courage it took to check herself into the same inpatient trauma center she had sent clients to over her career. You are going to love Meghan’s hones...2024-01-091h 20
Grief is a Sneaky BitchSally Douglas & Imogen Carn | Good MourningSally Douglas and Imogen Carn met during the saddest time in both their lives, after the sudden deaths of both of their mothers. That’s when they had the lightbulb moment to start the Good Mourning podcast, and the rest is history. From their first recording on Sal’s sofa to 100 episodes, a top podcast and a global community that reaches over 100 thousand people each month, it’s been an incredible journey. They’ve helped each other to higher, happier ground, becoming soul sisters, pod-wives and co-authors in the process. Hosts of the successful podcast Good Mour...2024-01-021h 06
Grief is a Sneaky BitchWendy MacNaughton | How to Say GoodbyeAs artist-in-residence at the Zen Hospice Project Guest House in San Francisco, Wendy MacNaughton witnessed firsthand how difficult it is to know what to do when we’re sharing final moments with a loved one. In this tenderly illustrated guide to saying goodbye, MacNaughton shows how to make sure those moments are meaningful. Using a framework of “the five things” taught to her by a professional caregiver, How to Say Goodbye provides a model for having conversations of love, respect, and closure: with the words “I forgive you,” “Please forgive me,” “Thank you,” “I love you,” and “Goodbye,” each oriented toward finding mutu...2023-12-191h 16
Grief is a Sneaky BitchBrennan Wood | Children and GriefAbout Episode & Guest I think we can all agree that children and grief are two words we wish would never have to go together. Yet we do live in that world and the challenge we face is that we live in a culture that is grief avoidant which makes it difficult for us to know how to offer meaningful and age-appropriate support. The good news is that today’s guest, Brennan Wood, Executive Director of the Dougy Center is here to help. The center’s mission is to provide grief support in a s...2023-12-121h 14
Grief is a Sneaky BitchLisa Keefauver | My Season With CancerIn this final episode of the season, host Lisa Keefauver takes listeners behind-the-scenes. But instead of recapping the incredible conversations she had with 17 guests this season - from Sunita Puri to Colin Campbell to Cyndie Spiegel and so many more, she's offering you a behind-the-scenes peek into her life off the air. Lisa opens up about this season of her life - living with Breast Cancer. Lisa gets deeply personal in the hopes that we can learn, grow, and navigate grief, together. In response to the aloneness and disconnection grievers often feel, Lisa guides listeners t...2023-10-1037 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchColin Campbell | Finding the WordsMy guest, Colin Campbell is a writer and director for theater and film. He’s also written a truly powerful and personal exploration of grief, in his book, Finding The Words. In our conversation today, Colin shares his experience of losing both his children, Ruby and Hart when a drunk driver hit their car and changed a pleasant family outing into the worst day imaginable. He addresses the fear, pain, denial, guilt, rage, despair, and isolation that accompanies grief. You will also hear us explore the profound power of rituals and the impact of our words as we move fo...2023-05-091h 11
Grief is a Sneaky BitchRabbi Steve Leder | For You When I'm GoneI’m thrilled to bring you my conversation with Rabbi Steve Leder. Steve is the senior rabbi of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles. He is the author of five books and in our conversation today, we explore his latest: For You When I Am Gone: Twelve Essential Questions to Tell a Life Story. We explored so much from the wisdom we gain in the wake of loss, to the most important gifts we can give others – both in our lives and in our deaths. Spoiler alert, it’s not our money, ou...2023-05-021h 09
Grief is a Sneaky BitchMichelle Hord | The Other Side of YetMedia Executive Michelle Hord, was no stranger to trauma. Having started her professional career as an award-winning producer on America’s Most Wanted, she expertly guided families through every facet of unthinkable crisis. Later, she covered heartbreaking stories while working at The Oprah Winfrey Show and Good Morning America. She sat with survivors of the unimaginable. When the unimaginable struck at home, when her daughter was murdered, her world changed forever.In our conversation, just like in her beautiful book, The Other Side of Yet, Michelle has culled lessons learned from mental health experts, therapists, spiritual leader...2023-04-251h 09
Grief is a Sneaky BitchCyndie Spiegel | MicrojoysWhat I quickly discovered in my conversation with my guest, Cyndie Spiegel today is that we are kindred spirits. We went deep and wide. We cussed. We laughed. We reflected on the both/and of life and loss and how microjoys are the gift we need in these times. Don’t worry, this isn’t toxic positivity, It’s the opposite. Microjoys invites us to make space for all the feels, including the accessible moments of joy that might be hiding in plain sight. I can’t wait for you to meet her. EPISODE RESOURCES:2023-04-181h 06
Grief is a Sneaky BitchFatema Jivanjee-Shakir, LMSW | Body GriefMy guest in this episode is Fatema Jivanjee-Shakir. We met in 2022 when we were serving together on a Mental Health Panel for a large corporate event. The minute I heard her talk about the experiences of body grief, I knew instantly that I had a lot to learn from her and that my listeners did too. That’s why I’m thrilled to be sharing our conversation with you in this episode. She helps us understand the impact of culture on our sense of self and our body-image. We explore some of the many causes of body grief as well...2023-04-041h 09
Grief is a Sneaky BitchSunita Puri, MD | That Good NightSunita Puri is a Palliative Medicine physician and author of the incredible book That Good Night: Life and Medicine in the Eleventh Hour, a critically-acclaimed literary memoir examining her journey to the practice of palliative medicine, and her quest to help patients and families redefine what it means to live and die well in the face of serious illness. In this episode, she explores her experiences in palliative medicine, the role of spirituality and the sacred practice of accompanying someone in their pain and suffering, what it means to have a good death, and so much more. Just like i...2023-03-211h 02
Grief is a Sneaky BitchMary-Frances O'Connor | This is Your Brain on GriefMary-Frances O’Connor is my special guest in this episode. I devoured her book, The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss last year and knew I needed to have a conversation with the author on this show. I’m grateful to share that late last year, I had the honor of sitting down with Mary-Frances to explore the fascinating work she has been doing studying the Grieving Brain. I’m 100% confident you will learn so much and appreciate the warmth and wisdom she brings to this conversation. EPIS...2023-03-101h 06
Grief is a Sneaky BitchKrissy Teegerstrom | I Was Already EverythingIn today’s episode, I explore the creative response to loss and trauma with my dear friend, artist, and former GSB podcast guest Krissy Teegerstrom. In A Grief Journey Delayed in Season 1, Krissy explored the delayed and disenfranchised grief over the death of her father. Not long after that conversation, Krissy came to recognize the unnamed neglect and emotional abuse by her mother in the wake of her father’s death. In this episode, she speaks openly and vulnerably about coming to grips with the resulting grief and trauma she endured, and the difficult, oftentimes painfu...2022-12-0658 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchBonus Holiday Episode | 10 Tips for Navigating The Holidays in GriefBonus Holiday EpisodeSomehow the holiday season snuck up on us, didn’t it? Host Lisa Keefauver knows that whether this is your first or 21st holiday in the wake of loss, it can be tough. So in this bonus holiday episode, she is speaking directly to you. She put together 10 tips for you to consider as you navigate the holidays in grief. While she can’t promise you that grief won’t show up over the holidays (because of course grief will, even and especially when not invited), she offers you 10 invitations to help y...2022-11-2220 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchHui-Wen Sato | Human, Not SuperheroWhat must it be like to be a pediatric ICU Nurse day in and day out, witnessing children and families in the most vulnerable and often grief-filled moments of their lives? Today’s guest, Hui-Wen Sato weaves a beautiful narrative about the realities of professional grief and the important cultural shifts needed to better serve both families and the medical professionals that serve them. She also shares the personal resources she draws on to sustain her and the role of storytelling as healing for all involved. And, as the title implies, she also implores us to stop putting healthcare wo...2022-11-151h 17
Grief is a Sneaky BitchMyra Sack | Being With The Both AndMy guest Myra Sack shares the heart break and the beauty of what it was like to be with her daughter Havi in her too short life. She and her husband Matt ended up having only 13 months between Havi’s diagnosis of Tay-Sachs Disease at just 15 months old and her death at home with them. In that time, the created a sacred weekly ritual that combined the Jewish tradition of Shabbat with birthday celebrations that Havi would most likely not be alive for. The result was 57 Shabbirthdays and the recognition that we can all hold joy and pain in th...2022-11-021h 01
Grief is a Sneaky BitchRachel Yehuda, PhD | Grief, Stress, and RitualsWELCOME TO SEASON 4! In this first episode of the season, host Lisa Keefauver invites Dr. Rachel Yehuda, a researcher she has long admired, to join her in a conversation that explores grief, stress, and rituals. Although they do touch on the wisdom she has gained from her seminal work in the areas of intergenerational trauma and stress and PTSD, they also got much more personal, including exploring what Dr. Yehuda learned about grief and ritual growing up in an observant Jewish household and community. Dr. Rachel Yehuda is an Endowed Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of T...2022-10-181h 05
Grief is a Sneaky BitchAnnie Brewster, MD | Healing Power of StorytellingHave you ever devoured a book in a day? Well that’s exactly what I did with The Healing Power of Storytelling - an incredibly profound book written by my guest, Annie Brewster. Annie is an Assistant Professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, a practicing physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, a writer, and a storyteller. She is also a patient, diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2001. She started recording patient narratives in 2010 and, integrating her personal experiences with the research supporting the health benefits of narrative, founded Health Story Collaborative (HSC) in 2013. In...2022-07-1456 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchNaomi Edmondson | Safer Grief SpacesOh my friends, I’m thrilled to bring you this beautiful and rich conversation I had with Naomi Edmonson. Naomi offers so much wisdom and insight as she explores her experiences and lessons learned after losing both a mother figure and her mother. She also shares the journey she’s been on creating safer grief spaces for Black people, something she felt missing in her early grief where she was often the only Black Queer person in the room. We explore the expectations we have about being alongside someone in their dying process and the importance of truly being seen...2022-06-3056 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchCecilie Surasky|Discovering AlivenessCecilie Surasky is my guest in this special episode of GSB. Her stories of love and loss and ritual and divine connections with her 18 year old son Teo, who passed accidentally by unknowingly ingesting a lethal substance, will move you, sometimes make you laugh, and honestly might just inspire you to think differently about we can stay connected with our loved ones even after they’re physically gone from this earth.Cecilie is a longtime movement-builder who is currently the Director of Communications at the Othering and Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley, and she reached out to me...2022-04-281h 11
Grief is a Sneaky BitchRachel Rusch | Improv LessonsAbout this episode:My friends, what can I say about today’s guest. The minute we were introduced last year, we fell into deep and ongoing discussions about the importance of narrative and storytelling in healing spaces. Rachel Rusch is a social worker, educator and researcher specializing in pediatric palliative care in Los Angeles, California. Her work centers on the intersection of narrative and storytelling in healthcare the relationship between patient, family and clinician perseverance. We explore all of these subjects in today’s episode including her personal experiences of loss and the insights she’s gleaned from s...2022-04-141h 02
Grief is a Sneaky BitchJ'aime Morrison | Upwell of GriefABOUT THIS EPISODE:My guest J’aime Morrison and I dove right in to such a rich and beautiful conversation about grief and loss and the way our bodies hold and can be used to express our grief. She is a former professional dancer and now a professor of theater and movement at California State University at Northridge. She's also a woman who fell in love with surfing later in life, which turned out to be a profoundly important passion that has helped her navigate the waters of deep grief after the death of her husband to a...2022-04-041h 01
Grief is a Sneaky BitchBJ Miller | Unnecessary SufferingABOUT THIS EPISODE:I’ve been a fan of today’s guest for a long time so I’m thrilled to share my conversation with Dr. BJ Miller with you today. BJ is a longtime hospice and palliative medicine physician and educator. He has worked in all settings of care: hospital, clinic, residential facility, and home. Led by his own experiences as a patient, BJ advocates for the roles of our senses, community, and presence in designing a better ending. We began our conversation with the story of how he came to be a patien...2022-03-171h 00
Grief is a Sneaky BitchLizzie Cleary | (Un)Expected GriefABOUT THIS EPISODE:In today’s episode, my guest Dr. Lizzie Cleary is bright and warm and engaging and her training in psychology and work in the fields of oncology meant we spent some time exploring the professional borne wisdom on the topics of grief and loss and post traumatic growth. She currently serves as a Senior Psychologist and Clinical supervisor at the Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology. But our conversation begins with a much more personal experience of loss that happened at the time Lizzie was studying to be a psychologist....2022-03-031h 05
Grief is a Sneaky BitchWesley Bain | Improvising Love & LossABOUT THIS EPISODE:My conversation with widower Wesley Bain is truly one of the most profound and important conversations I've had on this show, and in my life. In October 2020 I had the honor of interviewing his late wife, Christina Bain who at the time had been experiencing chronic Stage 4 Colon Cancer at age 36. On February 8, 2021Christina died. Eight months later I got a note from Wesley. Wesley’s note began a conversation that blossomed into the interview we recorded on February 9, 2022. In this episode, we explored their love, what it wa...2022-02-221h 05
Grief is a Sneaky BitchAshlee Cunsolo | Exploring Ecological GriefABOUT THIS EPISODE:I’ve been desperately wanting to include climate and ecological grief in this show for such a long time and I’m thrilled to begin it with today’s guest, Ashlee Cunsolo. Ashlee is the Founding Dean, School of Arctic and Subarctic Studies at Labrador Institute of Memorial University. She is a Researcher, Educator, and Environmental Advocate Ashlee offers so much wisdom today born of her lifelong personal passion for the environment and because of the deep and extensive qualitative and quantitative research she has been doing in Northern Labrador in Cana...2022-02-031h 06
Grief is a Sneaky BitchMarisa Renee Lee | Grief is LoveABOUT THIS EPISODE: I’m so thrilled to bring you a conversation with my new friend, Marisa Renee Lee. Marisa shares what it was like to be a teenager and young woman caring for her mother who was ill with MS and breast cancer in the most formative years of her young life, with her mother dying just a few years after she graduated from Harvard. Marisa and I explore how her CEO personality was helpful in keeping her family together and getting things done and yet likely delayed her inevitable need to face her gri...2022-01-201h 03
Grief is a Sneaky BitchBeth Erlander | Accidental GriefABOUT THIS EPISODE: In 2012, Beth’s partner went mountain biking and that was the day their lives changed forever. In Accidental Grief, guest Beth Erlander explores what it was like to process the news that her life partner was quadriplegic, the grief that accompanied that news, how her personal, professional, and spiritual practices helped her healing process and how she’s using all that she’s learned to tend to those of us who tend for others. I really can’t wait for you to meet her. EPISODE RESOURCES:...2022-01-0651 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchIlyse Kennedy | Moving Through TraumaABOUT THIS EPISODE:My guest Ilyse Kennedy of Moving Parts Psychotherapy is a trauma-informed therapist who has a passion for supporting and educating her clients, the general population, and fellow clinicians like myself about the myths and realities of what it means to experience trauma. In this episode, she helps us understand what trauma is and isn’t, the relationship between grief and trauma, the importance of understanding our physiology, getting the right kind of trauma-informed support and so much more. Ilyse Kennedy, LPC, LMFT, PMH-C, PSEP is a trauma therapist, educator, and aut...2021-12-1658 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchBarbara Jones | Reimagining CareAbout this Episode:In this episode, my guest Barbara Jones and I explore a wide range of topics from grief in the adolescent oncology population, the innovations she is seeing in cancer care to help address the WHOLE person (not just the disease), the very real and frightening moral distress and empathetic strain our health care professionals are under today and so much more. I can’t wait for you to meet her! Dr. Barbara Jones is Associate Dean for Health Affairs at UT Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work. At Dell Med...2021-12-021h 16
Grief is a Sneaky BitchAllan Cole | Progressive WisdomMy conversation with today’s guest, Allan Cole, was such a powerful reminder that loss comes from so many places, not just death and that even those of us trained to help others need help sometimes too. He offers up so much warmth and wisdom as he shares the story of his diagnosis of early-onset Parkinson’s disease at the age of 48. The layers of loss he unpacks for an individual with a progressive illness like Parkinson’s and the road to mean-making he shares is shaped not just by his personal experiences but also by the decades his spent...2021-11-2358 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchMelissa Gould | On Feeling WidowishWidowhood is obviously a topic very close to host Lisa Keefauver’s heart, and it’s also an experience no one is prepared to go through as her guest Melissa Gould shares in her best-selling book Widowish and in their conversation in this episode. Jump straight into - (05:18) - On Melissa’s first experience with loss and the importance of exploring grief without judgement(10:27) - A love story: The value of friendship and the importance of memory keeping(20:13) - Managing anticipatory grief and the cruelty of ambiguous loss...2021-11-1150 min
Grief is a Sneaky Bitchjohn a powell | In Search of BelongingIn this episode, host Lisa Keefauver spent some time, in person, with her dear friend john a powell. john is an internationally recognized expert in the areas of civil rights, racial identity, fair housing, poverty, and democracy. He is the Director of the Othering & Belonging Institute, a UC Berkeley research institute. john offers so much wisdom about the shared human experiences of loss caused not just be death, but by our unwillingness to see ourselves in one another, and invites us to discover how the wisdom we gain from having lost might be exactly what we need to discover o...2021-10-281h 26
Grief is a Sneaky BitchMindy Corporon | Healing a Shattered SoulAbout the episodeHost Lisa Keefauver sat down for a very intimate and revealing conversation with Mindy Corporon, a grieving mother and daughter. In 2014, her very personal tragedy made headline news around the world. Her son and father were shot and killed at a Jewish Community Center outside of Kansas City by a white supremacist gunman, intent on killing Jews. In the intervening years, Mindy has worked tirelessly to heal her shattered soul, also the title of her beautiful book, and in today’s episode she shares what she’s learned about grief and healing and courageous kind...2021-10-141h 02
Grief is a Sneaky BitchKristin Neff | Self-Compassion and GriefAbout the episode Welcome to Season 3 of Grief is a Sneaky Bitch! In Self-Compassion and Grief, host Lisa Keefauver sat down with world-renowned self-compassion researcher, Dr. Kristin Neff. She is author of the bestselling book Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself, and recently released her new book Fierce Self-Compassion: How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Their Power and Thrive. Jump straight into:(00:47) - Kristin’s earliest memory of grief: A different kind of loss(05:43) - The abil...2021-09-3052 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchLisa Keefauver (Host) | Ask Me AnythingAbout the episode:You asked and I answered! In this final episode of Season 2, I invited the Reimagining Grief community and listeners of the podcast to ask me anything about grief and loss. I am so incredibly moved by the flood of DMs, comments, and emails I received from so many of you. I take seriously the vulnerability it took you to ask the questions and I did my best to answer many of them and hope in doing so, I will be helping other grievers just like you. I covered 1. Finding a grief co...2021-06-2254 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchLindsay Joy Taylor | A Mother's Gift of JoyFor this episode, I was joined in conversation by the lovely Lindsay Joy Taylor, the owner of The Joyful Jewelry Box, jewelry and keepsakes to honor and remember your loved ones. Lindsay’s grief story begins early on, her mother was murdered when she was only one and even if she doesn’t have explicit memories of her, the grief and trauma it left on her family made an impression on her throughout her life. Like me, Lindsay is now an advocate for thinking about grief from a different angle than we were taught. She believes it is absolutely poss...2021-05-1157 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchFad Jamal | Poetic Nature of GriefIn this episode, Lisa talks to British-Iranian poet Fad Jamal (Khorsandjamal) about the power of artistic expression in the process of grieving. Fad intertwines her love of nature, the losses she’s faced, both death and non-death, and the poetic notions and sensibilities of her Persian heritage and the Farsi language to explore love and loss in two volumes of poetry - Quixotic Nature and most recently, Reflections and Refractions. Our conversation was so rich and expansive as we explored what nature has taught her about loss in its various forms and the ways in whi...2021-04-2758 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchTawny Platis | Dark Humor HelpsGet ready y’all. This is an episode unlike any other I’ve had. My guest, Tawny Platis, is a voice actor, a comedian, host of her own podcast, and well, she uses dark humor as a tool to navigate the traumatic death of her husband George, who was just 29. We explored how Tawny uses her comedic instincts to help her navigate this tremendous loss, even just moments after she found her husband in a messy scene dead on the floor of their home. We talk about the expectations people have about how widows should behave and the discomfort and...2021-04-131h 00
Grief is a Sneaky BitchBarbara J King | Grief and Love in the Animal KingdomLisa was joined by Biological Anthropologist and author, Barbara J King, for an eye-opening and compassionate conversation about grief and love in the animal kingdom. They explored how Barbara has come to understand grief in the animal kingdom, how finding compassion for animals helps us be more compassionate to our fellow humans, and why this perspective requires us to call into question some of our most fundamental beliefs and behaviors. The author of seven books, including the new Animals’ Best Friends: Putting Compassion to Work for Animals in Captivity and in the Wild, Barbara focuses on ani...2021-03-3151 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchRachel Carnahan-Metzger & Sierra Herbort | Talking About Death With KidsIn today’s episode, I was joined by two incredible women, Rachel Carnahan-Metzger and Sierra Herbort. Rachel and Sierra are really special humans, who have both dedicated their careers to supporting children and families going through the most difficult times in their lives. Working at Dell Children’s Medical Center, Rachel serves as a pediatric palliative care social worker and Sierra as a Certified Child Life Specialist. They have made a career out of bearing witness, educating, and supporting families to be able to navigate the unimaginable, the death of a child. They do this every day with such comp...2021-03-171h 08
Grief is a Sneaky BitchCarolina Giacobone | Grief Across ContinentsI was joined in conversation by the warm and wise Dr. Carolina Giacobone. Carolina’s grief experiences spans two continents, two cultures, and two lives - her personal and her professional. From Argentina to Ireland, from the loss of her mother to a miscarriage, from her role as a Perinatal Psychiatrist across continents, she reminds us that self-compassion and showing up in our full humanity is at the center of all our healing. Her wisdom runs deep and I can’t wait for you to meet her. If you want to learn more about maternal mental health, perinatal psychiatry and...2021-02-161h 09
Grief is a Sneaky BitchShelby Forsythia | Finding Your WayIn today’s episode, I was joined by a beautiful soul, Shelby Forsythia. College years can be full of new beginnings. For Shelby, they became what she describes now as her 4 years of hell, resulting in the death of her mother. While I’ll let her tell you about it in her own words, what I want to tell you is how much I appreciate the way she thoughtful peels back all of the secondary losses many of us experience beyond death loss.She has taken what she has learned from her own healing and transformed it i...2021-02-0449 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchJunice Rockman | Brain-Body ConnectionMy guest Junice Rockman is a Neuropsychotherapist, Media Correspondent & Mental Health Policy Advocate. In this episode, she brings her personal and professional wisdom to our powerful and far-reaching conversation. We explore so many topics from the impact of unprocessed grief and trauma across generations to the embodied nature of grief. We share some of the insights and practices we’ve both discovered over our careers that people have found helpful in honoring grief and oh so much more. Junice and I are kindred spirits and I can’t wait for you to meet her.If you want...2021-01-191h 14
Grief is a Sneaky BitchKate Manser | You Might Die TomorrowYou’re going to meet my inspiring new friend Kate Manser. She is the author of the book (and the movement), YOU MIGHT DIE TOMORROW. SO LIVE TODAY. What you will quickly discover through our conversation is that this isn’t just a flippant slogan or catchy phrase aimed to shock. It comes from hard-won growth in response to the loss of 4 friends in a span of 2 years. Though her initial response to these devastating deaths was fear, anxiety, and retreating from the world, she discovered that the best way to honor them, to carry their...2021-01-051h 01
Grief is a Sneaky BitchAutumn Campbell | When Stillness Silences Our Grief (Re-airing with new intro)In this episode, I'm re-airing an episode (with a new introduction) that was originally released in October 2019. In When Stillness Silences Our Grief with my guest Autumn Campbell, we explored the incredible harm and isolation she experienced in the wake of delivering her son Zion stillborn more than 19 years ago.The reason I'm choosing to re-air this episode today is that 1 in 160 pregnancies ends in stillbirth in the U.S. One in 160. And yet, I'm disheartened to see how little has changed in terms of the isolation & suffering so many women experience because of the stigma and...2020-12-221h 01
Grief is a Sneaky BitchMichelle Williams and Rachelle Bensoussan | Being Here HumanI’m thrilled to be bringing you a conversation I had with not just one, but two incredible humans, Michelle Williams and Rachel Bensoussan. These two are bringing their unique lived experiences, both personally and professionally, to honor the humanity in death, dying and grief. Both have faced personal loss, including the death of Michelle’s mother and the death of Rachelle’s partner Diane nearly 15 years ago. They also both recognize and are making visible the trauma and grief passed down through generations, helping us to understand the intergenerational impact of grief. As practitioners in the pall...2020-12-081h 01
Grief is a Sneaky BitchShonagh Taruza | Expansiveness of GriefIn Expansiveness of Grief, I’m bringing you a very special and personal conversation. I’m actually inviting you to listen in on a pretty typical conversation I have quite often with my longtime friend, Shonagh Taruza. In addition to being one of the most insightful and deeply compassionate human beings I know, She is a daughter without parents, losing her mother at 17 then her father at 30. She is an immigrant several times over, from Scotland to Zimbabwe to England to the US. She is a mother, an artist, a Minister and a Racial Justice AdvocateIn a...2020-11-241h 20
Grief is a Sneaky BitchChristina Bain | Bearing The WaitIn Bearing The Wait, my guest Christina Bain and I sat down together (physically distanced of course), to hold this beautifully intimate and special conversation about the grief that comes about when you face your own mortality. Christina was so honest and vulnerable as she opened up about the journey she’s been on over the past 5 years. She is 36, married to Wes, her husband of 12 years, and she has an 8-year-old girl named Marlowe. She also has Stage 4 Colon Cancer. She is wise and kind, she offers insights and humor, and she expands our understanding of...2020-11-101h 16
Grief is a Sneaky BitchMichael Hebb | End of Life ConversationsABOUT THE EPISODEMy guest, Michael Hebb, is an innovative and influential cultural figure and our conversation was fascinating, inspiring, and frankly blew me away. In End of Life Conversations, you’ll hear from a man who, since losing his father at 13, and feeling like a teenager out of touch with his peers and his family, has been on a quest to understand the secrets of human connection. His journey has been a wild and interesting ride so far, from studying the great philosophers and mystics of the ages, to considering how...2020-10-271h 18
Grief is a Sneaky BitchAmber Smith | The River in Her HeartThe River in Her Heart with guest Amber SmithI am so honored to be bringing you the conversation Amber Smith and I shared recently. Amber’s wisdom, warmth and kindness touched my heart and I know it will touch yours too. Amber and her husband, country music singer Granger Smith, lost their 3-year old son River in an accidental drowning in their backyard pool in the summer of 2019.In today’s episode Amber opens up about what it’s like to be grieving in the public eye. She shares the advice she received about...2020-10-1352 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchLeslie Gray Streeter | Black Widow WisdomIf humor is the best medicine, then my guest today is going to make you feel so much better!When you find someone who just gets it, you want to hold on to them forever. That’s how I felt as I laughed and cried my way through today’s conversation with my guest, Leslie Gray Streeter.Leslie is the absolute queen of pop-culture references and she found a way to weave in more than a dozen as we explored her love and loss of her late husband Scott, the heartbreak of knowing her...2020-09-291h 13
Grief is a Sneaky BitchElizabeth Benton | Alone in Their LossIn This EpisodeDo you ever have a moment when you meet someone, a fellow traveler on their grief journey, and you know immediately you’re going to be friends?Well that’s how I felt the first time Elizabeth Benton and I spoke. Her warmth, thoughtfulness and tenderness shone through.Elizabeth is a successful entrepreneur, owner of Primal Potential. An inspirational author of the book Chasing Cupcakes. Host of the wildly popular Primal Potential Podcast. She is passionate about using her own experiences of transformation to help others.Sh...2020-09-151h 13
Grief is a Sneaky BitchHost Lisa Keefauver | What I've Learned So FarSeason 2, Episode 1: What I’ve Learned So FarWhether you’re a first-time listener or you have listened to every episode, I’m thrilled you’re here. And today, I’m equally excited to say, welcome to SEASON 2 of Grief is a Sneaky Bitch! This episode is a little bit unique because I don’t have a guest. Today I’m talking directly just to you, my incredible listeners. I'm sharing some things that are on my mind right now since we last connected in Season 1, including:⠀Some reflections I...2020-09-0838 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchHost Lisa Keefauver | There for His Last Breath (originally aired as guest on Death Dialogues Project)BONUS EPISODEI set aside my title as host and took a turn as a guest on The Death Dialogues Project, a podcast hosted by the talented and generous Becky Aud-Jennison. Much like the work I’m doing Reimagining Grief, Becky is seeking to do the same with death.As the guest, on the other side of the microphone, we shared a deeply honest, reflective, and emotional conversation about the experience of losing my husband when I was 40 and our daughter was just 7. I share what it was like to be ho...2020-03-1756 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchRyan Bouman and Michael Janke | Capturing Grief on FilmIn this final episode of Season 1, I was joined by Ryan Bouman and Michael Janke, two filmmakers out of Calgary. They recently released a powerful short-form documentary film on grief called We, The Bereaved. In this meditation on grief, their goal was to show solidarity for those who are grieving and permission for those who felt they were never allowed.From the beginning of our conversation, Ryan and Michael demonstrated deep vulnerability. Both men shared their initial trepidation about taking on the awesome responsibility of telling other people’s grief story. They revealed how tackling this to...2020-02-251h 38
Grief is a Sneaky BitchKrissy Teegerstrom | A Grief Journey DelayedIn today’s episode, I was joined by Krissy Teegerstrom, an Austin-based artist and creative consultant at Featherweight Studio, and podcast host of Beyond and Back Podcast.Krissy bravely explores how her father’s death due to addiction when she was 11, a condition her family never discussed, profoundly impacted her life. She reveals how her mother’s insistence on not talking about it, virtually removing traces of his existence from their home, taught her some damaging lessons about love, grief and loss. Krissy illuminates what her grief work has looked like, a journey she says she only b...2020-02-041h 08
Grief is a Sneaky BitchRenee Rouleau | His Shining PresenceIn today’s episode, I was joined by Renee Rouleau. She is a dynamic and inspiring woman who has many titles. Founder and CEO. Esthetician to the stars. Globe-trotter. Adventurer. Motorcyclist. About one year ago she added another title. Widow. Renee shares the lessons she learned from her business partner and husband, Florian, over their 22 year relationship. She reflects honestly and openly about the myths and the realities of accompanying someone through a cancer diagnosis. And she lets us in on how she is blazing a shining trail as she adventures on, carrying his memory into the...2020-01-211h 05
Grief is a Sneaky BitchMark Garza | A Legacy of HonoringIn this episode, my guest Mark Garza reminds us that honoring someone after loss can look like so many different things. Since the loss of his father, Mark has dedicated his life to shining a light on a critical but often unmet need in everyone’s grief journey - access to quality mental health services. Through his work at the Flatwater Foundation, Mark is carrying on a family legacy of honoring those we’ve lost. This tradition of giving back to the community was started by his father after the loss of Mark’s twin sister during his childhood. In thi...2020-01-081h 10
Grief is a Sneaky BitchKelly Abbott | A Father's Grief WorkIn today’s episode, I was joined by a very special human, Kelly Abbott. On a call from his home in San Diego, Kelly was open, thoughtful, and at times poetic about the journey he has been on for the past 4 1/2 years since his son Will drowned a few months before his 5th birthday.He shares what it has meant to him to have people show up for him and his wife in the beginning … and now. He explores what it means to do the work of grief. He reflects on how the nature of relationships is a...2019-12-241h 12
Grief is a Sneaky BitchAnonymous | Naming The LossThis episode has been one of the most powerful and transformative experiences for me so far this season and I hope it will be for you too. As a trained narrative therapist, I understand that words and language are constitutive of our identity, our experience, our world view. And yet, there are some words that evoke so much shame, judgement, blame, vitriol and other emotions that they make conversations feel off-limits. And when we can't talk about things, we can't process our emotions or make meaning of our experiences, and that is well...really problematic.I...2019-12-111h 29
Grief is a Sneaky BitchRachel Carnahan-Metzger | It's Out of OrderIn this episode of Grief is a Sneaky B!tch, I was joined by my new friend and fellow social worker, Rachel Carnahan. As a social worker serving as part of a Pediatric Palliative Care Team for nearly a decade, Rachel explores what she has learned from accompanying parents as they endure the most excruciating experiences imaginable - the devastating illnesses and often death of their children. Her warmth and compassionate approach to her work show up throughout the interview as we discuss some of the common assumptions and misunderstanding of this particular type of loss. Rachel remains passionate...2019-10-2257 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchAutumn Campbell | When Stillness Silences Our GriefIn this episode of Grief is a Sneaky B!tch, my dear friend Autumn Campbell bravely and boldly shares her experience of delivering her son Zion, stillborn, 18 years ago this month. She opens our eyes to how the medical, social, and larger cultural systems amplify the pain of this type of loss in so many ways. Autumn also reminds us that simple acts of showing up in silence, or accompanying people in their darkest moments, like her sister did for her can make the biggest difference in our grief journey. Autumn isn’t just breaking the silence on stillbirth, sh...2019-10-1557 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchHeather Saucedo | So Young, But Growing Up FastIn this episode of Grief is a Sneaky B!tch, I sat down with Heather Saucedo, a young woman I first met back in 2014. Our first encounter was during one of the scariest times in her young life. At just 22, she had just learned that her fiancé was facing a cancer diagnosis. Not long after that, they welcomed their beautiful daughter Aubree into the world. She was considered medically fragile from birth. By 23, Heather had become a mother and a widow, two titles we happen to have in common. But as Heather will tell you herself, don’t you pity...2019-10-011h 01
Grief is a Sneaky BitchJae Kim | Life Lessons from a Little SisterIn this episode of Grief is a Sneaky Bitch, I sat down with my new friend Jae Kim, Founder and CEO of Chi’lantro to talk about grief and gratitude and the lessons he learned from his little sister Michelle. He opens up about how his admiration for how she lived, and her death as a result of a long struggle with Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2), has transformed how he shows up in his personal and professional relationships.About the showIf you love deep, honest, authentic conversations, get ready to love Grief is...2019-08-2655 min
Grief is a Sneaky BitchRomy Suskin | A Long GoodbyeOn this episode of Grief is a Sneaky Bitch, host Lisa Keefauver, sat down with her dear friend Romy Suskin at her Photography Studio to talk about her early experiences of watching and caring for her father during her formative years as he endured nearly a decade long journey with Lou Gherig’s disease and how that period and her subsequent grief journey has shaped her outlook on life and love and even how she shows up now as a caregiver for her mother.About the showIf you love deep, honest, au...2019-08-091h 05
Grief is a Sneaky BitchMickey Kay | Grief Brings a New FriendshipIn this episode, host Lisa Keefauver is joined with a new friend, Mickey Kay. Mickey shares a bit about how a horrific bike accident at age 20 changed the trajectory of his life. And perhaps more importantly, what he has learned over the last 15 years about grief, love, life, sorrow, and joy.About the showIf you love deep, honest, authentic conversations, get ready to love Grief is a Sneaky Bitch. Host Lisa Keefauver, is a grief and empathy activist who holds an extensive grief resume herself, as a social worker, narrative therapist...2019-07-281h 01
Grief is a Sneaky BitchHost Lisa Keefauver | Unwelcome Birthday GuestIn this Pilot Episode, host Lisa Keefauver just shares a Grief Moment as her way of introducing the show and why Grief is indeed a sneaky bitch.Everyone warns you that the anniversaries and firsts are gonna be hard, but no one tells you how that sneaky b*tch grief shows up at happy celebrations!About the show:If you love deep, honest, authentic conversations, get ready to love Grief is a Sneaky Bitch. Host Lisa Keefauver, is a grief and empathy activist who holds an extensive grief resume...2019-05-2603 min