Grieving Gracefully with Kelly Podcast

How to Navigate Grief During the Holidays: Tips for Finding Comfort and Healing

The holiday season can be especially challenging for those who are grieving. In this episode, Alyssa Rose Ackerman and I explore the complexities of grieving during this emotionally charged time and share practical tips to help you find comfort, healing, and balance. Whether it’s adjusting traditions, managing triggers, or allowing yourself moments of joy, we discuss strategies to help you cope during the holidays while honouring your grief.
In This Episode, We Discuss:
1. Understanding Holiday GriefWhy do the holidays amplify grief for so many? We explore how the festive season, associated with joy and family, can feel particularly heavy when you’re grieving.
2. Addressing Emotional NeedsIt’s important to give yourself permission to feel. We share tips on how to embrace your emotions fully without judgment and why this is a crucial part of healing during the holidays.
3. Adjusting TraditionsHoliday traditions can become painful after a loss. We offer advice on how to modify or step away from traditions that no longer serve you during this time, helping you create a new path forward.
4. Handling Holiday TriggersHoliday music, decorations, and family gatherings can trigger unexpected emotions. We discuss strategies to manage these triggers and honour your grief in a healthy way.
5. Seeking SupportIf you’re feeling isolated during the holidays, this part of the conversation is for you. We provide guidance on how to seek the support you need from friends, family, or a community who understands.
6. Helping Others Who GrieveSupporting a grieving loved one during the holidays can be challenging. We share tips on how to offer meaningful comfort without overstepping or making them feel uncomfortable.
7. Creating MeaningFor those looking to honour their loved ones, we share ideas on how to create meaningful ways to remember them during the holiday season.
8. Finding Moments of JoyIt’s possible to find joy and gratitude during the holidays without feeling like you’re dishonouring your grief. We explore how to allow yourself these moments of peace and healing.
9. Managing Social ExpectationsWith all the social obligations during the holidays, it can be overwhelming to manage expectations while grieving. We offer advice on how to navigate social events and protect your emotional well-being.
10. Building ResilienceFor those facing their first or another holiday season without a loved one, we offer messages of hope and encouragement to help you build resilience during this difficult time.
Why You’ll Want to Join The Grieving Gracefully CircleIf you're looking for support, understanding, and a community of like-minded individuals who are navigating grief, The Grieving Gracefully Circle is here for you. In the Circle, you’ll have access to personalized grief resources, live events, a supportive network, and tools to help you heal and find comfort during difficult times, including the holidays. We’re here to walk with you on this journey, providing encouragement and hope every step of the way.
How to JoinTo become part of The Grieving Gracefully Circle, simply click here to join, and sign up today to access all the resources and support you need to navigate your grief with grace and community.
Listen Now for Tips on How to Navigate Grief with Compassion and Understanding this Holiday Season.
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Connecting Beyond the Physical: Signs from Loved Ones

Are you noticing signs from loved ones who’ve passed? On this episode, we dive deep into the ways they might be reaching out to us and how these moments can bring comfort and healing.
✨ Discover common signs like songs, numbers, and dreams.✨ Hear heartfelt personal stories of connection.✨ Explore the science, mystery, and spiritual perspectives behind these experiences.✨ Learn practical ways to open your heart to receiving signs.
Whether you're a believer, a skeptic, or just curious, this episode offers meaningful insights and real-life stories to help you feel connected to those you miss. Let’s explore how these signs can redefine relationships and bring hope during tough times.
🎙️ Tune in for comfort, connection, and inspiration on your grief journey.

Exploring Grief, Comedy, and Family: Behind My Dead Mom with Wendy

In this episode, I chat with Wendy Litner, the brilliant mind behind the Crave Original Series My Dead Mom. Inspired by her own loss, Wendy’s series is a funny, heartfelt exploration of grief, family, and the sometimes-complicated mother-daughter bond—complete with a meddling ghost mom who just won’t stop talking!
We dig into what inspired Wendy to create a show that uses comedy to tackle such a heavy topic and how she strikes the perfect balance between humor and respect. Wendy opens up about the challenges of creating a ghostly character who’s both funny and deeply meaningful, the insights she’s gained about grief and relationships, and the amazing ways viewers have connected with her work.
Wendy doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff—whether it’s infertility in her International Emmy-nominated series How to Buy a Baby, or navigating life after loss in My Dead Mom. She shares her unique perspective on finding light even in life’s darkest moments and how humor has been a healing force for her.
About Wendy Litner:Wendy is a writer turned lawyer and the creator of My Dead Mom, a series inspired by her experience of losing her mom. Known for her raw honesty and laugh-out-loud humor, Wendy has a knack for finding the humanity in life’s toughest challenges.
If you’ve ever struggled with grief, love someone who has, or just appreciate stories that make you laugh and cry, this episode is for you.
🎧 Join us as Wendy shares her creative journey, her hopes for the series, and the one piece of advice she’d offer anyone grieving.

The Early Days of Grief: Navigating the Uncharted

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Rachel, a nurse and mom who experienced the heartbreaking loss of her daughter, Tessa, to cancer. Rachel shares with us what those early days of grief were really like, from the raw, difficult moments to the small steps forward she found along the way. Together, we explore how she’s managed to navigate life after loss, the support she’s leaned on, and how she continues to honour Tessa’s memory.
Join us for an honest, heartfelt conversation about finding hope, resilience, and connection in the wake of deep loss.

What to Do When You Just Don’t Feel Like Yourself After a Loss

In this heartfelt episode, we delve into the profound impact of grief on our sense of identity. Grief often leaves us feeling disconnected from who we were before our loss, leading to a shift in our self-perception that can be challenging to navigate. Join us as we explore how this transformation manifests in the early stages of grief and discuss why it can affect not only our emotions but also our core identity.
We’ll share insights on recognizing the signs that you may have lost touch with who you are, and offer guidance on reconciling the versions of yourself that exist ‘before’ and ‘after’ your loss. Discover practical advice on rebuilding your identity when so much of who you were was intertwined with the person you've lost.
Cassandra will provide small, actionable steps to help you reconnect with yourself during this difficult time, emphasizing the importance of self-compassion and patience in the healing process. We’ll also discuss the vital role support systems—friends, therapy, and support groups—play in helping you find your way back to yourself.
If you’ve been feeling adrift for too long after a loss, we’ll address when it might be time to seek professional help and how to recognize that moment. Plus, we’ll touch on the physical changes grief can bring, such as shifts in sleep and energy levels, and how these can impact your sense of self.
Finally, we’ll explore how to embrace the changes grief has brought while honouring the parts of yourself that matter. Thank you for joining us on this journey of rediscovery and healing.
About Cassandra:Cassandra's journey into the realm of psychotherapy began during her tenure as a Physiotherapist Assistant at Sunnybrook Hospital, where she gained invaluable insights into the profound interconnection between mental health, physical well-being, and overall vitality. With over eleven years of experience, she has honed her expertise in providing compassionate care to individuals (ages 16+), couples, and groups facing diverse mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, grief and loss, emotion regulation, self-esteem issues, identity, trauma, and navigating life transitions. 
Cassandra's therapeutic approach is deeply rooted in Emotion-Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Attachment Theory, and an Anti-Oppressive, Trauma-Informed, and Culturally Sensitive lens. As a Trauma-Informed Yoga Practitioner, she integrates mindfulness and breathing techniques into her practice, tailoring her methods to meet the unique needs of each client. This commitment to fostering holistic wellness embodies her private practice, One Peace Therapy.

Supporting Children Through Grief: Helping Kids Heal After Loss

In this episode, I’m joined by Jessica Correnti, a Certified Child Life Specialist with over 16 years of experience supporting grieving children and families. Jessica is the author of The ABCs of Grief and Forever Connected, a book for bereaved siblings, and her upcoming book The ABCs of Grief: Emotions & Feelings. With a BA in Education of Young Children, a minor in Psychology, and an MS in Healthcare Administration and Community Health, Jessica has worked extensively with children in Pediatric ICUs, Emergency Departments, and surgical centers. As the founder of Kids Grief Support, Jessica offers therapeutic sessions worldwide, helping kids navigate grief through age-appropriate activities and expert care.
Together, we dive into the ways children process grief, which often looks different from adult grief, and discuss the unique challenges they face. Jessica shares tips on how parents and caregivers can encourage children to open up about their feelings and support their healing in simple, practical ways. We explore how age and developmental stages affect a child’s response to loss and offer thoughtful advice on explaining the concept of death in a way that resonates with kids.  
Jessica also discusses how parents can create a safe space for their children to grieve and remember their loved ones meaningfully, suggesting activities and rituals that honour memories without overwhelming them. We wrap up with strategies for helping kids manage shifts in their relationships with family and friends that may arise after a loss.
This conversation with Jessica is full of empathy, wisdom, and practical guidance for anyone supporting a grieving child. Tune in to gain valuable insights and encouragement for this difficult journey. 

Grieving Together, Healing Apart: How Couples Can Navigate Loss and Support Each Other

In today’s episode, we’re diving deep into the complexities of grief and how it can affect relationships, especially for couples grieving in completely different ways. We all know that grief is a deeply personal experience, but when two people in a relationship are both grieving, it can be incredibly challenging to navigate together. How can couples support each other when their grief journeys are so different? How does grief impact communication and connection? And how can couples create space for both individual healing and shared moments of grief?
To help us explore these topics, we’re joined by Lisa Gray, LMFT, a highly experienced couples therapist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Lisa specializes in working with high-conflict couples and those dealing with chronic illness and pain. After spending 10 years as an Air Traffic Controller and serving as a Peer Debriefing Counselor for her colleagues, Lisa found her true passion in counseling. She earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Counseling from John F. Kennedy University in 2004 and has been helping couples navigate difficult emotions ever since. Lisa is passionate about teaching couples how to engage in healthy conflict, allowing their relationships to thrive even in the midst of pain.
In addition to her therapy work, Lisa is an avid reader, reviewing self-help books on her Instagram account, Therapy Book Nook. She lives in the Bay Area with her family and her three large dogs. We’re so excited to have her on the show today to share her wisdom on how couples can support each other through grief, communicate more effectively, and find strength in their relationship during tough times.
Tune in to hear valuable insights and tips on keeping your connection strong, even when you’re both hurting.

Finding Healing Through Creativity: Writing and Grief with Havva Ramadan

In this heartfelt episode of Grieving Gracefully with Kelly, I’m joined by the wonderful Havva Ramadan to talk about the power of creativity in healing. Havva has been through her own personal journey of loss and found that writing, especially poetry, has been a significant part of processing her grief. Together, we explore how creative expression, like writing, can offer comfort and hope during such difficult times.
Havva Ramadan is a spoken poetry artist and singer-songwriter passionate about using her creative talents to make a difference. Through her deeply personal and moving poetry, she gives voice to emotions that are often difficult to express, especially in times of grief and loss. Her words resonate with those searching for healing, while her music brings comfort and hope to listeners. With a unique blend of raw emotion and artistry, Havva creates a space for connection, vulnerability, and inspiration, encouraging others to find solace and strength through creative expression.Havva begins by reflecting on those early days of loss, sharing some unexpected ways she coped aside from writing, and the pivotal moments that led her to find solace in poetry. She opens up about the deeply personal emotions she pours into her work and the balance she strikes between sharing her raw feelings with an audience and keeping some of her grief private for her own healing.
We also dive into how overwhelming grief can feel and how Havva approaches writing on days when the emotions are too heavy to face. Vulnerability plays a key role in her writing, and she explains how embracing that vulnerability has changed the way she connects with others, both in her personal life and through her poetry. Over time, writing has transformed the way she views her loss, and Havva shares how her relationship with grief has evolved through her creative work.
Beyond writing, we talk about other creative outlets Havva has explored and how they compare to the healing power she finds in poetry. She also reflects on the feedback she’s received from her readers, discussing how their responses have shaped her own understanding of both grief and writing.
Finally, Havva offers thoughtful advice to those who may feel unsure about whether creative expression, like writing, is the right path for them during their grief journey. She emphasizes the importance of finding what works best for you, whether that’s through writing, art, or another creative outlet.

A Mother's Heart: Navigating Grief and Caregiving Challenges After Losing Bella Brave

In this heartfelt episode of Grieving Gracefully with Kelly podcast, we are joined by Kyla, the mother of Bella Brave, whose remarkable journey touched thousands. Kyla Thomson is a former teacher turned medical mom, and now a bereaved mother of her beloved daughter, Bella Brave. Alongside her husband Lyle and her strong-hearted son Waylon, who helps heal her heart daily, Kyla has navigated profound personal loss with courage and grace. She shares her journey on TikTok, where she has amassed 7.5M followers under @kylact. Originally started as a way for her and Bella to inspire others to be brave, Kyla continues to uplift & guide people through their hardest battles, keeping Bella’s spirit and legacy of bravery alive.Kyla opens up about Bella’s story, the emotional toll of being her primary caregiver, and the challenges she faced during Bella’s toughest times.
We dive into the deeply personal experience of losing a child, as Kyla shares how she’s been navigating her grief since Bella’s passing, and the role that support systems played for her. From the lack of resources after loss to the transition away from caregiving, Kyla offers invaluable insight into the realities of life after such a profound loss.
We explore the importance of self-care, finding hope amidst grief, and the online community that embraced her story. Kyla also provides advice for other parents and caregivers who may face similar heartache, sharing her thoughts on how to emotionally and practically prepare for the days after loss.
Finally, Kyla speaks to how she honors Bella’s legacy every day and what brings her moments of peace along the way.
Tune in to hear Kyla’s powerful story of love, loss, and resilience.

Beyond Grief: Tara's Path to Healing and Hope

In this heartfelt episode, we're excited to welcome Tara, the Founder of Losses Become Gains (LBG). Tara shares her personal journey through grief, offering honest insights and practical strategies for anyone navigating similar challenges. She opens up about the toughest moments she faced and emphasizes the vital role that support systems—like friends, family, and support groups—can play in our healing.
Tara shares some of her favourite coping strategies and self-care tips that are easy to incorporate into even the busiest of schedules. As we chat, she reflects on how her experiences with grief have shaped her into who she is today and offers encouragement for those just beginning their own journeys.
We also discuss the difference between "moving on" and "moving forward" with grief, and Tara shares how she finds hope and motivation despite her losses. Plus, she recommends some valuable resources for anyone looking for extra support.
Join us for an open and relatable conversation that reminds us all that while grief is a heavy burden, it can also lead to personal growth and connection with others.