If you’ve ever felt stuck in the same story of loss, episode 380 will move you. Author Michael Reed shares how, for nine years after losing his wife and daughters in the Gatlinburg wildfire, every morning felt like opening a newspaper with the same tragic headline. In this raw, hopeful conversation, he reveals how he finally rewrote that headline—turning pain into purpose through The Million Stages of Grief and showing that while we never move on, we can move forward.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

(00:59) The wildfire that changed Michael Reed’s life forever

(02:45) Why he rejected the “five stages of grief” and wrote The Million Stages of Grief

(04:43) How shared pain can connect rather than divide us

(06:07) Naming “the darkness” and learning to step out of it

(07:30) The difference between moving on and moving forward

(09:14) Living with the same headline of loss every day for nine years

(10:40) Finding signs of love in butterflies, ladybugs, and owls

(13:37) Turning grief into purpose and keeping loved ones’ memories alive

(16:27) Facing anger, survivor’s guilt, and learning to take one baby step at a time

(22:44) Grounding, creativity, and nature as pathways to healing

(26:26) Why vulnerability is the key to helping others heal

Michael Reed is an author, speaker, and grief advocate from East Tennessee whose life was forever changed by the 2016 Gatlinburg wildfire that claimed his wife and two daughters. Transforming unimaginable loss into purpose, he now helps others navigate grief with honesty and compassion. Through his book The Million Stages of Grief and his platform, he challenges the idea of five linear stages of grief, showing instead that healing is a complex, deeply personal journey. Currently pursuing a degree in Behavioral Science, Reed uses his story to remind others that while we never move on from grief, we can always move forward with love.

In this episode, Reed brings raw authenticity and hope to the conversation, sharing how he learned to live beyond the darkness of his loss. He describes grief as both chaotic and connective—a shared human experience that, when voiced, helps others heal too. From naming his sadness to finding comfort in small signs from his late family, he illustrates that our loved ones never truly leave us. Through grounding, creativity, and compassion, Reed shows listeners how to transform pain into purpose, connection, and even gratitude.

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Book: Michael Reed - The Million Stages of Grief

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Book: Emily Thiroux Threatt - Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief

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Now it the time to say whatever your need to say to your loved ones. Don’t wait!

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• You can join the Grief and Happiness Alliance which meets weekly on Sundays by clicking here
• You can order the International Best Selling The Grief and Happiness Guide by clicking here.
• You can order Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief by clicking here at Amazon:
• You can listen to my podcast, Grief and Happiness, by clicking here
• Request your Awaken Your Happiness Journaling Guide here

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What are some miracles you experience every day?

Let's Connect:

• You can join the Grief and Happiness Alliance which meets weekly on Sundays by clicking here
• You can order the International Best Selling The Grief and Happiness Guide by clicking here.
• You can order Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief by clicking here at Amazon:
• You can listen to my podcast, Grief and Happiness, by clicking here
• Request your Awaken Your Happiness Journaling Guide here

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If you’ve ever been told to “get over it,” episode 378 will change how you see healing. Author and former lawyer Michelle Lerner shares how grief doesn’t end—it transforms—and how the body carries what words can’t. After a life-altering illness led her to write Ring, she explores complicated grief, isolation, and how true recovery begins not by moving on, but by learning to live with what remains.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

(00:59) From courtroom to creative healing

(02:07) How Ring turned pain into purpose

(02:37) A parent’s journey through complicated grief

(04:50) When illness and isolation reshape grief

(08:13) The cold landscape of loss

(10:17) The silence no one talks about

(11:30) How grief lives inside the body

(14:31) Why “getting over it” is a myth

(16:06) Rebuilding life with purpose

(18:02) What Jewish mourning gets right

(22:57) Could “grief doulas” change how we heal?

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Michelle Lerner, a writer and former public interest lawyer from New Jersey. After developing a severe case of neurological Lyme disease that ended her legal career, Michelle turned to writing as a way to navigate illness and loss. Her debut novel, Ring, explores complicated grief, isolation, and the power of human connection. She’s also the author of a poetry chapbook and has a memoir forthcoming—each reflecting her deep interest in how the body, mind, and compassion intertwine in healing.

Drawing from her own experiences with illness and profound grief, Michelle shares how writing became both her refuge and mirror. Through the story of a parent mourning their adult child, she examines the loneliness and meaning-seeking that accompany loss. She challenges the cultural expectation to “move on,” instead framing grief as something to live with, not overcome. Michelle also explores how grief lodges in the body and how somatic awareness and community can aid recovery. Inspired by her Jewish mourning traditions and modern therapeutic ideas, she even imagines “grief doulas” to guide others through sorrow—a concept as empathetic as it is transformative.

Connect with Michelle Lerner:

• Website
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• Book: Ring: A Novel

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• The Grief and Happiness Alliance
• Book: Emily Thiroux Threatt - Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief

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What memories can you focus on to bring you the inspiration and comfort you are seeking?

Let's Connect:

• You can join the Grief and Happiness Alliance which meets weekly on Sundays by clicking here
• You can order the International Best Selling The Grief and Happiness Guide by clicking here.
• You can order Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief by clicking here at Amazon:
• You can listen to my podcast, Grief and Happiness, by clicking here
• Request your Awaken Your Happiness Journaling Guide here

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If you’ve ever wondered how grief could become a force for healing, episode 376 is for you. Author Jonathan Foster shares how the devastating loss of his daughter led him to co-found a nonprofit in Haiti and to write his powerful book Indigo: The Color of Grief. From building schools in remote villages to using writing to “tame the wildness” of loss, Jonathan shows how sorrow can transform into service, meaning, and even hope.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

(01:02) Jonathan’s background as a pastor, writer, and nonprofit leader

(01:52) How the loss of his daughter inspired a nonprofit in Haiti

(03:55) Why helping others makes you a “wounded healer”

(05:47) Writing as a way to “tame the wildness” of grief

(07:57) Creating white space for readers to process their own loss

(09:40) The power of limits in art and writing—like haiku

(11:45) Jonathan’s advice on writing as a tool for grieving

(13:23) Rebuilding the language of love after loss

(15:20) Why grief fuels creativity and eliminates writer’s block

(17:02) Jonathan’s encouragement: rest, keep going, and don’t give up today

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Jonathan J. Foster, an author, speaker, and former pastor whose work explores the intersections of grief, love, and theology. After the loss of his daughter in 2015, Jonathan co-founded a nonprofit in Haiti that provides education and healthcare to underserved communities. His latest book, Indigo: The Color of Grief, distills nearly a decade of reflection into a poignant meditation on loss and resilience. Through his writing, speaking, and nonprofit leadership, Jonathan helps others find language and meaning in the midst of sorrow.

Throughout this episode, Jonathan shows how his personal grief reshapes his life’s direction. What begins as his daughter’s plan to work in Haiti grows into a nonprofit that now offers schools and healthcare in some of the most remote parts of the country, transforming tragedy into tangible hope for others. He reflects on the role of writing in metabolizing grief, describing it as a way to “tame the wildness” of loss and create white space for meaning-making. He emphasizes how language itself must sometimes be rebuilt after loss—rehabilitating old words and inventing new ones to hold the weight of sorrow and love. Jonathan’s perspective as a “wounded healer” highlights the paradox of grief: even in brokenness, there is profound potential to serve, connect, and help others heal.

Connect with Jonathan J. Foster:

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Get Jonathan’s books

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Here is the key to activating your feel good hormones!

Let's Connect:

• You can join the Grief and Happiness Alliance which meets weekly on Sundays by clicking here
• You can order the International Best Selling The Grief and Happiness Guide by clicking here.
• You can order Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief by clicking here at Amazon:
• You can listen to my podcast, Grief and Happiness, by clicking here
• Request your Awaken Your Happiness Journaling Guide here

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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If you’ve ever wondered how facing fear head-on could change your life, episode 374 is for you. Author Diane Hartman shares how solo trips through Ireland’s backroads—complete with wrong turns, roundabouts gone wrong, and deep solitude—help her confront decades of buried grief. Through journaling and courage, she turns loss into resilience and shows how getting lost can sometimes be the exact path to finding yourself.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

(01:00) Diane’s path from librarian to writer and her call to Ireland

(03:46) How her first solo trip tested her courage behind the wheel

(07:59) The lifelong impact of losing her father to suicide at age ten

(12:56) Supporting grieving children as a school librarian

(14:15) Choosing to transform trauma into empathy and purpose

(16:23) The role of self-talk, compassion, and counseling in her healing

(21:14) How daily journaling shaped her memoir

(22:46) A teacher grant, writer’s retreat, and the push to publish

(25:24) Writing for travelers, grievers, and anyone seeking resilience

(26:53) Where to find Getting Lost on My Way and follow Diane’s journey

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Diane Hartman, an author and retired school librarian from Indiana. Her memoir, Getting Lost on My Way: Self-Discovery on Ireland’s Backroads, draws from her solo journeys through Ireland after the early loss of her father to suicide and the end of a long marriage. Through travel and journaling, she discovers resilience, courage, and healing, transforming her grief into a story of self-discovery and gratitude. Passionate about inspiring others to face fear with courage, Diane shows how even life’s deepest losses can become gateways to growth and renewal.

Throughout this episode, she shares how traveling alone through Ireland’s winding backroads—often lost and confronting challenges like driving on the opposite side of the road—forces her to confront fear, grief, and self-doubt. By embracing the discomfort of solitude, she learns the power of self-talk, compassion, and courage, uncovering lessons that shape both her memoir and her life. Her story is a reminder that solo journeys can spark profound healing, self-trust, and empathy, offering hope to anyone navigating grief or searching for a deeper sense of self.

Connect with Diane Hartman:

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Book: Getting Lost on My Way

Let's Connect:

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LinkedIn

Facebook

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The Grief and Happiness Alliance

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