As the holidays draw closer, grief often becomes louder—not because it’s out of control, but because we keep asking it to stay quiet at the table. In Part 2 of our conversation with registered psychotherapist Suzanne Trotman, we move beyond well-meaning clichés and vague advice to explore what grief actually is—and why so many people feel like they’re doing it “wrong.”

Together, Brad and Grace unpack the differences between loss, grief, and mourning, why grief is not something you “move on from,” and how describing it as a neat, linear journey can actually cause harm. Drawing from both profound personal loss and years of clinical experience, Suzanne invites us to understand grief as a language that must be learned—one that speaks through the body, emotions, memories, and moments that arrive without warning.

The Sacred Sofa explores why the holidays intensify grief, how to lower expectations without giving up hope, and why joy and sorrow are not opposites—but often companions.

For those who hold faith, we gently sit with the spiritual questions grief raises—without rushing toward answers that may comfort the helper more than the hurting. This episode is for grievers, for those who walk alongside them, and for anyone willing to admit that grief doesn’t need fixing—it needs fluency. 🤍🕯️

In this two-part conversation on The Sacred Sofa, Brad and Grace dive into one of life’s unavoidable storylines: tragedy—and the grief that follows 💔. Joined by registered psychotherapist Suzanne Trotman, whose professional work is deeply shaped by her own losses, they explore what grief really is (spoiler: it’s not something you simply “get over”), why it shows up far beyond death, and how ill-prepared most of us are to respond.

Together, they unpack common myths, the real needs of mourners, the quiet dread of holidays and New Years, and the awkward things well-meaning people say when they don’t know what else to do.

This isn’t a roadmap through grief—because there isn’t one—but a grounded, honest conversation for anyone grieving, supporting someone who is, or noticing that life is more grief-adjacent than we often admit 🌿.

We’re taking a short pause, but don’t worry — we’ll be back soon with something truly special for the holiday season. Cozy up, make some tea, and get ready to join us on December 11 for a heartfelt holiday episode featuring a very special guest.

Stay tuned… this is one you won’t want to miss. 🎄💛

This week on The Sacred Sofa, Brad and Grace wrap up the seven great plotlines with Rebirth—a storyline that doesn’t begin with adventure or catastrophe, but with captivity… those moments when the life we’ve been living simply stops working.

From Nicodemus’ nighttime visit to Jesus 🌙 to Scrooge’s ghostly wake-up call 👻 to Andy Dufresne’s long walk toward freedom 🚶‍♂️⛓️, they explore how fear, pride, and the illusion of safety keep us holding onto identities we’ve outgrown. And how grace often arrives not as a reward, but as a holy interruption.

They dive into the moment of awakening—the crack where light begins to seep in—and the terrifying, beautiful release that follows when control softens and hope steps in ✨.

If you’ve ever felt trapped in an old script or sensed something new stirring beneath the surface, this episode invites you to loosen your grip, welcome grace, and imagine what a “second birth” might look like in your own story 🌿💫.

This week on The Sacred Sofa, Brad and Grace dive into a different kind of tragedy—the slow, self-made kind that sneaks up on us through good intentions gone unchecked. They explore how our greatest strengths—ambition, compassion, confidence—can quietly turn against us when boundaries blur and wisdom gets left out of the story. 🌱

From King David’s downfall 👑 to Walter White’s unraveling to today’s relentless “grindset” culture, they unpack how drive can become obsession, care can morph into burnout, and isolation can creep in under the banner of productivity.

But the story doesn’t have to end there. Brad and Grace also share how to spot the early warning signs, how to reach back toward connection when withdrawal feels easier, and why Jesus’ invitation to the weary might be the off-ramp from a life that’s slowly coming undone.

The Sacred Sofa is taking a little breather this week — because even sacred conversations need time to rest and reflect. 🕊️

Brad and Grace will be back next week with a brand-new episode you won’t want to miss!

This week on The Sacred Sofa, Brad and Grace are riding high on Blue Jays adrenaline as they dive into the sacred comedy at the heart of faith — not the stand-up kind, but the kind that transforms confusion into clarity, disguise into recognition, and separation into reunion.

From Sarah’s laughter at the absurd promise of new life to the healing power of humour amid our contradictions, this episode reminds us that comedy isn’t about jokes — it’s about grace.

Together, Brad and Grace explore why laughter often rises in moments too painful or too beautiful to bear, how masks fall in the presence of love, and why grace so often looks ridiculous before it looks redemptive.

Because maybe the truest punchline is this: the universe isn’t a tragedy after all — it’s a divine comedy still unfolding.

What happens when you come home and realize that neither home nor you are quite the same? In this episode, Brad and Grace dive into the timeless “Voyage and Return” story—spanning Cast Away to the Prodigal Son—exploring how journeys of loss, deconstruction, and rediscovery reshape our sense of home, love, and belonging.

They explore what it truly means to return after change: navigating disorientation, healing attachment wounds, and reconnecting with the sacredness of unconditional love. Whether your journey has been literal or deeply internal, this episode is a gentle reminder: getting lost isn’t failure—it’s a necessary part of the path that brings us home. 🏡✨