Some grief gets welcomed with casseroles and open arms. Other grief is met with silence, side‑eye, or the sense that you don’t have the right to mourn. We go straight at disenfranchised grief—losses like suicide, overdose, miscarriage, pregnancy loss, or the death of an ex‑partner—naming how stigma shrinks support and deepens isolation, and how to reclaim the validation every mourner deserves.

We share Erin’s story of two very different deaths and the stark contrast in community response, then define disenfranchised grief and the “unwritten rules” that tell people to hide. Together with Colleen, we unpack sacred silence versus silent indifference, the suspicion that follows certain causes of death, and the internal self‑judgment many parents carry. You’ll hear practical ways to help kids and teens: simple scripts like “my dad died from a mental illness,” how to hold mixed feelings such as relief and sadness at the same time, and why honest conversations about complex relationships protect children from shame.

We also offer hands‑on tools you can use today. Learn expressive options beyond talk—art, music, storytelling with figurines, movement—and ceremony ideas when words fall short: lighting a candle, planting a tree after miscarriage, writing letters, and sharing one word that captures your person. We close with prompts that keep the whole person in view: what you’ll never forget, what you want others to know, and the qualities you’ll carry forward.

If this resonates, you’re not alone. Your grief matters, your bond was real, and healing grows in community. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a quick review so more families can find support. Have a topic you want us to explore next? Email info@jessicashouse.org and join the conversation.

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For more information on Jessica’s House or for additional resources, please go to jessicashouse.org

When a child returns to school after a death, routine and heartbreak collide. We open this conversation with Erin’s story of walking her daughter into kindergarten weeks after losing her dad and the quiet power of structure—the same faces at the door, a predictable pickup time, and a teacher who became a steady anchor. From there, we build a practical roadmap parents and educators can use right away: how to set up half-days, flexible assignments, and a discreet system for “grief days” so kids can step out before overwhelm takes over.

We talk through classroom dynamics with care. Teachers need language that is clear, concrete, and compassionate when sharing hard news with students. We explain why gathering in a circle, naming death plainly, and normalizing mixed emotions helps classmates welcome a grieving peer without turning them into “the kid whose parent died.” We also share real-world tools for big feelings in busy halls: movement breaks, comfort corners, and small rituals like a double goodbye or matching hearts drawn on hands to ease separation anxiety.

Older students face different choices, from taking a lighter load to pausing a term. Erin reflects on her family’s decision to step back from college after the death of a sibling, highlighting how mental health, distance from home, and timing shape what “support” looks like. We round out the conversation with scripts for handling insensitive comments, an ally plan to reduce isolation, and simple ways to check in that go beyond “How are you?”—using a feelings wheel, images, and concrete questions that kids can actually answer.

If you’re navigating school after loss, you’re not alone. Grab these strategies, share them with a teacher or counselor, and make a plan your child can trust. For more resources, visit jessicashouse.org. If this conversation helped, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help other families find support.

Order the book When Grief Comes Home https://a.co/d/ijaiP5L

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For more information on Jessica’s House or for additional resources, please go to jessicashouse.org

The hardest calendar invite is the one that pulls you back to work after a death. Your world has changed, yet the inbox still fills, the meetings still stack, and people don’t know whether to talk about it—or avoid it. In this conversation with Erin Nelson and Colleen Montague from Jessica’s House, we sit with the truth that you’re not the same person, and work needs to meet you where you are.

Erin shares her story of stepping away after her son Carter died and returning in phases, naming the clunky handoffs, the new workplace dynamics, and how grief reshapes leadership and teamwork. We unpack what many grieving parents experience: cognitive fog, surges of emotion during routine tasks, and the quiet relief of colleagues who check in without prying. Together we map practical steps to make re-entry kinder—looping in HR early, exploring family leave, proposing flexible schedules, and setting simple agreements with supervisors and peers so you don’t have to carry unspoken expectations.

You’ll hear grounded tools you can use the moment you’re back at your desk or on the floor: sensory grounding to find the present in a hard meeting, short “reset” lists you can keep nearby, and how a designated private space—a car, a quiet room, a “cry closet”—can help you release pressure without shame. We talk about distinguishing intrusive thoughts from the steady ache of grief and why brief logic tasks, like a quick game of Tetris, can interrupt re-traumatization. We also lean into body-based care: hydration, crunchy or cold snacks that wake you up, warmth and weight to calm your system, peer proofreading for foggy days, and micro-rest that supports sleep when nights are broken.

Whether you’re a nurse with no spare minute, a teacher without a private office, or a manager navigating your team’s uncertainty, this episode offers adaptable ideas and language to ask for what you need. If your workplace isn’t sure how to help, bring them this playbook. Subscribe for more compassionate conversations on parenting through loss, share this with someone returning to work after bereavement, and leave a review to tell us what practices steadied you.

Order the book When Grief Comes Home https://a.co/d/ijaiP5L

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For more information on Jessica’s House or for additional resources, please go to jessicashouse.org