Restorative Grief with Mandy Capehart

Mandy Capehart
  • 4.8 (12)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated weekly

A grief podcast for people learning to live with grief, loss, and change. Grief educator, somatic practitioner, coach, and bestselling author Mandy Capehart explores death and other losses, life transitions, burnout, estrangement, faith shifts, identity changes, and changing capacity. Through honest conversations, practical grief tools, humor, real stories, and whole-person support, Mandy offers a more honest approach to grief and healing, helping you understand what you're experiencing, meet yourself where you are, and carry what matters without losing yourself.

  1. 3 days ago

    263. Practicing Good Grief with s.e. smith

    "We need to live in a culture that supports that instead of running away from it." What happens when we stop treating grief as something to overcome and start treating it as something worthy of our attention, care, and community? In today's episode, I'm joined by journalist, essayist, and author s.e. smith, whose book All My Dead Cats and Other Losses: Practicing Good Grief in a Culture That Fears Mourning invites us into a larger conversation about loss, mourning, and the ways our culture often struggles to make space for grief. Together, we explore why grief is not a problem to solve, how disenfranchised grief leaves so many people feeling unseen, and what becomes possible when we build communities that can tolerate discomfort instead of rushing people toward resolution. This conversation is thoughtful, honest, and deeply compassionate. Whether you're grieving a person, a pet, a relationship, a former version of yourself, or a loss that others don't fully understand, I think you'll find something here that helps you feel a little less alone. In this episode, we talk about: Why pet loss can open the door to larger conversations about griefWhat disenfranchised grief really meansHow our culture teaches us to avoid discomfort and mourningThe importance of being witnessed in griefWhy grief is not something we fix or completeCommunity as a vital part of mourningThe losses we often overlook or minimizeWhat a more grief-literate culture could look like Links + Resources from this episode: Snag a copy of All My Dead CatsSubscribe to s.e.'s newsletterLearn more about their workConnect with s.e. smith on BlueskyLearn more about Restorative Grief at MandyCapehart.com/coaching

  2. 18 Oct

    262. Grief Doesn't Just Break Hearts - It Breaks Routines

    "The laundry was never the problem. The laundry was a reflection of something else." We often expect grief to break our hearts. We don't expect it to disrupt our routines. In this solo episode, I explore one of the most common and misunderstood experiences of loss: the way grief changes our capacity for everyday life. From forgotten appointments to overflowing laundry baskets, grief has a way of showing up in the ordinary rhythms that once felt automatic. Together, we'll look at what science tells us about grief and executive functioning, why routines can feel so difficult after loss, and the restorative grief question at the center of it all: How do I care for myself when my capacity is not what it used to be, not what I wish it were, and not what the world expects it to be? In this episode, we talk about: Why grief affects more than our emotionsThe connection between grief, brain fog, and executive functioningWhat routines can teach us about capacityWhy ordinary tasks become harder after lossTaking morality out of self-care and daily responsibilitiesThe difference between returning to normal and practicing restorationBuilding supportive rhythms for the life you're living now Links + Resources from this episode: Restorative Grief: Embracing Our Losses Without Losing Ourselves by Mandy CapehartMary-Frances O'Connor's The Grieving BrainRestorative Grief Coaching & Resources at MandyCapehart.com

  3. 11 Oct

    261. Beyond Control - Grief, Health, and Agency with Dr. Lucy McBride

    "You can't solve uncertainty, but you can empower people with tools and information to navigate it." What happens when grief, illness, caregiving, or unexpected change disrupt the life you thought you'd have? Dr. Lucy McBride, physician, patient advocate, and author of Beyond the Prescription, joins me for a conversation about health, uncertainty, and the difference between agency and control. We explore how grief reshapes our relationship with our bodies, why health is about more than symptoms and lab results, and what it means to care for ourselves when certainty isn't available. Lucy also shares how the sudden loss of her brother Harry influenced her understanding of impermanence and helped shape the framework at the heart of her work. In this episode, we talk about: Grief and uncertainty as part of the human experienceThe Five-Step Framework from Beyond the PrescriptionThe Four I's model and understanding health in contextGrieving the loss of former identities, abilities, and futuresPatient personalities and our search for certaintyThe difference between agency and controlAsking for help without losing yourselfAcceptance, resilience, and living forward after loss Links + Resources from this episode: Beyond the Prescription by Dr. Lucy McBrideDr. Lucy McBride's websiteLucy's Substack, Are You Okay?Follow Dr. Lucy McBride on social media

  4. 4 Oct

    260. For Many of Us Who Grew Up a Little Feral

    "Grief does not require us to become less independent. It gives us an opportunity to become less alone." If you grew up a little feral and learned early how to take care of yourself, grief can create an unexpected challenge: learning how to receive care without feeling like you've lost yourself. In this solo episode, I explore the tension between self-reliance and connection, why grief often changes our relationships, and how restorative grief invites us to build a life that reflects who we are becoming, not who we were before loss. If you've ever struggled to ask for help, felt uncomfortable receiving support, or wondered how grief is reshaping what matters to you, this conversation is for you. In this episode, we talk about: Self-reliance, resilience, and their limitsThe difference between independence and isolationHow grief changes relationships and capacityReceiving care without betraying yourselfBuilding a life that fits who you are now Links + Resources from this episode: Become a Patron/Get the WorkbookConnect with Mandy about coachingFollow Mandy on Instagram/Threads

  5. 27 Sept

    259. The Uninvited Guests of Grief with Dr. Jennifer Dall

    "When I began to recognize that one step forward, two steps back was part of the work, it was part of the process." What if the moments that feel like setbacks aren't signs you're grieving wrong? In today's conversation, I'm joined by Dr. Jennifer Dall, a grief-informed neurodivergence specialist, educator, ADHD coach, and founder of ADHD Holistically. Together, we explore the intersection of grief, widowhood, ADHD, identity shifts, and the everyday realities of carrying loss while still trying to function. We talk about grief brain, changing capacity, masking, self-compassion, and why so many people mistake overwhelm for personal failure. If you've ever wondered why simple tasks feel harder after loss, this conversation will help you feel a little less alone. In this episode, we talk about: Grief brain and everyday overwhelmThe overlap between grief and neurodivergenceWidowhood and identity shiftsMasking and feeling unseenThe hidden labor that comes with lossChanging capacity and self-compassionWhy setbacks are part of the processWhat restoration can look like after lossLinks + Resources from this episode: Dr. Jennifer Dall, ADHD HolisticallyCurveball Press & Space to GrieveFollow Mandy⁠ on Instagram⁠Become a Patron!

  6. 20 Sept

    258. Talking About Suicide (Without Getting It Perfect): The Awkward Conversation That Can Save A Life

    “We accidentally communicate that their feelings are something to be argued with instead of something to be witnessed.” What do you do when someone you love says something that makes you wonder if they might be suicidal? Most of us were never taught how to have this conversation. We’re afraid of saying the wrong thing, making things worse, or asking too directly. In this episode, we talk about how to stay present, why asking directly about suicide matters, how to listen without trying to fix, and what a safety plan can offer when things feel overwhelming. You don’t need perfect words. You need a willingness to stay. In this episode, we talk about: How to ask directly about suicideWhat to say when someone is strugglingWhy connection matters more than fixingSafety planning and creating space for supportLetting go of shame around suicidal thoughts Links + Resources from this episode: Get Lisa Sugarman's book, Surviving: Finding Hope After Suicide LossDownload the free companion conversation guideBecome a Patron/Get the WorkbookLearn more about Restorative Grief and Enneagram CoachingConnect on Instagram/Threads

  7. 13 Sept

    257. Everyday Grief - Finding Humanity in the Ordinary After Loss with Leslie Harter-Berg

    "No one is actually grading you on your grief." What if the pressure to be "strong" is keeping you from being honest about what grief actually feels like? Today's conversation is with Leslie Harter-Berg, author of You're So Strong: On Grief and Letting Go of My Favorite Compliment. After the sudden death of her husband, Ryan, Leslie found herself trying to live up to everyone's expectations of what a grieving person should look like, until she realized there was no right way to carry loss. If you've ever wondered whether you're grieving "correctly," I hope this conversation offers you permission to let that question go. In this episode, we talk about: Why "you're so strong" can become an impossible expectationLetting go of the idea that grief follows a predictable timelineHow grief shows up in ordinary moments instead of dramatic onesRedefining strength after profound lossWhy failure isn't the opposite of healingThe importance of simply showing up for grieving peopleFood, hospitality, and caring for one another through everyday ritualsLeslie's collaboration with her sister Natalie and The Modern Proper on supporting grieving families Links + Resources from this episode: You're So Strong: On Grief and Letting Go of My Favorite Compliment by Leslie Harter-BergLeslie Harter-Berg: https://www.leslieharterberg.com/Leslie's Substack: https://leslieharterberg.substack.com/Casserole Core with Natalie Mortimer and The Modern ProperVids for Wids: https://vidsforwids.com/Join the Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/mandycapehart

  8. 6 Sept

    256. The Grief of Life Transitions

    "Maybe that is what these seasonal transitions are really offering us. Not a chance to get back to normal, but a chance to become more honest about what is changing." What if some of the grief in your life is coming from a transition you actually wanted? In this episode, we are talking about the grief that can show up when life changes, even when the change is exciting or necessary. Sending a kid to college, moving, changing jobs, leaving a community, or simply becoming someone new can bring a surprising amount of grief with it. We look at Francis Weller's idea of the descent, what our bodies can tell us during seasons of change, and why we do not have to rush ourselves into whatever comes next. I also share two simple rituals for marking transitions and making a little more room for what we are feeling. In this episode, we talk about: Transitional grief and why we often miss itWhy wanted changes can still hurtFrancis Weller's idea of the descentListening to your body during changeWhy we need other people when life is shiftingTwo simple rituals for marking a transitionMaking room for the in-between Links + Resources from this episode: Become a Patron!Connect with Mandy on InstagramLearn more about coachingGet a copy of Apprenticeship with Sorrow by Francis Weller

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4.8
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About

A grief podcast for people learning to live with grief, loss, and change. Grief educator, somatic practitioner, coach, and bestselling author Mandy Capehart explores death and other losses, life transitions, burnout, estrangement, faith shifts, identity changes, and changing capacity. Through honest conversations, practical grief tools, humor, real stories, and whole-person support, Mandy offers a more honest approach to grief and healing, helping you understand what you're experiencing, meet yourself where you are, and carry what matters without losing yourself.

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