Grief Is Not A Dirty Word

Nick Gaylord
  • 4.9 (61)
  • Mental Health
  • Daily

Grief Is Not A Dirty Word is a weekly podcast that brings honest, real-world conversations about grief, loss, trauma, healing, and mental health into the light. Hosted by Nick Gaylord, the show creates a safe, compassionate space for anyone navigating the complicated emotions that come with losing a parent, partner, child, friend, relationship, or former version of themselves. Originally launched as Our Dead Dads, the podcast has evolved into a broader mission: to normalize grief and break the stigma around talking about it. Nick explores every corner of the grieving experience — from anticipatory grief and sudden loss to complicated family dynamics, unresolved anger, identity shifts, and the invisible pain people carry long after the world assumes they’re “fine.” Each episode features powerful, unfiltered stories from guests who have lived through loss and rebuilt their lives in deeply personal ways. Through conversations centered on resilience, vulnerability, courage, and connection, the podcast helps listeners understand that grief isn’t something to hide — it’s something that deserves space, honesty, and community. Whether your grief is fresh or decades old, whether it’s tied to death or to a different kind of ending, this show will help you feel seen, supported, and less alone. If you’re looking for meaningful discussions about healing, emotional wellbeing, and the human experience — you’re in the right place. New episodes every Tuesday. Listen on all major podcast platforms or at griefisnotadirtyword.com. Grief Is Not A Dirty Word — because every story matters, every emotion belongs, and healing begins when we speak the truth.

  1. Oct 27

    Technology Treats the Disease, Humanity Heals the Patient with Dr. Alan Cohen - Episode 103

    WHO THIS EPISODE HELPS: Anyone navigating grief, loss or a serious diagnosis, supporting someone through uncertainty or searching for the right words when there may not be any. WHAT LISTENERS WILL GET: A thoughtful conversation about grief support, hope and the power of human connection, with practical perspective on how to show up when you can’t make everything better. DESCRIPTION: What do you do when someone you love is facing a diagnosis you can’t fix? In this episode of Grief Is Not A Dirty Word, Nick Gaylord sits down with Dr. Alan Cohen, chief of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins and author of Comfort Always: Healing in the Age of Technology. Drawing on decades of caring for children with brain tumors and their families, Al shares what he has learned about grief, uncertainty and the human side of medicine. He and Nick talk about delivering difficult news, listening to families and finding room for hope without offering false promises. Al also shares stories that reveal why a patient is always more than a diagnosis and why being present can matter even when words fall short. Along the way, the conversation finds room for Elvis, a rhinestone suit and a Newfoundland named Morty who didn’t quite pass his therapy dog test. Whether you’re navigating a serious illness, supporting a grieving loved one or wondering how to help someone through a difficult moment, this conversation offers an honest and compassionate place to start. This episode answers: What do I say to someone whose loved one is seriously ill?How can I support someone when I can’t fix what they’re going through?How do doctors give families hope without making false promises?Why is it important for doctors to listen to patients and parents?How can I cope with uncertainty after a serious diagnosis?Key Takeaways: You don’t need perfect words to support someone. Showing up and listening can make a meaningful difference.Hope and honesty can exist together, even when a doctor can’t promise a particular outcome.Patients and families bring knowledge and observations that deserve to be heard.Medical technology can transform care, while compassion and human connection remain essential to the experience of being cared for.Serious conversations can still leave room for humor, joy and the parts of life that make someone feel like themselves.Guest resources Dr. Alan Cohen’s website: https://www.dralanrcohen.com/Comfort Always: Healing in the Age of Technology — Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2JVBTJG/Comfort Always — publisher page: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Comfort-Always/Alan-R-Cohen/9798895656198Johns Hopkins pediatric neurosurgery: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/johns-hopkins-childrens-center/what-we-treat/specialties/neurosurgerySupport the show GIVE THE SHOW A 5-STAR RATING ON APPLE PODCASTS!   FOLLOW US ON APPLE OR YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM!   BOOKMARK OUR WEBSITE: www.griefisnotadirtyword.com FOLLOW OUR DEAD DADS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/griefisnotadirtyword Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/griefisnotadirtyword TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@griefisnotadirtyword YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmmv6sdmMIys3GDBjiui3kw LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-gaylord/

    Technology Treats the Disease, Humanity Heals the Patient with Dr. Alan Cohen - Episode 103

  2. Oct 20

    Sexual Assault and the Grief We Ignore: Finding Support and Healing with Lindsey Gumz - Episode 102

    WHO THIS EPISODE HELPS: Sexual assault and domestic violence survivors navigating grief and loss, and anyone who wants to support someone after abuse. WHAT LISTENERS WILL GET: An honest conversation about grief after sexual assault, the harm of victim blaming and what listening, support and accountability can look like. DESCRIPTION: What happens when someone survives sexual assault, then spends years grieving a version of themselves they barely had time to know? In Episode 102 of Grief Is Not A Dirty Word, Nick Gaylord welcomes Lindsey Gumz for a candid conversation about sexual violence, domestic violence and the grief that can follow the loss of safety and trust. Lindsey reached out after Nick’s video about the allegations known online as the Cornell 7, recognizing the weight of carrying trauma while watching survivors face public scrutiny. She shares her experience of being assaulted at seventeen, the disbelief she encountered and what it took to begin naming her own grief. Her work supporting teenage survivors of sex trafficking adds another perspective on what young people need and how difficult meaningful support can be to access. Politics is discussed explicitly, including direct criticism of Donald Trump and the behavior public leaders excuse, as Nick and Lindsey examine the consequences for survivors. The conversation centers on the people living with that harm and asks why accountability so often gives way to victim blaming. For listeners navigating trauma and loss, or wondering how to help someone they love, Lindsey offers an honest reminder that support can begin with being heard and moving forward does not require pretending the past no longer hurts. CONTENT NOTE: Includes discussion of rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, child sexual abuse, sex trafficking and PTSD, along with explicit language and political commentary. This episode answers: Can you grieve who you were before sexual assault?Why do sexual assault survivors wait years to tell someone?How does victim blaming affect sexual assault survivors?What should I say when someone tells me they were sexually assaulted?How can men speak up against sexual violence and support survivors?Key Takeaways: Grief can follow the loss of safety, trust and the person someone remembers being before an assault.Disbelief and victim blaming can make speaking up feel even more unsafe; a survivor’s silence does not transfer responsibility for an offender’s actions to them.Lindsey describes finding support through her family and mental health care while continuing to live with parts of her trauma.Public leadership and everyday conversations both shape what behavior people excuse and whether survivors expect to be heard.Supporting someone can start with asking what they need, listening without taking over and challenging degrading comments when they happen.RESOURCES: Lindsey's facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindsey.gumz.2025 Lindsey's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theturquoisepetal National Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org/get-help/ RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: https://hotline.rainn.org/ Support the show GIVE THE SHOW A 5-STAR RATING ON APPLE PODCASTS!   FOLLOW US ON APPLE OR YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM!   BOOKMARK OUR WEBSITE: www.griefisnotadirtyword.com FOLLOW OUR DEAD DADS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/griefisnotadirtyword Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/griefisnotadirtyword TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@griefisnotadirtyword YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmmv6sdmMIys3GDBjiui3kw LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-gaylord/

    Sexual Assault and the Grief We Ignore: Finding Support and Healing with Lindsey Gumz - Episode 102

  3. Oct 13

    Parental Loss and Caregiver Grief: When You Finally Stop Holding It All with Aimee Suyko - Episode 101

    DESCRIPTION: Aimee Suyko’s mom was the person she called about everything, which made losing her especially lonely: the person she wanted to help her through the grief was the person who had died. In Episode 101 of Grief Is Not A Dirty Word, Nick Gaylord talks with Aimee about losing both parents and the caregiving responsibilities that left little room to process her mother’s death. Aimee remembers her mom’s stage four lung cancer diagnosis, the sudden changes that followed a serious fall and a final month together that held both painful uncertainty and unexpected laughter. After her mother died, caring for her father meant coordinating appointments, managing finances and helping sell the family home of more than 50 years while continuing to work. She shares how grief and caregiver exhaustion eventually caught up with her during a work trip to Hawaii, prompting her to leave her job, seek therapy and begin journaling. Nick and Aimee also explore the pressure to appear okay, why grieving people need support rather than someone trying to fix them and how boundaries can protect relationships when friends respond differently to loss. Her writing eventually connected her with a growing grief community and led to a book, offering another way to put words to feelings that can be difficult to explain. Throughout the conversation, Aimee returns to the memories of her parents, the value of giving yourself grace and the possibility of living fully while still missing someone deeply. WHO THIS EPISODE HELPS: Anyone navigating parental loss, caregiver grief or delayed grief, especially people who have spent so long caring for others that their own loss has barely had room to surface. WHAT LISTENERS WILL GET: An honest conversation about grief support, caregiver exhaustion and life after loss, with perspective on finding supportive people, making space for difficult emotions and enjoying memories without feeling that laughter diminishes love. This episode answers: Why am I still grieving my mom years after she died?How do I grieve one parent while caring for the other?How do I cope with losing both parents?What can I say when people keep trying to fix my grief?Is it okay to laugh and enjoy life while I’m grieving?Key Takeaways: Caregiving can leave little space for your own grief. Aimee describes moving straight from her mother’s death into caring for her father, then feeling her mother’s loss intensely years later.Being productive doesn’t show the whole picture. Continuing to work and handle responsibilities hid how exhausted and overwhelmed Aimee felt.Support can begin with listening. Aimee wanted people who could sit with her feelings without offering explanations or trying to make everything better.Different grief responses deserve room. Nick and Aimee discuss how siblings and friends may express grief differently, even when they deeply loved the same person.Laughter can keep memories close. Family humor, journaling and connection helped Aimee find room for life alongside the love and grief she still carries.AIMEE'S LINKS: Website: https://aimeesuyko.com/ Resources Hub: https://aimeesuyko.com/resources/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/intheirfootstepsblog/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimee-suyko-0b42ab26 Blog: https://aimeesuyko.com/blog/ She Still Rises Community: https://www.skool.com/she-still-rises/about Purchase Aimee's Book (What Remains: Reflections on Losing, Loving, and Learning to Live Again): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H3CW9L7Y Support the show GIVE THE SHOW A 5-STAR RATING ON APPLE PODCASTS!   FOLLOW US ON APPLE OR YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM!   BOOKMARK OUR WEBSITE: www.griefisnotadirtyword.com FOLLOW OUR DEAD DADS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/griefisnotadirtyword Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/griefisnotadirtyword TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@griefisnotadirtyword YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmmv6sdmMIys3GDBjiui3kw LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-gaylord/

    Parental Loss and Caregiver Grief: When You Finally Stop Holding It All with Aimee Suyko - Episode 101

  4. Oct 6

    Celebrating 100 Episodes: Pet Loss, Grief and Finding the Courage to Begin Again with Alexis Doss - Episode 100

    CONTENT NOTE: This conversation includes bullying, an abusive relationship, an eating disorder and suicidal thoughts. WHO THIS EPISODE HELPS: Anyone navigating pet loss, anticipatory grief or non-death grief after divorce, career changes or the loss of a familiar identity, especially people who worry that sharing their pain makes them a burden. WHAT LISTENERS WILL GET: An honest conversation about grief support, coping with pet loss and beginning again, with Alexis’s perspective on self-compassion, changing daily routines and finding support that fits where someone is emotionally. DESCRIPTION: Grief Is Not A Dirty Word reaches its 100th episode as host Nick Gaylord welcomes Alexis Doss, known online as The Tough Love Coach, for a conversation about pet loss, non-death grief and the courage to begin again. The milestone opens with Nick’s gratitude to the listeners, guests and his wife Kim, whose support has helped him reach this moment. Alexis shares what losing her English bulldog Ned has meant after years of working from home with him beside her through moves, divorce and career changes. Together, Nick and Alexis explore anticipatory grief, the disruption of everyday routines and why grieving people can worry about burdening those they love. Her story also includes childhood bullying, an abusive relationship and homelessness, experiences she reflects on while discussing self-compassion and taking steps toward change. Alexis explains how she approaches coaching and why some struggles need the support of a licensed mental health professional. As she pursues electronic music and DJing, she describes making space for excitement about the future while still feeling the loss of Ned. Episode 100 celebrates the community around the podcast through a conversation that gives listeners room to miss what they love and consider what comes next. This episode answers: Why does losing my dog hurt so much?How do I cope with grief before my pet dies?Why do I feel like a burden when I talk about my grief?Can I grieve a divorce or a life I chose to leave?How do I start over when I don’t know who I am anymore?Key Takeaways: Pet loss can change the structure of an entire day, especially when a companion was present through work, rest and major life transitions.Anticipatory grief deserves support before a loss happens; Alexis shares how having emotional support and tools already in place helped her.Grieving a relationship, an identity or an imagined future deserves acknowledgment, even when leaving was the right decision.Alexis’s version of tough love includes self-compassion and recognizing when someone needs licensed mental health care rather than coaching.Missing a loved companion and feeling excited about a new direction can coexist; beginning again does not require being finished with grief.ALEXIS'S LINKS: Support the show GIVE THE SHOW A 5-STAR RATING ON APPLE PODCASTS!   FOLLOW US ON APPLE OR YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM!   BOOKMARK OUR WEBSITE: www.griefisnotadirtyword.com FOLLOW OUR DEAD DADS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/griefisnotadirtyword Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/griefisnotadirtyword TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@griefisnotadirtyword YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmmv6sdmMIys3GDBjiui3kw LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-gaylord/

    Celebrating 100 Episodes: Pet Loss, Grief and Finding the Courage to Begin Again with Alexis Doss - Episode 100

  5. Sep 29

    Meeting listeners in Tampa / Men’s Grief, Father Loss and Why It’s Okay to Laugh Again with Roger Nairn - Episode 99

    WHO THIS EPISODE HELPS: People grieving a father or parent, especially those whose grief has felt numb, delayed or different from what they expected. WHAT LISTENERS WILL GET: An honest conversation about anticipatory grief, men’s grief, identity after loss and how talking, remembering and humor can make grief feel less lonely. DESCRIPTION: Roger Nairn co-hosts Dead Dads Podcast with Scott Cunningham, a name that caught Nick Gaylord’s attention immediately: this show began as Our Dead Dads. Neither host knew about the other when their podcasts began, but both saw a need for more honest conversations about father loss and men’s grief. Roger shares memories of his dad, Ken, whose curiosity and elaborate sense of humor remain vivid years after his death. After living with Ken’s cancer for five years, Roger expected to feel devastated when he died; instead, he felt surprisingly numb and questioned whether he was grieving the “right” way. Nick and Roger talk about anticipatory grief, the future Ken will miss with his grandson and the way losing a parent can change your sense of who you are. They also explore why humor can open a conversation that might otherwise feel impossible, without making light of anyone’s pain. At its heart, this is a conversation about making room for grief as it actually shows up and helping someone else feel less alone in theirs. This episode answers: Why do I feel numb instead of sad after my dad died?Can you grieve someone before they die?How does losing your father change your identity?Is it okay to laugh or make dark jokes while grieving?How can men talk about grief when they don’t know where to start?Key Takeaways: Years of anticipating a death can affect how grief feels afterward; Roger’s numbness initially made him question himself.Father loss can include grief for the relationship a grandchild will no longer get to have.Losing a parent may change how you understand yourself, even when that part of grief takes time to recognize.For Roger and Nick, humor helps lower the guard around difficult conversations. It belongs alongside honesty and care.Talking about grief does not require the right words or a familiar pattern of sadness. A person can begin with whatever they are actually feeling.ROGER'S LINKS: Website:  https://www.deaddadspodcast.com/ YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@deaddadspodcast Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/deaddadspodcast/ TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@dead.dads.podcast Substack: https://substack.com/@deaddadspodcast LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/dead-dads-podcast/ Apple Podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dead-dads-podcast-grief-support-for-men/id1867632438 Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/4WWlXBPzgj151SFYRUZeSB Grief Resources for Men:  https://www.deaddadspodcast.com/grief-resources-for-men/ Suggest A Guest:  https://www.deaddadspodcast.com/guests/intake/ Support the show GIVE THE SHOW A 5-STAR RATING ON APPLE PODCASTS!   FOLLOW US ON APPLE OR YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM!   BOOKMARK OUR WEBSITE: www.griefisnotadirtyword.com FOLLOW OUR DEAD DADS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/griefisnotadirtyword Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/griefisnotadirtyword TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@griefisnotadirtyword YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmmv6sdmMIys3GDBjiui3kw LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-gaylord/

    Meeting listeners in Tampa / Men’s Grief, Father Loss and Why It’s Okay to Laugh Again with Roger Nairn - Episode 99

  6. Sep 22

    After Losing Both Parents: Childhood Grief, Healing and Hope with Karen Danlovich - Episode 98

    WHO THIS EPISODE HELPS: Anyone navigating childhood grief, parental loss, chronic illness, identity loss or the pressure to appear strong while quietly living in survival mode. WHAT LISTENERS WILL GET: An honest conversation about grief and healing, what grieving children need from the adults around them, and why resilience sometimes means slowing down instead of pushing harder. DESCRIPTION: Karen Danlovich was nine years old when her mother died and nineteen when she lost her father, leaving her to face parental loss, adulthood and grief without the people who had represented home. She joins Nick Gaylord to explore what childhood grief looks like when adults provide practical care but struggle to talk openly about death, pain and emotional needs. Karen explains how achievement, teaching, school leadership and five seasons as a Jacksonville Jaguars cheerleader helped her honor her parents while also allowing her to stay ahead of unresolved grief. Years later, a multiple sclerosis diagnosis forced her to stop climbing, reconsider her identity and recognize that resilience does not always mean pushing through. She and Nick discuss the grief of leaving a career, learning to protect her limited energy and rediscovering the person underneath years of survival and accomplishment. Karen also shares how an encounter with a mother whale and her calf connected her with her late mother and showed her how nature can support healing after loss. That experience helped inspire Tidal Resilience Foundation, which provides ocean-centered experiences, practical resources and community support for grieving children and families. This episode answers:  How does losing a parent as a child affect you later in life?  What should adults say to a child when a parent dies?  Can staying busy prevent you from processing grief?  How do you grieve the loss of your health, career or identity?  What does resilience really mean after grief and loss? Key Takeaways:  Children need honest, age-appropriate conversations about death, not only protection from painful information.  Grief affects an entire family, and each person may be trying to support others while carrying a different version of the same loss.  Achievement can provide direction and purpose, but it can also become a way to stay ahead of unresolved grief.  Strength is not always measured by how long someone can keep moving. Sometimes resilience begins when they finally stop.  Connection, nature and shared experience can help grieving children and families feel supported without asking them to move past their grief.KAREN'S LINKS: Tidal Resilience Foundation: https://www.tidalresilience.org Request a Resilience Kit: https://www.tidalresilience.org/request-a-resilience-kit Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tidalresiliencefoundation Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tidalresiliencefoundation Volunteer or get involved: https://www.tidalresilience.org/contact Email: connect@tidalresilience.org Support the show GIVE THE SHOW A 5-STAR RATING ON APPLE PODCASTS!   FOLLOW US ON APPLE OR YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM!   BOOKMARK OUR WEBSITE: www.griefisnotadirtyword.com FOLLOW OUR DEAD DADS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/griefisnotadirtyword Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/griefisnotadirtyword TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@griefisnotadirtyword YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmmv6sdmMIys3GDBjiui3kw LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-gaylord/

    After Losing Both Parents: Childhood Grief, Healing and Hope with Karen Danlovich - Episode 98

  7. Sep 11

    September 11, 25 Years Later: Collective Grief, Loss and the Lives We Remember with Nick Gaylord

    DESCRIPTION: Today marks 25 years since the morning of September 11, 2001. There is no guest and this is not a traditional episode. I simply wanted to sit down for a few minutes and talk about the morning I was supposed to visit the Twin Towers, why I never made it there and what unfolded as I realized the impossible was actually happening. My experience cannot be compared to the grief of those who lost someone that day, but like millions of others, I have carried the memory of that morning and the collective loss that followed. I reflect on the lives behind the names we still hear read aloud, the families who have learned to carry their grief and the survivors and first responders who continue living with the consequences. I also remember the way people reached for one another afterward, when being another human being who was hurting was enough to bring strangers together. Twenty-five years later, this is my remembrance of those we lost, those who still carry that loss and the connection we desperately need to find again. WHO THIS EPISODE HELPS: Anyone carrying grief, loss or vivid memories connected to September 11, as well as those trying to understand why this day still feels so heavy 25 years later. WHAT LISTENERS WILL GET: A personal reflection on remembrance, collective grief and learning to carry loss differently, along with a reminder of what can happen when we choose to see and support one another. Support the show GIVE THE SHOW A 5-STAR RATING ON APPLE PODCASTS!   FOLLOW US ON APPLE OR YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM!   BOOKMARK OUR WEBSITE: www.griefisnotadirtyword.com FOLLOW OUR DEAD DADS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/griefisnotadirtyword Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/griefisnotadirtyword TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@griefisnotadirtyword YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmmv6sdmMIys3GDBjiui3kw LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-gaylord/

    September 11, 25 Years Later: Collective Grief, Loss and the Lives We Remember with Nick Gaylord

  8. Sep 8

    Beyond Survival: Finding Hope, Healing and Legacy After Loss with Chelsea Ohlemiller - Episode 97

    WHO THIS EPISODE HELPS: Anyone navigating grief after the earliest days of loss, especially those learning how to live fully while continuing to honor someone they love. WHAT LISTENERS WILL GET: An honest conversation about mother loss, lasting grief, choosing joy, redefining legacy and carrying grief into family life and the workplace. DESCRIPTION: Chelsea Ohlemiller returns to Grief Is Not A Dirty Word for a conversation about what happens when the funeral is over, everyone else has returned to normal and grief remains. Nine years after losing her mother, Rita, Chelsea joins Nick to explore the difference between surviving a loss and beginning to live again. She explains why honoring someone does not require perfectly preserving every recipe, tradition or part of the life they left behind. Their conversation examines the unexpected firsts that continue for years, the guilt that can accompany happiness and the difficult work of choosing hope and joy alongside grief. Chelsea also shares how her children keep their grandmother’s memory alive, including a son who never had the chance to meet her. Nick and Chelsea discuss grief in the workplace and why grieving employees cannot simply leave part of themselves at the door. Through her new book, Legacy After Loss, Chelsea offers a deeply human reminder that moving forward does not mean leaving our loved ones behind. This episode answers:  How do you move forward after losing someone without leaving them behind?  Why does grief still hurt years after someone dies?  How can joy and grief exist at the same time?  How do you honor a loved one’s legacy without feeling pressured to preserve everything?  How should managers support an employee who is grieving? Key Takeaways:  Grief does not follow a timeline, and new firsts can continue appearing many years after a loss.  Moving forward is different from moving on because love, memory and influence remain part of your life.  Legacy does not require perfect replication. Traditions can change while continuing to hold meaning.  Hope and joy can coexist with grief, although choosing them may require deliberate and difficult work.  Meaningful grief support begins with knowing the person, listening carefully and following compassion with action.CHELSEA'S LINKS: Website:  https://hopeandharshrealities.com/ Purchase Legacy After Loss:  https://hopeandharshrealities.com/new-book-coming-september-8th/ Chelsea's Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0D3SKTKQ1 SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/hopeandharshrealities/ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/hopeandharshrealities/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-ohlemiller-a65315198 YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1BkDTuUSW4ym_dU9ebQs1w/videos Support the show GIVE THE SHOW A 5-STAR RATING ON APPLE PODCASTS!   FOLLOW US ON APPLE OR YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM!   BOOKMARK OUR WEBSITE: www.griefisnotadirtyword.com FOLLOW OUR DEAD DADS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/griefisnotadirtyword Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/griefisnotadirtyword TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@griefisnotadirtyword YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmmv6sdmMIys3GDBjiui3kw LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-gaylord/

    Beyond Survival: Finding Hope, Healing and Legacy After Loss with Chelsea Ohlemiller - Episode 97
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4.9
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About

Grief Is Not A Dirty Word is a weekly podcast that brings honest, real-world conversations about grief, loss, trauma, healing, and mental health into the light. Hosted by Nick Gaylord, the show creates a safe, compassionate space for anyone navigating the complicated emotions that come with losing a parent, partner, child, friend, relationship, or former version of themselves. Originally launched as Our Dead Dads, the podcast has evolved into a broader mission: to normalize grief and break the stigma around talking about it. Nick explores every corner of the grieving experience — from anticipatory grief and sudden loss to complicated family dynamics, unresolved anger, identity shifts, and the invisible pain people carry long after the world assumes they’re “fine.” Each episode features powerful, unfiltered stories from guests who have lived through loss and rebuilt their lives in deeply personal ways. Through conversations centered on resilience, vulnerability, courage, and connection, the podcast helps listeners understand that grief isn’t something to hide — it’s something that deserves space, honesty, and community. Whether your grief is fresh or decades old, whether it’s tied to death or to a different kind of ending, this show will help you feel seen, supported, and less alone. If you’re looking for meaningful discussions about healing, emotional wellbeing, and the human experience — you’re in the right place. New episodes every Tuesday. Listen on all major podcast platforms or at griefisnotadirtyword.com. Grief Is Not A Dirty Word — because every story matters, every emotion belongs, and healing begins when we speak the truth.

Information

  • Creator
    Nick Gaylord
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    116
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Grief Is Not A Dirty Word
  • Show Website
    Grief Is Not A Dirty Word

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