GRIEF Ladies: A Guide to What Comes Next

Karyn Arnold and Kelly Daugherty
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

GRIEF Ladies is a grief support podcast for anyone coping with the death of a loved one. If you're wondering how to handle overwhelming emotions, grief, anxiety, grief brain, loneliness after loss, or how to stay connected to someone who died, you're in the right place. Hosted by grief professionals Kelly Daugherty and Karyn Arnold, this podcast offers practical coping tools, grounded conversations, and guidance for navigating life after loss. Each episode explores real questions people ask: Why am I still grieving so intensely? How do I calm my nervous system when grief hits? Is it healthy to stay connected to someone who died? Why do relationships change after loss? How do I rebuild my life after someone dies? Unlike stage-based models of grief, GRIEF Ladies uses the GRIEF Framework: Grounding, Rebuilding, Interacting, Evolving, and Finding as flexible trail markers to help you take small, actionable steps forward. You'll hear: Evidence-based grief education Nervous system and coping skills tools Continuing bonds perspectives Interviews with grief experts Honest conversations about complicated emotions Whether you're grieving the loss of a parent, spouse, child, sibling, or friend, this podcast offers steady support without clichés, pressure to "move on," or unrealistic timelines. Subscribe for weekly episodes and practical tools to help you navigate grief with intention, compassion, and connection.

  1. 21h ago

    How to Rebuild Your Life After Suddenly Losing Your Spouse with Caroline Melkonian

    When Caroline Melkonian's husband Michael died suddenly from a heart attack, complicated by medical malpractice, she was left with two teenagers, a mortgage she didn't know where to find, and an uncertain future she never planned for. What she did next is the heart of this episode. Caroline shares how she shifted from passive bystander to active leader of her family, why making things predictable was her first and most powerful tool, and how she applied her 20 years of professional mediation skills to rebuild her life with intention. She also opens up about navigating two years of litigation while grieving, the weight of a high-profile case, and why she felt compelled to pursue justice for Michael. Plus: a stat that every surviving spouse needs to hear: $15.5 billion in Social Security survivor benefits goes unclaimed every single year. Caroline marched down to the Social Security office herself. You may need to too. Guest Bio: Caroline is an experienced mediator with more than 20 years of negotiation expertise, helping individuals and families resolve conflict with compassion, confidentiality, and respect. A patient and empathetic listener, she guides people through difficult conversations and works collaboratively to create practical, lasting solutions. Her primary focus is divorce mediation, where she helps couples avoid the expense and stress of litigation by developing customized agreements that address parenting arrangements, finances, and asset division. Caroline is particularly committed to preserving healthy parent-child and co-parenting relationships, helping families move forward with greater understanding, dignity, and cooperation. Connect with Caroline: https://cmelmediation.com/ GRIEF Ladies: Your Guide to What Comes Next If you're ready to move forward without moving on—this show is for you. 🎧 Follow and connect: https://www.griefladies.com/ Kelly Daugherty: https://www.kellydaugherty.com/ Karyn Arnold: https://www.griefincommon.com/ Stay up to date with all the latest information about The GRIEF Ladies- Sign up for our newsletter at: www.griefladies.com Join the FREE, Private Facebook GRIEF Ladies Community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/16WuZNsNGu/ The GRIEF Ladies podcast offers education and support for people living with grief after someone they love has died. Our content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care or crisis services. If you are in crisis or concerned about your safety, call 988 in the U.S. or contact local emergency services. Guest perspectives shared on this platform are their own and may not reflect the views or positions of The Grief Ladies.

    How to Rebuild Your Life After Suddenly Losing Your Spouse with Caroline Melkonian

  2. Aug 12

    Death Doulas, Death Cafes, and Grounding Through Grief with Michelle Polacinski

    What is a death doula — and do you actually need one? In this episode, end-of-life doula, herbalist, and death cafe facilitator Michelle Polacinski breaks it all down. Michelle became interested in death and dying after a near-deadly reaction to an antibiotic at age 23 left her unable to walk for months, facing her own mortality alone and far from home. That experience transformed her life — and eventually led her to the work she does today. Michelle explains the role of a death doula and how they work alongside hospice, what happens at a death cafe and why talking openly about death matters, and the Swedish death cleaning movement — a practical and meaningful way to prepare your loved ones and spark important conversations before it's too late. She also shares her personal grounding practice and her biggest takeaway for anyone navigating grief: when you need to cry, just cry. Don't hold back. Death Cafe: https://deathcafe.com Guest Bio: Michelle Ameliore Polacinski is an end of life doula, herbalist, facilitator, and mental health counseling student at the University at Albany. She is currently Kelly's intern! Michelle became interested in death and dying when she received paperwork for a living will at the age of 23. She was experiencing a disabling, toxic reaction from a pharmaceutical drug called Cipro, the experience of which changed her life. Since, she was trained as an end of life doula, has facilitated a monthly death cafe for four years, death book club for 2 years, and talks about death endlessly. Connect with Michelle: michelleameliore.substack.com @ameliore.apothecary on instagram GRIEF Ladies: Your Guide to What Comes Next If you're ready to move forward without moving on—this show is for you. 🎧 Follow and connect: https://www.griefladies.com/ Kelly Daugherty: https://www.kellydaugherty.com/ Karyn Arnold: https://www.griefincommon.com/ Stay up to date with all the latest information about The GRIEF Ladies- Sign up for our newsletter at: www.griefladies.com Join the FREE, Private Facebook GRIEF Ladies Community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/16WuZNsNGu/ The GRIEF Ladies podcast offers education and support for people living with grief after someone they love has died. Our content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care or crisis services. If you are in crisis or concerned about your safety, call 988 in the U.S. or contact local emergency services. Guest perspectives shared on this platform are their own and may not reflect the views or positions of The Grief Ladies.

    Death Doulas, Death Cafes, and Grounding Through Grief with Michelle Polacinski

  3. Aug 5

    Channeling Grief Into Purpose: The Story Behind Get Griefy Magazine with Kera Sanchez

    What do you do when you're holding your newborn for the very first time and you get the call that your mother has died? For Kera Sanchez, the answer — eventually — was to build something. In this episode, Kera shares the origin story of Get Griefy Magazine, a free, colorful, community-driven publication created to make grief approachable and to give grievers a place to feel seen. She talks about the secondary losses that followed her mother's sudden death, how grief reshaped her identity and career, and why community built through vulnerability may be one of the most powerful tools a grieving person has. This is a conversation about benefit finding, finding your people, and what it looks like to channel pain into purpose — in whatever form that takes. Guest Bio: Kera Sanchez is a secondary educator, Editor-in-Chief of Get Griefy Magazine, and Certified Grief and Resilience Expert—recognized as Talk Death's 2025 People's Choice Grief Educator of the Year. Connect with Kera: @getgriefymagazine  @lemonstolegacies  getgriefymagazine.com GRIEF Ladies: Your Guide to What Comes Next If you're ready to move forward without moving on—this show is for you. 🎧 Follow and connect: https://www.griefladies.com/ Kelly Daugherty: https://www.kellydaugherty.com/ Karyn Arnold: https://www.griefincommon.com/ Stay up to date with all the latest information about The GRIEF Ladies- Sign up for our newsletter at: www.griefladies.com Join the FREE, Private Facebook GRIEF Ladies Community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/16WuZNsNGu/ The GRIEF Ladies podcast offers education and support for people living with grief after someone they love has died. Our content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care or crisis services. If you are in crisis or concerned about your safety, call 988 in the U.S. or contact local emergency services. Guest perspectives shared on this platform are their own and may not reflect the views or positions of The Grief Ladies.

    Channeling Grief Into Purpose: The Story Behind Get Griefy Magazine with Kera Sanchez

  4. Jul 29

    Secondary Losses in Grief: Why Loss Changes More Than You Think with Nichole Lee

    Grief is rarely about just one loss. When someone dies, we may also lose routines, identity, security, future plans, and the roles we once held. These are called secondary losses — and they can make grief feel overwhelming and confusing.  In this episode, Nichole Lee join the GRIEF Ladies to explore: Why grief feels like more than one loss Emotional overwhelm and "energy in motion" Identity changes after death The idea that loyalty does not require ongoing suffering How growth can coexist with pain Grief is deeply personal — and it evolves over time. As always, we close with practical steps you can try this week. Guest Bio: Nichole Lee guides high-level leaders through moments of deep transition—when grief, identity, and truth collide. After 20 years leading transformation work for Fortune 500 companies, her mother's death in 2018 marked a turning point, giving rise to work that helps others let go of who they've been and step into who they're becoming. Connect with Nichole: Life Transition Coach for Executives, Founders & Public Figures | Nichole Lee GRIEF Ladies: Your Guide to What Comes Next If you're ready to move forward without moving on—this show is for you. 🎧 Follow and connect: https://www.griefladies.com/ Kelly Daugherty: https://www.kellydaugherty.com/ Karyn Arnold: https://www.griefincommon.com/ Stay up to date with all the latest information about The GRIEF Ladies- Sign up for our newsletter at: www.griefladies.com Join the FREE, Private Facebook GRIEF Ladies Community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/16WuZNsNGu/ The GRIEF Ladies podcast offers education and support for people living with grief after someone they love has died. Our content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care or crisis services. If you are in crisis or concerned about your safety, call 988 in the U.S. or contact local emergency services. Guest perspectives shared on this platform are their own and may not reflect the views or positions of The Grief Ladies.

    Secondary Losses in Grief: Why Loss Changes More Than You Think with Nichole Lee

  5. Jul 22

    Grief After Suicide Loss: Stigma, Boundaries, and Finding Support with Sara Shelton

    Suicide loss is one of the most isolating and misunderstood grief experiences there is — and Sara Shelton knows this firsthand. After losing her sister Heidi to suicide in 2019, Sara navigated stigma, family silence, and a profound lack of resources for suicide loss survivors. Now, as founder of The Postvention Project, she's working to change that. In this episode, Sara talks openly about why suicide grief is different, how stigma keeps survivors isolated, and why boundaries during grief are not about pushing people away — they're an act of love and self-preservation. She also shares what she's learning through her survivor research interviews, why finding community with other suicide loss survivors is one of the most powerful steps toward healing, and what to say — and not say — when someone you love is grieving a suicide loss. If you or someone you know has been impacted by suicide loss, this episode offers honest, compassionate insight from someone who has lived it. If you are struggling, please reach out to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Guest Bio: Sara Shelton is a suicide loss survivor and founder of Griefly Collective, an initiative focused on helping institutions and families navigate what comes after traumatic death. Her work centers on postvention, family systems, and the role of boundaries in grief. Drawing from lived experience and professional leadership in peer support spaces, she speaks candidly about navigating minimizing comments, shifting family roles, and the tension between care and performance after loss. She is especially interested in how boundaries function as an act of love during grief. Connect with Sara: www.grieflycollective.com  The Postvention Project: https://www.postventionproject.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarashelton/ GRIEF Ladies: Your Guide to What Comes Next If you're ready to move forward without moving on—this show is for you. 🎧 Follow and connect: https://www.griefladies.com/ Kelly Daugherty: https://www.kellydaugherty.com/ Karyn Arnold: https://www.griefincommon.com/ Stay up to date with all the latest information about The GRIEF Ladies- Sign up for our newsletter at: www.griefladies.com Join the FREE, Private Facebook GRIEF Ladies Community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/16WuZNsNGu/ The GRIEF Ladies podcast offers education and support for people living with grief after someone they love has died. Our content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care or crisis services. If you are in crisis or concerned about your safety, call 988 in the U.S. or contact local emergency services. Guest perspectives shared on this platform are their own and may not reflect the views or positions of The Grief Ladies.

    Grief After Suicide Loss: Stigma, Boundaries, and Finding Support with Sara Shelton

  6. Jul 15

    What No One Tells You About Stillbirth Grief with Vallen Webb

    Stillbirth grief is one of the most misunderstood and isolating experiences a family can go through — and Vallen Webb knows this firsthand. After the stillbirth of her daughter Evelyn in 2019, Vallen navigated postpartum depression, rage, isolation, a husband deployed overseas who never got to hold his daughter, and a cascade of secondary losses that took years to untangle. In this episode, Vallen shares what she wishes society understood about stillbirth and infant loss, how disenfranchised grief shows up for bereaved families, and why routine became her survival tool when everything else felt out of control. She also offers four simple but powerful self-care anchors — sun, movement, water, and sleep — and talks honestly about how she continues to honor Evelyn seven years later. Her mission says it all: grief doesn't need fixing. It needs witnessing. Guest Bio:  Vallen Webb is a bereaved mother, postpartum and bereavement doula, and founder of Evelyn James & Co. a grief-informed training and resource hub for loss families and the professionals who support them. After the stillbirth of her daughter Evelyn, Vallen experienced intense postpartum depression, rage, and isolation—experiences she now speaks about to bring voice to the often-hidden truths of loss and motherhood. Through education, storytelling, and advocacy, she helps families feel seen in their sorrow and trains providers to hold space with compassion. Her mission is clear: grief doesn't need fixing—it needs witnessing. Connect with Vallen: www.evelynjamesandco.com www.evelynjames.shop @evelynjamesandco GRIEF Ladies: Your Guide to What Comes Next If you're ready to move forward without moving on—this show is for you. 🎧 Follow and connect: https://www.griefladies.com/ Kelly Daugherty: https://www.kellydaugherty.com/ Karyn Arnold: https://www.griefincommon.com/ Stay up to date with all the latest information about The GRIEF Ladies- Sign up for our newsletter at: www.griefladies.com Join the FREE, Private Facebook GRIEF Ladies Community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/16WuZNsNGu/ The GRIEF Ladies podcast offers education and support for people living with grief after someone they love has died. Our content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care or crisis services. If you are in crisis or concerned about your safety, call 988 in the U.S. or contact local emergency services. Guest perspectives shared on this platform are their own and may not reflect the views or positions of The Grief Ladies.

    What No One Tells You About Stillbirth Grief with Vallen Webb

  7. Jul 8

    Healing Stuck Grief: Ketamine, EMDR, and the Grief Impact Statement with Karen Sprinkel

    Some people do years of therapy and still feel stuck in their grief. In this episode of the GRIEF Ladies Podcast- #42, trauma specialist, psychotherapist, and author Karen Sprinkel shares the innovative east-west approach she has developed over decades of working with grieving clients, combining EMDR, somatic experiencing, internal family systems, ketamine-assisted therapy, and a Buddhist philosophical framework to help people finally find lasting relief. Karen explains why ketamine combined with traditional trauma modalities produces more durable, sustaining change than either approach alone, how she assesses clients mentally, somatically, and spiritually before any intensive work begins, and what after-death communications look like in a psychedelic-assisted therapy context. She also introduces the grief impact statement — a powerful tool she developed from her early work in victim advocacy that gives grievers a structured way to be witnessed in their loss, whether or not there was ever a perpetrator to face in court. If you or someone you love has been stuck in grief and wonders if there's something more, this episode offers a genuinely different path forward. Guest Bio: Karen Sprinkel Ancelet is a psychotherapist, consultant, teacher and author. Her unique EastWest approach to healing trauma emerged over her years living in Asia. Her speciality is a combined trauma modality and certifications using EMDR, Brainspotting, Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) and Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT). She finished her masters degree studying Buddhism and researching the impact of trauma in Tibet, Nepal and the US. Karen's book, The Thriving Self: A New Paradigm for Healing Trauma in the Mind, Body and Spirit is a unique roadmap to thriving beyond trauma. Her podcast is Trauma, Psychedelics and Buddhism. Connect with Karen: 🔗 Karen's Website: https://www.karensprinkel.com  🔗 Instagram: @thethrivingself 🔗 IADC Training: https://www.iadctraining.org GRIEF Ladies: Your Guide to What Comes Next If you're ready to move forward without moving on—this show is for you. 🎧 Follow and connect: https://www.griefladies.com/ Kelly Daugherty: https://www.kellydaugherty.com/ Karyn Arnold: https://www.griefincommon.com/ Stay up to date with all the latest information about The GRIEF Ladies- Sign up for our newsletter at: www.griefladies.com Join the FREE, Private Facebook GRIEF Ladies Community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/16WuZNsNGu/ The GRIEF Ladies podcast offers education and support for people living with grief after someone they love has died. Our content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care or crisis services. If you are in crisis or concerned about your safety, call 988 in the U.S. or contact local emergency services. Guest perspectives shared on this platform are their own and may not reflect the views or positions of The Grief Ladies.

    Healing Stuck Grief: Ketamine, EMDR, and the Grief Impact Statement with Karen Sprinkel

  8. Jul 1

    Signs From Loved Ones After Death: Mediumship, Meditation & Healing

    After someone dies, many people wonder: Was that a sign? In this episode, we're joined by intuitive medium Deb DeCelle to talk about the experience of receiving signs from loved ones in spirit. We explore meditation as a tool for connection, the role of gratitude in noticing signs, and how maintaining a bond after death can support healing. The GRIEF Ladies discuss: What signs from loved ones may look like Why meditation can help quiet grief Doubt and skepticism around spiritual experiences Continuing connection after loss How gratitude can deepen awareness Grief doesn't erase connection — it transforms it. As always, we close with practical steps you can try this week. Guest Bio: Deb DeCelle is an intuitive medium, trauma-informed mentor, and best-selling author who helps individuals navigate grief, spiritual connection, and personal growth. Known for her compassionate approach, Deb blends professional experience with intuitive insight to support healing and meaningful transformation. Connect with Deb:  https://www.debdecelle.com/ GRIEF Ladies: Your Guide to What Comes Next If you're ready to move forward without moving on—this show is for you. 🎧 Follow and connect: https://www.griefladies.com/ Kelly Daugherty: https://www.kellydaugherty.com/ Karyn Arnold: https://www.griefincommon.com/ Stay up to date with all the latest information about The GRIEF Ladies- Sign up for our newsletter at: www.griefladies.com Join the FREE, Private Facebook GRIEF Ladies Community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/16WuZNsNGu/ The GRIEF Ladies podcast offers education and support for people living with grief after someone they love has died. Our content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care or crisis services. If you are in crisis or concerned about your safety, call 988 in the U.S. or contact local emergency services. Guest perspectives shared on this platform are their own and may not reflect the views or positions of The Grief Ladies.

    Signs From Loved Ones After Death: Mediumship, Meditation & Healing
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

GRIEF Ladies is a grief support podcast for anyone coping with the death of a loved one. If you're wondering how to handle overwhelming emotions, grief, anxiety, grief brain, loneliness after loss, or how to stay connected to someone who died, you're in the right place. Hosted by grief professionals Kelly Daugherty and Karyn Arnold, this podcast offers practical coping tools, grounded conversations, and guidance for navigating life after loss. Each episode explores real questions people ask: Why am I still grieving so intensely? How do I calm my nervous system when grief hits? Is it healthy to stay connected to someone who died? Why do relationships change after loss? How do I rebuild my life after someone dies? Unlike stage-based models of grief, GRIEF Ladies uses the GRIEF Framework: Grounding, Rebuilding, Interacting, Evolving, and Finding as flexible trail markers to help you take small, actionable steps forward. You'll hear: Evidence-based grief education Nervous system and coping skills tools Continuing bonds perspectives Interviews with grief experts Honest conversations about complicated emotions Whether you're grieving the loss of a parent, spouse, child, sibling, or friend, this podcast offers steady support without clichés, pressure to "move on," or unrealistic timelines. Subscribe for weekly episodes and practical tools to help you navigate grief with intention, compassion, and connection.

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