GRIEF AND LIGHT

Nina Rodriguez
  • 5,0 (24)
  • RELACIONAMENTOS

This space was created for you by someone who gets it – your grief, your foundation-shattering reality, and the question of what the heck do we do with the shattered pieces of life and loss around us.It’s also for the listener who wants to better understand their grieving person, and perhaps wants to learn how to help.Now in its fourth season, the Grief and Light podcast features both solo episodes and interviews with first-hand experiencers, authors, and professionals, who shine a light on the spectrum of experiences, feelings, secondary losses, and takeaways.As a bereaved sister, I share my personal story of the sudden loss of my younger brother, only sibling, one day after we celebrated his 32nd birthday. I also delve into how that loss, trauma, and grief catapulted me into a truth-seeking journey, which ultimately led me to answer "the calling" of creating this space I now call Grief and Light.Since launching the first episode on March 30, 2023, the Grief and Light podcast and social platforms have evolved into a powerful resource for grief-informed support, including one-on-one grief guidance, monthly grief circles, community, and much more.With each episode, you can expect open and authentic conversations sharing our truth, and explorations of how to transmute the grief experience into meaning, and even joy.My hope is to make you feel less alone, and to be a beacon of light and source of information for anyone embarking on this journey."We're all just walking each other HOME." - Ram DassThank you for being here.We're in this together.Nina, Yosef's Sister--For more information, visit: griefandlight.com

  1. How solo travel helped this Latina find herself again with Bianca Alba

    HÁ 6 DIAS

    How solo travel helped this Latina find herself again with Bianca Alba

    Sometimes, healing begins in motion. In this episode, Nina Rodriguez sits down with Bianca Alba, founder of This Latina Travels, to explore how grief, identity, and travel intertwine. What starts as a conversation about exploring the world becomes a deeper story about returning to yourself. *** Video available here *** Her story begins in a single-parent household where vacations felt like something other people did, faraway dreams that didn’t belong to families like hers. Today, Bianca has traveled to six continents and uses her platform to show women of color what’s possible when you give yourself permission to go. Her work reminds us that representation isn’t just inspiring, it’s necessary. Nina and Bianca also reflect on the power of community, having recently shared virtual space as speakers at the Latinas in Podcasting Summit 2025. The conversation moves through grief, identity, purpose, and the courage it takes to keep expanding your life after loss. Bianca opens up about the Lola Challenge, a three-day running event in Puerto Rico that connects her to her body, her resilience, and the island she now calls home. She recounts a deeply emotional moment on a beach in the Virgin Islands that reminded her how grief meets us wherever we are. They also explore the complexities of traveling during political and social turbulence, including recent US disruptions affecting travelers. Bianca speaks honestly about the privilege and guilt of being a travel content creator during difficult times, and how she balances joy with responsibility, visibility, and awareness. Her love for Puerto Rico weaves through the conversation—its beauty, its challenges, and the hope she carries for change. Bianca shares her vision for future retreats on the island: spaces rooted in culture, learning, healing, and community. Places where women can breathe, honor their grief, and rediscover parts of themselves that got lost along the way. This episode is an invitation to rethink how movement, land, and connection can hold us through grief. A reminder that healing isn’t linear; it’s lived, mile by mile, moment by moment. Key Takeaways: Travel can be a companion to grief, offering new ways to process loss.Representation matters—It can be life-changing for women of color to see themselves in spaces historically closed to them.Grief and joy often coexist, and choosing adventure after loss isn’t forgetting—it's honoring the fullness of being alive.Community heals—from podcast summits to shared stories, connection lights the way forward.Travel during turbulent times is complex, and it’s okay to hold both gratitude and discomfort as you navigate privilege and responsibility.Puerto Rico holds deep lessons about resilience, culture, and what it means to belong to land and community.Guest: Bianca Alba Blogger & Podcaster@thislatinatravelsthislatinatravels.comHosted by: Nina Rodriguez griefandlight.com@griefandlightResting Grief Face on SubstackGrief Tending ToolkitSupport the show Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this. Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

    51min
  2. Get Griefy With Us: A Grief Week Roundtable on How Loss Shakes Up Family and Community

    3 DE DEZ.

    Get Griefy With Us: A Grief Week Roundtable on How Loss Shakes Up Family and Community

    What happens when you gather a circle of grievers, creators, and grief-literacy leaders around one table and ask them to tell the truth about how loss has reshaped their families, and their lives? In this special Grief Week episode of Grief and Light, we find out. *** Watch the video here. *** This episode is an offering for anyone navigating family changes after loss, for anyone bracing for the holidays, and for anyone who needs to hear that their grief makes sense, that their story matters, and that connection is still possible even in the midst of heartbreak. Each year, the first week of December marks Grief Week—a global invitation to slow down, raise awareness, open conversations, and build a more grief-informed world. In honor of this mission, Nina Rodriguez brings together members of the Get Griefy Small Business Collective for a roundtable conversation that feels equal parts honest, tender, and unexpectedly uplifting. From the moment the mic turns on, the episode unfolds like a shared living room, where stories overlap, tears sit beside laughter, and the complexity of grief is met with curiosity instead of fear. Together, Nina and her guests explore how loss ripples through families: the shifting dynamics, the roles we grow into (or out of), the unspoken tensions, and the surprising places where connection begins to mend what grief has fractured. What emerges is not just a conversation, but a reminder: Grief may isolate, but community brings us home to ourselves. Through creativity, storytelling, mutual witnessing, and the simple act of speaking honestly, this group shows what’s possible when we don’t grieve alone. Connect with our guests & their offerings: AMANDA MCKOY FLANAGAN: amandamckoyflanagan.comANGIE HANSON: butterfliesandhalos.comCHARLENE LAM: curatinggrief.comKERA SANCHEZ: getgriefymagazine.comLIZ QUINN: @lizquinnhealsHosted by: Nina Rodriguez Creator of Grief and Light, Grief Guidegriefandlight.com@griefandlightResting Grief Face on SubstackGrief Support Resources for the Road: Grief Tending ToolkitAccess our online communitySupport the show Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this. Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

    1h16min
  3. Evolving and Growing with Grief: A Grief Awareness Week Roundtable with 3 Grief-focused Podcasters

    1 DE DEZ.

    Evolving and Growing with Grief: A Grief Awareness Week Roundtable with 3 Grief-focused Podcasters

    What happens when three grief podcasters sit down to talk about the happiest–saddest time of the year? In this special Grief Awareness Week episode, three grief storytellers and space-holders — Nina Rodriguez (Grief and Light), Liz Quinn (Healing Hearts Podcast), and Tara Accardo (Life with Grief podcast) — come together for a conversation that’s equal parts honest, tender, and deeply human. *** The video version is available here. *** What unfolds is a spacious, story-rich dialogue about the many faces of grief: the way it evolves over time, the way it reshapes who we are, and the way the holidays often magnify both the ache and the sweetness. Together, the three share how their losses — Nina’s 32-year-old brother, Liz’s newborn daughter and both parents, and Tara’s parents and beloved 19-year-old dog — continue to ripple through their lives in ways that are both painful and illuminating. They explore the early fog of grief, the physicality of sorrow, the rituals and traditions that tether us to our people, and the power of setting boundaries when the world expects more than we can give. They reflect on identity, envy, unexpected joy, and the healing that happens when we speak our stories out loud and are met with understanding instead of silence. This episode feels like sitting with friends who get it. Three women navigating grief personally and professionally, carving out space for truth, connection, and the radical permission to feel it all. It will air on all three podcasts. Key Takeaways Grief evolves constantly, shifting shape over time but never disappearing.Storytelling creates connection, offering validation, healing, and community.The first year of loss is disorienting, full of numbness and overwhelm.Rituals and traditions can honor loved ones, especially during the holidays.Clear boundaries are essential — it’s okay to opt out, slow down, or protect your energy.Grief impacts the body, not just the heart and mind.Community support softens the edges, reminding us we’re not alone.Every grief journey is unique, and there’s no one “right” way to move through it.Joy can coexist with grief, even when it feels fragile or unexpected.All emotions are valid, especially during tender seasons like the holidays.The Grief and Light podcast is hosted by: Nina Rodriguez Creator of Grief and Light, Grief Guidegriefandlight.com@griefandlightResting Grief Face on SubstackGrief Support Resources for the Road: Grief Tending ToolkitAccess our online community Support the show Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this. Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

    1h3min
  4. The Light That Shines Through Me: Tiriq Rashad on Grief, Family, and Spoken Word

    26 DE NOV.

    The Light That Shines Through Me: Tiriq Rashad on Grief, Family, and Spoken Word

    Some stories are written in ink. Others are written in loss, love, and everything that comes after.  Today’s guest is Tiriq Rashad, spoken word artist, whose life has been shaped by the grief of losing his daughter, brother, and mother, and by the courage to transform that pain into poetry, music, and meaning. Through his books Shine Through Our Shade and A Diamond in God’s Dirt, and now his new album Kiss My Art, Tiriq invites us into the alchemy of survival where art becomes a way home to ourselves. *** Watch video version here *** Together, Nina and Tiriq explore the unpolished, raw realities of grieving: the trauma that lingers, the relief of finally speaking your truth, the grounding power of therapy, and the courage it takes to show up vulnerable. Tiriq shares how grief propelled him toward expression, how strength can emerge through vulnerability, and how poetry, music, and storytelling became a space where love and pain coexist. This conversation reminds us that grief doesn’t need to be fixed, it needs to be witnessed. Through Tiriq’s story, we’re invited to lean into connection, share what hurts, and trust that creative expression can guide us back to ourselves, one honest moment at a time. Key Takeaways Art becomes a way to return to ourselves and rediscover meaning after loss.Vulnerability is essential in expressing and navigating grief.Every loss carries a distinct trauma and teaches us something different.Honoring loved ones through creativity can be deeply healing.Therapy provides tools, grounding, and perspective during the grieving process.Acceptance isn’t passive. It’s an active part of moving forward with grief.People “wear” grief differently; there is no right way to grieve.Connection and community are crucial in the healing journey.Sharing our stories can inspire courage and connection in others.Self-tending is necessary to sustain ourselves through grief.Guest: Tiriq Rashad Gramy Considered Spoken Word Artisttiriqrashad.comWatch Tiriq's TEDx Talk@tiriq_rashadHosted by: Nina Rodriguez Creator of Grief and Light, Grief Guidegriefandlight.com@griefandlightResting Grief Face on SubstackGrief Support Resources for the Road: Grief Tending ToolkitAccess our online communitySupport the show Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this. Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

    52min
  5. How Digital Data Is Rewriting Suicide Prevention with Kim Burditt Barlett

    25 DE NOV.

    How Digital Data Is Rewriting Suicide Prevention with Kim Burditt Barlett

    Grief doesn’t just reshape us, it can redirect the entire course of our lives in ways we never saw coming.  *** Video available here *** For Kim Burditt Barlett, that redirection began the day her brother Jon, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, died by suicide in 2010. What followed was a profound transformation that eventually led her into suicide prevention work and, ultimately, to her role at Stop Soldier Suicide. In this episode, Kim sits down with Nina to explore the layered reality of suicide loss—the silence, the stigma, the unanswered questions, and the way it can feel both isolating and overwhelming, even in a room full of support. Kim speaks to the particular complexities faced by military families, where grief is often compounded by systemic gaps, cultural expectations, and a lack of adequate support. They also dive into the Black Box Project, a groundbreaking effort at Stop Soldier Suicide that analyzes digital behavior from voluntarily donated devices to better understand risk and, hopefully, save lives. Kim discusses the powerful act of families choosing to share their loved one's digital footprint, transforming loss into a legacy of prevention and protection for others. Kim also introduces Sibling Strong Retreats, the adventure-based healing community she co-founded for sibling loss survivors. Throughout the conversation, Kim reminds us that grief may break us open, but what grows from that fracture can be meaningful, connective, and deeply human.  And with compassion, courage, and a willingness to stay present to our pain, post-traumatic growth is possible. Key Takeaways Meaning-making is a natural and powerful response to grief.Life can redirect entirely after a significant loss, sometimes toward unexpected purpose.Peer support is crucial, especially for suicide loss survivors.Post-traumatic growth can coexist with grief.Being honest with children about loss builds trust and emotional resilience.Sibling loss carries unique secondary losses and identity shifts.Many mental health professionals lack adequate suicide prevention training.Military families often face systemic gaps in grief and mental health support.Sharing details of a loss is a personal choice; no one owes their story.Community-driven approaches are essential in addressing the suicide crisis.Choosing how to respond to grief can be empowering and transformative.Guest: Kim Burditt-Barlett, MSW Sibling loss survivor of USMC veteran Jon D.S. Hoffmanstopsoldiersuicide.org/BlackBoxProject@stopsoldiersuicidesiblingstrongretreats.comHosted by: Nina Rodriguez Creator of Grief and Light, Grief Guidegriefandlight.com@griefandlightResting Grief Face on SubstackGrief Support Resources for the Road: Grief Tending ToolkitAccess our online communitySupport the show Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this. Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

    1h2min
  6. Sibling Loss and Disenfranchised Grief with Dr. Angela Dean

    12 DE NOV.

    Sibling Loss and Disenfranchised Grief with Dr. Angela Dean

    How does life shift when you lose the only person who shared your beginnings — your earliest memories, your inside jokes, your sense of home? In this tender and illuminating conversation, host Nina Rodriguez sits down with Dr. Angela Dean, a licensed psychologist, thanatologist, and founder of The Broken Pack™—an organization and podcast created to validate and support adults grieving the loss of a sibling. *** Video is available here. *** After the unexpected death of her brother, Tony, Dr. Dean channeled her grief into advocacy, research, and community-building for those whose pain is often unseen. Together, Nina and Angela explore the unique nature of sibling loss, including how it impacts family dynamics, identity, and belonging, and why it remains one of the most overlooked forms of grief. Angela shares the story behind The Broken Pack™, drawing parallels between the way wolves mourn a lost member and how humans experience the reorganization of their “pack” after a sibling’s death. The conversation moves through topics like grief expression, communication styles within families, the evolution of grief theory, and the power of enfranchising what has long been disenfranchised. This episode invites listeners to reflect on the bonds that continue after loss, the healing potential of language and connection, and the importance of community in tending to sibling grief. Key Takeaways Sibling loss is one of the most underrecognized yet identity-shaping forms of grief.After a sibling dies, family systems shift; roles, dynamics, and unspoken bonds all reorganize.Grieving styles differ, even within the same family; compassion and communication can help bridge those differences.The metaphor of The Broken Pack™ reminds us that when one member of the “pack” dies, the structure changes forever, but connection endures.Disenfranchised grief (grief that society doesn’t fully acknowledge) can deepen isolation; naming it helps restore dignity and belonging.Theories of grief are evolving, from linear “stages” to models that honor ongoing bonds, meaning-making, and the coexistence of love and loss.Community and conversation are vital to healing; grief needs witnesses, not fixes.The conversation closes with a reminder that even when our “pack” is broken, love continues to ripple outward through story, memory, and connection.Guest: Angela Dean, PsyD, FT  Licensed psychologist, thanatologist, podcaster, sibling grief specialistCreator of The Broken Pack™thebrokenpack.comIG: @thebrokenpack | FacebookHosted by: Nina Rodriguez Creator of Grief and Light, Grief Guidegriefandlight.com@griefandlightResting Grief Face on SubstackGrief Support Resources for the Road: Grief Tending ToolkitAccess our online communitySupport the show Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this. Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

    55min
  7. Healing in the Himalayas: Motorcycle Therapy and Making Meaning After Sibling Loss with Ben Forman

    11 DE NOV.

    Healing in the Himalayas: Motorcycle Therapy and Making Meaning After Sibling Loss with Ben Forman

    When Ben Forman lost his brother Sam, his world shifted overnight, leaving him with survivor’s guilt, grief for what could have been, and a search for meaning.  In this episode of Grief and Light, Ben shares how a 10-day motorcycle therapy trip through the Himalayas became a transformative journey of healing, reflection, and connection. Along the way, he immersed himself in nature, friendship, and mindful practices, and drew on conversations with monks and his heritage to navigate loss. *** This episode is also available in video here. *** Ben also discusses his deeply personal film, Higher Calling, which captures this journey and explores themes of adventure-based therapy, brotherhood, grief, and the power of storytelling to channel pain into meaning.  Together, we explore how grief can reshape identity, open new paths for growth, and leave a lasting imprint of love. Key Takeaways Grief can redefine identity and purpose. It reshapes who we are and invites us to find meaning in a changed world.Survivor’s guilt happens. Acknowledging it helps us honor both our life and the one we lost.Adventure therapy can help us move through grief. Physical journeys, like Ben’s 10-day ride through the Himalayas, can mirror emotional healing.Nature grounds and reflects us. In its stillness and vastness, we can find space to breathe and begin again.Pain reflects love’s depth. The intensity of grief feels like a measure of how deeply we’ve loved.Healing requires patience and self-compassion. Grief has no set timeline. Only gentle permission to mend at your own rhythm.Every grief journey is personal. Healing looks different for everyone; there’s no single path.Suffering can lead to growth. Turning toward pain opens the door to transformation and resilience.Art and storytelling heal. Creative expression helps us make meaning and carry love forward.Sibling bonds endure beyond death. The connection we share with those we’ve lost continues to shape, guide, and illuminate our lives.Guest: Ben Forman Filmmaker, ProducerWatch the Trailerhighercallingmovie.com@thebenforman  and  @highercallingmovieHosted by: Nina Rodriguez Creator of Grief and Light, Grief Guidegriefandlight.com@griefandlightResting Grief Face on SubstackGrief Support Resources for the Road: Grief Tending ToolkitAccess our online communitySupport the show Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this. Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

    49min
  8. No Man Walks Alone: A Journey Across America for Men’s Mental Health with Robb Pollard

    4 DE NOV.

    No Man Walks Alone: A Journey Across America for Men’s Mental Health with Robb Pollard

    No man should have to carry it alone. Many men are hurting in silence, and Robb Pollard knows that silence well. In this deeply human conversation, Nina Rodriguez sits down with Robb Pollard, founder of Walk With Me Brother, a nonprofit devoted to men’s mental health and connection. *** VIDEO AVAILABLE HERE *** Robb shares his journey of living with bipolar disorder, navigating bullying and alcohol, and learning to face the parts of himself he once tried to outrun. What emerges is a story not just of survival, but of purpose. One of transforming pain into a path that invites others to walk beside him. In April 2026, Robb will begin a 3,600-mile walk across America, carrying with him one message: no man should have to walk alone.  Through his openness, Robb reminds us that vulnerability isn’t the opposite of strength. It’s the foundation of it. Together, Nina and Robb explore what happens when men begin to talk, listen, and support one another, and how breaking the silence can change not only individual lives, but entire communities. This episode is an invitation: to listen differently, to show up for the men in our lives, and to remember that healing starts with a single honest step forward. Key Takeaways: Many men are hurting in silence and need safe spaces to talk about it.Asking for help can save your life.Vulnerability is a form of strength, not weakness.Bullying and shame can leave lasting marks on mental health.Community and connection are vital for healing.Therapy, medication, and alternative approaches can be life-changing.Listening is an act of love, and often more powerful than advice.Robb’s Walk With Me Brother movement is a call for awareness, compassion, and shared humanity.Guest: Robb Pollard Founder of Walk With Me, BrotherIG: @itsrobbp and @walkwithmebrotherConnect with Robb: linktr.ee/walkwithmebrotherHosted by: Nina Rodriguez Creator of Grief and Light, Grief Guidegriefandlight.com@griefandlightResting Grief Face on SubstackGrief Support Resources for the Road: Grief Tending ToolkitAccess our online communitySupport the show Thank you for listening! Please share with someone who may need to hear this. Disclaimer: griefandlight.com/safetyanddisclaimers

    1h5min
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This space was created for you by someone who gets it – your grief, your foundation-shattering reality, and the question of what the heck do we do with the shattered pieces of life and loss around us.It’s also for the listener who wants to better understand their grieving person, and perhaps wants to learn how to help.Now in its fourth season, the Grief and Light podcast features both solo episodes and interviews with first-hand experiencers, authors, and professionals, who shine a light on the spectrum of experiences, feelings, secondary losses, and takeaways.As a bereaved sister, I share my personal story of the sudden loss of my younger brother, only sibling, one day after we celebrated his 32nd birthday. I also delve into how that loss, trauma, and grief catapulted me into a truth-seeking journey, which ultimately led me to answer "the calling" of creating this space I now call Grief and Light.Since launching the first episode on March 30, 2023, the Grief and Light podcast and social platforms have evolved into a powerful resource for grief-informed support, including one-on-one grief guidance, monthly grief circles, community, and much more.With each episode, you can expect open and authentic conversations sharing our truth, and explorations of how to transmute the grief experience into meaning, and even joy.My hope is to make you feel less alone, and to be a beacon of light and source of information for anyone embarking on this journey."We're all just walking each other HOME." - Ram DassThank you for being here.We're in this together.Nina, Yosef's Sister--For more information, visit: griefandlight.com

Informações

  • Criado por
    Nina Rodriguez
  • Anos de atividade
    2023 - 2025
  • Episódios
    98
  • Classificação
    Explícito
  • Copyright
    © 2025 GRIEF AND LIGHT
  • Site do podcast
    GRIEF AND LIGHT

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