Grief Grower

Shelby Forsythia
  • 5.0 (6)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Don't "get over" grief—grow through it! Join grief coach and author Shelby Forsythia as she shares practical tools and comforting guidance to navigate life after death, divorce, diagnosis, and other major transitions. Through solo episodes and heartfelt conversations with experts, you'll learn new ways to tend to your grief, regain hope, and grow through loss. New episodes every Thursday.

  1. E48: 5 Reasons Why You Can't Cry After a Loss—Even If You're Sad

    FEB 5

    E48: 5 Reasons Why You Can't Cry After a Loss—Even If You're Sad

    If you're grieving but the tears won't come, this episode is for you. You'll learn five reasons you might not be crying—even if you feel heartbroken. Whether you're numb, overwhelmed, or just not a crier, this conversation will help you better understand your grief. You'll hear: Why crying isn't the only valid grief response What shock and safety have to do with blocking tears Common fears about crying "forever" Reflection questions to help you explore your grief Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now Submit your pre-order receipt to join the FREE Of Course I'm Here Right Now book club: https://forms.gle/UKZUerJ91Cf1RwrC7 RSVP for Of Course I'm Here Right Now launch parties in Chicago and virtual: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events ... Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

    24 min
  2. E47: Grief Doesn't Get Easier After a Year. Here's Why Year Two Feels Even Harder.

    JAN 29

    E47: Grief Doesn't Get Easier After a Year. Here's Why Year Two Feels Even Harder.

    You got through the first year of grief—but year two feels heavier, not lighter. Today, I'm sharing why grief often gets harder after the first year, what no one tells you about the second year of loss, and why struggling now doesn't mean you're doing something wrong. You'll learn: Why "the first year is the worst" is a lie How year two reveals hidden grief no one warned you about What happens when the shock wears off and support disappears How to survive the identity uncertainty of the second year What struggling in year two really says about your grief Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now Submit your pre-order receipt to join the FREE Of Course I'm Here Right Now book club: https://forms.gle/UKZUerJ91Cf1RwrC7 RSVP for Of Course I'm Here Right Now launch parties in Chicago and virtual: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events ... Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

    27 min
  3. E46: Grief and Sleep: 11 Ways to Rest When You're Sleeping Too Much or Not at All

    JAN 22

    E46: Grief and Sleep: 11 Ways to Rest When You're Sleeping Too Much or Not at All

    Struggling with sleep after a loss? In this episode, I explore how grief disrupts your ability to fall asleep—or makes you want to sleep all the time. You'll discover: 11 grief-informed sleep tips based in mine and my clients' experiences What to do during the day to support rest at night Gentle rituals to help you fall asleep (and stay asleep) What to do when you wake up in the middle of the night When sleeping "too much" might actually be okay—and when to worry Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now Submit your pre-order receipt to join the FREE Of Course I'm Here Right Now book club: https://forms.gle/UKZUerJ91Cf1RwrC7 RSVP for Of Course I'm Here Right Now launch parties in Chicago and virtual: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events ... Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

    43 min
  4. E45: Supporting Someone Grieving #5: Ask Shelby: What Do I Say to Someone Grieving?

    JAN 15

    E45: Supporting Someone Grieving #5: Ask Shelby: What Do I Say to Someone Grieving?

    If you want to know how to support a grieving friend without saying the wrong thing—or disappearing altogether—you are not alone. In this "Ask Shelby" episode, I share practical, compassionate guidance for what to say to someone grieving, using words that actually help in the days, months, and years after loss. You'll learn: Why words are one of the most powerful (and free) tools for grief support What to say to someone grieving instead of clichés or silence My three-phrase framework: Of course. I'm here. Right now. How to use these phrases in sympathy cards, texts, and real-life conversations What to say long after the loss, when most people stop checking in How your words can strengthen relationships and change grief culture Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now Submit your pre-order receipt to join the FREE Of Course I'm Here Right Now book club: https://forms.gle/UKZUerJ91Cf1RwrC7 RSVP for Of Course I'm Here Right Now launch parties in Chicago and virtual: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events ... Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

    29 min
  5. E44: How to Decide What to Keep After Someone Dies with Charlene Lam, Author of Curating Grief

    JAN 8

    E44: How to Decide What to Keep After Someone Dies with Charlene Lam, Author of Curating Grief

    What do you do with a person's things after they die? This week, Charlene Lam joins me to explore "the stuff of grief"—and how curating can become a meaningful, healing practice. We talk about her 3-step method, the roles objects play in grief, and why you may be more of a curator than you think. You'll learn: The "Three C's" of curating someone's belongings after they die The difference between "linking objects" and "evidence objects"—and why each is significant The surprising ways you may have already curated your grief objects (I share several of mine!) How to claim your role as a curator, even if you don't feel qualified, or if you're dealing with the aftermath of a messy or complicated loss Read Charlene's book Curating Grief, explore 1:1 coaching, and check out her online course Sorting the Stuff of Life and Loss: https://www.charlenelam.com/ Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now Submit your pre-order receipt to join the FREE Of Course I'm Here Right Now book club: https://forms.gle/UKZUerJ91Cf1RwrC7 RSVP for Of Course I'm Here Right Now launch parties in Chicago and virtual: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events ... Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

    57 min
  6. E43: Why "Time Heals All" Is a Lie—and What Grievers Need Instead

    JAN 1

    E43: Why "Time Heals All" Is a Lie—and What Grievers Need Instead

    "Time heals all" is one of the most commonly repeated phrases in grief support—but is it actually helpful? Discover the history behind this platitude, why it often causes more harm than good, and what actually supports healing after loss. Where "time heals all" originated—and why it stuck 3 reasons the phrase harms more than helps What to do instead of waiting for time to pass What to say to grievers that's actually comforting Why you—not time—are the source of your healing Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now Submit your pre-order receipt to join the FREE Of Course I'm Here Right Now book club: https://forms.gle/UKZUerJ91Cf1RwrC7 RSVP for Of Course I'm Here Right Now launch parties in Chicago and virtual: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events ... Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

    24 min
  7. E42: 15 Grief Affirmations That Ground You WITHOUT Toxic Positivity | Listener Pick

    12/25/2025

    E42: 15 Grief Affirmations That Ground You WITHOUT Toxic Positivity | Listener Pick

    If you've ever felt broken, lost, or completely alone in your grief, this episode is for you. I'm sharing 15 short, nonreligious affirmations that have brought me comfort and a sense of stability in grief's hardest moments—along with insights from my students inside Life After Loss Academy. These aren't fluffy or sugarcoated. They're honest, grounding, and written to meet you exactly where you are. You'll hear: Three emotional pain points almost every griever faces 15 affirmations that actually help soothe the pain of grief (no toxic positivity here) Ideas for making affirmations part of your daily life Join Life After Loss Academy FREE for one month with code NEWYEARSGRIEF: https://life-after-loss-academy.circle.so/checkout/life-after-loss-academy-membership?coupon_code=NEWYEARSGRIEF Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now ... Read my viral blog: Grief Is Not "Just Love With No Place to Go." Here's What It Really Is.  https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/blog-archive/grief-is-not-love-with-no-place-to-go-heres-what-it-really-is Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

    29 min
  8. E41: Stop Saying "I Can't Imagine What You're Going Through" to Grievers—Here's Why | Listener Pick

    12/18/2025

    E41: Stop Saying "I Can't Imagine What You're Going Through" to Grievers—Here's Why | Listener Pick

    You've probably heard it—or maybe even said it: "I can't imagine what you're going through." It sounds compassionate on the surface, but it often creates emotional distance instead of connection. In this episode, I explain why this common sympathy phrase misses the mark for many grievers and what to say that's actually comforting. You'll learn: Why "I can't imagine" feels dismissive to grievers The deeper message this phrase unintentionally sends Short, compassionate alternatives to "I can't imagine what you're going through" Join Life After Loss Academy FREE for one month with code NEWYEARSGRIEF: https://life-after-loss-academy.circle.so/checkout/life-after-loss-academy-membership?coupon_code=NEWYEARSGRIEF Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now ... Read my viral blog: Grief Is Not "Just Love With No Place to Go." Here's What It Really Is.  https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/blog-archive/grief-is-not-love-with-no-place-to-go-heres-what-it-really-is Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

    31 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Don't "get over" grief—grow through it! Join grief coach and author Shelby Forsythia as she shares practical tools and comforting guidance to navigate life after death, divorce, diagnosis, and other major transitions. Through solo episodes and heartfelt conversations with experts, you'll learn new ways to tend to your grief, regain hope, and grow through loss. New episodes every Thursday.

Information

  • Creator
    Shelby Forsythia
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    48
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Grief Grower

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