Grief 2 Growth

Brian D. Smith
  • 4.8 (112)
  • Spirituality
  • Updated Weekly

"Transform your grief into growth with Brian Smith, an empathetic life coach, certified grief educator, public speaker, and author who has walked the treacherous path of profound loss. Grief 2 Growth unravels the intricacies of life, death, and the spaces in between, offering listeners a new perspective on what it means to be 'Planted. Not Buried.' Join Brian and his compelling guests—bereaved parents, life coaches, mediums, healers, near death experiencers, and experts in various fields—as they discuss topics like survival guilt, synchronicities, and the scientific evidence supporting the existence of the afterlife. You'll come away with actionable advice, renewed hope, and the comforting knowledge that love and life are eternal.One of the most powerful ways we know what awaits us and where we came from is Near Death Experiences. Much of Brian's knowledge is derived from extensive study of this phenomenon, along with interviewing dozens of near death experience experiencers. Brian knows the soul-crushing weight of loss; his journey began with the sudden passing of his fifteen-year-old daughter, Shayna. It's not an odyssey he would have chosen, but it has been an odyssey that has chosen him to guide others. Grief 2 Growth is a sanctuary for those grieving, those curious about the beyond, and anyone eager to explore the fuller dimensions of life and death. Each episode delves into topics that matter most—how to cope, grow, and connect with loved ones in the afterlife. If you ask: “Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going?” this podcast is for you. This isn't about forgetting your loss or simply 'moving on'; it's about growing in a new direction that honors your loved ones and your spirit. It’s about finding joy and purpose again. Grief 2 Growth is more than a podcast; it's a community of souls committed to supporting one another through the darkest valleys and highest peaks of human existence. Listen today and start planting seeds for a brighter, more spiritually connected tomorrow."

  1. 1d ago

    What To Say Instead of “I’m Sorry for Your Loss” | Emilio Parga | EP 510

    You’ve been there. Someone you care about has just lost a person they love, and you freeze. You want to say the right thing, so you say “I’m sorry for your loss,” or you say nothing at all. In this episode, pediatric thanatologist Emilio Parga gives you something better. After 24 years of guiding children, teens, families, schools, workplaces, and athletic teams through loss, he shares simple, practical words you can use today. You’ll hear why talking about death is a skill you can learn, why a one-minute text can mean more than you think, and why you never have to be afraid of saying a person’s name. We also talk about the children who are too often overlooked, the siblings Emilio calls “the forgotten mourners,” and what it really means to move forward with your grief instead of moving on from it. About Emilio Parga Emilio Parga is a pediatric thanatologist and the leader of The Solace Tree, a nonprofit that has supported children, teens, and adults from ages 3 to 93 for 24 years. A former teacher, special needs educator, adaptive PE teacher, coach, and school counselor, Emilio has made it his life’s work to teach the adults around grieving kids, including parents, teachers, coaches, and entire companies, how to stop going silent and start showing up. The Solace Tree offers weekly family support, a grief camp for kids at Lake Tahoe, and national Zoom groups, including groups focused on suicide loss and groups for men. 🔗 The Solace Tree: https://www.solacetree.org In this episode, you’ll hear: ✨ What to say instead of “I’m sorry for your loss,” and why asking “What was their name?” opens the door  ✨ Why siblings are the “forgotten mourners” and how to help them feel seen  ✨ Why kids and teens often hide their grief, and why peer support matters  ✨ How to keep showing up long after the first year, with a one-minute text or a reminder in your phone  ✨ How seasons, anniversaries, and favorite times of year can bring grief rushing back  ✨ How to offer specific help instead of “let me know if you need anything”  ✨ Why Emilio and Brian prefer “moving forward” and “moving together” to “moving on”  ✨ What the Girl Scouts taught Emilio about disenfranchised grief, from great-grandmothers to a beloved pet goat Memorable moments 💬 “What’s mentionable is manageable,” the idea Emilio carries from Mr. Rogers into his work  💬 Why most people light up when you ask about their loved one  💬 The one question Emilio suggests when you get awkward: “What’s one funny thing about them?” Now it’s your turn 💜 What resonated with you most in this conversation?  💜 Who in your life could use a one-minute “I’ve been thinking about you” this week?  💜 What is one thing you wish someone had said to you after your loss? Share your thoughts in the comments on the companion article at grief2growth.substack.com. I read every one, and your story may be exactly what another listener needs to hear. Connect with Brian 🔗 All my links: https://pages.grief2growth.com/profile 📰 Email list: https://pages.grief2growth.com/join-the-club ⏰ Free consult: https://grief2growth.as.me/30-minute-consult You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place. Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back.  I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you. All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money. https://grief2g Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth. I've been studying Near Death Experiences for many years now. I am 100% convinced they are real. In this short, free ebook, I not only explain why I believe NDEs are real, I share some of the universal secrets brought back by people who have had them. https://www.grief2growth.com/ndelessons Support the show 🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes) 📰 Get A Free Gift 📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call 📈 Leave A Review Thanks so much for your support

    What To Say Instead of “I’m Sorry for Your Loss” | Emilio Parga | EP 510

  2. Oct 7

    Autism and Grief: Why Closure Is a Myth with Christopher Carazas | EP 509

    What if nothing is wrong with you because your grief hasn't "resolved"? 🌱 Autism and grief is a conversation that rarely gets space, and in this episode Christopher Carazas gives it room. Chris was diagnosed as autistic in 2020, after he had already built the life he thought he was supposed to want. Soon after, he lost his marriage, his home, and his sense of who he was. Later, he lost Katie, the woman who helped him begin to heal. Chris doesn't tie his story up with a bow, and neither do we. You'll hear what grief looks like when you process the world differently, why the "triumph over tragedy" story can leave you feeling like you're failing, and how to carry grief without pretending it will ever be neat. If you've been told you should be further along by now, this conversation is for you. If you love someone who is neurodivergent and grieving, you'll leave knowing how to show up for them. 💛 In this episode, you'll hear: ✨ Why closure is a myth, and what grief looks like when it becomes part of you  ✨ How autism and grief can collide, from rumination to struggling to cry  ✨ Why Chris pushes back on the "survival as redemption arc" story  ✨ How to grieve the future you imagined, and shift from "why me?" to "why for me?"  ✨ The backpack of stones, and why the weight changes even when it never leaves  ✨ Katie's hidden notes, and how Chris uses them when old voices get loud  ✨ What Chris's lighthouse is, and how it guides his days  ✨ Simple, powerful ways to support a neurodivergent friend or family member in grief About Christopher Carazas Christopher Carazas is a social impact strategist and the author of Now That I'm Still Here: A Memoir of Ruin and Resurrection. Through his Substack newsletter of the same name, he writes about survival, storytelling, mental health, humor, and hope after ruin. His work lives at the intersection of grief, neurodivergence, and the long, unglamorous aftermath of psychological trauma. Connect with Chris 📚 Website and book: https://www.chriscarazas.com  📰 Substack: https://ccarazas.substack.com  📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopher.carazas.2025  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christophercarazas What resonated with you? 💭 Have you ever wondered why you weren't crying, and whether that meant you didn't love them enough?  💭 What would it change if you stopped waiting for closure and started building a life around your grief?  💭 What is your lighthouse right now? Share your thoughts in the comments on the companion article and join the conversation with me and other listeners: https://grief2growth.substack.com 💜 If this episode touched you, share it with one person who needs to hear they're not behind. 🔔 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth so you never miss an episode. You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place. Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back.  I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you. All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money. https://grief2g Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth. I've been studying Near Death Experiences for many years now. I am 100% convinced they are real. In this short, free ebook, I not only explain why I believe NDEs are real, I share some of the universal secrets brought back by people who have had them. https://www.grief2growth.com/ndelessons Support the show 🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes) 📰 Get A Free Gift 📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call 📈 Leave A Review Thanks so much for your support

    Autism and Grief: Why Closure Is a Myth with Christopher Carazas | EP 509

  3. Sep 29

    You Only Grieve Because You Loved | Carl Manlan on Loss, Healing & Fatherhood | EP 508

    What if grief isn’t only something we survive—but something that reveals how deeply we’ve loved? In this episode of Grief 2 Growth, I sit down with Carl Manlan, author of I Can Breathe, for a powerful conversation about grief, fatherhood, emotional healing, identity, and legacy. Carl lost his father as a young man. Years later, becoming a father himself brought some of that grief back to the surface and raised a profound question: How do you become the father you want to be when you can no longer have those conversations with your own father? We also explore something many men struggle to discuss: expressing emotions and asking for help. As two Black men raised in different parts of the world, Carl and I discovered surprising similarities in how we experienced love growing up—and how we're trying to do things differently with the next generation. Carl also shares how unexpectedly losing his job became a turning point that helped him finish I Can Breathe. One insight captures the heart of our conversation: “You only experience grief because you loved.” In this episode, we explore: • Grieving a parent and carrying that relationship forward • Men, vulnerability, counseling, and emotional health • Separating your identity from your career • Responding instead of reacting to life's challenges • Raising emotionally aware children • Turning loss into legacy • The story behind Carl’s I Can Breathe 📖 Carl’s book: I Can Breathe — available on Amazon 🔗 Connect with Carl: LinkedIn and Instagram 💬 Continue the conversation: https://grief2growth.substack.com What part of Carl’s story resonated with you? Join us on Substack and share your experience with the Grief 2 Growth community. You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place. Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back.  I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you. All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money. https://grief2g Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth. I've been studying Near Death Experiences for many years now. I am 100% convinced they are real. In this short, free ebook, I not only explain why I believe NDEs are real, I share some of the universal secrets brought back by people who have had them. https://www.grief2growth.com/ndelessons Support the show 🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes) 📰 Get A Free Gift 📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call 📈 Leave A Review Thanks so much for your support

  4. Sep 24

    Preserving the Memories of Those You Love- with Alexander Josephson | EP 507

    What if the memories of someone you love had a real place to live, and you could walk through them whenever you needed to? In this episode, I talk with architect Alexander Josephson about how to preserve memories of a loved one, and why grief may be something you move through rather than something you get over. Alexander is the founder of Partisans, an award-winning design studio in Toronto. While sitting in a hospital room with his father, he listened to him dictate what he wanted on his tombstone, and realized a name and two dates were far too small for the story. That moment led him to build Cumulus, a living digital memorial you can add to, share with family, and return to for years. I also talk about my daughter Shayna, who passed in 2015, and why I have never wanted her to be tied to one location. If you carry the fear that someone you love will be forgotten, or you have wondered where they are now, this conversation is for you. In this episode, you'll discover: ✨ Why the "three deaths" idea makes community and storytelling so important ✨ How a $3 million tomb that was never built became a living, breathing memorial ✨ Why the body is temporary and the memories are what carry meaning ✨ How one family invited 90 people into a shared cloud, with pins from a golf course in Scotland to the middle of the Atlantic ✨ Why cemeteries can feel so disorienting, and where our loved ones are ✨ How a digital stone at a grave can bring their story to you with a tap of your phone About Alexander Josephson: Alexander Josephson is an architect and the founder of Partisans, an award-winning design studio in Toronto. He is also the founder of Cumulus, a digital memorial platform designed to hold the photos, stories, voices, and memories of the people we love. He is a new father to two daughters under two, and he is already making time capsules for them in his own Cumulus. Links and resources: Cumulus website: https://cumulus.world Cumulus Companion app: search "Cumulus Companion" in the App Store or Google Play Instagram: Cumulus World Try Cumulus free on the app or the website. Join the conversation: Read the companion article and share your thoughts at https://grief2growth.substack.com What resonated with you? Tell me in the comments: 💜 Who do you want to make sure is remembered, and what story would you want to keep? 💜 When you think of your loved one, where do you feel them? 💜 What is one memory you could add to a shared space today? If this episode touched you, please share it with someone who is carrying a loss, and subscribe so you never miss a conversation. – – – Let's Connect: – – – 🔗 All my links: https://pages.grief2growth.com/profile 🔗 Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/grief2growth 👛 Tip jar: https://www.grief2growth.com/tipjar 📰 Email list: https://pages.grief2growth.com/join-the-club ⏰ Free consult: https://grief2growth.as.me/30-minute-consult You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place. Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back.  I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you. All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money. https://grief2g Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth. I've been studying Near Death Experiences for many years now. I am 100% convinced they are real. In this short, free ebook, I not only explain why I believe NDEs are real, I share some of the universal secrets brought back by people who have had them. https://www.grief2growth.com/ndelessons Support the show 🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes) 📰 Get A Free Gift 📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call 📈 Leave A Review Thanks so much for your support

    Preserving the Memories of Those You Love- with Alexander Josephson | EP 507

  5. Sep 22

    Grief Stored in the Body: Dr. Karyn Shanks on Why Illness Isn't a Failure | EP 506

    What if your body isn't broken — it's trying to tell you something? In this episode of Grief 2 Growth, Brian sits down with Dr. Karyn Shanks, a physician who spent over 40 years learning what medical school never taught her — including from her own chronic illness journey. Together, they explore why grief and trauma get physically stored in the body, why our medical system struggles to treat chronic illness, and why feeling truly seen may matter more to healing than any prescription. About Dr. Karyn Shanks: Karyn Shanks, MD is a physician-healer-teacher-writer based in Iowa City, board-certified in Internal Medicine and Functional Medicine. After her own decades-long journey through Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and Lyme encephalitis, she founded the Unbroken Academy and developed a framework built on epigenetics, neuroplasticity, systems-based functional medicine, and transformational psychology. She's trained in Dr. Gabor Maté's Compassionate Inquiry, and is the author of UnBroken: Reclaim Your Wholeness and HEAL: A Nine-Stage Roadmap to Recover Energy. 🔗 Website: karynshanksmd.com Key topics covered: Why grief is a "huge part of the human experience" that shows up physically in the bodyKaryn's own health journey — from unexplained fatigue to an Ehlers-Danlos diagnosis to recovering from Lyme encephalitisWhy Western medicine excels at acute, catastrophic care but struggles with chronic illnessEpigenetics and neuroplasticity — why your biology isn't fixedThe placebo effect as proof of the mind's power to heal the bodyWhat Compassionate Inquiry (Gabor Maté's framework) taught Karyn about trauma and self-compassionWhy grief gets "stored in the body" and has to be worked through, not medicated awayWhy we're ashamed of grief, and how "get back to work" culture cuts healing shortReframing illness as wisdom and communication, not failure or fault💬 What resonated with you? Head over to grief2growth.substack.com to share your thoughts and continue the conversation. You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place. Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back.  I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you. All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money. https://grief2g Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth. I've been studying Near Death Experiences for many years now. I am 100% convinced they are real. In this short, free ebook, I not only explain why I believe NDEs are real, I share some of the universal secrets brought back by people who have had them. https://www.grief2growth.com/ndelessons Support the show 🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes) 📰 Get A Free Gift 📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call 📈 Leave A Review Thanks so much for your support

    Grief Stored in the Body: Dr. Karyn Shanks on Why Illness Isn't a Failure | EP 506

  6. Sep 15

    Grieving Your Old Self After A Diagnosis with Loni Fagel | EP 505

    What happens when the person you used to be doesn't exist anymore — not because they died, but because a diagnosis, a surgery, or a health crisis rewrote who you are? In this episode, Loni Fagel joins me to talk about a grief almost nobody names: the grief of losing yourself while you're still here. Loni knows this from both sides of the therapy room. A genetic cancer mutation, a mysterious chronic illness, and a health crisis that landed her at Mayo Clinic didn't just interrupt her graduate studies in psychology — they became the reason she does this work at all. We talk about her "D-Day" framework for naming the moment a diagnosis changes everything, why medical trauma is as much about what comes after the event as the event itself, and why people are so often invalidated by the very doctors meant to help them. We also get into some of the tools Loni uses with clients: externalizing an illness by giving it its own name, expressive arts as a way to process what words can't touch, and why "post-traumatic growth" doesn't mean pretending the hard part didn't happen. About Loni Fagel Loni Fagel is a licensed professional clinical counselor, EMDRIA-approved consultant, expressive arts therapist, children's book author, and international speaker specializing in medical trauma, grief, and identity loss. Her work is shaped by her own experience with a genetic cancer mutation and a health crisis that upended her life and career. Website: lonifagel.comInstagram/social: @loni_fagelLinkedIn: search Loni FagelIn this episode, we cover: Why illness and diagnosis create a real, nameable griefThe "D-Day" framework for marking when everything changedWhy medical trauma isn't about the event — it's about everything afterLearning to advocate for yourself when doctors dismiss your symptomsGrieving a double mastectomy and genetic cancer riskInvisible illness and the cruelty of judging what you can't seeNaming your illness to protect your identity ("is this you, or is this Patricia?")Making meaning without needing to believe "everything happens for a reason"Finding the glimmers of light in the middle of a health crisisWe want to hear from you: Have you ever grieved a version of yourself you didn't expect to lose? What resonated most with you in this conversation? Drop a comment — we read every one. Continue the conversation at grief2growth.substack.com. You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place. Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back.  I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you. All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money. https://grief2g Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth. I've been studying Near Death Experiences for many years now. I am 100% convinced they are real. In this short, free ebook, I not only explain why I believe NDEs are real, I share some of the universal secrets brought back by people who have had them. https://www.grief2growth.com/ndelessons Support the show 🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes) 📰 Get A Free Gift 📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call 📈 Leave A Review Thanks so much for your support

    Grieving Your Old Self After A Diagnosis with Loni Fagel | EP 505

  7. Sep 12

    Spirit Guides vs. Angels What's The Difference? with Michael McAdams | EP 504

    What if the "guardian angel" you've prayed to and the "spirit guide" you've been told to fear are the exact same presence, just described through a different lens? In this episode, Brian sits down with Michael McAdams — a man raised in a family soaked in Pentecostal conviction who discovered he had the gift of psychometry, the ability to receive information simply by holding an object. Michael shares the story of his mother, Wilma Jean Jones, a devout Christian who sat down at her typewriter in 1977 and began receiving dictated messages from what she called "spirit teachers." Those sessions continued for 22 years and became the book An Angel Told Me So. This conversation goes places you might not expect from two men raised in the church: the real story behind the money changers in the temple, why the Salem witch trials might have been genuine spiritual communication mistaken for evil, how the Urantia Book lines up with the Bible's account of Jesus, and why fear has been used for centuries to keep people from trusting their own spiritual experiences. About Michael McAdams Michael McAdams grew up in the Cincinnati area in a family steeped in Pentecostal faith — his uncle was a preacher who planted churches across three states, and his grandmother entered ministry convinced God spoke directly into her heart. Michael discovered his own gift of psychometry as a young man, and later helped his mother recognize and record the messages she was receiving from spirit teachers. He is the author of An Angel Told Me So and runs spiritspeaks.com, where he offers free preview messages from the upcoming second volume. 🌐 Website: spiritspeaks.com📖 An Angel Told Me So (Volume One) — available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and through Ingram at independent bookstoresKey Topics Covered Growing up Pentecostal and the questions neither of them could shakeWhat psychometry is and how Michael developed the abilityHow Wilma Jean began receiving channeled messages — and the confirmation message that convinced her to publish themThe Urantia Book and its account of the life of JesusWhy the Bible's history and politics matter for understanding what it actually saysFear as a tool of control in organized religionHow to protect your mind while opening it — establishing a spiritual "filter"Practical advice for recognizing your own spirit guidanceReincarnation, "graduation" instead of death, and what may come nextWhat resonated with you? Drop a comment below — we'd love to hear whether this reframes anything about your own faith journey, or if you've had experiences like Michael's you've never shared before. You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place. Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back.  I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you. All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money. https://grief2g Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth. I've been studying Near Death Experiences for many years now. I am 100% convinced they are real. In this short, free ebook, I not only explain why I believe NDEs are real, I share some of the universal secrets brought back by people who have had them. https://www.grief2growth.com/ndelessons Support the show 🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes) 📰 Get A Free Gift 📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call 📈 Leave A Review Thanks so much for your support

    Spirit Guides vs. Angels What's The Difference? with Michael McAdams | EP 504

  8. Sep 1

    What My Mother's Deathbed Visions Taught Me About What Comes Next | Alexandra Grabbe | EP 503

    What if the strangest moments at the end of life are actually the most meaningful? In this episode, Alexandra Grabbe joins Brian to talk about the seven months she spent caring for her 96-year-old mother, Bea, at home — and the deathbed visions that changed how she understands what happens when we die. Alexandra shares the exhaustion, the tenderness, and the moments of unexpected grace that shaped her new memoir, Seeing Joy. If you've ever cared for a dying parent, sat with someone in their final days, or wondered what those "hallucinations" near the end of life really mean, this conversation will stay with you. About Alexandra Grabbe Alexandra Grabbe has lived many lives — talk show host in Paris, eco-friendly innkeeper on Cape Cod, and lifelong writer. After graduating from Vassar College, she raised three children in France, worked in journalism and broadcasting, and assisted literary figures Barbara Chase-Riboud and Marge Piercy. For two decades she ran a green bed-and-breakfast in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. When her mother's health declined, Alexandra became her full-time caregiver — an experience that became the caregiving blog "By B's Bedside" and, nearly two decades later, her home care memoir Seeing Joy: A Story of Life, Death, and What Comes Next (Koehler Books, March 2026). 🔗 Alexandra's website: https://alexandragrabbe.com 🔗 Seeing Joy at Koehler Books: https://www.koehlerbooks.com/book/seeing-joy/ 📷 Instagram: @AlexandraGrabbeBooks In This Episode: What it really means when a doctor calls something a "hallucination" and a hospice worker calls it a "visitation"The physical and emotional toll of caregiving — and the sleep deprivation Alexandra says was the hardest partDeathbed Visioning: the pattern hospice workers see again and again near the end of lifeWhy Alexandra's mother's fear of dying gave way to tea parties with deceased visitorsHow the role reversal between parent and child reshaped their relationshipThe 19-year journey to publish a book publishers once said was "too afraid" to touchWhat her mother's final moments — and the arrival of Alexandra's father and grandmother — taught her about how we're not meant to be alone at the endWhat resonated with you in this episode? Have you witnessed a loved one's deathbed visions, or cared for an aging parent at home? Share your story in the comments — Alexandra's experience may be more common than you think. You've been listening. You're doing the work. But there's still this feeling that you're circling the same place. Maybe you've thought about working with me one-on-one. Maybe something's held you back.  I get that. And I want you to know there's still a place for you. All of it, pay what you want. You decide what it's worth. Nobody gets turned away because of money. https://grief2g Want to go deeper? My Substack is where I share solo essays on grief, consciousness, and continuing bonds — thoughts that don't always make it into the podcast. It's also home to a community of listeners who get it, because they're living it too. Free to subscribe. Find it at substack.com/grief2growth. I've been studying Near Death Experiences for many years now. I am 100% convinced they are real. In this short, free ebook, I not only explain why I believe NDEs are real, I share some of the universal secrets brought back by people who have had them. https://www.grief2growth.com/ndelessons Support the show 🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join me on Substack- connect with others and me 👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes) 📰 Get A Free Gift 📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call 📈 Leave A Review Thanks so much for your support

    What My Mother's Deathbed Visions Taught Me About What Comes Next | Alexandra Grabbe | EP 503
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112 Ratings

About

"Transform your grief into growth with Brian Smith, an empathetic life coach, certified grief educator, public speaker, and author who has walked the treacherous path of profound loss. Grief 2 Growth unravels the intricacies of life, death, and the spaces in between, offering listeners a new perspective on what it means to be 'Planted. Not Buried.' Join Brian and his compelling guests—bereaved parents, life coaches, mediums, healers, near death experiencers, and experts in various fields—as they discuss topics like survival guilt, synchronicities, and the scientific evidence supporting the existence of the afterlife. You'll come away with actionable advice, renewed hope, and the comforting knowledge that love and life are eternal.One of the most powerful ways we know what awaits us and where we came from is Near Death Experiences. Much of Brian's knowledge is derived from extensive study of this phenomenon, along with interviewing dozens of near death experience experiencers. Brian knows the soul-crushing weight of loss; his journey began with the sudden passing of his fifteen-year-old daughter, Shayna. It's not an odyssey he would have chosen, but it has been an odyssey that has chosen him to guide others. Grief 2 Growth is a sanctuary for those grieving, those curious about the beyond, and anyone eager to explore the fuller dimensions of life and death. Each episode delves into topics that matter most—how to cope, grow, and connect with loved ones in the afterlife. If you ask: “Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going?” this podcast is for you. This isn't about forgetting your loss or simply 'moving on'; it's about growing in a new direction that honors your loved ones and your spirit. It’s about finding joy and purpose again. Grief 2 Growth is more than a podcast; it's a community of souls committed to supporting one another through the darkest valleys and highest peaks of human existence. Listen today and start planting seeds for a brighter, more spiritually connected tomorrow."

Information

  • Creator
    Brian D. Smith
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    455
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Grief 2 Growth
  • Show Website
    Grief 2 Growth

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