Restorative Grief with Mandy Capehart

Mandy Capehart
  • 4.9 (254)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

Explore the raw and unseen sides of loss and healing with stories, reflections, and real-life guidance on navigating grief—whether it’s a deep personal loss, an identity shift, or life’s inevitable heartbreaks. Each conversation offers practical tools to integrate healing in mind, body, and spirit. Join for support, growth, and a compassionate community that understands. For bonus content, visit Patreon.com/MandyCapehart. Interested in sharing your story as a guest? Reach out at MandyCapehart.com/PodMatch.

  1. 5d ago

    257. Everyday Grief - Finding Humanity in the Ordinary After Loss with Leslie Harter-Berg

    "No one is actually grading you on your grief." What if the pressure to be "strong" is keeping you from being honest about what grief actually feels like? Today's conversation is with Leslie Harter-Berg, author of You're So Strong: On Grief and Letting Go of My Favorite Compliment. After the sudden death of her husband, Ryan, Leslie found herself trying to live up to everyone's expectations of what a grieving person should look like, until she realized there was no right way to carry loss. If you've ever wondered whether you're grieving "correctly," I hope this conversation offers you permission to let that question go. In this episode, we talk about: Why "you're so strong" can become an impossible expectationLetting go of the idea that grief follows a predictable timelineHow grief shows up in ordinary moments instead of dramatic onesRedefining strength after profound lossWhy failure isn't the opposite of healingThe importance of simply showing up for grieving peopleFood, hospitality, and caring for one another through everyday ritualsLeslie's collaboration with her sister Natalie and The Modern Proper on supporting grieving families Links + Resources from this episode: You're So Strong: On Grief and Letting Go of My Favorite Compliment by Leslie Harter-BergLeslie Harter-Berg: https://www.leslieharterberg.com/Leslie's Substack: https://leslieharterberg.substack.com/Casserole Core with Natalie Mortimer and The Modern ProperVids for Wids: https://vidsforwids.com/Join the Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/mandycapehart

  2. Sep 6

    256. The Grief of Life Transitions

    "Maybe that is what these seasonal transitions are really offering us. Not a chance to get back to normal, but a chance to become more honest about what is changing." What if some of the grief in your life is coming from a transition you actually wanted? In this episode, we are talking about the grief that can show up when life changes, even when the change is exciting or necessary. Sending a kid to college, moving, changing jobs, leaving a community, or simply becoming someone new can bring a surprising amount of grief with it. We look at Francis Weller's idea of the descent, what our bodies can tell us during seasons of change, and why we do not have to rush ourselves into whatever comes next. I also share two simple rituals for marking transitions and making a little more room for what we are feeling. In this episode, we talk about: Transitional grief and why we often miss itWhy wanted changes can still hurtFrancis Weller's idea of the descentListening to your body during changeWhy we need other people when life is shiftingTwo simple rituals for marking a transitionMaking room for the in-between Links + Resources from this episode: Become a Patron!Connect with Mandy on InstagramLearn more about coachingGet a copy of Apprenticeship with Sorrow by Francis Weller

  3. Aug 30

    255. Why Bad Poetry is Good for Grief with Margaret Bryden

    "Living a full life, living a beautiful life, means learning how to carry grief." What if grief isn't something we're meant to get over, but something we're meant to learn how to carry? In today's episode, I'm joined by therapist and author Margaret Bryden to explore the intersection of grief, creativity, and the healing power of honest expression. Margaret's upcoming book, How I Understand It: A Bad Poet's Guide to Mental Health and Resilience, offers a refreshing invitation to set aside perfection and discover how writing can help us better understand ourselves and our experiences. In this episode, we talk about: Why grief is an inevitable part of living a full lifeHow "bad poetry" helps quiet perfectionism and self-criticismTurning grief into something tangible we can hold and understandThe role of creativity in restoring agency after lossWhy many people feel pressure to perform griefNarrative authority and reclaiming ownership of your storyThe connection between poetry, self-awareness, and healingWhy resilience is learning how to love differentlyHow creative expression reduces isolation and fosters connectionA simple way to begin writing, even if you've never considered yourself creative Links + Resources from this episode: Buy Margaret's bookConnect with Margaret onlineFollow her on InstagramBecome a PatronLearn more about Restorative Grief

  4. Aug 23

    254. High-Functioning Grief: The Life of Saying “I’m Fine”

    “I’m fine” is often less a truth and more a reflex that pulls us away from what we actually feel. What if that phrase is quietly shaping how you move through grief, stress, and relationship without you realizing the cost? Beneath it, self-abandonment can start to look like stability. Today’s conversation explores what I’m calling high-functioning grief; the kind that runs underneath daily life while everything still looks “fine” on the outside. We look at how this pattern shows up in the nervous system, why grief often hides inside functioning and responsibility, and what it means to stop overriding yourself and come back into contact with your inner experience. In this episode, we talk about: High-functioning grief in everyday lifeWhy “I’m fine” becomes a reflexGrief hidden inside functioning and responsibilityNervous system patterns of self-abandonmentComing back into contact with yourselfHow honesty shifts relationships Links + Resources from this episode: Get Anne Lamott’s book, Almost EverythingBecome a PatronConnect with MandyLearn more about Restorative Grief

  5. Aug 16

    253. The Sediment of Untouched Sorrow with Francis Weller

    “The invitation has always been towards a descent.” Grief is a core human faculty that requires skill development rather than simply passing through. This week, we’re exploring these skills through the lens of an apprenticeship of sorrow with author and teacher Francis Weller. Francis’ work invites us to consider the necessarily communal reality of grief work and in this conversation, we also covered practical advice for those struggling with acute grief, too. In this episode, we talk about: ​Grief as a communal human faculty​The value of community support in our grief work​The expression of vulnerability​Collective ritual practices​Balancing grief and gratitude​Embracing the darkness​Acknowledging and pursuing primary satisfactions for grounding Links + Resources from this episode: ​FrancisWeller.net​Learn more about Restorative Grief Coaching​Become a Patron/Get the workbook​Follow Mandy on Instagram

  6. Aug 9

    252. A Restorative Practice for Days When Hope Feels Far Away

    "Gratitude does not require us to appreciate suffering. Sometimes gratitude simply invites us to notice what is present alongside suffering." What if gratitude was never meant to replace grief, but to sit beside it? In this episode, I'm sharing the story of one of my last visits with my grandfather before his death and exploring why gratitude and grief are not opposites. Together, we'll talk about anticipatory grief, why gratitude is so often used to bypass sorrow, and a simple restorative practice I return to on the days when hope feels far away. In this episode, we explore: Why gratitude and grief can coexistAnticipatory grief and grieving before deathThe difference between gratitude and toxic positivityA simple trauma-informed restorative practice for difficult daysHow grief can deepen our capacity for gratitudeLinks + Resources from this episode: Join the Restorative Grief CommunityBecome a PatronSubscribe to the Restorative Grief NewsletterWork with Mandy

  7. Aug 2

    251. Tethered to Hope with Adriel Booker

    "Most of us spend far more of our lives in the middle than we expect." What happens when grief is not tied to a single event, but to a season of becoming? Today, I'm joined by writer and author Adriel Booker, whose newest book, Tethered to Hope, explores the liminal spaces of life. Those moments when something has ended, something else is beginning, and we find ourselves navigating uncertainty, identity shifts, questions of faith, and the grief that often accompanies change. Together, we explore what it means to live in those in-between spaces with honesty and compassion. Rather than rushing toward resolution, Adriel invites us to consider how hope can remain present even when clarity is not. If you've ever felt suspended between what was and what comes next, this conversation offers language, companionship, and permission to remain present to your own unfolding. In this episode, we talk about: What liminal spaces are and why they matterThe grief that accompanies change and transitionIdentity shifts after lossFaith, doubt, and living with unanswered questionsHope without certaintyLearning to remain present during seasons of becomingThe difference between resolution and transformation Links + Resources from this episode Adriel Booker's websiteTethered to HopeAdriel's SubstackRestorative Grief Community & ResourcesBecome a Patron!

  8. Jul 26

    250. 9 Wake-Up Calls of Grief and How to Heal from Them

    What if the small, everyday signals you’re ignoring are actually wake-up calls from your grief? In this episode we talk about how grief doesn’t always show up in big, obvious ways. Sometimes it shows up as irritation, loss of motivation, dreaming of a different life, or even constant planning. We break down nine common emotional and physical signals you might be brushing off and explore how you can respond with simple, restorative actions instead of pushing them aside. We also walk through three practical ways to interrupt old patterns and begin healing: with presence, expression, and intentional choice. Links + Resources from this episode: MandyCapehart.com/coachingBecome a Patron!Connect with Mandy on InstagramProgressive Muscle Release Practice

See All (259)

Trailer

4.9
out of 5
254 Ratings

About

Explore the raw and unseen sides of loss and healing with stories, reflections, and real-life guidance on navigating grief—whether it’s a deep personal loss, an identity shift, or life’s inevitable heartbreaks. Each conversation offers practical tools to integrate healing in mind, body, and spirit. Join for support, growth, and a compassionate community that understands. For bonus content, visit Patreon.com/MandyCapehart. Interested in sharing your story as a guest? Reach out at MandyCapehart.com/PodMatch.

Information

You Might Also Like