Real Talk with Life After Grief Chris

Christopher Dale
  • 5.0 (4)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

"Helping those in grief (and the advisors who support them) navigate financial matters."In 2008, at the peak of the recession, I lost my mother to cancer in August and my father to a broken heart in November. In 2010, my grandmother passed away after a stroke. Then a heart wrenching experience in 2012 of losing my oldest child.I became a financial planner in 2003 during the process of helping my parents in their declining health. In 2011, three years after my parents passed, I became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ to better help families in need. In 2021, I became a Certified Financial Transitionist® to complete my personal and professional experience with formal education and scientific theory. My personal experiences and knowledge of grief and loss of loved ones helps me to understand and assist families enduring similar situations. I’ve helped over 400 families navigate many financial issues and life circumstances such as grieving loss of loved ones.

  1. 1D AGO

    My Son Woke Up At 5 A.M. To Practice And It Changed How I Think About Motivation

    Send a text He was up at 5 a.m., alone in the dark, running drills before middle school tryouts and he didn’t do it because I pushed him. Watching my son Eli work that hard simply because he loves basketball hit me in a way I didn’t expect, and it forced me to question my own lifelong relationship with motivation. I share a personal story that connects my past to my present: how my early basketball drive was shaped by dysfunction at home and a need to get away, and how a “tribe” of mentors helped me channel that intensity into something productive. Then I contrast that with what I’m seeing in my kids, especially Eli, whose routine includes reading, math, and voluntary practice, and Gideon, who is just as committed but prefers to train independently. As a father and coach, I talk through the tension of staying engaged without turning effort into pressure, and why it matters to protect the fun so motivation stays healthy. If you’re thinking about resilience, parenting, coaching, or what it looks like to build a life after grief, this conversation offers a grounded reminder: you can be driven without running from something. The same principle shows up in grief support and financial planning after loss, where the best progress happens when people feel ownership, not force. 📖 Join my Launch Team for my upcoming book, Life After Grief: Holding the Numbers with Shaking Hands--When Money, Trauma, Grief and Racism Collide. As a launch team member, you’ll: • Get early access and behind-the-scenes insights • Help spread a message that brings comfort and courage • Be part of a community that speaks honestly about grief • Play a meaningful role in helping this book reach the people who need it most If you believe grief deserves tenderness, truth, and a voice — I would be honored to have you on this journey with me. If you believe grief deserves tenderness, truth, and a voice — I would be honored to have you on this journey with me. Comment “LAUNCH” or check the link in the description to join us. 🤍 https://www.lifeaftergriefconsulting.com/launchteam Support the show Did you know you can now Help Us Continue Making Awesome Content for Listeners Affected by Grief! Thanks for listening! Follow us on twitter or follow us on Facebook. You can also find us on LinkedIn.

    9 min
  2. Photographing Loss And Planning Legacies With Carter Cundiff

    MAR 4

    Photographing Loss And Planning Legacies With Carter Cundiff

    Send a text A great interview with Professional Photographer Carter Cundiff of Kate Styles Photography.  We explore how grief-focused photography can help honor loved ones, why saying their names matters, and where end-of-life planning meets compassion. Carter shares her practice, shamanic training, and how images become legacy, while we unpack the role of death doulas and the realities of caregiving. • grief-informed portraiture that preserves memory and meaning  • intuitive vs analytical grieving styles and when each helps  • shamanic training as a path to self-awareness and service  • death doulas’ role in planning, advocacy and family support  • triggers, resilience and the quiet rituals of remembrance  • ethical care for aging clients and honoring final wishes  • why photos and printed keepsakes outlast the hardest seasons  • resources to connect with Carter and continue the work Here is how you can connect with Carter....www.katestylesphotography.com on Instagram @carter_ksp brandingbycarter.ksp@gmail.com Don't forget to.......... 📖 Join my Launch Team for my upcoming book, Life After Grief: Holding the Numbers with Shaking Hands. As a launch team member, you’ll: • Get early access and behind-the-scenes insights • Help spread a message that brings comfort and courage • Be part of a community that speaks honestly about grief • Play a meaningful role in helping this book reach the people who need it most If you believe grief deserves tenderness, truth, and a voice — I would be honored to have you on this journey with me. If you believe grief deserves tenderness, truth, and a voice — I would be honored to have you on this journey with me. Comment “LAUNCH” or check the link in the description to join us. 🤍 https://www.lifeaftergriefconsulting.com/launchteam Support the show Did you know you can now Help Us Continue Making Awesome Content for Listeners Affected by Grief! Thanks for listening! Follow us on twitter or follow us on Facebook. You can also find us on LinkedIn.

    51 min
  3. When Healing Meets Strategy, A Book Finds Its Readers

    FEB 25

    When Healing Meets Strategy, A Book Finds Its Readers

    Send a text A quiet truth powers this conversation: writing a book is only half the work—bringing it to the people who need it is the other half. I walk through the path from private pages written for healing to a public launch designed to serve clients in grief and the advisors who guide them. Along the way, I unpack how to ask for help without feeling self-conscious, why a launch team turns readers into advocates, and what happens when gratitude replaces hesitation. Join my launch Team:  Launch  I  dig into the practicalities of a mission-led launch: setting a clear runway toward the release date, inviting early supporters with an advance reader copy, and offering real value through a private training called Being Present When It Matters Most. That training blends personal experience and professional practice, including a case where coordinated presence changed a family’s final days for the better. You’ll hear how simple, steady actions—language, timing, documentation, and emotional cues—can transform the advisor-client relationship during the hardest moments of life. If you’ve ever wondered how a book about grief and finances can feel both deeply human and rigorously useful, this is your blueprint. I share what we learned from publishing partners about marketing that respects your audience, how early reviews shape a book’s impact, and why community is the best amplifier of hard-earned wisdom. For anyone navigating loss, or any advisor determined to show up with skill and heart, you’ll leave with concrete steps to get involved, learn, and lead. Don't forget to.......... 📖 Join my Launch Team for my upcoming book, Life After Grief: Holding the Numbers with Shaking Hands. As a launch team member, you’ll: • Get early access and behind-the-scenes insights • Help spread a message that brings comfort and courage • Be part of a community that speaks honestly about grief • Play a meaningful role in helping this book reach the people who need it most If you believe grief deserves tenderness, truth, and a voice — I would be honored to have you on this journey with me. If you believe grief deserves tenderness, truth, and a voice — I would be honored to have you on this journey with me. Comment “LAUNCH” or check the link in the description to join us. 🤍 https://www.lifeaftergriefconsulting.com/launchteam   Support the show Did you know you can now Help Us Continue Making Awesome Content for Listeners Affected by Grief! Thanks for listening! Follow us on twitter or follow us on Facebook. You can also find us on LinkedIn.

    8 min

  4. FEB 19

    Season 10 Begins: Writing My First Book

    Send a text I am excited to share my new book Life After Grief:  Holding the Numbers with Shaking Hands I have  an exclusive invitation for my listeners... Join my book launch team for Life After Grief:  Holding the Numbers with Shaking Hands and help bring this message into the world: Launch I kick off Season 10 by sharing the plan to write my first book on grief and financial care, how my publishing partner helped shape my voice, and why new tools can ease the hardest weeks after a loss. We invite you to meet our guests, join the launch team, and help us make this guide honest and useful. My book explores the complex financial and emotional crossroads of grief with clarity, dignity, and compassion. My hope is that it creates a connection where people feel seen and heard — especially in places where money has been linked to pain, past experiences, and our sense of self-worth. Readers will gain language for what often feels unspoken, practical clarity in the midst of emotional decisions, and reassurance that they are not alone.  I would like to invite you to...... 📖 Join my Launch Team for my upcoming book, Life After Grief: Holding the Numbers with Shaking Hands. As a launch team member, you’ll: • Get early access and behind-the-scenes insights • Help spread a message that brings comfort and courage • Be part of a community that speaks honestly about grief • Play a meaningful role in helping this book reach the people who need it most If you believe grief deserves tenderness, truth, and a voice — I would be honored to have you on this journey with me. If you believe grief deserves tenderness, truth, and a voice — I would be honored to have you on this journey with me. Comment “LAUNCH” or check the link in the description to join us. 🤍 https://www.lifeaftergriefconsulting.com/launchteam Support the show Did you know you can now Help Us Continue Making Awesome Content for Listeners Affected by Grief! Thanks for listening! Follow us on twitter or follow us on Facebook. You can also find us on LinkedIn.

    3 min

  5. 09/03/2025

    From Therapy Notes to Author: The Accidental Book Journey

    Send a text What happens when years of therapeutic writing suddenly resurfaces as the foundation for a transformative book? In this deeply personal episode, Chris reveals his journey into authorship after discovering eight detailed chapters he'd written during trauma therapy years ago—writing he had no memory of creating. The decision to transform these raw materials into a published book wasn't made lightly. After careful consideration and encouragement from those closest to him, Chris shares his twofold purpose: creating a lasting legacy for his sons while simultaneously helping both grieving clients and the financial advisors who serve them. This book represents the culmination of his life's work—turning personal trauma into what one client recently called his "Superman powers" to quickly understand, empathize with, and guide others through their grief journey. Chris takes us behind the scenes of his publishing journey, from vetting potential publishers through extensive reference checks to selecting a ghostwriter who will help compile his existing material from 93 podcast episodes and countless client interactions. We hear how a simple interaction with a 10-year-old who recognized him from his podcast reinforced the impact his story already has on others. The episode concludes with news that this is the season finale, with more updates on the book's progress coming when the podcast returns in the fall. Have you found meaning through your own grief journey? Share your thoughts and follow along as Chris transforms his personal experiences into a resource that will help others navigate life after grief. Subscribe now to be notified when we return with more insights and updates on Chris's book writing process. Support the show Did you know you can now Help Us Continue Making Awesome Content for Listeners Affected by Grief! Thanks for listening! Follow us on twitter or follow us on Facebook. You can also find us on LinkedIn.

    16 min

  6. 08/26/2025

    Unraveling Family Secrets

    Send a text Family secrets can shatter our perception of loved ones and force us to reevaluate our entire history when they come to light after death. We explore the devastating discovery of a father's 40-year affair and second family, revealed on the same day as his passing, just months after losing a mother. • Discovery of father's 40-year affair and second family on the day of his death • Being asked to financially support father's mistress and her adult daughter • Finding and reading hundreds of letters that documented the affair • Learning why childhood was marked by financial struggle despite appearances • Understanding how father's deception created lasting wounds for three children • Process of forgiveness and healing from complicated grief • How the experience shaped relationship with money and financial planning career • Reconciling with brother after years of misunderstanding and tension Stay tuned for part two where we'll explore how this situation impacted my mother and created further dysfunction, followed by a special episode featuring my brother sharing his own experience. Support the show Did you know you can now Help Us Continue Making Awesome Content for Listeners Affected by Grief! Thanks for listening! Follow us on twitter or follow us on Facebook. You can also find us on LinkedIn.

    21 min

  7. 08/20/2025

    When Life Breaks You Open: A Financial Planner's Grief Story

    Send a text What happens when grief becomes not just an event but a lifelong journey that shapes your entire mission? Chris opens his heart in this deeply personal episode, revealing the profound losses that have defined his path. From the moment his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1994 to becoming her caregiver through Alzheimer's, Chris takes listeners through the raw reality of watching both parents decline and ultimately pass away within months of each other. With unflinching honesty, he details the financial burdens he shouldered as a young adult – from managing a $5,000 monthly nursing home bill to making gut-wrenching medical decisions that put him at odds with his surviving parent. The story grows even more poignant as Chris shares his rock bottom moments after these losses – the anxiety, depression, and turning to alcohol before finding healing through grief counseling, a medical mission to Ghana, and reconnecting with his faith. But perhaps most heart-wrenching is his account of losing one of his twin sons, an experience that finally taught him the true meaning of "life after grief" as his surviving twin and later-born son became living embodiments of finding purpose through pain. This episode illuminates why Chris is uniquely qualified to help others navigate both the emotional and financial complexities of grief. His journey from repeated trauma to becoming a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Certified Financial Transitionist® demonstrates how personal suffering can transform into professional purpose. Whether you're currently walking through grief or supporting someone who is, Chris's story offers both validation and hope that there is indeed life waiting on the other side of profound loss. Support the show Did you know you can now Help Us Continue Making Awesome Content for Listeners Affected by Grief! Thanks for listening! Follow us on twitter or follow us on Facebook. You can also find us on LinkedIn.

    20 min

  8. 08/13/2025

    From Advisor to Advocate: The Unexpected Side of Client Care

    Send a text What happens when financial planning unexpectedly transforms into caregiving? This deeply personal episode explores the real-life experience of navigating the sandwich generation from a financial advisor's perspective. When my 20-year client—a man my father's age—was involved in a serious car accident, our carefully established estate planning documents became the foundation for maintaining his dignity and autonomy during a vulnerable time. The foresight to complete these legal frameworks just months before proved invaluable, allowing me to help him financially while respecting professional boundaries. The accident's aftermath created a delicate balancing act: respecting my client's wishes to remain in his home, collaborating with his attorney and neighbor to ensure proper care, and expanding my role to include regular home visits for bill payments and financial management. Throughout this process, I discovered the importance of maintaining clear boundaries while still providing compassionate support beyond traditional financial services. This experience highlights the profound importance of proactive planning for cognitive decline or physical incapacity, especially for aging clients without family support systems. It also demonstrates how comprehensive financial planning extends far beyond investment management into deeply human territory—territory that requires both professional expertise and emotional intelligence. For advisors navigating similar situations, remember that self-care isn't optional; it's essential for providing sustained support to clients in need. And for clients, this story underscores why establishing clear legal frameworks before crises occur can preserve your autonomy when unexpected challenges arise. Have you prepared your estate planning documents? Or if you're an advisor, are you prepared to support clients through life transitions that extend beyond financial decisions? Connect with us to learn more about navigating these complex situations with dignity and expertise. Support the show Did you know you can now Help Us Continue Making Awesome Content for Listeners Affected by Grief! Thanks for listening! Follow us on twitter or follow us on Facebook. You can also find us on LinkedIn.

    15 min
See All (108)

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

"Helping those in grief (and the advisors who support them) navigate financial matters."In 2008, at the peak of the recession, I lost my mother to cancer in August and my father to a broken heart in November. In 2010, my grandmother passed away after a stroke. Then a heart wrenching experience in 2012 of losing my oldest child.I became a financial planner in 2003 during the process of helping my parents in their declining health. In 2011, three years after my parents passed, I became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ to better help families in need. In 2021, I became a Certified Financial Transitionist® to complete my personal and professional experience with formal education and scientific theory. My personal experiences and knowledge of grief and loss of loved ones helps me to understand and assist families enduring similar situations. I’ve helped over 400 families navigate many financial issues and life circumstances such as grieving loss of loved ones.

Information