Turning Toward Grief with Grief Coach and Death Midwife Naila Francis

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In this episode my guest is Naila Francis, a grief coach, poet, interfaith minister, and community grief tender dedicated to providing compassionate, holistic support for those navigating grief, loss, and dying. Born in Barbados and raised across several Caribbean islands, she moved to the Philadelphia area as a child. 


Her early career as a journalist and greeting card writer offered her unique insights into the human experience, but her path shifted as she felt called to work more directly with grief. In 2021, she founded Salt Trails, a collective designed to create safe spaces for community grief rituals, a vision inspired by the immense collective grief brought on by the pandemic.

Naila’s primary focus now is helping people feel less overwhelmed and isolated in their grief. She creates nurturing environments where individuals can honor their losses without judgment and at their own pace, using tools and practices that support emotional well-being. Her workshops, like Writing the Broken Heart, use poetry and journaling as a way to connect participants with their emotions, offering solace and a sense of community. In our conversation, she recounts how participants have found healing by simply allowing themselves to cry and be present with their pain, a testament to her mission of giving grief the respect and space it deserves.

Naila shares her belief that grief, when approached with intentionality, can open us to more authentic living. She addresses the common fear of being consumed by overwhelming emotions and shares how fully embracing grief has led her to feel more alive and aligned with her true self. By turning toward grief rather than resisting it, she explains, people can experience profound healing and even unlock unexpected creativity. Her work is grounded in the understanding that while grief is often seen as something to overcome, it can instead be a deep source of connection and self-discovery.

For those interested in community-based grief rituals, follow Salt Trails on Instagram or visit her website, This Hallowed Wilderness, to learn mo

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