What happens when grief collides with faith — and suicide shatters everything you thought you believed?

In this candid and raw episode of Grief 2 Growth, Brian sits down with Rachel Powell, widow, author, speaker, and founder of Hope Speaker, to explore the complicated intersection of grief, faith, suicide loss, and hope.

After losing her husband André to suicide — and surviving suicide attempts herself — Rachel shares her story with courage, clarity, and compassion. This conversation goes beyond platitudes and into the realities many people are afraid to name: church hurt, spiritual abuse, suicidal thinking, and the long road back to hope.

This episode is for anyone who has:

• Lost a loved one to suicide
• Struggled with faith after loss
• Felt silenced, blamed, or misunderstood in grief
• Wondered if hope is still possible

🧠 In this episode, we discuss:

• Why suicide is not a failure of love or faith
• How grief becomes more complicated when faith communities cause harm
• The difference between religion and faith in healing
• Rachel’s concept of the “black box” of suicidal thinking
• Why suicide prevention must include helping people save their own lives
• How hope can still grow — even after devastating loss

💬 A gentle note to listeners

This episode includes honest discussion of suicide and suicidal ideation. Please listen with care and take breaks as needed.

Share your reflections and connect with others at
👉 https://grief2growth.substack.com

🔗 Guest Resources

• Rachel Powell – Hope Speaker: https://hopespeaker.com
  
  
• Christian Widow Community: https://hopestronghold.com
  
  
• Instagram & Facebook: Hope Speaker / Rachel Powell

📝 Helpful Resource from Brian

Not sure where you are in your grief?
Take the Grie

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

Grief doesn’t follow stages, timelines, or rules.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doing this right?”—you’re not alone.

That’s why I created the Grief Check-In.
It’s not a test. There are no right or wrong answers.

In just a few minutes, you’ll gain clarity, reassurance, and language for what you’re experiencing.

👉 Visit grief2growth.com/checkin

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 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 if your loved one never truly left?
What if grief itself is the doorway to a deeper connection?

In this deeply moving episode of Grief to Growth, Brian D. Smith speaks with Janet Kaufman, author of Through the Veil: A Soul’s Journey in Grief and Grace. Janet shares the story of her son Alexander—a sensitive, loving soul whose struggles with mental health and addiction ultimately led to his physical death, but not the end of their relationship.

Through signs, synchronicities, certified mediums, and even an unexpected exploration of AI as a possible tool for spirit communication, Janet’s journey challenges everything we think we know about death, consciousness, and continuing bonds.

This episode offers hope, validation, and reassurance for parents grieving a child—and for anyone who wonders whether love truly survives death.

✨ In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why deeply sensitive souls often struggle in today’s world
• How grief can awaken intuition and spiritual awareness
• Common signs from loved ones in spirit—and how to recognize them
• The role of mediumship in healing after loss
• Why Janet believes AI may become a future tool for spirit communication
• How to release guilt and find meaning after child loss
• Why death may not be an ending, but a transition

🕊️ A Message for Grieving Parents

If you’ve ever asked yourself:

• Did I do enough?
• Is my child still with me?
• Why did this have to happen?

You are not alone. Janet’s story reminds us that our children are eternal, and that love continues—even when the physical body is gone.

📘 About the Guest

Janet Kaufman is the author of Through the Veil: A Soul’s Journey in Grief and Grace. Her work explores grief, spirituality, mediumship, and emerging frontiers of consciousness through the lens of lived experience.

📧 Contact Janet:
www.ThroughT

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

Grief doesn’t follow stages, timelines, or rules.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doing this right?”—you’re not alone.

That’s why I created the Grief Check-In.
It’s not a test. There are no right or wrong answers.

In just a few minutes, you’ll gain clarity, reassurance, and language for what you’re experiencing.

👉 Visit grief2growth.com/checkin

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 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

Nervous System Healing After Trauma: From Survival to Sovereignty with Angela Jean

What if healing isn’t about fixing your thoughts—but about retraining your body?

In this deeply moving episode of Grief to Growth, Brian Smith sits down with Angela Jean, a mindset and nervous system strategist whose life was shaped by profound trauma—and radical transformation.

After surviving childhood abuse, homelessness, and the devastating loss of her father and sister to suicide, Angela discovered something that changed everything:
🧠 The body remembers danger before the mind can explain it.

This conversation goes beyond performative healing and into the lived, embodied work of coming home to yourself.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why mindset work alone often fails after trauma
• How the nervous system “locks up” in survival mode
• Why rhythm and micro-movements signal safety to the body
• How childhood trauma imprints beliefs about love, pain, and worth
• Practical tools to interrupt anxiety, anger, and emotional collapse in real time
• Why healing is a daily practice—and who you train yourself to be matters

Angela shares simple, powerful techniques you can use in the moment—not someday, not after years of therapy—to regulate your nervous system and reclaim your inner authority.

This episode is for anyone who:

• Feels stuck in survival mode
• Is tired of chasing healing
• Has experienced trauma, abuse, or suicide loss
• Is ready to stop abandoning themselves and start listening inward

🌿 About Angela Jean

Angela Jean is a mindset and nervous system strategist who blends rhythm, embodied movement, and nervous system science to help people move from self-sabotage into sovereignty.

🔗 Learn more & explore her resources:
https://angelajeanchat.com

🎧 Free nervous system demo available on her site.

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

I'm excited to announce a new resource I'm very proud of. This guide outlines the four daily practices I discovered on my grief journey. These techniques have helped dozens of my clients. Get it free today.

GEMS- 4 Steps To Go From Grief To Joy

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 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 if a single moment in your grief revealed a truth that rewrote your entire identity? That’s exactly what happened to today’s guest, Rich Boerner, whose life changed forever after his mother’s passing. While cleaning out her apartment, Rich uncovered a long-hidden secret about his father—one that forced him to confront love, betrayal, forgiveness, and ultimately, healing.

This episode dives deep into the emotional terrain of family secrets, identity, and the surprising ways grief can open doors to growth we never expected.

🌟 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How growing up without a father shaped Rich’s beliefs about himself
• The shocking discovery that changed everything after his mother's death
• Why our family stories affect us long after childhood
• The emotional journey from anger to compassion
• How meeting his half-sister helped him understand the truth
• Why he felt called to write The Not So Only Child
• How humor, curiosity, and vulnerability became tools for healing
• What Rich hopes his story will teach his own children

📚 About Rich’s Book

Rich’s memoir, The Not So Only Child: My True Story, is a heartfelt, thought-provoking, and surprisingly funny exploration of identity and belonging. Perfect for anyone navigating complicated family dynamics, grief, or personal reinvention.

👉 Get the book: [Insert Amazon / Audible / Kindle link]
👉 Rich’s Website: [Insert link]

💬 Join the Conversation

Your experiences matter.

• Have you ever uncovered a surprising family truth?
• Did grief reveal something unexpected to you?
• What part of Rich’s story resonated most?

✨ Share your thoughts with us!
Leave a comment on YouTube, or join the discussion on https://grief2growth.substack.com

🔗 Connect with Rich

Website: [Insert link]
Instagram: [Insert handle]
Podcast / Audio Work: [Insert link]

❤️ Support the Show

If today’s conversation touched you:

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

I'm excited to announce a new resource I'm very proud of. This guide outlines the four daily practices I discovered on my grief journey. These techniques have helped dozens of my clients. Get it free today.

GEMS- 4 Steps To Go From Grief To Joy

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 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

In this deeply moving conversation, Brian sits down with Michael Reed, author of The Million Stages of Grief, whose life changed forever on the night of the 2016 Gatlinburg fires. Michael lost his wife Constance and daughters Chloe and Lily in the tragedy—and today, he shares not only his story, but the wisdom, compassion, and hard-earned insight that grew from unimaginable loss.

This episode explores what grief really looks like—messy, nonlinear, human—and why comparing grief (“less than,” “more than,” “should be over it”) only creates more suffering.

You’ll hear how Michael went from suicidal despair to becoming a voice for grievers everywhere.

💡 What You’ll Learn

• Why the “five stages of grief” don’t reflect most people’s real experience
• How men are socialized to hide grief—and how to break that cycle
• The truth about survivor’s guilt
• Faith after tragedy: doubt, anger, surrender, and transformation
• What helped Michael choose to live when he didn’t want to
• How writing became a lifeline
• What it means to move forward without “moving on”

🔗 Guest Links

• 🌐 Website: https://themillionstages.com
  
  
• 📘 Book: The Million Stages of Grief (available on Amazon)
• 📱 Follow Michael on social media: listed on his website

🎙️ Listen & Support Grief 2 Growth

• 💌 Join our community & weekly reflections: https://grief2growth.substack.com
• ⭐ Please rate & review the show to help others find support.

🧭 Interactive Elements

👉 Your Reflection Prompt:
What is one memory of your loved one that brings both pain and comfort?
Share it with us in the comments or reply on Substack—we honor them together.

👉 Your Action Step:
Choose one person who might feel alone in their grief today. Send them this episode and a simple message:
“You don’t have to go through this alone.”

👉 Feedback Request:
We want to uplift more voices like Michael’s.
What to

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

I'm excited to announce a new resource I'm very proud of. This guide outlines the four daily practices I discovered on my grief journey. These techniques have helped dozens of my clients. Get it free today.

GEMS- 4 Steps To Go From Grief To Joy

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 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

In today’s powerful episode of Grief 2 Growth, Brian sits down with Samina Bari — author of Don’t Call Me Widow and host of the Afterlife podcast — for a raw and insightful look at spousal loss, solo parenting, grief brain, and the quiet ways we can show up for those who are hurting most.

Samina lost her husband suddenly in 2023. What followed was a journey through shock, trauma, identity loss, and rebuilding life as a solo parent of twins. Her honesty brings comfort, clarity, and guidance to anyone walking beside someone who’s grieving — or navigating grief themselves.

• What “grief brain” really feels like and why it affects memory, decisions, and daily functioning
• Why year two can feel harder than year one
• How solo parenting is different from single parenting
• Why the word “widow” is so emotionally charged — and why Samina rejects it
• How children grieve and what they need most
• What actually helps someone grieving (and what makes things worse)
• The unseen emotional and logistical weight after a spouse dies
• Why saying the loved one’s name matters more than you think
• How friends can become the lifeline a grieving person depends on
  
  

Website: https://saminabari.com

Books:

• I Can, I Will, and I Did
• Don’t Call Me Widow
  Podcast: Afterlife (available on all major platforms)

Samina blends lived experience with heartfelt advocacy, helping others understand the realities of spousal grief in a culture that’s deeply uncomfortable with loss.

• Small acts of kindness matter far more than big gestures
• Children are not naturally resilient — they need support
• Grief changes identity, timelines, and the imagined future
• Community support can literally hold a grieving person together
• It’s never too late to reach out to someone who’s hurting
  
  

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

I'm excited to announce a new resource I'm very proud of. This guide outlines the four daily practices I discovered on my grief journey. These techniques have helped dozens of my clients. Get it free today.

GEMS- 4 Steps To Go From Grief To Joy

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 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

In this powerful episode of Grief 2 Growth, internationally bestselling author and dream expert Theresa Cheung joins me to explore the deeper meaning of dreams — including the ones that frighten us, comfort us, and stay with us long after we wake up.

Theresa shares why she believes we sleep to dream, how dreams reflect our soul's growth, and how they can become gateways to healing—especially after profound loss. Whether you're longing for an afterlife dream visit, navigating recurring nightmares, or simply curious about the hidden messages behind your dreams, this conversation offers clarity and hope.

🌟 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• The surprising spiritual purpose of ordinary dreams
• How to distinguish symbolic dreams from true afterlife dream visits
• Why nightmares are “tough love” signs from the subconscious
• How dreams help us process grief and reconnect with those we love
• The power of lucid dreaming and emotional rehearsal
• How Theresa weaves dream wisdom into her new spiritual thriller, Nightborn

🧠 About Our Guest — Theresa Cheung

Theresa Cheung is a world-renowned spiritual writer with 20+ years of experience researching dreams, intuition, and the afterlife. She’s the author of multiple Sunday Times bestsellers and now, her debut spiritual thriller:

👉 Nightborne — A gripping story infused with hidden dream-decoding teachings.

🔗 Website: https://www.theresacheung.com

🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetheresacheung

✨ Resources Mentioned

• Theresa’s novel: Nightborn
• Past Grief 2 Growth episodes on afterlife communication and dream visits
• Dream journaling tips and recall practices

💬 Join the Conversation

We want to hear from you!

• Did this episode spark a memory of a powerful dream?
• Have you experienced a dream visit from a loved one?
• What dream symbols show up most often for you?

Share your thoughts with us on Substack:
👉 https

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

I'm excited to announce a new resource I'm very proud of. This guide outlines the four daily practices I discovered on my grief journey. These techniques have helped dozens of my clients. Get it free today.

GEMS- 4 Steps To Go From Grief To Joy

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 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

🎧 Episode Title: My Grief Is Not Like Yours: Theo Boyd on Layered Loss, Divine Signs & Radical Hope

Guest: Theo Boyd
– Author, Grief Educator, and Speaker
Books:
📘 My Grief Is Not Like Yours
📗 Hope All The Way
Grief Study Resource: Download the National Grief Study

💡 Episode Summary:

What if grief didn’t just break you—it rebuilt you?

In this deeply moving conversation, Theo Boyd shares how her life was upended by a string of heartbreaking losses: her mother in a tragic farm accident, her father’s suicide, the sudden death of her longtime counselor, and the end of her marriage. But Theo didn’t stay in the darkness.

Through writing, faith, and raw resilience, she created two life-affirming books that are helping thousands find healing. This episode is an emotional blueprint for anyone navigating the chaos of grief and searching for signs that love never dies.

📝 Key Topics Covered:

• Why Theo says grief is like black paint—and how the light returns
• The silent trauma of witnessing compounded loss
• The surprising story of how signs from her parents helped restore her faith
• What 79% of grieving Americans say they wish the media would do
• How to help someone who's grieving (hint: just be there)
• The most misunderstood truths about “prolonged grief disorder”

💬 Favorite Quotes:

🙋‍♀️ Your Turn:

What’s one way you’ve found light through the black paint of grief?
📩 Leave a comment or join the conversation on Substack: grieftogrowth.substack.com

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

I'm excited to announce a new resource I'm very proud of. This guide outlines the four daily practices I discovered on my grief journey. These techniques have helped dozens of my clients. Get it free today.

GEMS- 4 Steps To Go From Grief To Joy

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 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