What are some miracles you experience every day?

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• You can join the Grief and Happiness Alliance which meets weekly on Sundays by clicking here
• You can order the International Best Selling The Grief and Happiness Guide by clicking here.
• You can order Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief by clicking here at Amazon:
• You can listen to my podcast, Grief and Happiness, by clicking here
• Request your Awaken Your Happiness Journaling Guide here

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If you’ve ever been told to “get over it,” episode 378 will change how you see healing. Author and former lawyer Michelle Lerner shares how grief doesn’t end—it transforms—and how the body carries what words can’t. After a life-altering illness led her to write Ring, she explores complicated grief, isolation, and how true recovery begins not by moving on, but by learning to live with what remains.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

(00:59) From courtroom to creative healing

(02:07) How Ring turned pain into purpose

(02:37) A parent’s journey through complicated grief

(04:50) When illness and isolation reshape grief

(08:13) The cold landscape of loss

(10:17) The silence no one talks about

(11:30) How grief lives inside the body

(14:31) Why “getting over it” is a myth

(16:06) Rebuilding life with purpose

(18:02) What Jewish mourning gets right

(22:57) Could “grief doulas” change how we heal?

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Michelle Lerner, a writer and former public interest lawyer from New Jersey. After developing a severe case of neurological Lyme disease that ended her legal career, Michelle turned to writing as a way to navigate illness and loss. Her debut novel, Ring, explores complicated grief, isolation, and the power of human connection. She’s also the author of a poetry chapbook and has a memoir forthcoming—each reflecting her deep interest in how the body, mind, and compassion intertwine in healing.

Drawing from her own experiences with illness and profound grief, Michelle shares how writing became both her refuge and mirror. Through the story of a parent mourning their adult child, she examines the loneliness and meaning-seeking that accompany loss. She challenges the cultural expectation to “move on,” instead framing grief as something to live with, not overcome. Michelle also explores how grief lodges in the body and how somatic awareness and community can aid recovery. Inspired by her Jewish mourning traditions and modern therapeutic ideas, she even imagines “grief doulas” to guide others through sorrow—a concept as empathetic as it is transformative.

Connect with Michelle Lerner:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Book: Ring: A Novel

Let's Connect:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• The Grief and Happiness Alliance
• Book: Emily Thiroux Threatt - Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief

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What memories can you focus on to bring you the inspiration and comfort you are seeking?

Let's Connect:

• You can join the Grief and Happiness Alliance which meets weekly on Sundays by clicking here
• You can order the International Best Selling The Grief and Happiness Guide by clicking here.
• You can order Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief by clicking here at Amazon:
• You can listen to my podcast, Grief and Happiness, by clicking here
• Request your Awaken Your Happiness Journaling Guide here

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve ever wondered how grief could become a force for healing, episode 376 is for you. Author Jonathan Foster shares how the devastating loss of his daughter led him to co-found a nonprofit in Haiti and to write his powerful book Indigo: The Color of Grief. From building schools in remote villages to using writing to “tame the wildness” of loss, Jonathan shows how sorrow can transform into service, meaning, and even hope.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

(01:02) Jonathan’s background as a pastor, writer, and nonprofit leader

(01:52) How the loss of his daughter inspired a nonprofit in Haiti

(03:55) Why helping others makes you a “wounded healer”

(05:47) Writing as a way to “tame the wildness” of grief

(07:57) Creating white space for readers to process their own loss

(09:40) The power of limits in art and writing—like haiku

(11:45) Jonathan’s advice on writing as a tool for grieving

(13:23) Rebuilding the language of love after loss

(15:20) Why grief fuels creativity and eliminates writer’s block

(17:02) Jonathan’s encouragement: rest, keep going, and don’t give up today

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Jonathan J. Foster, an author, speaker, and former pastor whose work explores the intersections of grief, love, and theology. After the loss of his daughter in 2015, Jonathan co-founded a nonprofit in Haiti that provides education and healthcare to underserved communities. His latest book, Indigo: The Color of Grief, distills nearly a decade of reflection into a poignant meditation on loss and resilience. Through his writing, speaking, and nonprofit leadership, Jonathan helps others find language and meaning in the midst of sorrow.

Throughout this episode, Jonathan shows how his personal grief reshapes his life’s direction. What begins as his daughter’s plan to work in Haiti grows into a nonprofit that now offers schools and healthcare in some of the most remote parts of the country, transforming tragedy into tangible hope for others. He reflects on the role of writing in metabolizing grief, describing it as a way to “tame the wildness” of loss and create white space for meaning-making. He emphasizes how language itself must sometimes be rebuilt after loss—rehabilitating old words and inventing new ones to hold the weight of sorrow and love. Jonathan’s perspective as a “wounded healer” highlights the paradox of grief: even in brokenness, there is profound potential to serve, connect, and help others heal.

Connect with Jonathan J. Foster:

Website

Podcast

Instagram

Substack

Medium

Get Jonathan’s books

Let's Connect:

Website

Instagram

Twitter

The Grief and Happiness Alliance

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Here is the key to activating your feel good hormones!

Let's Connect:

• You can join the Grief and Happiness Alliance which meets weekly on Sundays by clicking here
• You can order the International Best Selling The Grief and Happiness Guide by clicking here.
• You can order Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief by clicking here at Amazon:
• You can listen to my podcast, Grief and Happiness, by clicking here
• Request your Awaken Your Happiness Journaling Guide here

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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If you’ve ever wondered how facing fear head-on could change your life, episode 374 is for you. Author Diane Hartman shares how solo trips through Ireland’s backroads—complete with wrong turns, roundabouts gone wrong, and deep solitude—help her confront decades of buried grief. Through journaling and courage, she turns loss into resilience and shows how getting lost can sometimes be the exact path to finding yourself.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

(01:00) Diane’s path from librarian to writer and her call to Ireland

(03:46) How her first solo trip tested her courage behind the wheel

(07:59) The lifelong impact of losing her father to suicide at age ten

(12:56) Supporting grieving children as a school librarian

(14:15) Choosing to transform trauma into empathy and purpose

(16:23) The role of self-talk, compassion, and counseling in her healing

(21:14) How daily journaling shaped her memoir

(22:46) A teacher grant, writer’s retreat, and the push to publish

(25:24) Writing for travelers, grievers, and anyone seeking resilience

(26:53) Where to find Getting Lost on My Way and follow Diane’s journey

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Diane Hartman, an author and retired school librarian from Indiana. Her memoir, Getting Lost on My Way: Self-Discovery on Ireland’s Backroads, draws from her solo journeys through Ireland after the early loss of her father to suicide and the end of a long marriage. Through travel and journaling, she discovers resilience, courage, and healing, transforming her grief into a story of self-discovery and gratitude. Passionate about inspiring others to face fear with courage, Diane shows how even life’s deepest losses can become gateways to growth and renewal.

Throughout this episode, she shares how traveling alone through Ireland’s winding backroads—often lost and confronting challenges like driving on the opposite side of the road—forces her to confront fear, grief, and self-doubt. By embracing the discomfort of solitude, she learns the power of self-talk, compassion, and courage, uncovering lessons that shape both her memoir and her life. Her story is a reminder that solo journeys can spark profound healing, self-trust, and empathy, offering hope to anyone navigating grief or searching for a deeper sense of self.

Connect with Diane Hartman:

Website

Substack

Instagram

Facebook

Book: Getting Lost on My Way

Let's Connect:

Website

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

The Grief and Happiness Alliance

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Every single moment is valuable. Experiencing each of those moments with love and joy rather that stress and anguish is a gift that you can give yourself every day, every moment.

Let's Connect:

• You can join the Grief and Happiness Alliance which meets weekly on Sundays by clicking here
• You can order the International Best Selling The Grief and Happiness Guide by clicking here.
• You can order Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief by clicking here at Amazon:
• You can listen to my podcast, Grief and Happiness, by clicking here
• Request your Awaken Your Happiness Journaling Guide here

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve ever felt trapped in a relationship that was breaking you, episode 372 is for you. Author and healing guide Sarah May shares how she left an abusive marriage that nearly cost her life—and how yoga, therapy, plant medicine, and writing helped her rebuild. With raw honesty, she shows how choosing yourself can open the door to freedom, resilience, and lasting love.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

(01:05) From heartbreak to homecoming: Sarah’s story and memoir

(03:32) Marrying young, betrayal, and the devastating impact of divorce

(06:50) Coping with infidelity, trauma, and a near-fatal helicopter crash

(10:45) Leaving everything behind and starting a cross-country road trip

(13:13) Why shifting from victimhood to responsibility changed everything

(17:00) How love and fear kept her stuck—and the courage to walk away

(19:13) The family patterns that shaped her relationships (and how she broke them)

(23:20) The healing power of yoga, therapy, journaling, and plant medicine

(30:27) Why self-love is the foundation of safe, lasting relationships

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Sarah May, an author, healing guide, and founder of She Journeys. Her memoir, She Journeys: A Memoir of Heartbreak and Homecoming, traces her experience of an abusive marriage, divorce, and the long process of reclaiming her voice. Drawing on this journey and years of spiritual and therapeutic work, she now supports women one-on-one through intuitive guidance, Reiki, meditation, and somatic practices. Passionate about turning grief into growth, Sarah lives in a camper van with her husband, embracing a life of freedom, healing, and love.

Throughout this episode, Sarah shares how leaving her marriage felt like a death, plunging her into depression before she slowly rebuilt her life on a cross-country road trip. Practices like yoga, meditation, therapy, breathwork, plant medicine, and journaling became vital in her healing and later shaped her work as a guide. She emphasizes the power of self-love, responsibility, and moving beyond victimhood, showing how profound loss can ultimately lead to resilience, gratitude, and a deeply fulfilling new chapter.

Connect with Sarah May:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Book: Sarah May - She Journeys

Let's Connect:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• The Grief and Happiness Alliance
• Book: Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.