Discover how to become friends with you mind so that it can serve you the best.

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 to turn loss into hope, episode 364 of Grief and Happiness is for you. Advocate and author Ashlee Cramer shares how caring for her son through a rare cancer battle inspired her children’s book Michael, The Boy Who Danced on the Waves. With honesty and strength, she reveals how writing, family, and resilience can transform grief into new ways of “dancing on the waves” of life.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

(3:40) A son’s rare diagnosis

(6:10) The birth of a story in a hospital room

(7:30) From surfboard to storybook

(9:50) Hope without sugarcoating

(11:30) Why siblings must be included

(19:30) Writing as a lifeline

(26:40) Practical advice for caregivers

(35:20) Dancing forward, not back

In today's episode, I'm joined by Ashlee Cramer, Co-Founder and Chief Community Officer of No Patient Left Behind, a nonprofit advocating for affordable healthcare. A former dancer and early childhood educator, her life changed when her husband died of cancer in 2016 and later when her son Michael was diagnosed with a rare lymphoma. Ashlee became a full-time caregiver and advocate, raising awareness for pediatric cancer. During long hospital stays, she turned to journaling, which inspired her children’s book Michael, The Boy Who Danced on the Waves—a hopeful story of resilience that also supports pediatric cancer research. Through her work, Ashlee blends personal strength with a mission to ensure no patient and no family feels left behind.

Throughout this episode, Ashlee shares her journey with honesty and courage. She describes how writing evolved from a coping tool to the creation of Dancing on the Waves and stresses the importance of including siblings, being open with children, and using writing to ease grief and anxiety. Above all, she highlights the hope in her book—that while life may never return to “before cancer,” families can still find strength, connection, and joy by learning to “dance on the waves” in new ways.

Connect with Ashlee Cramer:

No Patient Left Behind

Michael and Mom Talk Cancer

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Book: Ashlee Cramer - Michael, The Boy Who Danced on the Waves

Let's Connect:

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

Twitter

Pinterest

The Grief and Happiness Alliance

Book: Emily Thiroux Threatt - Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief

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Grief lasts as long as love remains in your heart.

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 wished you could hear a lost loved one’s voice again, episode 362 is for you. Personal trainer, writer, and podcaster Jenny Skoog joins Emily to share how 30 minutes of saved voicemails from her late mother became the foundation for a powerful podcast—and a pathway to healing. Through stories of reconciliation, navigating religious estrangement, and preserving tangible keepsakes, Jenny reveals how honoring memories can transform grief into lasting connection.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

(2:21) The voicemails that started it all

(4:50) From estrangement to reconnection

(7:40) A season of loss

(9:30) Turning grief into art

(12:38) Preserving memories with care

(18:53) The power of being seen in grief

(25:05) Alienation and chosen family

(29:58) The things we keep

(36:11) A legacy of connection

In today's episode, I'm joined by Jenny Skoog, a New York–based personal trainer, writer, and podcaster whose work blends wellness, creativity, and storytelling. A former Emmy-nominated reality TV personality (Pushing It on Cozy TV), she brings authenticity and resilience to everything she does. After losing her mother, father, and sister in quick succession, Jenny transformed her grief into a podcast built around preserved voicemails from her late mother, tracing the evolution of their relationship. With a master’s degree in biography and memoir, she is committed to honoring loved ones’ stories while navigating the ethics of telling them. Her background in fitness, art, and writing gives her a unique lens on physical and emotional healing, inspiring others to embrace honesty, connection, and the power of preserving memories.

Throughout this episode, Jenny reflects on navigating profound loss amid religious estrangement from most of her family. She shares how saving her mother’s voicemails—begun on a hunch years earlier—became both a lifeline and the heart of her podcast. Her insights center on reconciliation, storytelling’s transformative power, and the tangible keepsakes—letters, recipes, art—that keep connections alive. Jenny underscores the impact of being “seen” during grief, recounting moments of unexpected kindness, and explores the challenges of sharing personal histories when loved ones valued privacy. Her perspective is defined by authenticity, respect, and a deep desire to preserve the essence of those she’s lost.

Connect with Jenny Skoog:

Website

Instagram

Substack

LinkedIn

Podcast: The Silence Between Hello

Let's Connect:

Website

LinkedIn

Facebook

The Grief and Happiness Alliance

Book: Emily Thiroux Threatt - Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief

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

Write about what you do to practice loving self-care.

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 struggled to let go of guilt after loss, episode 360 is for you. Dr. Dravon James—pharmacist, life coach, and author of Forgiveness: The Path to Happiness—joins Emily to explore how unforgiveness, especially toward ourselves, can prolong pain. Through personal stories and tools like unsent letters and journaling, she shares how self-forgiveness leads to real healing and peace.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

(3:20) Forgiveness starts with self-awareness

(4:42) The power of self-forgiveness in grief

(9:29) Blame delays healing

(17:37) Writing as a tool for release

(22:40) From unforgiveness to empowerment

(26:17) Turning pain into purpose

(29:23) Gratitude and forgiveness go hand in hand

In today's episode, I'm joined by Dr. Dravon James, a transformational speaker, author, life coach, and founder of the Everyday Peace movement. With over 30 years of experience as a pharmacist, Dr. James combines her healthcare background with a passion for personal growth, helping others navigate life through mindfulness, empowerment, and forgiveness. She’s the author of Forgiveness: The Path to Happiness, a practical guide to emotional freedom, and has also appeared as an actress on HBO’s The Wire. Her unique blend of professional expertise and personal resilience allows her to connect deeply with audiences, inspiring them to find peace and purpose right where they are.

Throughout this episode, Dr. James offers powerful insight into forgiveness—especially in the context of grief. She highlights self-awareness as the first step toward healing and encourages listeners to acknowledge their emotions without judgment. Forgiveness, she explains, is not about excusing wrongs but reclaiming inner peace. Sharing her own journey with self-forgiveness, she illustrates how writing—particularly through personal journaling—can be a transformative tool. Her wisdom reframes forgiveness not as weakness, but as a path to freedom and emotional strength.

Connect with Dr. Dravon James:

• Website
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Book: Dr. Dravon James - Forgiveness: The Path to Happiness

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

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

You can grieve and be happy at the same time. This episode tells you how.

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.