About this episode

Michael Reed discusses his personal experience with grief and challenges the notion of the five stages of grief.

If you've ever been told to "move on" from grief, Episode 436 of the Grief and Happiness podcast will change how you think about healing forever. Michael Reed, who lost his wife and both daughters in the Gatlinburg wildfire, reveals why the five stages of grief are a myth and shares the moment he finally smiled at a memory before the tears came. In This Episode, You Will Learn: (00:04) Introduction to Michael Reed and his story of loss  (01:26) Losing his wife and daughters in the 2016 Gatlinburg wildfire  (04:01) Why the five stages of grief are a myth  (06:11) The taboo around men expressing grief and the power of vulnerability  (07:30) How a late-night Facebook post launched his writing career  (08:45) Why all grief — from divorce to empty nesting — is fundamentally the same  (10:26) The difference between moving on and moving forward  (13:48) The moment he smiled at a memory before the tears came  (16:06) What makes Michael a natural writer and the courage it takes to be vulnerable  (19:18) How dreams and signs from loved ones keep connection alive  (24:30) Healing in your grief — not from it  (25:54) Where to find…

People in this episode

Host: Emily Thiroux Threatt

Guest: Michael Reed

Topics covered

• grief
• healing
• vulnerability
• loss
• writing
• psychological adaptation

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Gatlinburg

More episodes of Grief & Happiness

• Kindness · June 12, 2026 · 4 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Grief & Happiness podcast page.