Grief Grower

In this special "Supporting Someone" episode, you'll hear the live recording of my author talk from the Of Course I'm Here Right Now book launch party in Chicago—a practical, story-driven breakdown of three phrases that help supporters show up for grieving people with confidence and care. You'll learn: Why grieving people tell themselves three core stories—"I'm crazy," "I'm alone," and "My life will be like this forever"—and how those stories shape their relationships and sense of self Why words are the most powerful free grief support tool available to anyone, regardless of money, time, or emotional bandwidth How three simple phrases—"Of course," "I'm here," and "Right now"—each interrupt one of those painful stories How to use these phrases across any type of loss, any time frame, and any medium—from sympathy cards to text messages sent years after the loss Watch the launch party on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YU3Yg1ON2Ik Get my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now RSVP to upcoming online events in April: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events ... Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

Getting support is important after loss, but it can feel hard to ask for it. Today, I'm sharing seven practical, gentle ways to ask for help after loss—especially when your energy is low and even naming what you need feels overwhelming. I'll talk about how to get support with both the logistics of daily life and the emotional weight of grief. You'll learn: The difference between needing help living vs. help grieving—and why it matters How to ask for specific, tangible support without overexplaining yourself Simple ways to invite others into remembering and honoring your person or loss How to make asking for help feel more doable on low-energy days Where to go for more hands-on support if you're in crisis Get my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now RSVP to upcoming online events in April: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events ... Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

If you've ever wondered what to say to someone grieving—or worried about saying the wrong thing—this episode will help you understand why words matter more than you think, get helpful scripts to say after any kind of loss, and learn how to use words to support someone with care and confidence. You'll learn: Why "I don't know what to say" is such a common response to grief What happens when grief is met with silence or clichés Why words don't fix grief—but instead help people carry it Simple, grounding phrases you can use right away Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now Submit your pre-order receipt to join the FREE Of Course I'm Here Right Now book club:https://forms.gle/UKZUerJ91Cf1RwrC7 RSVP for Of Course I'm Here Right Now launch parties in Chicago and virtual: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events ... Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

Learn six powerful ways your words can support someone who is grieving using the SCRABL structure from my new book Of Course I'm Here Right Now. If you've ever worried about saying the wrong thing, you'll gain a deeper understanding of why words matter—plus simple, meaningful scripts you can use right away. You'll learn: The six roles words play in supporting someone who is grieving (SCRABL) Why words matter more than "doing the right thing" after a loss Simple, compassionate scripts you can use immediately How to feel more confident showing up for grieving friends, family members, coworkers, and even strangers Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now Submit your pre-order receipt to join the FREE Of Course I'm Here Right Now book club:https://forms.gle/UKZUerJ91Cf1RwrC7 RSVP for Of Course I'm Here Right Now launch parties in Chicago and virtual: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events ... Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

If you've been told to "find closure" after a loss, you're not alone—but that advice may be doing you more harm than good. Closure in grief is often treated as the ultimate goal of healing, yet many grieving people find it impossible—or even undesirable. I agree with them! You'll learn: Why closure is an unhelpful goal in grief What "closure after death" really implies—and why it falls short of what many grievers want The psychology behind continuing bonds and integration How to heal without leaving a loved one, a relationship, or a part of yourself behind What to seek instead of closure when rebuilding life after loss Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now Submit your pre-order receipt to join the FREE Of Course I'm Here Right Now book club: https://forms.gle/UKZUerJ91Cf1RwrC7 RSVP for Of Course I'm Here Right Now launch parties in Chicago and virtual: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events ... Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

How do you grieve when your body is the site of loss? Lisa Keefauver, author of Grief Is a Sneaky Bitch, joins me to talk about something we don't discuss nearly enough: grief in the body. From cancer treatment to identity shifts to looking in the mirror and not recognizing yourself, we explore what it means to experience embodied grief—and how to cope when your body is the loss you're grieving. You'll hear: What "body grief" and "embodied grief" actually mean—and why so many people experience them How illness, trauma, and medical betrayal can change your relationship with your body The hidden identity grief that comes with physical changes Practical tools for coping when your body no longer feels like home How to hold both gratitude and grief at the same time Learn more about Lisa, read (or listen to!) Grief Is a Sneaky Bitch, and subscribe to her Substack: https://lisakeefauver.com/ Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now Submit your pre-order receipt to join the FREE Of Course I'm Here Right Now book club:https://forms.gle/UKZUerJ91Cf1RwrC7 RSVP for Of Course I'm Here Right Now launch parties in Chicago and virtual: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events ... Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

You got through the first year of grief—but year two feels heavier, not lighter. Today, I'm sharing why grief often gets harder after the first year, what no one tells you about the second year of loss, and why struggling now doesn't mean you're doing something wrong. You'll learn: Why "the first year is the worst" is a lie How year two reveals hidden grief no one warned you about What happens when the shock wears off and support disappears How to survive the identity uncertainty of the second year What struggling in year two really says about your grief Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now Submit your pre-order receipt to join the FREE Of Course I'm Here Right Now book club: https://forms.gle/UKZUerJ91Cf1RwrC7 RSVP for Of Course I'm Here Right Now launch parties in Chicago and virtual: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events ... Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

If you want to know how to support a grieving friend without saying the wrong thing—or disappearing altogether—you are not alone. In this "Ask Shelby" episode, I share practical, compassionate guidance for what to say to someone grieving, using words that actually help in the days, months, and years after loss. You'll learn: Why words are one of the most powerful (and free) tools for grief support What to say to someone grieving instead of clichés or silence My three-phrase framework: Of course. I'm here. Right now. How to use these phrases in sympathy cards, texts, and real-life conversations What to say long after the loss, when most people stop checking in How your words can strengthen relationships and change grief culture Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now Submit your pre-order receipt to join the FREE Of Course I'm Here Right Now book club:https://forms.gle/UKZUerJ91Cf1RwrC7 RSVP for Of Course I'm Here Right Now launch parties in Chicago and virtual: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events ... Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

"Time heals all" is one of the most commonly repeated phrases in grief support—but is it actually helpful? Discover the history behind this platitude, why it often causes more harm than good, and what actually supports healing after loss. Where "time heals all" originated—and why it stuck 3 reasons the phrase harms more than helps What to do instead of waiting for time to pass What to say to grievers that's actually comforting Why you—not time—are the source of your healing Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now Submit your pre-order receipt to join the FREE Of Course I'm Here Right Now book club:https://forms.gle/UKZUerJ91Cf1RwrC7 RSVP for Of Course I'm Here Right Now launch parties in Chicago and virtual: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events ... Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

You've probably heard it—or maybe even said it: "I can't imagine what you're going through." It sounds compassionate on the surface, but it often creates emotional distance instead of connection. In this episode, I explain why this common sympathy phrase misses the mark for many grievers and what to say that's actually comforting. You'll learn: Why "I can't imagine" feels dismissive to grievers The deeper message this phrase unintentionally sends Short, compassionate alternatives to "I can't imagine what you're going through" Join Life After Loss Academy FREE for one month with code NEWYEARSGRIEF: https://life-after-loss-academy.circle.so/checkout/life-after-loss-academy-membership?coupon_code=NEWYEARSGRIEF Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now ... Read my viral blog: Grief Is Not "Just Love With No Place to Go." Here's What It Really Is. https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/blog-archive/grief-is-not-love-with-no-place-to-go-heres-what-it-really-is Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

The quote: "Grief is just love with no place to go" is everywhere, but it doesn't tell the whole story of life after loss. In this episode, explore what grief really is, especially when love isn't the defining emotion. You'll learn: Why "grief is love" doesn't work for everyone How grief shows up after painful or distant relationships What grief includes beyond love—like identity, longing, and relief Why every grief experience deserves validation and space Join Life After Loss Academy FREE for one month with code NEWYEARSGRIEF: https://life-after-loss-academy.circle.so/checkout/life-after-loss-academy-membership?coupon_code=NEWYEARSGRIEF Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now ... Read my viral blog: Grief Is Not "Just Love With No Place to Go." Here's What It Really Is. https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/blog-archive/grief-is-not-love-with-no-place-to-go-heres-what-it-really-is Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

When someone asks, "How are you?" do you freeze, fumble, or fake a smile? In this episode, I share 20 ways to respond to that loaded question while grieving—sorted from most to least personal. You'll learn: How to protect your grief without hiding it When it's okay to say "I'm fine" Four types of responses for different social situations Why honesty isn't all-or-nothing in grief Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now Join me LIVE in LA (November) and Ohio (December): https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events ... Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower, view episode transcripts, and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast

Grief isn't just heartbreaking—it's belief-shaping. After a major loss, many grieving people internalize painful stories like "I'm crazy," "I'm alone," and "My life will be like this forever." Understanding these beliefs (and what to say in response) can transform the way you show up and support the grieving people in your life. You'll hear: Where the 3 most common grief beliefs come from Why reassurance like "You're not alone" can backfire Three phrases that offer quiet, effective comfort How to support someone you care about without fixing, minimizing, or analyzing Pre-order my new book, Of Course I'm Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/of-course-im-here-right-now Join me LIVE in LA (November) and Ohio (December): https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/events ... Get FREE grief workshops, quizzes, and so much more on my website: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/links Keep Grief Grower ad-free by becoming a Patreon supporter: https://www.patreon.com/shelbyforsythia Join my online course + community, Life After Loss Academy: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/life-after-loss-academy Listen to more episodes of Grief Grower and submit a question for the show: https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/grief-grower-podcast