Permission to Grieve: How Feeling It All Makes You More Complete [257]

Permission to Grieve: How Feeling It All Makes You More Complete [257]

From Joy Lab Podcast by Henry Emmons, MD and Aimee Prasek, PhD

March 25, 2026 · 13 min · Episode 257

About this episode

The episode discusses the importance of acknowledging all forms of grief and how they coexist with joy.

This is it — the finale of our 10-part series on grief, and we're closing with a Gate that might be the most quietly powerful one yet: Other . That's right, the catchall. The one that says: if your loss doesn't fit neatly into a framework, it still counts. If you're feeling it, it counts. Losses that fall into this category include: Identity shifts, infertility, retirement, faded friendships, the life you thought you'd have — and anything else. We also reflect on the full arc of the series, sharing four essential takeaways about grief, and perhaps most importantly, making the case that grief and joy aren't opposites. They're companions. And working with one deepens your capacity for both. If you've been putting off your grief because it seemed too small, too strange, or too hard to explain to anyone else — this episode is your permission slip. This episode is part of a 10-part series on grief. You can jump in here and circle back to Episode 248 when you're ready. p.s. Find a Simple Joy practice for this episode right here at our blog. About: The Joy Lab Podcast is an Ambie-nominated podcast that blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, ease anxiety, and uplift…

People in this episode

Hosts: Henry Emmons, MD, Aimee Prasek, PhD

Topics covered

  • grief
  • loss
  • joy
  • mental health
  • self improvement
  • identity

Keywords

  • grief
  • joy
  • loss
  • identity shifts
  • infertility
  • retirement
  • friendships

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Joy Lab Podcast

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