Certainly! However, your provided transcript is from the "Teaching in Higher Ed" podcast episode, not "Coaching for Leaders" with Dave Stachowiak and Kirstin Ferguson. If you’d like a summary of episode 758 of "Coaching for Leaders," please provide the correct transcript. If you'd prefer a summary of this "Teaching in Higher Ed" episode, let me know!

For now, here is a detailed, structured summary based on your transcript from Teaching in Higher Ed, “Teaching, Learning, and the Lessons of Grief” featuring Christy Albright and Clarissa Sorensen Unruh:

Episode Summary

Overview

This episode of Teaching in Higher Ed explores the nuanced and multifaceted topic of grief—how it manifests, how we process it, and its implications in both personal and academic contexts. Host Bonnie Stachowiak is joined by sisters Christy Albright, an educator and researcher, and Clarissa ("Rissa") Sorensen Unruh, a chemistry faculty member and expert in STEM education and assessment. Together, they delve into how grief presents itself in life, education, and work, and offer strategies, frameworks, and personal experiences for moving through grief with gentleness and growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Understanding Grief: Terms and Frameworks

• Defining Grief and Its Components (04:58)

  • Christy Albright notes that grief is often undefined in literature, despite being universal.
  • She distinguishes between:
    • Bereavement (to rob or deprive)
    • Mourning (to remember)
    • Grieving (feeling the weight or oppression).
  • Quote: "When you think about grief as a whole, you're really thinking about being robbed or deprived, remembering, and feeling the weight, the gravity of an oppressive situation." (05:38, Christy)

• Stages of Grief and Anticipatory Grief (07:20)

  • Discussion of classic Kubler-Ross stages (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance).
  • Anticipatory grief introduced—grief experienced before a loss occurs (e.g., impending death, job insecurity in academia).
  • Quote: "Anticipatory grief is when you know something is coming and you're already grieving that situation." (07:34, Christy)

The Non-Linearity and Diversity of Grief

• Grief Experiences are Unique (10:13)

  • Grief is unique to each loss and individual—even siblings grieve the same event differently.
  • Not only about death; can include changes in capabilities, career setbacks, and even small daily disappointments.
  • Quote: "The way we deal with griefs are different every time we deal with them, no matter what the grief is." (11:26, Christy)
  • Stages are not linear; emotions can reoccur and overlap.

• Analogy: Grief As a Fractal/Unmeasurable Coastline (12:33)

  • Inspired by mathematical concepts, the hosts liken grief’s unpredictability and variation to fractals or an endlessly variable coastline.
  • Christy: “Grief is so different every time that it's really hard to measure it and say, this is what you can expect.” (13:28)

Societal and Cultural Constructions

• Cultural Rituals and Societal Expectations (14:03)

  • Cultures provide different rituals (wearing specific colors, debt repayment, time frames for mourning).
  • Rituals can be helpful or harmful depending on the individual's needs.
  • Societal norms often prescribe insufficient time for grieving (e.g., limited bereavement leave).
  • Quote: “Some cultures or religious groups might provide rituals that are helpful for you in processing your grief and in navigating your grief.” (14:54, Christy)

• Supportive Work and Family Environments (16:12)

  • Christy describes the “gift” of being in environments where her needs and emotions during grief were supported and respected.

Does Grief Ever End?

• The Persistence of Grief (17:21)
  • Grief does not vanish; instead, “we grow around it.”
  • Quote: “People assume that grief gets smaller and actually we grow around it." (17:22, Rissa)
  • Each major grief can resurface when encountering new losses.

HERO Framework: Building Psychological Capital

• Introduction to HERO (Hope, Efficacy, Resiliency, Optimism) (18:59)

  • From positive psychology, focusing on growth and strengths rather than deficits.
  • Hope: Will + way power (the drive and the means)
    • Quote: “It's both willpower and way power.” (19:16, Christy)
  • Efficacy: Belief in one’s ability to accomplish tasks
  • Resiliency: Capacity to recover and adapt, not just empty encouragement.
  • Optimism: Acknowledging negatives but focusing on the positive aspects.

• Interplay of HERO Components (22:55)

  • Like a string quartet, each component sometimes rests but is always present and interconnected.
  • Building these capacities can transform grief processing and overall life satisfaction.

Grief as a Skill

• The Practice of Grief (28:35)
  • Grieving (and growing through grief) can be considered a practiceable skill.
  • Developing HERO traits helps process both everyday and major life griefs.

Gentleness Toward Self During Grief

• Allowing Imperfection and "Good Enough" (30:14)
  • Stories of showing up imperfectly after loss, and the necessity of self-compassion through grief.
  • Emphasis on the importance of defining “good enough” for oneself.
  • Quote: “I am much more gentle with myself than I had been prior to my husband's death. And that's been a gift of the grieving process.” (31:08, Christy)
  • Quote: “I think trying to figure out what good enough looks like is really difficult, but really important.” (31:45, Rissa)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you want to be happier, wholeheartedly welcome your grief.” (Cited from Andrea Gibson, 04:35)
• "We grow around grief; it does not diminish." (17:22, Rissa paraphrased)
• “Optimism in psychological capital focuses more on the flowers than the thorns—but acknowledges the thorns are there.” (25:42, Christy & Rissa)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Defining Grief (04:58 – 06:17)
• Anticipatory Grief (07:20 – 08:11)
• Cultural/Societal Rituals (14:03 – 16:12)
• Does Grief End? The "Growing Around" Metaphor (17:21 – 18:27)
• HERO Framework Introduction (18:59 – 19:16)
• Resiliency and Interconnection of HERO (22:55 – 24:30)
• Grief as a Skill (28:35 – 29:44)
• Gentleness with Self/”Good Enough” (30:14 – 31:45)

Recommendations

• Christy’s Picks: Kids’ books "Ish" and "The Dot" by Peter Reynolds—stories exemplifying hope, efficacy, resiliency, and optimism.
• Rissa’s Picks: Karen Costa’s forthcoming book (Johns Hopkins University Press, for decision-making and support), and podcasts that bring joy such as "Good Hang" with Amy Poehler (40:50).
• Bonnie’s Pick: The Capsule app for medication reminders, with a reflection on the kindness and community needed through health and grief challenges (35:41).

Conclusion

This episode provides a compassionate, nuanced exploration of grief, challenging linear and prescriptive narratives. Through academic research, personal storytelling, and actionable frameworks like HERO, listeners are encouraged to normalize grief, support each other through diverse expressions of loss, and build practical skills for moving forward with hope, resilience, and self-compassion.