Podcast
Giving Grief Grace, a Grief Podcast for the Sandwich Generation
Hosted by Lisa Hartung · EN
Loss changes everything. But it doesn't have to have the last word. Giving Grief Grace is a podcast dedicated to those in the throes of caregiving and loss with honest, compassionate conversations about grief, healing, and what it means to keep living after loss. Hosted by Lisa Hartung, a speaker, HR professional, and fellow griever, each episode creates space for the stories we don't always know how to tell.
From disenfranchised and hidden grief, to grieving while parenting, to the ways men experience loss differently, to the unexpected power of creativity and legacy, this show covers grief in all its forms. Featuring expert guests, real stories, and practical tools you can use right now.
If you've lost someone you love or are in the throes of caregiving, you belong here.
New episodes drop every Sunday. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
17episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Episode 58 - Grief, Joy, and Clean Water: A Field Note From Tanzania
4d ago00:17:52Tap to summarizeIn this field-recorded episode, Lisa broadcasts live from rural Tanzania during a work trip with her day job with a water nonprofit. Visiting communities at different stages of clean water access, she finds an unexpected throughline: grief, love, and motherhood look remarkably similar across cultures and continents — and joy and grief can coexist in the very same moment.What You'll Hear:How clean water access transforms the lives of women and children in rural TanzaniaConversations with Tanzanian women about losing spouses and parents, and how community carries them throughCultural and religious perspectives on death, mourning, and the afterlife — including a 40-day Muslim mourning traditionA home visit, shared meal, and the simple beauty of communal cooking and connectionA surprise women's drumming circle that becomes an unexpected, full-circle connection to Lisa's late motherReflections on being away from her breastfeeding 17-month-old son while doing meaningful work in the fieldWhy "joy is the other side of grief" — and how both can live in the same momentWhat is one happy memory with your mom that you could write down or share with someone this week?Mentioned in This Episode:Lisa's day job in water access advocacy with a global water nonprofitThe Sandwich Generation experience of caregiving while grievingCross-cultural grief traditions (Christian and Muslim practices in Tanzania)Send us Fan MailThanks for tuning in, your time is valuable and we are so grateful for you! Please share this episode with a friend or someone who could use a hug. You are not alone.Subscribe to the podcast and we'll see you next week! Special thanks to:Podcast Editor Jacqueline van Bierk of Pink Star MusicPodcast Music Good_B_Music
Transcribe →
Episode 57 - What No One Tells You About Grieving Your Mom and How She Still Shows Up
2w ago00:14:38Tap to summarizeGrief doesn't wait for a convenient moment. Sometimes it finds you mid-walk, while packing for a trip, or when you are stressed, missing the woman who would have been your first call.In this solo episode, Lisa shares what she's learned about grieving her mother, Emily, while still choosing to live fully. She discusses the tradition she's not ready to bring back yet, the ordinary moments where absence hits hardest, and the quiet, unexpected way her mom showed up while unpacking her work bag.If you've lost your mom and wondered why her absence feels loudest in your most alive, most unbridled moments, this episode is for you.In this episode:Why grief surfaces during joy and tenderness, not just sorrow. Lisa speaks about how your mom can show up while breastfeeding, reading to your children, and wondering how did she do it all?The girls' week tradition Lisa held with her mom, mother-in-law, sister-in-laws, and their friends. How generations of women were letting their hair down, truly resting, and celebrating every season of motherhood together — and why she's giving herself grace around when to bring it backThe "Bring a Buddy" practice: how Lisa invites her mom into ordinary moments such as a drive across town, an ice cream date with mom, already knowing she'd want the chocolate dip topHow a rose quartz heart became a moment of presence across distance and loss, showing up when Lisa needed her mom mostReflection question for listeners: Where or how has your mother shown up for you in an unexpected way since her passing? What ordinary moment do you most wish you could share with her?Send us Fan MailThanks for tuning in, your time is valuable and we are so grateful for you! Please share this episode with a friend or someone who could use a hug. You are not alone.Subscribe to the podcast and we'll see you next week! Special thanks to:Podcast Editor Jacqueline van Bierk of Pink Star MusicPodcast Music Good_B_Music
Transcribe →
Episode 56 - Crafting Through Grief: How Kenya McCarthy Turns Her Mom's Belongings Into Healing Gifts
2w ago00:44:43Tap to summarizeWhat do you do when grief meets a house full of craft supplies? For Kenya McCarthy, creator of @chronicallykenya and @k.carthydesigns, the answer was to start making things, sharing the process online, and building a strong grief community so people wouldn't feel alone. Kenya's story is layered: she was already navigating a multiple sclerosis diagnosis when her mom Nikki suffered a sudden stroke. Kenya traveled cross-country from California to Virginia to spend the last nine days of her mom's life by her side. When it came time to pack up Nikki's home — a woman who could, as Kenya says, make anything out of anything — Kenya made a decision that would change everything: she would turn her mom's belongings into memorial gifts for the people who loved her.In this episode, Kenya and Lisa discuss:Why crafting works as a grief tool and how Kenya assigns each project with a "spoon rating" so grievers can find a craft that matches their energyThe story of her mom, Nikki: vibrant, feisty, and the inventor of the phrase "chuck it in the fuck it bucket"How Kenya hears her mom's voice as she problem-solves her way through every projectThe K. Carthy Designs story — the moment Kenya discovered her mom had written Kenya's abandoned fashion dream on the first page of her own goal journalWhy Kenya grieves her mom publicly and honors her legacy by talking about her every dayIf you are grieving, crafting, chronically ill, or trying to find a way to keep the people you've lost a little bit closer, this episode is for you.Connect with Kenya:TikTok & Instagram: @chronicallykenyaDesigns: @k.carthydesignsWeekly series: Crafty Grieving (new episodes every Wednesday)Connect with Lisa & Giving Grief Grace:Website: podcast.lisahartung.comEmail: hello@lisahartung.comInstagram/Facebook: @givinggriefgraceSend us Fan MailThanks for tuning in, your time is valuable and we are so grateful for you! Please share this episode with a friend or someone who could use a hug. You are not alone.Subscribe to the podcast and we'll see you next week! Special thanks to:Podcast Editor Jacqueline van Bierk of Pink Star MusicPodcast Music Good_B_Music
Transcribe →
Episode 55 - 100 Years of Living: Lucy DeRoche's Secrets to Adventure, Purpose, and Joy
4w ago01:01:14Tap to summarizeShe feels 45. She has been all around the US. She planned a month-long trip through England, Scotland, and Ireland in 1971 with no cell phones, no credit cards, and a 9-year-old in tow, and she thought nothing of it. She lost her first husband Vincent to lung cancer when he was just 41, raised her daughter Tammy on her own, and kept going. She still walks the halls of her building every day, still does puzzles, and loves Maine lobster.Lucy DeRoche of Yarmouth, Maine turned 100 on May 20, 2026 and she is here to show us what a fully lived life actually looks like.In this joyful milestone episode, Lisa sits down with Lucy and her daughter Tammy to celebrate a century of adventure, purpose, and unending love. Lucy shares the philosophy that carried her through teaching fifth graders for decades, planning epic road trips with AAA guides before the internet existed, volunteering long into retirement, and weathering the deepest losses - all with curiosity, humor, and a fierce desire to be useful.What you'll hear in this episode:Lucy's secret to staying sharp, active, and motivated at 100How she navigated losing her husband at a young age and how she and Tammy became each other's purposeThe legendary 1971 trip to England, Scotland, and Ireland, planned entirely with travelers checks and a travel agent, no internet requiredThe zebra that stuck its entire head through the car window on the Olympic PeninsulaThe 6-inch John Wayne "statue" that was NOT the six-foot statue they drove across the Peninsula to findHer food memories: Thursdays and Sundays at the 99 in Brunswick, Maine with Jim, fish chowder and blueberry muffins at the Dolphin, and lobster that must — absolutely must — come from MaineSitting in a Paris restaurant at 86 with a sneaky grin on her faceWhat truly kept her going all these years: "I always wanted to be useful. I really did."This one is a love letter to long lives, adventurous hearts, and the mothers who drag us to Gettysburg, Paris, and off-road in a Jeep Wrangler and make us better for it. Cheers to 100 years, Lucy Williams DeRoche. We love you!Send us Fan MailThanks for tuning in, your time is valuable and we are so grateful for you! Please share this episode with a friend or someone who could use a hug. You are not alone.Subscribe to the podcast and we'll see you next week! Special thanks to:Podcast Editor Jacqueline van Bierk of Pink Star MusicPodcast Music Good_B_Music
Transcribe →
Episode 54 - From Surviving to Thriving: The Grief Recovery Method with Dawn Michele Jackson
May 1700:53:14Tap to summarizeHave you ever carried grief you didn't have a name for? Today's guest, Dawn Michele Jackson, a registered nurse, bestselling author, and Advanced Grief Recovery Method Specialist, spent decades watching patients' unprocessed emotions show up as physical illness. When her own life was fraught with an alcoholic father, an abusive boyfriend, and she later experienced a painful divorce, and the eventual loss of her dad, Dawn knew life didn't have to be so challenging. She learned how to process her grief through an action-based program that didn't just take the edge off, it changed how she viewed the earlier struggles in her life, and allowed her to process them and find happiness moving forward.In this episode, Dawn walks us through the Grief Recovery Method: what it is, how it works, and why grief is so much bigger than death. Whether you're carrying loss from a relationship, a childhood, a divorce, or a loved one's passing, this conversation is for you.In this episode we discuss:Why grief is a normal, natural response to any loss, transition, or changeWhat the Grief Recovery Method is and how the multiple sessions workHow unhealed grief shows up in the body as physical illnessDawn's personal journey through childhood pain, divorce, and losing her dadWhy this method gives you tools for life, not dependencyHow healing changed Dawn's relationships, self-worth, and ultimately led to a joyful marriageConnect with Dawn: Website: www.dawnmichelejackson.com Facebook & LinkedIn: Dawn Michele JacksonSend us Fan MailThanks for tuning in, your time is valuable and we are so grateful for you! Please share this episode with a friend or someone who could use a hug. You are not alone.Subscribe to the podcast and we'll see you next week! Special thanks to:Podcast Editor Jacqueline van Bierk of Pink Star MusicPodcast Music Good_B_Music
Transcribe →
Episode 53 - The Little Things Are the Big Things: Obituaries with Mary McGreevy of Tips from Dead People
May 1000:50:40Tap to summarizeWhat if the most profound life lessons you ever received came from the dead? In this episode of Giving Grief Grace, Lisa sits down with Mary McGreevy, the creator of @tipsfromdeadpeople and author of an upcoming HarperCollins book (August 2027), to explore what over 10,000 obituaries have taught her about grief, imperfection, and what it means to live a life well-lived.Mary shares the origin story behind her viral social media account, born from her mother's brief career as an obituary editor and Mary's own childhood fascination with the stories hiding in the back pages of the newspaper. Now with over 400,000 followers across platforms, Mary is on a mission to remind us: you are more than your worst chapter, and you are absolutely more than your LinkedIn profile and resume.Together, Lisa and Mary talk about:The themes that surface most often across thousands of obituariesWhat happened when Mary posted, "How do you learn to live without your mom?" after losing her own mother in November 2024, and the 2,000+ comments that became a masterclass in griefWhy the best obituaries name the hard stuff: addiction, estrangement, regret, and how that honesty allows readers to feel a deeper sense of connection with the individualThe obituary of Trish, Mary's "patron saint" of Tips from Dead People, and why two simple lists of loves and hates tell you everything about a personMary's complicated feelings about AI-written obituaries (and animated dead people)The book offer that arrived three days after her mom died, and what she believes about that timingThis episode is tender, funny, and full of permission to be exactly as messy and as human as you already are.Connect with Mary:Instagram/TikTok/YouTube: @tipsfromdeadpeopleSubstack: https://tipsfromdeadpeople.substack.com/ Obituary inspiration & more: https://linktr.ee/tipsfromdeadpeopleBook: coming August 2027 from HarperCollinsSend us Fan MailThanks for tuning in, your time is valuable and we are so grateful for you! Please share this episode with a friend or someone who could use a hug. You are not alone.Subscribe to the podcast and we'll see you next week! Special thanks to:Podcast Editor Jacqueline van Bierk of Pink Star MusicPodcast Music Good_B_Music
Transcribe →
Episode 52 - A Year of Giving Grief Grace: What No One Tells You About Starting a Grief Podcast
May 300:18:49Tap to summarizeOne year. 52 episodes. 62 countries and territories. 454 cities. Thank you for a year of grace, gratitude, and being part of this grief journey. In this special solo anniversary episode, Lisa Hartung pauses to celebrate what Giving Grief Grace has become. She reflects honestly on the time commitment, what it gave back, and who the show supports.Lisa shares the origin story behind the podcast: the week her firstborn arrived was the same week her mother, Emily, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and given a year to live. What followed was a year of caring for a newborn and a dying parent. It was also the birth of a mission to make sure no one had to navigate grief alone.In this milestone episode, Lisa reflects on:The guests who shaped year one: from hospice nurses and end-of-life doulas to grief counselors, artists, authors, and cancer survivorsThe most downloaded episode (Emily’s Final Wish: A Visit to Monet’s Garden)The very real, unglamorous side of solo podcasting (including a toilet overflow, two sick kids, and a husband out of town)What grief has taught her about loneliness, showing up, and becoming your own cheerleaderWhat’s ahead for Season 2: retreats, community events, animal grief, and moreIf you’ve been listening since episode one, thank you! If you've been a guest on the show, THANK YOU! If you’re brand new, welcome to the community. Either way, you belong here.📧 hello@lisahartung.com | 🎙️ podcast.lisahartung.com 📱 Instagram: @GivingGriefGrace | Facebook: Giving Grief GraceSend us Fan MailThanks for tuning in, your time is valuable and we are so grateful for you! Please share this episode with a friend or someone who could use a hug. You are not alone.Subscribe to the podcast and we'll see you next week! Special thanks to:Podcast Editor Jacqueline van Bierk of Pink Star MusicPodcast Music Good_B_Music
Transcribe →
Epsiode 51 - Free Smiles: The Tiny Act That Lifts a Grieving Heart
Apr 2600:06:31Tap to summarizeWhat if the simplest thing you did today — curling up the corners of your mouth — could make you feel even 1% better? In this solo episode, host Lisa Hartung laces up her running shoes and shares a reflection born from the road: smiles are free, they cost nothing, and they might be exactly what a stranger needs today.Lisa talks about the science behind smiling, how the physical act of smiling, even a forced one, can shift your emotional state. She shares her personal mission to make at least one TSA agent smile every time she passes through airport security, and how running through neighborhoods, waving and smiling at fellow people exercising, walking their dogs, or chatting with friends, fills her with joy.For anyone living alone or isolated in grief, Lisa reminds us that a genuine smile and a warm "thank you" to your pharmacist or grocery cashier might be the most meaningful human connection you have that day. It is a simple act that really matters. Don't rush past it. Cherish the moment. If you are sitting with someone who is deep in grief, you don't have to have the right words. Show up. Smile. Be present. That is enough.How many smiles will you give to others this week?Stay tuned. Episode 52 is coming next week and it's a BIG one: one full year of Giving Grief Grace! 🎉Send us Fan MailThanks for tuning in, your time is valuable and we are so grateful for you! Please share this episode with a friend or someone who could use a hug. You are not alone.Subscribe to the podcast and we'll see you next week! Special thanks to:Podcast Editor Jacqueline van Bierk of Pink Star MusicPodcast Music Good_B_Music
Transcribe →
Episode 50 - It Takes a Village: How Schools, Friends, & Communities Can Support Grieving Children with Carrie Silver of A Haven
Apr 1900:43:02Tap to summarizeAccording to A Haven, one in five children will experience the death of someone close to them before they graduate high school. That means grief is already in your classroom, your neighborhood, and your faith/athletic/artistic community, whether you can see it or not. Many well-meaning people surrounding that grieving child have no idea how to show up.In this final episode of our A Haven mini-series, Lisa sits down with Carrie Silver, Clinical Director of A Haven, a free child and family grief center in Exton, Pennsylvania, to talk about the village it takes to truly support a grieving child.Carrie walks us through what teachers and school counselors can do right now for the grieving student in their building, why pushing for counseling too soon can actually backfire, and how grief groups at school give children something a 1:1 setting cannot fully replicate — the relief of knowing they are not the only one, they have a supportive community to lean on. We also talk about what grief looks like across different types of loss including suicide, violence, and anticipatory grief, and how to hold space for each with care.For friends, neighbors, and community members, Carrie shares something beautifully practical: you never need permission to remember someone's person. A text. A calendar reminder set in advance. A message that says, "baseball season started and I thought of your dad." These small, consistent acts of remembrance are what grieving families carry with them long after the casseroles and cards stop coming.Whether you're a parent, a teacher, a friend, or simply someone who loves a grieving family and wants to show up well, this episode will give you the language, the posture, and the courage to do it.Check out the other episodes in this series:Episode 45 - It's Okay to Say Died: How to Talk to Children About Death at Any AgeEpisode 49 - The Whole Family Grieves: Supporting Every Child in the House, Even When They Grieve DifferentlyConnect with A Haven: ahaven.org | Instagram: @ahaven.chesterco | LinkedIn & Facebook: A Haven | Email: Carrie Silver, Clinical Director carrie@ahaven.orgSend us Fan MailThanks for tuning in, your time is valuable and we are so grateful for you! Please share this episode with a friend or someone who could use a hug. You are not alone.Subscribe to the podcast and we'll see you next week! Special thanks to:Podcast Editor Jacqueline van Bierk of Pink Star MusicPodcast Music Good_B_Music
Transcribe →
Episode 49 - The Whole Family Grieves: Supporting Every Child in the House, Even When They Grieve Differently with Carrie Silver of A Haven
Apr 1200:49:00Tap to summarizeGrief doesn't arrive at the door of a family and touch everyone the same way. One child draws. Another runs. Another goes silent. And somewhere in the middle of it all is a caregiver trying to hold everyone together while barely holding it together themselves.In this episode, Lisa sits down again with Carrie Silver of A Haven, a free child and family grief center in Exton, Pennsylvania, to talk about what it really looks like when a whole family grieves. We explore why siblings can experience the same loss so differently, and why research shows that how a caregiver grieves is a huge factor in how a child grieves.Carrie walks us through the creative and embodied ways A Haven supports grieving children — from movement and art to circle time — and why these approaches reach children in ways that words alone often can't. We also talk about the power of community: what it means for a grieving family to sit in a room with other families who simply understand and "get it," helping each other on this journey, regardless of age. Whether you're a parent navigating loss alongside your children, an educator supporting a grieving student, or someone who loves a grieving family and wants to show up well, this conversation is for you.A Haven offers free grief support groups for children ages 3–25 and their families. Learn more at ahaven.org and see the extensive book list for additional resources! Check out our first conversation of the series with Carrie Silver here:Episode 45 - It's Okay to Say Died: How to Talk to Children About Death at Any Age with Carrie Silver of A HavenSend us Fan MailThanks for tuning in, your time is valuable and we are so grateful for you! Please share this episode with a friend or someone who could use a hug. You are not alone.Subscribe to the podcast and we'll see you next week! Special thanks to:Podcast Editor Jacqueline van Bierk of Pink Star MusicPodcast Music Good_B_Music
Transcribe →