Giving Grief Grace

Episode 54 - From Surviving to Thriving: The Grief Recovery Method with Dawn Michele Jackson

Have 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

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Episode 53 - The Little Things Are the Big Things: Obituaries with Mary McGreevy of Tips from Dead People

2w ago00:50:40Tap to summarize

What 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

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Episode 52 - A Year of Giving Grief Grace: What No One Tells You About Starting a Grief Podcast

3w ago00:18:49Tap to summarize

One 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

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Epsiode 51 - Free Smiles: The Tiny Act That Lifts a Grieving Heart

Apr 2600:06:31Tap to summarize

What 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

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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 summarize

According 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

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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 summarize

Grief 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

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Episode 48 - Fought the Fight: Grief, Easter Sunrise, and Finding Joy Again

Apr 500:19:59Tap to summarize

Easter has a way of cracking grief wide open. In this solo episode, Lisa shares a raw and vulnerable reflection on how the season of resurrection intersects with loss.From waking up before dawn in a small Maine town to sing "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today" on a hillside with her mom, to attending Duke Chapel's sunrise service the year after her mother Emily passed, Lisa walks us through the traditions that keep her mother's memory alive. She also shares about the moment a hymn lyric brought her to her knees, and the friend who held her through it.She also shares the beautiful cycle of grief and new life: her own daughter now old enough to pack a thermos of hot chocolate and head to the garden for sunrise Easter service. History, as Lisa says, repeats itself.Lisa also introduces something new - Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way: a 12-week journey into creativity she's embarking on with a community of women, and why she believes unblocking our creativity is one of the most powerful tools we have to move through grief. If you've felt stuck, joyless, or creatively frozen in your grief, this episode is for you. To join the 12 week workshop, email hello@lisahartung.com or DM @givinggriefgrace on Instagram. All are welcome! The workshop kicks off on Monday, April 6, 2026.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

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Episode 47 - When Men Get Breast Cancer: Jake Messier on Stigma, Stage 4, and Breaking the Silence

Mar 2901:00:21Tap to summarize

What happens when a man is diagnosed with a disease the world has decided belongs to women? Jake Messier, known as @theguywithstage4breastcancer, is living that answer every single day. After a stage 2 breast cancer diagnosis in 2023 progressed to metastatic disease in August 2025, Jake turned his 30-year marketing career into a mission: building the largest male breast cancer community in the world and refusing to let men suffer in silence.In this conversation, Jake opens up about finding a lump while putting on deodorant and brushing it off because no one had ever taught him that men could get breast cancer, too. He discusses the nearly year-long ordeal of four inconclusive biopsies, the moment he got the call that changed everything, and how he has recorded his experience from the highs to the vulnerable lows. We dig into the toxic masculinity that literally keeps men out of treatment rooms, the staggering fact that very little funding is specifically dedicated to male breast cancer, and what it means to plant trees you'll never sit in the shade of. Jake also shares the story of a man who hid his breast cancer for 14 years and why Jake's platform finally made him feel brave enough to call himself a survivor.This episode is for anyone who has ever loved someone with cancer and didn't know what to say, and for every man who went on with his day when he should have made a call.Find Jake online:Website: theguywithstage4breastcancer.comInstagram & TikTok : @theguywithstage4breastcancer LinkedIn: Jake Messier 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

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Episode 46 - When Grief Becomes a Calling: How Kelly Edmondson Turned Loss Into Light with Timely Presence

Mar 2200:51:17Tap to summarize

What do you do with your grief when you've spent 25 years as a nurse helping families through their hardest moments and then overnight, you become the family in need? That's the journey Kelly Edmondson found herself on three years ago when she lost her oldest son, Darius, to epilepsy in his sleep. Kelly shares how that loss became the catalyst for Timely Presence, a year-long grief support service built on the belief that grief outlasts sympathy, and so should the support.Drawing on her nursing background in trauma, ICU, and the ER, her certification in grief counseling, and the lived experience of losing a child, Kelly walks us through what meaningful support looks like in the months that follow a loss, including the gifts that do what words simply cannot. Wind chimes on birthdays, preserved roses on Mother's Day, and engraved memory boxes arriving right after the service. Kelly also shares the story of a crystal sun catcher that turned one bereaved mother's darkest day into one full of color and light.We dig into grief in the workplace: what colleagues get wrong, what they can do better, and why showing up doesn't require a script. Kelly also opens up about anticipatory grief, disenfranchised grief, and what she discovered when she crossed from the clinical side of loss to the deeply personal side.This is an episode about presence, celebrating a loved one's legacy, and letting the family know: I still remember. You are not alone.Visit Timely Presence online; Instagram; Facebook 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

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Episode 45 - It's Okay to Say Died: How to Talk to Children About Death at Any Age with Carrie Silver of A Haven

Mar 1500:46:24Tap to summarize

What do you say when a child asks, "Is Mommy coming back?" This week, Lisa sits down with Carrie Silver, Clinical Director of A Haven, a nonprofit child and family grief center in Exton, Pennsylvania, to explore one of the most important and often-avoided conversations we can have with the children in our lives: talking honestly about death. Carrie brings both professional expertise and compassion as she walks us through why using real language like the words died, death, dead, is one of the greatest gifts we can give a grieving child. Softer phrases like "passed away," "went to sleep," or "we lost them" can unintentionally create confusion, anxiety, and even shame in young minds still learning how the world works.This is the first episode of a mini-series with A Haven about how to support and talk to children about death and dying. In this episode, you'll learn:Why the #1 factor in how a child grieves is how their caregiver grievesWhat normative grief looks like at every developmental stage — from age 3 through young adulthoodHow to approach these conversations as a "side-by-side" activity rather than a face-to-face talkRed flags (and orange flags) that signal a child may need additional supportThe power of keeping rituals, memories, and stories alive, and why talking about and asking questions about a loved one is always a gift, even if it causes tearsFree resources available through A Haven for families everywhereWhether you're a parent, caregiver, educator, or grief professional, this episode offers tangible, take-home wisdom for supporting the youngest grievers in your community and yourself.Resources:A Haven: free printable grief resources and consultations availableJudi's House: comprehensive grief care for children and families and their CBEM Model for national data on children's grief by regionSend 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

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All episodes

Episode 54 - From Surviving to Thriving: The Grief Recovery Method with Dawn Michele Jackson

Episode 53 - The Little Things Are the Big Things: Obituaries with Mary McGreevy of Tips from Dead People

Episode 52 - A Year of Giving Grief Grace: What No One Tells You About Starting a Grief Podcast

Epsiode 51 - Free Smiles: The Tiny Act That Lifts a Grieving Heart

Episode 50 - It Takes a Village: How Schools, Friends, & Communities Can Support Grieving Children with Carrie Silver of A Haven

Episode 49 - The Whole Family Grieves: Supporting Every Child in the House, Even When They Grieve Differently with Carrie Silver of A Haven

Episode 48 - Fought the Fight: Grief, Easter Sunrise, and Finding Joy Again

Episode 47 - When Men Get Breast Cancer: Jake Messier on Stigma, Stage 4, and Breaking the Silence

Episode 46 - When Grief Becomes a Calling: How Kelly Edmondson Turned Loss Into Light with Timely Presence

Episode 45 - It's Okay to Say Died: How to Talk to Children About Death at Any Age with Carrie Silver of A Haven