What if the mess you've been avoiding is actually the doorway?

In this episode, host Nina Rodriguez sits down with transformational creativity and grief coach Susie Stonefield to explore the powerful connection between grief and creative expression.

Susie believes creativity isn't a luxury or a talent reserved for the few. It's a birthright. And in times of loss and healing, it can become one of our most powerful companions.

Together, they explore how art-making without rules, outcomes, or expectations creates space for emotional healing and truth to surface. They move through grief in its many forms: the death of loved ones, identity shifts, coming out later in life, complicated emotions like anger and guilt, and the collective grief so many of us carry in uncertain times.

Susie shares her personal journey through loss and self-discovery, and how those experiences shaped the judgment-free spaces she now holds for others through one-on-one grief coaching and intimate small group "Deep Dives." Her work lives at the intersection of mess and meaning. The messiness of life, she says, isn't something to clean up. It's something to honor.

This episode is an invitation to anyone navigating loss, identity, or the quiet ache of feeling stuck. Pick up the art supplies. Feel what's there. Make something from it. Not to fix grief, but to sit beside it.

This episode explores:

Why creativity is a powerful companion to grief
The myth that only “artists” are creative
Grief beyond death: identity shifts, coming out later in life, and life transitions
Art journaling as a cathartic emotional practice
Creating safe, judgment-free spaces for vulnerability
Honoring anger, guilt, and the full emotional spectrum
The impact of collective grief in today’s world
Finding joy alongside sorrow through creative expression
Why sharing our stories fosters connection and healing

Reflection Invitation:

What emotion have I been trying to tidy up instead of express?
What would it look like to create without needing it to be “good”?
What might emerge if I gave myself permission to make something from my grief?

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Grief and Light is an award-winning, independent podcast exploring the honest, messy, and deeply human experience of loss. We're on a mission to foster a more grief-informed, hopeful world, one conversation at a time.

🏆 Ear Worthy Best Life Lessons 2026 · TalkDeath Readers' Choice Best Podcast 2025 · Women Who Podcast Awards 2025 Winner · Podground Editor's Pick

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