Grief doesn’t follow rules or timelines. It shows up quietly, loudly, and sometimes all at once. In this deeply human conversation, author and educator Jeaninne Escallier Kato shares how losing two close friends during the pandemic sent her into what’s known as critical grief, a season marked by anxiety, fear of being alone, and the feeling of losing herself.

What ultimately helped her find her way back wasn’t forcing positivity or rushing healing. It was creativity, storytelling, connection, and allowing grief to be honored instead of avoided. Jeaninne opens up about how writing, creating her television show Staging the Third Act, and embracing the later chapters of life helped her transform loss into meaning.

This episode is a gentle companion for anyone navigating grief, anticipatory loss, or a season of transition. It’s a reminder that grief is not a problem to solve, but love that still deserves space.

04:45 – Jeaninne’s story and the losses that changed everything

08:30 – What “critical grief” looked like in real life

12:55 – Anxiety, fear of loss, and the struggle with being alone

17:20 – Asking for help and beginning counseling

22:10 – How creativity became a lifeline

27:00 – Creating Staging the Third Act as an act of healing

31:40 – Where love goes after someone dies

36:15 – Navigating anticipatory grief with her mother

41:10 – Aging, gratitude, and embracing life’s later chapters

46:05 – Turning pain into purpose

50:20 – What Jeaninne wants grieving listeners to know

✨Connect with Jeaninne Escallier Kato:

Book: B.J.’s Promise: How My Dying Dog Found My True Love
TV Show: Staging the Third Act (Auburn Community Television & YouTube)
Website: https://www.spokenlives.com/

✨ Connect with Michele Simms:

Website: thebeautyinthemess.com
Instagram: @the.beauty.in.the.mess
LinkedIn: Michele Simms
Facebook Group: The Beauty in the Mess Podcast

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