On Episode 3 of Season 9 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast®, host Maya Roffler is joined by Gyani, a surviving sibling and grief professional, who shares the story of losing his brother, Pete, to cancer, and how earlier loss in his life shaped the path he walks today.

Gyani takes us back to his first encounter with grief at 13, when his father died of cancer. Raised in what he describes as a "Leave It to Beaver" style family. Mom, dad, and five boys—he reflects on how grief rippled through their family system like a bomb, in a time when there were few tools or conversations available to help a young boy process loss.

A few years later, Gyani found his way into meditation, yoga, and wisdom traditions, an unexpected but life-changing shift that became a foundation for everything that followed. Decades later, after building a career in counseling and the corporate world, Gyani felt an internal nudge that it was time for a new chapter. Then came a loss that re-opened the "great beast of grief" in a fresh way: the death of his baby brother, Pete.

Gyani shares how Pete's cancer moved fast—from a melanoma diagnosis to death within roughly a year—and how helplessness, family dynamics, and the inability to "make people come to the grief table" became part of his grieving process. This conversation is a powerful reminder that grief is not a problem to solve, but an experience that asks to be witnessed—by others, and by ourselves—with compassion, patience, and attention.

In This Episode:

(0:00:00) – Meet Gyani + The Loss That Started It All Gyani introduces himself, shares that he works in the grief space, and reflects on losing his father to cancer at age 13.

(0:01:30) – Growing Up in a Family of Five Boys Gyani describes his family system, his place as the fourth of five brothers, and how grief impacted their "sports team" dynamic.

(0:03:30) – A Teenager Finds Meditation + Meaning Gyani shares how he found meditation, yoga, and wisdom traditions in high school—seeking something "deathless" after losing his dad.

(0:06:00) – Grief Doesn't Come With a Manual Maya and Gyani discuss how grief shapes you early, how people cope differently, and why many families lack the tools to process loss.

(0:10:00) – How Gyani Entered the Grief Space Professionally Gyani explains how his meditation practice and counseling training eventually converged—after years in the corporate world—into grief-focused work.

(0:12:30) – Asking "What's Next?" + Listening for the Answer Gyani shares his transition season, spending time in nature and intentionally seeking clarity for his next chapter.

(0:24:30) – Pete: "It's Powerful to Say His Name" Gyani introduces his brother Pete, their bond, growing up together, and why Pete was his "rock."

(0:26:00) – From Melanoma to Loss: A Fast Cancer Journey Gyani walks through Pete's diagnosis, how quickly it spread, and the shock of losing a healthy, vibrant brother.

(0:28:30) – Helplessness, Anger, and the Storm of Grief Gyani reflects on the layers of grief—including the raw helplessness that remains when you realize you can't change the outcome.

(0:30:00) – Family Dynamics: You Can't Drag People to the Grief Table Gyani and Maya discuss how differently siblings and families grieve—and the pain of wanting connection when others shut down.

(0:35:30) – Community as Medicine: Why Grief Must Be Witnessed Gyani shares why grief + isolation is a "double whammy," and how community helps thaw shame and soften the nervous system.

(0:43:30) – What Gyani's Grief Work Looks Like Today He shares how mindfulness-informed grief counseling helps people gently lean into grief, including working with the body ("issues are in the tissues").

(0:47:30) – A Closing Reminder: Grief Isn't a Problem to Solve Gyani offers a powerful reframe: grief is a sacred opportunity to be embraced—and it changes you into new versions of yourself.

This episode is sponsored by The Surviving Siblings®

Connect with Gyani:

Website: https://ourgriefpath.com/

Connect with Maya:

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/survivingsiblingspodcast/
Maya's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayaroffler/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@survivingsiblingspodcast
Twitter: https://x.com/survivingsibpod
Website: thesurvivingsiblings.com
Facebook Group: The Surviving Siblings Podcast
YouTube: The Surviving Siblings Podcast
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheSurvivingSiblingsPodcast