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I speak with Candice Bock, a mom from New Jersey who lost her son in a tragic accident. While speaking with her, I quickly realized this wasn’t a typical interview. The emotion, the story, and the inspirational messages lent themselves to a different style of episode that I hope you’ll enjoy.  After losing six-year old Edmond, Candice went through a myriad of grief and since then has not only been able to grow immensely herself but also teach others to grow from their own adversities. She started Stand Strong Fitness and Wellness based on the foundation that it is important to ‘Stand Strong’ through challenges we face in life. It was originally Edmond who learned how to “Stand Strong” in vacation bible school the summer before he passed, and it was something he repeated when he thought someone needed the reminder. Candice shares her story and the challenges that came after losing Edmond, how she began to heal after loss, what it means to begin again, learning the ins and outs of entrepreneurship, bringing a holistic approach to wellness, and a whole lot more. Stand Strong Fitness & Wellness offers personal training, nutrition guidance, and mental health support because taking care of yourself involves your whole well being.  Connect with Candice:  https://www.standstrongfw.com/ https://www.instagram.com/standstrongfitnessandwellness/ Need a grief gift for someone you love? All The Skies, a modern sympathy shop, is now open for business! Be sure to follow along on Instagram @shopalltheskies and sign up for our newsletter to be the first to receive updates and gift drops! Enjoying #SSFYL? Be sure to subscribe and share with a friend! Website | www.ssfylpodcast.com Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sosorrywithgianna Facebook Group | https://www.facebook.com/groups/ssfylpodcast YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyoo17xXVkpLD0WiTbqsh8w

If Oprah and James Cordon had a baby, raised on Dolly Parton's front porch—it would be today’s guest, Matt Marr. Matt will talk to anyone. He's the guy in the grocery store that compliments your eye makeup and then two minutes later you’re asking him for dating advice.  He is a therapist and holds a Masters of Clinical Psychology, specializing in Narrative Therapy and is also the co-host of the Reality Gays Podcast (ranked by Screenrant as the number one reality podcast everyone should be listening to for 2020). He is a successful commercial actor, improv actor, host, and has performed stand up all over the West Coast.  Matt discusses his personal experience with loss and grief as he shares the story of his beloved father Chelsea, aka Papa Marr. We talk about personalizing funerals to fit the person lost, sitting with anger and why it’s not always fair in life and death, the media's inaccurate portrayal of birth and death, grief on reality TV, understanding your own grief fingerprint, and a whole lot more! This episode is a fun one that you do not want to miss.  Connect with Matt Marr: www.realitygays.com www.instagram.com/theMattMarr https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattmarr/ https://twitter.com/themattmarr **This episode is sponsored by Rent the Runway. Visit www.renttherunway.com and use code RTRGIANNA for 40% off your first two months of RTR membership.** Enjoying #SSFYL? Be sure to subscribe and share with a friend! Website | www.ssfylpodcast.com Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sosorrywithgianna Facebook Group | https://www.facebook.com/groups/ssfylpodcast YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyoo17xXVkpLD0WiTbqsh8w

Dying is a fact of life. While emotional, there are certain logistics and practicalities that have to be dealt with: cremation versus burial, financial obligations, physical belongings, and the list goes on. This week, I’m joined by Cianna Stewart who also has a podcast on death and grief. Cianna hosts Dying Kindness, a podcast for people who are going to die someday (hint: that’s you and me, both) with the goal of helping people make key decisions now in order to be more kind to those they’ll leave behind.  Death has always been part of Cianna's conversation and experience. When she was only 15 years old, she lost her mom. This loss was amplified and reinforced by working in HIV prevention and awareness during the 1990s in San Francisco. During this period, she experienced the death and memorialization of many friends, and became the primary caretaker for her roommate who died from AIDS. After Cianna's father and stepmother died in 2019, she resolved to get her own paperwork and other affairs in order so that she wouldn't leave behind the same kind of disorganized mess she and her siblings were left with. To support that effort, she started a group on Facebook and The Dying Kindness podcast then emerged as an effort to encourage others to join in on making key decisions now, well before they're needed. Cianna has been a writer, documentarian, speaker, coach, event producer, startup founder, nonprofit manager, consultant, workshop leader, and more.  Episode Highlights: Cianna’s experience and relationship with grief and losing both parents Working in HIV prevention and losing her roommate and dear friend to AIDSRecognizing our own fears and putting ourselves in others shoes Resources for assistance when it comes to logistics surrounding deathEmotional grief versus practical grief and managing bothThe death binder: a collection for decisions and documents you need when someone dies (and someone will need when you die)Shifting the conversation around death and making decisions that will help those still living when we pass onAdvance directives, powers of attorney, dependents, and wills/trusts Mentioned in the episode: The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss by Mary-Frances O'Connor Cianna’s curated selection of books Neptune Society Connect with Cianna: https://twitter.com/cianna www.dyingkindness.com Dying Kindness Podcast Dying Kindness Facebook Group No Complaints: How to Stop Sabotaging Your Own Joy by Cianna P Stewart Sign up for the newsletter on SSFYLpodcast.com and be the first to receive updates on the podcast and All The Skies grief boutique! Enjoying #SSFYL? Be sure to subscribe and share with a friend! Website | www.ssfylpodcast.com Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sosorrywithgianna Facebook Group | https://www.facebook.com/groups/ssfylpodcast YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyoo17xXVkpLD0WiTbqsh8w

This week's episode is a bit of a mixed bag where I sit down solo to share what’s going on lately. I start with how I’ve been dealing amidst year five of my dad’s death anniversary as well as a part of my conversation with last week’s guest, Rebecca Soffer in regards to gifting after grief. Edible Arrangements are OUT and intentional, useful gifts are IN! Episode Highlights: The five particular days that sit with me and weigh heavier than the others around my dad’s death anniversaryHow grief waxes and wanes with each passing yearHow other relationships within my family play a role in my griefSome of the different feelings that have come up this year around my dad’s death anniversaryWhy grieving people more than likely don’t care to receive an Edible ArrangementsAn update on the modern grief boutique: a new name and launch updates! Rebecca’s two books: Modern Loss Handbook: An Interactive Guide to Moving Through Grief and Building Your Resilience Modern Loss: Candid Conversations about Grief **This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit www.BetterHelp.com/SSFYL for 10% off your first month of therapy** Be sure to follow @griefboutique on Instagram and sign up for the newsletter on SSFYLpodcast.com or griefboutique.com and be the first to receive updates! Enjoying #SSFYL? Be sure to subscribe and share with a friend! Website | www.ssfylpodcast.com Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sosorrywithgianna Facebook Group | https://www.facebook.com/groups/ssfylpodcast YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyoo17xXVkpLD0WiTbqsh8w

I’m joined by the Godmother of Grief, the Co-Founder of Modern Loss, writer, speaker, and big inspirer of SSFYL, Rebecca Soffer. When Rebecca was 30, her mother was killed in a car accident one hour after dropping Rebecca off from a family camping trip to the Adirondacks. Four years later, her father died of a heart attack while on vacation. So much loss at such a relatively young age. She began to navigate life as a parentless only child and co-founded Modern Loss as a place to share the unspeakably taboo, unbelievably hilarious, and unexpectedly beautiful terrain of life after a death. With Modern Loss, Rebecca hopes to bring that refreshing openness to a broader audience, and community. Her wit can only be matched by her vibrance. She is a true leader in this space with the delicate way she can weave a jovial spirit into a scene of darkness. Her two books: Modern Loss Handbook: An Interactive Guide to Moving Through Grief and Building Your Resilience Modern Loss: Candid Conversations about Grief Episode Highlights: Rebecca’s stories of loss Traumatic sudden loss versus prolonged expected loss: how grief differs and brings different loads to carryThe loneliness of being an only child navigating lossPsychotherapy, EMDR, talk therapy, medication and other means to support healing in grief and lossWhat inspired her to write her booksBracing yourself for “trigger days” or grief seasonsHow she finds determination to find joyful moments and hope in everyday life **This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit www.BetterHelp.com/SSFYL for 10% off your first month of therapy** Be sure to follow @griefbotique on Instagram and sign up for the newsletter on SSFYLpodcast.com or griefboutique.com and be the first to receive updates! Enjoying #SSFYL? Be sure to subscribe and share with a friend! Website | www.ssfylpodcast.com Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sosorrywithgianna Facebook Group | https://www.facebook.com/groups/ssfylpodcast YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyoo17xXVkpLD0WiTbqsh8w

After recording 50 episodes of SSFYL and talking about grief to countless guests, each with unique stories and perspectives, I noticed a common recurring theme that almost everyone mentioned— the power of therapy. Whether it was the loss of a parent, a child, a friend or a job, just about every guest (and myself) has recognized therapy as the best way to grasp and navigate their grief. In this episode, I’m highlighting messages and words from seven different guest episodes that I thought were profound and might hopefully give you a new perspective on therapy! Hear about the misconception that you need something to be wrong in your life in order to go to therapy, why therapy is a form of bettering yourself and should be treated like going to the gym for physical wellness, a therapists take on therapy, finding the right therapist, taking pride as a male in therapy, and even how you can start therapy today. Episodes Highlighted: Grief and Motherhood, Coping with Miscarriage, and the Loss of a Bachelor Nation Icon with Sarah Fraser (Episode 13) The Grief of Unmet Expectations and the Surprise of Postpartum Depression with Brittany Hook (Episode 33) Author Shawn Hitchins on Queer Perspective of Grief (Episode 30) Grieving the Loss of a Career in the Pandemic with John Piccuto (Episode 36) How a Psychology Grad Student Deals with Her Own Grief with Meredith Hannahs (Episode 37) Creativity After Grief and Masculine Vulnerability with Sabir M. Peele (Episode 42) Belonging and Community in Grief: Engaging More Deeply With Your Life with Becca Piastrelli (Episode 44) **This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit www.BetterHelp.com/SSFYL for 10% off your first month of therapy** Be sure to follow @griefbotique on Instagram and sign up for the newsletter on SSFYLpodcast.com or griefboutique.com and be the first to receive updates! Enjoying #SSFYL? Be sure to subscribe and share with a friend! Website | www.ssfylpodcast.com Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sosorrywithgianna Facebook Group | https://www.facebook.com/groups/ssfylpodcast YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyoo17xXVkpLD0WiTbqsh8w

I’m joined by Jessica Roomberg to discuss one of the more challenging conversations around grief– child loss. Jessica and her husband Dan suffered the loss of their 17-month-old daughter Mila Gray Roomberg to a rare manifestation of NF1. After she passed away, they channeled their overwhelming grief and brainstormed a way to honor her brief but magical life. Through the Magical Mila Foundation, they are hoping to change the way blood pressure is monitored in children under the age of three.  Jessica shares how life changed for her and her husband after the death of their daughter and advice they have for other parents going through the same type of grief.  Episode Highlights: Jessica’s very personal experience with child lossHow her and her husband differ in their grief and understanding that even experiencing the exact same loss or grief type is different for everyoneMoving on versus moving forwardHer advice for someone grieving a childTheir incredible work through the Magical Mila FoundationHow she dealt with loss while working in the mediaTriggering phrases for someone experiencing lossThings that Jessica found comforting as she navigated loss early on Connect with Jessica & Learn More About MMF: www.magicalmilafoundation.org www.instagram.com/magicalmilafoundation https://m.facebook.com/MagicalMilaFoundation/ https://twitter.com/magicalmilaorg Order the GG x SSFYL Collab: Not Your Average Grief Box Sign up for our newsletter on SSFYLpodcast.com and be the first to receive updates, new episode drops, and all things So Sorry For Your Loss! Enjoying #SSFYL? Be sure to subscribe and share with a friend! Website | www.ssfylpodcast.com Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sosorrywithgianna Facebook Group | https://www.facebook.com/groups/ssfylpodcast YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyoo17xXVkpLD0WiTbqsh8w

Who knew that you could meet some of your best guests in an elevator in LA? That’s what happened here when I met the hosts of Famous and Gravy. Michael and Amit told me their show was about analyzing the lives of dead celebrities. Death and pop culture? Yes sir. We love that here at SSFYL. Michael Osborne is with us today! He is a climate scientist (yes, he answers whether we are doomed or not) but also a bit of a podcast connoisseur. Celebrities give us the gift of a fairly visible life, which comes with a trove of publicly available information that allows us to look at their life as a full picture. Supplied with all that data, Michael and Amit use Famous and Gravy to look at the more holistic life of a dead celebrity, beyond just their fame, and determine what excites, drives, or disappoints them - as the hosts and as beings. This podcast is not just about celebrities and their lives but rather the choices we make as human beings.  Episode Highlights: How Michael got into podcast and audio producing and how Famous & Gravy came to beAnalyzing and learning from a celebrities journey and what we can take away from themFame bias and celebrity narrativesThe admire and desire factorThe criteria Michael and Amit have for analyzing celebrities on Famous & Gravy and how that can be applied to our livesFun Famous & Gravy games and segments Mentioned in this episode: ​​Don't Say You 'Can't Imagine' the Grief of Those Who Have Lost Loved Ones. Ask Them to Tell You Their Stories (article) Connect with Michael: https://www.famousandgravy.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-c-osborne/ https://twitter.com/famousandgravy https://www.facebook.com/famousandgravy Tune in to Famous & Gravy on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts Order the GG x SSFYL Collab: Not Your Average Grief Box Sign up for our newsletter on SSFYLpodcast.com and be the first to receive updates, new episode drops, and all things So Sorry For Your Loss! Enjoying #SSFYL? Be sure to subscribe and share with a friend! Website | www.ssfylpodcast.com Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sosorrywithgianna Facebook Group | https://www.facebook.com/groups/ssfylpodcast YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyoo17xXVkpLD0WiTbqsh8w

This week I’m coming to your speakers solo to answer a handful of questions that I received from you. Missed your chance to submit a question? I’ll do another episode like this soon so DM me at @sosorrywighgianna. I’m also sharing a few grief news headlines and sharing a ton of really great resources from articles to books and podcasts. And of course, keeping you updated on all things So Sorry For Your Loss and the Grief Boutique! I answer questions like what to do when you have dreams of lost loved ones and what to do with the belongings of your lost loved one. I share my advice on how you can open up and engage with someone about their grief and loss of a loved one. There’s something in this episode for everyone so be sure to tune in, share with a friend, and leave a review!  Mentioned in this episode: Grief, Everywhere (One Million Covid Deaths Article) Melissa Rivers on finding laughter again after mom Joan Rivers’ death: ‘Grief is a universal emotion’ Tips to Organize your Life During Grief From Professional Organizers (SSFYL Episode) Modern Loss: Candid Conversation About Grief. Beginners Welcome. by Rebecca Soffer and Gabrielle Birkner Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant Grief Is Love: Living with Loss by Marisa Renee Lee Famous & Gravy Podcast Dying Kindness Podcast Order the GG x SSFYL Collab: Not Your Average Grief Box Sign up for our newsletter on SSFYLpodcast.com and be the first to receive updates, new episode drops, and all things So Sorry For Your Loss! Enjoying #SSFYL? Be sure to subscribe and share with a friend! Website | www.ssfylpodcast.com Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sosorrywithgianna Facebook Group | https://www.facebook.com/groups/ssfylpodcast YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyoo17xXVkpLD0WiTbqsh8w

Even out of unspeakable grief, beautiful things can take wing which has been the case for this week's guest, Michele Benyo. Michele loved the motherhood journey so much that she decided to go back to school after the birth of her two children and receive her masters in family education in order to become an Early Childhood Parent Educator. It was shortly thereafter that grief began when her son was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 4. The experience ultimately led to her current role as a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist™️. Michele’s younger daughter also played a pivotal role in her career path as she experienced her own grief alongside her 3.5 year-old when her son died. Today, Michele helps families heal and “live forward” with grief after the death of their child. With the Good Grief Parenting Approach, parents get in touch with their parenting wisdom so they can be confident that they are helping their bereaved young child grieve well and can be hopeful about a future for their family bright with possibilities and even joy.  Episode Highlights: Michele’s experience and journey with grief and how it’s shaped her life and career pathAnswering the question “are kids resilient?” (and why sometimes having resilience is besides the point)Why childhood is the best time to teach about griefMistakes that adults often make when it comes to children grievingWhy Michele and her husband decided to include their young daughter in many of the experiences that came along with their sons cancer journeyThe Good Grief Parenting FrameworkWhat it means to “live forward”Continuing bondsFinding permission to grieve in a society that tells us to move on Mentioned in the episode: ​​Grieving mom is comforted by her 5-year-old article Connect with Michele: https://goodgriefparenting.com/services Order the GG x SSFYL Collab: Not Your Average Grief Box Be sure to follow @griefbotique on Instagram and sign up for the newsletter on SSFYLpodcast.com or griefboutique.com and be the first to receive updates! Enjoying #SSFYL? Be sure to subscribe and share with a friend! Website | www.ssfylpodcast.com Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sosorrywithgianna Facebook Group | https://www.facebook.com/groups/ssfylpodcast YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyoo17xXVkpLD0WiTbqsh8w

I’m running through what’s happening in my personal world on this solo episode because I’m entering my grief season. My dad’s birthday, deathiversary, and Father’s Day are all coming up. Plus, did the loss of a parent make you more attached to the one you have left? Did any loss in general make you realize that bad things can happen in this world? Enter: lots of anxiety. We’re talking through that as well as grief happenings in the pop-culture space, like the recent death of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.  I recorded this episode from Hawkins’ home town of Laguna beach, California making me feel a little more connected than usual. His death brings up the age-old topic of how much does the media and the public really need to know about a celebrity’s death?  Mentioned in this episode: Drummer Taylor Hawkins’ death reveals the vulnerability we all share (Article) Avicii: True Stories (Documentary) Why We All Feel the Loss of Kobe Bryant (SSFYL Episode 7) **This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit www.BetterHelp.com/SSFYL for 10% off your first month of therapy** Be sure to follow @griefbotique on Instagram and sign up for the newsletter on SSFYLpodcast.com or griefboutique.com and be the first to receive updates! Enjoying #SSFYL? Be sure to subscribe and share with a friend! Website | www.ssfylpodcast.com Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sosorrywithgianna Facebook Group | https://www.facebook.com/groups/ssfylpodcast YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyoo17xXVkpLD0WiTbqsh8w

This week I’m chatting with author Becca Piastrelli. Becca is a storyteller, deep and present listener, and gatherer of community as well as a mother, podcast host, and more. Becca’s book called, Root & Ritual: Timeless Ways to Connect to Land, Lineage, Community & the Self was written to support you in reconnecting to a more meaningful life in this fast-paced, isolating time for humans on earth and includes rituals, recipes, ancestral wisdom, and other pathways back to connection. ​​​​​​​​ In true So Sorry For Your Loss fashion, Becca also enjoys making fun of herself and the world of spirituality, and feels that irreverence is essential in building our resilience. She likes to decompress by watching reality television and almost always maps it back to systems of oppression and our collective need for community which we discuss in the episode.  Episode Highlights: How Becca connected with her own roots, lineage, and ancestors to figure out how to approach her own lifeThe co-existence of both grief and joy that came from becoming a parent during the pandemicThe age of loneliness and how we can look closer to the ways our ancestors lived in order to feel a deeper sense of connection and belongingUnderstanding why we are death-phobic as a society and ways in which we can change thatThe physical effects of grief and why it’s important to implement practices that allow your trapped emotions and grief to get out of the bodyHow unprocessed grief gets passed down and contributes to sickness, disease, and generational traumaHow she really practices communityReality TV: The Real Housewives and why we actually can relate to many of the stories and fights Order Root and Ritual: Timeless Ways to Connect to Land, Lineage, Community, and the Self by Becca Piastrelli Mentioned in the episode: Sixty-Three Blog Connect with and learn more about Becca: https://beccapiastrelli.com/ https://www.instagram.com/beccapiastrelli/ Belonging with Becca Piastrelli **This episode is sponsored by Softies. Visit www.softiespjs.com and get 10% off.** Be sure to follow @griefbotique on Instagram and sign up for the newsletter on SSFYLpodcast.com or griefboutique.com and be the first to receive updates! Enjoying #SSFYL? Be sure to subscribe and share with a friend! Website | www.ssfylpodcast.com Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sosorrywithgianna Facebook Group | https://www.facebook.com/groups/ssfylpodcast YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyoo17xXVkpLD0WiTbqsh8w