Advertise on podcast: Can You Just Sit With Me? with Natasha Smith

In this episode, Natasha is joined by Dr. Mekel Harris, a licensed psychologist with over 20 years of experience. She is a TEDx speaker, magazine and podcast contributor, and author of a memoir, ‘Relaxing Into the Pain: My Journey Into Grief & Beyond.’ She brings a wealth of experience in mental health, trauma, and grief-informed leadership.  Come and sit with us. Join the conversation as we discuss how to show up for yourself and others amid grief. Please let us know what resonates with you.  Main points: The Role of Grief LiteracyFaith as a Companion in GriefThe Importance of Vulnerability and AuthenticitySupporting Those in Grief Helpful Links: Join the newsletter | Sign up for monthly encouragement from Natasha here.Get your copy of Can You Just Sit With Me and Black Woman GriefGet your copy of Relaxing Into the PainGet your ticket to Grief Grows Here Summit 2026  Connect on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest Host & Guest:  Natasha Smith (Host) Dr. Mekel Harris (Guest) Support the Podcast: Become a monthly Partner

In this episode, Natasha is joined by Tabitha Yates, a bestselling author, speaker, and mental health advocate who’s passionate about helping people heal. Her debut book Jesus and Therapy: Bridging the Gap Between Faith and Mental Health dives into the messy, beautiful space where faith meets emotional wellness. Known online as The Redeemed Mama, Tabitha shares her journey of surviving trauma, spiritual abuse, and mental health challenges to remind others they’re not alone, and that healing is possible. I’m so excited for you to hear from Tabitha. Come and sit with us and join the conversation. Come and sit with us. Join the conversation as we discuss the intersection of faith, grief, and mental health. Please let us know what resonates with you.  Main points: Navigating the Intersection of Faith and TherapyBreaking Down Stigmas Within Church CommunitiesThe Power of Sharing StoriesA Call for Integration Helpful Links: Join the newsletter | Sign up for monthly encouragement from Natasha here.Get your copy of Can You Just Sit With Me and Black Woman GriefGet your copy of Jesus and Therapy Connect on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest Host & Guest:  Natasha Smith (Host) Tabitha Yates (Guest) Support the Podcast: Become a monthly Partner

In this episode, Natasha is joined by Nelly Larue, whose personal journey through childhood loss, the passing of her mother, and the deep grief of losing her heart dog, Toncy, shaped her passion for supporting others. She is certified in grief and pet loss support and, having traveled to over 70 countries studying how people grieve, Nelly now helps others navigate the intersections of grief, guilt, relationships, and spirituality.  Come and sit with us. Join the conversation as we discuss how to navigate pet loss. Please let us know what resonates with you.  Main points: Nelly’s grief story & the depth of pet lossPet loss as real grief, not secondary griefThe need for presence and companioning in griefHonoring pets through naming, stories & shared memoriesHelpful Links: Join the newsletter | Sign up for monthly encouragement from Natasha here.Get your copy of Can You Just Sit With Me and Black Woman GriefConnect with Nelly on grieftails.com and https://petcloud.pet/about/nelly.php  Connect on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest Host & Guest:  Natasha Smith (Host) Nelly Larue (Guest) Support the Podcast: Become a monthly Partner

In this episode, Natasha is joined by Clarissa Moll, an award-winning writer and podcaster who helps bereaved people flourish after loss. Clarissa’s writing appears in Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, RELEVANT, Modern Loss, Grief Digest, and more.  She co-hosted Christianity Today’s “Surprised by Grief” podcast and produces Christianity Today's flagship news podcast, "The Bulletin." She is the author of four books, plus her latest work, a children’s book, Hope Comes to Stay.  Come and sit with us. Join the conversation as we discuss the grief children carry and how to come alongside them in their grief. Please let us know what resonates with you.  Main points: How kids understand and process grief at different agesWhy grief revisits throughout childhood and adolescenceWhat adults can do to nurture resilience in grieving childrenPractical ways to support kids while honoring both joy and sorrow Helpful Links: Join the newsletter | Sign up for monthly encouragement from Natasha here.Get your copy of Can You Just Sit With Me and Black Woman GriefGet your copy of Hope Comes to StayConnect on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest Host & Guest:  Natasha Smith (Host) Clariissa Moll (Guest) Support the Podcast: Become a monthly Partner

In this episode, Natasha is joined by Dr. Wai Jia Tam, an award-winning humanitarian doctor, keynote speaker, author, and comedian whose journey through chronic pain, trauma, and faith has inspired thousands to find God in their darkest seasons. A Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 honoree and Fulbright Scholar, she has served with the World Health Organization and UNICEF across Asia and Africa. Now based in Tanzania with her husband and two daughters, she speaks around the world on courage, obedience, and the joy of God’s healing, even when it looks like loss.  Come and sit with us. Join the conversation as we discuss how to navigate grief that comes along with identity loss and more. Please let us know what resonates with you.  Main points: Integration of GriefIdentity and LossFaith and New BeginningsHope and Unshackling Helpful Links: Join the newsletter | Sign up for monthly encouragement from Natasha here.Get your copy of Can You Just Sit With Me and Black Woman GriefGet your copy of Dream BraveConnect on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest Host & Guest:  Natasha Smith (Host) Dr. Wai Jia Tam (Guest) Support the Podcast: Become a monthly Partner

In this episode, Natasha is joined by Jillian Benfield, a former journalist and news anchor, a disability advocate, Speaker, and Author of The Gift of the Unexpected and her latest book Overwhelmed & Grateful. Jillian regularly advocates for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in her writings and community, and as a part of the National Down Syndrome Congress’s National Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition.  Come and sit with us. Join the conversation as we discuss how to navigate grief and gratitude. Please let us know what resonates with you.  Main points: The "Both/And" Approach to Grief and GratitudeIsolation and Identity Shift Through LossThe Role of Faith and Grace in Navigating ChaosHope Through Solidarity and Resurrection Helpful Links: Join the newsletter | Sign up for monthly encouragement from Natasha here.Get your copy of Can You Just Sit With Me and Black Woman GriefGet your copy of Overwhelmed & GratefulConnect on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest Host & Guest:  Natasha Smith (Host) Jillian Benfield (Guest) Support the Podcast: Become a monthly Partner

In this episode, Natasha is joined by Dr. Zoe Shaw, a licensed psychotherapist, author, and expert on complex shame, to discuss the many faces of grief, the impact of shame, and practical steps for healing. Dr. Zoe shares her personal story, insights from her new book "Stronger in the Difficult Places," and actionable advice for listeners navigating shame and loss. Come and sit with us and join the conversation. Please let us know what resonates with you.  Main points: Grief and shame show up in many forms, not just tears.Complex shame is deeply rooted and hard to heal without self-awareness.Healing starts with vulnerability, self-forgiveness, and setting boundaries.Restoring your relationship with yourself leads to true freedom and connection.Helpful Links: Join the newsletter | Sign up for monthly encouragement from Natasha here.Get your copy of Can You Just Sit With Me and Black Woman GriefGet your copy of Stronger in the Difficult PlacesConnect on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest Host & Guest:  Natasha Smith (Host) Dr. Zoe Shaw (Guest) Support the Podcast: Become a monthly Partner

In this episode, Natasha is joined by Dr. Barbara Peacock, a Spiritual Director and author of the award-winning book Soul Care in African American Practice and several other books. She is the Founder of Barbara L. Peacock Ministries and the Peacock Soul Care Institute. In this conversation, Dr. Peacock helps us as Black women get back to spiritual disciplines to help us navigate grief and this grief filled life in which we live. Come and sit with us and join the conversation, Sitting with Black Woman Grief, an exclusive podcast series on the Can You Just Sit With Me? Podcast. Please let us know what resonates with you.  Main points: Understanding Black Woman GriefThe Power of Spiritual DisciplinesPrayer and Its Vital RoleCreating Space for Soul Care Helpful Links: Join the newsletter | Sign up for monthly encouragement from Natasha here.Get your copy of Black Woman GriefGet your copy of Soul Care in African American PracticeConnect on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest Host & Guest:  Natasha Smith (Host) Dr. Barbara Peacock (Guest) Support the Podcast: Become a monthly Partner

In this episode, Natasha sits with Aubrey Sampson, author of several books on grief, lament, and hope including The Louder Song, Known, her best-selling kids book Big Feelings Days and her newest book What We Find in the Dark. Aubrey is a church planter and teaching pastor at Renewal Church, a multiethnic congregation in the Chicagoland area, the co-host of the Nothing is Wasted Podcast, and leads The Louder Song Community, an online gathering for grievers and those walking with the hurting. I am so very honored to know her. In this conversation, Aubrey shares what it means to be an ally, how the church can better support and come alongside Black Women and how to encourage our hearts when we experience grief from her latest work What We Find In the Dark.  Come and sit with us and join the conversation, Sitting with Black Woman Grief, an exclusive podcast series on the Can You Just Sit With Me? Podcast. Please let us know what resonates with you.  Main points: Understanding Grief and AllyshipThe Role of the Church in Addressing GriefNaming Grief as a Path to HealingA Companion in Darkness Helpful Links: Join the newsletter | Sign up for monthly encouragement from Natasha here.Get your copy of Black Woman GriefGet your copy of What We Find in the DarkConnect on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest Host & Guest:  Natasha Smith (Host) Aubrey Sampson (Guest) Support the Podcast: Become a monthly Partner

In this episode, Natasha sits with Ekemini Uwan, a public theologian, international human rights activist, and co-author of the 2023 NAACP Image Award Nominated book Truth’s Table: Black Women’s Musings on Life, Love, and Liberation.  She co-hosts the award-winning podcast Truth's Table and Get In The Word With Truth’s Table. Her writings have been published in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post Black Voices, and Hallmark Mahogany, and more. As one who is passionate about theology, Ekemini has a fierce commitment to the gospel and its implications for issues pertaining to reparations, racial injustice, anti-black racism, and white supremacy. In this conversation, Ekemini shares the grief that many Black women experienced during the last presidential election—and continue to carry in its aftermath. It’s a collective grief, often held in silence, yet deeply felt. A grief that deserves space, care, and healing.  Come and sit with us and join the conversation, Sitting with Black Woman Grief, an exclusive podcast series on the Can You Just Sit With Me? Podcast. Please let us know what resonates with you.  Main points: Understanding Black Woman GriefEmbracing Activism and AdvocacyIntersectionality in Grief and HealingPractical Ways to Support Black Women Helpful Links: Join the newsletter | Sign up for monthly encouragement from Natasha here.Get your copy of Black Woman GriefGet your copy of Truth's TableConnect on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest Host & Guest:  Natasha Smith (Host) Ekemini Uwan (Guest) Support the Podcast: Become a monthly Partner

In this episode, Natasha sits with Liv Dooley, a Bible teacher and the podcast host of The Best Kept Secret with Liv Dooley, which has featured some of the leading teachers and burgeoning ministry leaders of our day. Liv is passionate about helping people enjoy greater intimacy and authority in Christ Jesus through prayer. She shares her heart about the church, grief and sisterhood. Come and sit with us and join the conversation, Sitting with Black Woman Grief, an exclusive podcast series on the Can You Just Sit With Me? Podcast. Please let us know what resonates with you.  Main points: Creating Safe SpacesNavigating Church and GriefThe Role of CollaborationThe Power of Community and Accountability Helpful Links: Join the newsletter | Sign up for monthly encouragement from Natasha here.Get your copy of Black Woman GriefGet your copy of Selah-Bible Study Guide with Video Access: A Study of 1 and 2 Samuel Connect on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest Host & Guest:  Natasha Smith (Host) Liv Dooley (Guest) Support the Podcast: Become a monthly Partner

In this episode, Natasha sits with Dawn Mann Sanders, an associate minister and has written and taught extensively on overcoming adversity and creating a new life, and she is the author of When Your World Ends: God’s Creative Process for Rebuilding. Come and sit with us and join the conversation, Sitting with Black Woman Grief, an exclusive podcast series on the Can You Just Sit With Me? Podcast. Please let us know what resonates with you.  Main points: Unspoken GriefBreaking the SilenceNavigating Cultural and Societal ForcesRebuilding Through Faith and Community Helpful Links: Join the newsletter | Sign up for monthly encouragement from Natasha here.Get your copy of Black Woman GriefGet your copy of When Your World EndsConnect on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest Host & Guest:  Natasha Smith (Host) Dawn Mann Sanders (Guest) Support the Podcast: Become a monthly Partner

In this episode, Natasha sits with Christina Patterson, Founder of Beloved Women, author, speaker. and bible teacher. Christina walks alongside women everyday encouraging them in the Word of God and in this episode she shares Biblical Encouragement for Black Women navigating grief.    Come and sit with us and join the conversation, Sitting with Black Woman Grief, an exclusive podcast series on the Can You Just Sit With Me? Podcast. Please let us know what resonates with you.  Main points: The Power of Presence in GriefFinding Peace in ScriptureEmbracing Emotional AuthenticityThe Importance of Community Support Helpful Links: Join the newsletter | Sign up for monthly encouragement from Natasha here.Get your copy of Black Woman GriefJoin Beloved WomenConnect on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest Host & Guest:  Natasha Smith (Host) Christina Patterson (Guest) Support the Podcast: Become a monthly Partner

In this episode, Natasha sits with Jodi Grubbs, Slow Living Advocate and author of Live Slowly: A Gentle Invitation to Exhale. In this conversation, we talk about the power of living slowly and what it means to come alongside Black Women.    Come and sit with us and join the conversation, Sitting with Black Woman Grief, an exclusive podcast series on the Can You Just Sit With Me? Podcast. Please let us know what resonates with you.  Main points: Understanding Through PresenceEmpathy as a StrengthThe Power of Living SlowlyIntentional Listening and Allyship Helpful Links: Join the newsletter | Sign up for monthly encouragement from Natasha here.Get your copy of Black Woman GriefGet your copy of Live SlowlyConnect on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest Host & Guest:  Natasha Smith (Host) Jodi Grubbs (Guest) Support the Podcast: Become a monthly Partner

In this episode, Natasha sits with Dr. Natasha Sistrunk Robinson, a writer, speaker, leadership consultant, and mentoring coach. A former Marine Corps officer and U.S. Naval Academy graduate, Natasha has nearly 2 decades of experience in leadership and discipleship across military, government, church, and nonprofit spaces. She’s the founder of Leadership LINKS, Inc., author of Mentor for Life and Hope for Us, and editor of Voices of Lament. In this powerful conversation we dive into discipleship, mentorship, sponsorship, and how we can faithfully walk through Black Woman Grief with God and community.    Come and sit with us and join the conversation, Sitting with Black Woman Grief, an exclusive podcast series on the Can You Just Sit With Me? Podcast. Please let us know what resonates with you.  Main points: Understanding Black Woman GriefThe Role of Community in HealingMentorship and Leadership with PurposeCreating Safe Spaces for Grief and Lament Helpful Links: Join the newsletter | Sign up for monthly encouragement from Natasha here.Get your copy of Black Woman GriefGet your copy of A Sojourner's TruthConnect on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest Host & Guest:  Natasha Smith (Host) Dr. Natasha Sistrunk Robinson (Guest) Support the Podcast: Become a monthly Partner