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"There's a Gap in Partner Support" — Mahaley Patel and Emily Souder on the NICU, and Their Book Your NICU Story Mahaley Patel and Emily Souder are both perinatal mental health therapists. After Mahaley's daughter Saachi died in the NICU in 2023, she partnered with Emily to write Your NICU Story, a guided journal for families navigating NICU stays and loss, built to include the partner's experience too. We talk about: The gap in support for partners during a NICU stayThe shame so many parents carry over how their birth or feeding journey wentWhat it's like to recover physically from birth while living in the NICUWhy no one gets to be the hero of someone else's grief, and what to say insteadHow Your NICU Story came to be, and who it's forThis episode is a reminder that grief doesn't end when a family leaves the NICU, and that the people supporting them deserve just as much care as the ones who carried the pregnancy. Get to Know Mahaley and Emily: Mahaley Patel, LMFT, PMH-C, is a licensed therapist specializing in perinatal mental health, grief, trauma, and infant and child loss, based in Nashville, Tennessee. She is a mother of four and a bereaved parent to her daughter Saachi. Emily Souder, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker certified in perinatal mental health, based in Maryland. She is the author of Birth Story Brave, Reimagined and Birth Story Held for Loss. Mahaley: www.mahaleypatel.com or @mahaleyhpatel Emily: @the.magical.emily.souder Book (Your NICU Story): www.mahaleypatel.com | https://www.amazon.com/Your-NICU-Story-Reflecting-Experience/dp/1734630930 Connect with Kristin Website: thedoulalife.ca Held Through: thedoulalife.ca/held The Nest: thedoulalife.ca/nest Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this. Your support means so much. We'd love to hear how you enjoyed this episode!

"The Least Terrible Option" — Jane Armstrong on TFMR and Why Compassion Comes First Jane Armstrong is a licensed clinical social worker certified in perinatal mental health, a TFMR and miscarriage mom, and the founder of Both/And Therapy, where she supports TFMR parents through therapy and support groups. In January 2021, at her 18-week anatomy scan, Jane learned that her son Frankie had the most severe form of spina bifida. Facing a ticking clock and no good options, Jane and her husband Will made the decision to end the pregnancy, and Frankie died in February 2021 at 21 weeks and 3 days. Since then, Jane has welcomed her living son Nolan, experienced two early miscarriages, and built a career supporting the TFMR parents who so often go unseen. We talk about: The anatomy scan that Jane calls the continental divide of her lifeMaking a decision for Frankie under a ticking clock, and what care looked like in TexasThe guilt, shame, and second-guessing so many TFMR parents carryHow care differs between TFMR, miscarriage, and from state to stateWhy TFMR parents are so often left outside pregnancy and infant loss spacesPregnancy after loss, deciding to stop trying, and the family the world doesn't seeWhat TFMR parents need from the people who love themThis episode is a reminder that TFMR is baby loss, and that the parents who live it deserve compassion, support, and healing, not judgment. Get to Know Jane: Jane Armstrong, LCSW-S, QCSW, PMH-C, IPPE-C, is a native Texan now living in Colorado with her husband Will and their son Nolan. She is the founder of Both/And Therapy, PLLC, offering therapy and a virtual support group for TFMR parents, and the creator of @tfmrsocialworker on Instagram, where she works to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and help TFMR parents know they are not alone. Website: bothandtherapy.com Resources for TFMR families: bothandtherapy.com/resources Virtual TFMR Support Group: bothandtherapy.com/virtual-tfmr-support-group Instagram: @tfmrsocialworker Connect with Kristin Website: thedoulalife.ca Held Through: thedoulalife.ca/held The Nest: thedoulalife.ca/nest Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this. Your support means so much. We'd love to hear how you enjoyed this episode!

"We're Going to Live It for Her" — Maria Medeiros on the Loss of Her Daughter Addison, and Advocating After Loss Maria Medeiros lives in Ottawa with her husband Nick and their dog Charlie. After years of infertility and IVF, she and Nick welcomed their daughter Addison in December, following a pregnancy that checked every box. During labor, repeated warning signs, thick meconium and a dropping heart rate, were called normal until an emergency C-section became urgent. Addison was diagnosed with HIE and passed away 30 hours after she was born. We talk about: Years of infertility, IVF, and an early pregnancy loss before AddisonRepeatedly raising concerns during labor that were called normalThe emergency C-section and Addison's HIE diagnosisChoosing to do an autopsy, and what it ruled outThe rituals that keep Addison close, including her Little LibraryHoping to try again with remaining frozen embryosThis episode is a reminder that a mother's intuition is data, and that grief, however it's carried, can also become a way of mothering out loud. Get to Know Maria: Maria Medeiros lives in Ottawa with her husband Nick and their dog Charlie. Her daughter Addison passed away in December, 30 hours after she was born. Maria and Nick hope to grow their family again using their remaining frozen embryos. Instagram: @mariacleusa_medeiros Connect with Kristin: Website: thedoulalife.ca Free Community: thedoulalife.ca/community Mother Like No Other: thedoulalife.ca/mother Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this. Your support means so much. We'd love to hear how you enjoyed this episode!

"Wheel Him Over to Mom" — Lili Kovatchev on the Loss of Her Son Kieran, and Motherhood After Loss Lili Kovatchev is a mom of three boys living in Toronto with her husband Greg. In February 2023, her son Kieran was born after a precipitous labor and ambulance ride, his umbilical cord wrapped four times around his neck. He was diagnosed with HIE, and the next day, Lili and Greg made the decision to take him off life support. Two years later, her son Cillian was born by planned C-section, delivered by the same OB who delivered Kieran. We talk about: A precipitous labor that ended in an ambulance ride to the hospitalKieran's HIE diagnosis and the impossible decision to say goodbyeTelling her older son Declan that his brother had died, and helping him grieve as a four-year-oldChoosing the same OB who delivered Kieran to deliver her rainbow baby, CillianWhat it's like to hold joy and grief in the same breath, even years laterThe friends who showed up, and the ones who didn'tThis episode is a reminder that grief and love can live in the same body at once, and that even years later, both continue to grow. Get to Know Lili: Lili Kovatchev lives in Toronto with her husband Greg, celebrating ten years married this year. She works in marketing and advertising, and is mom to three boys: Declan, her oldest; Kieran, who was born in February 2023 and passed away the following day; and Cillian, her youngest. Instagram: @lilikovatchev Kieran's Hospital Fund for NICU Babies @ Sinai Health: https://give.supportsinai.ca/fundraisers/lilikovatchev  Connect with Kristin: Website: thedoulalife.ca Mother Like No Other: thedoulalife.ca/mother Haven: thedoulalife.ca/haven Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this. Your support means so much. We'd love to hear how you enjoyed this episode!

"Your Baby's Story Is Not Over" — Kristin Mundy on Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month Kristin Mundy marks the start of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month with a solo episode on what October actually holds for loss parents, from its origins under Ronald Reagan in 1988 to the Wave of Light ceremony on October 15th. She walks through concrete, specific ways loved ones can show up this month and beyond, witnessing without trying to fix, asking instead of assuming, and saying a baby's name out loud. We talk about: The history behind Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month and the Wave of Light ceremonyWhy Kristin both loves and hates this month, and what she wishes more people understoodWhat it means to truly witness grief instead of trying to fix itConcrete, practical ways to support a loss parent, from showing up with food to asking about their baby's signsWhy saying a baby's name matters more than almost anything elseSetting clear boundaries with loved ones about what kind of support actually helpsThis episode is a reminder that a baby's story doesn't end at loss, it continues through every person who remembers them. Connect with Kristin: Website: thedoulalife.ca Free Community: thedoulalife.ca/community Certification Waitlist: thedoulalife.ca/held-through-providers Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this. Your support means so much. We'd love to hear how you enjoyed this episode!

Jess Gaeton lives in Hamilton, Ontario, with her husband Tyler. Her daughter Lucy was born small at 37 weeks after a pregnancy marked by IUGR, and spent a month in the NICU before coming home. At seven months old, Lucy was diagnosed with SMARD type 1, an extremely rare genetic disease. After a trip to Ohio for an experimental gene therapy trial, Lucy passed away on May 1, 2025, weeks before her first birthday. Jess is now 28 weeks pregnant with a son, conceived through IVF. We talk about: Lucy's NICU stay and the slow road to a SMARD type 1 diagnosisTraveling to Ohio for an experimental gene therapy trialThe night the family decided together to say goodbyeChoosing IVF and genetic testing to grow their family againWhat a medium told her about leaving "a piece" of Lucy in the nurseryBeing 28 weeks pregnant while still carrying the weight of the second year of griefThis episode is a reminder that grief doesn't get smaller with time, it just becomes something you learn to carry alongside everything else. Get to Know Jess: Jess Gaeton lives in Hamilton, Ontario, with her husband Tyler, their dog Freddie, and their cat Dwight. Her daughter Lucy passed away in May 2025 from SMARD type 1, a rare genetic disease, just before her first birthday. Jess is currently pregnant with a son. Connect with Kristin: Website: thedoulalife.ca Held Through: thedoulalife.ca/held Haven: thedoulalife.ca/haven Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this. Your support means so much. We'd love to hear how you enjoyed this episode!

Dr. Danielle Davis shares the story of her son Lennon — a full-term, healthy pregnancy that turned into every parent's worst fear during labor. In this episode, she takes us through a home-to-hospital transfer, a birth that left Lennon without enough oxygen, a diagnosis of HIE, and the suspected medical negligence behind it. We also talk about the decision to say goodbye, secondary infertility, a high-risk pregnancy with her son Lincoln, and how Danielle turned her own fertility training into Kairos Fertility, a faith-based program for women trying to conceive after loss. We talk about: A PCOS diagnosis at 16 that she was told would keep her from conceiving naturallyA calm, complication-free pregnancy that turned into an emergency during laborLennon's HIE diagnosis, and the suspected medical negligence behind itThe decision to remove life support, and the hours spent saying goodbyeRequesting medical records months later, and what they revealedA secondary infertility diagnosis, and using cycle charting to conceive LincolnBeing followed at a high-risk placenta clinic throughout her pregnancy with LincolnBuilding Kairos Fertility, a faith-based fertility awareness program for women trying to conceive after lossThis episode is a reminder that grief and faith can hold each other, even when neither one has easy answers. Get to Know Dr. Danielle: Dr. Danielle Davis is a Fertility Awareness Practitioner, writer, and PhD-trained educator. She lives with her husband and their son Lincoln, and carries her son Lennon, born in 2023, with her always. Danielle is the founder of Kairos Fertility, a faith-based cycle charting program for women trying to conceive after loss or infertility. Instagram: @dr.danielledavis Kairos Fertility: @kairosfertility Connect with Kristin: Website: thedoulalife.ca Free Community: thedoulalife.ca/community The Nest: thedoulalife.ca/nest Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this. Your support means so much. We'd love to hear how you enjoyed this episode!

Cara Groves is a family doctor in the West Lincoln region of Ontario. In April 2025, at 38 weeks pregnant, Cara and her husband Sean's son Callum was born still, suspected to be caused by a rare hypocoiled umbilical cord her own OB had never seen before. Three months later, Cara was pregnant again. Her son Dale was born in March 2026, less than a year after his brother, and delivered by the same OB. We talk about: The hypocoiled cord found at 30 weeks, suspected as the cause, that no one could fully explainLaboring for four days at the hospital, and the moment her OB told her Callum was goneChoosing to spend the night with Callum after he was born, and the family members who met himThe decision to try again just three months later, and getting pregnant faster than expectedBeing induced at 37 weeks with Dale, one week ahead of when she lost CallumThe same OB and nurse from Callum's birth being there for Dale's deliveryThe half marathon her friend organized in Callum's nameThe gap Cara sees in bereavement training for medical providers, and her push to help close itThis episode is a reminder that grief and love can exist in the same body at the same time, and that birth, even after loss, can still hold moments of peace. Get to know Cara: Cara Groves is a family doctor in the West Lincoln region of Ontario. She lives in Hamilton with her husband Sean, their dog Berkeley, and their son Dale. In April 2025, Cara and Sean's first son, Callum, was born still at 38 weeks. Outside of work, Cara is a longtime distance runner who ran cross country and track at Dalhousie University. Instagram: @cdonnell_ Connect with Kristin Website: thedoulalife.ca Held Through: thedoulalife.ca/held The Nest: thedoulalife.ca/nest Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this. Your support means so much. We'd love to hear how you enjoyed this episode!

Maycie Buniotto lives in Colorado with her husband. In February 2025, at just shy of 32 weeks, her daughter Romy was born still, following weeks of worsening growth restriction and a suspected placental and umbilical cord issue that doctors could never fully tie together. Maycie also shares about the two miscarriages before Romy and the one after, the fertility clinic that finally looked at her story as a whole, and where she's at now, nineteen weeks into an IVF pregnancy. We talk about: A severe growth restriction diagnosis that kept getting more serious by the weekThe last ultrasound where Romy was moving, and the one where she wasn'tChoosing to labor and deliver Romy naturally instead of by C-sectionThe night spent with Romy, and turning their nursery into a grieving sanctuaryTwo more pregnancy losses before turning to a fertility clinic for answersRebuilding trust in her own intuition through an anxious, closely monitored pregnancy after lossHow The Haven has held her through both losing Romy and carrying her second babyThis episode is a reminder that grief and love can exist in the same body at the same time, and that even in the hardest seasons, there's still room for hope. Get to Know Maycie: Maycie Buniotto lives in Colorado with her husband. In February 2025, her daughter Romy Olivia was born still at 31 weeks, 5 days. Maycie has spent the last 11 years working in cancer care, and is now exploring a career change into interior design. Instagram: @maycie.victoria Substack: @maycievictoria Connect with Kristin Website: thedoulalife.ca Mother Like No Other: thedoulalife.ca/mother Haven: thedoulalife.ca/haven Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this. Your support means so much. We'd love to hear how you enjoyed this episode!

"Welcome Back to The Rainbow Connection - with Kristin Mundy" Kristin Mundy welcomes listeners back for Season 2 of The Rainbow Connection. Looking back on 55 episodes of Season 1, she reflects on how far she's come since her nervous first recording with her friend Parisa, and shares what's changing this season, including more solo episodes and a wider range of stories from loss moms at every stage. She also opens up about recording this episode just days before her daughter Vienna's fifth heavenly birthday, and what five years of grief has actually taught her. We talk about: What Season 1 taught Kristin, and how she's grown as a host since episode oneWhat's different this season, including more frequent solo episodes and a wider range of guest storiesWhy September is one of the hardest months of Kristin's year, with Vienna's birthday on the 22nd and her earthside daughter Senna's birthday on the 21stWhat five years of grief has taught her about thresholds, grace, and making her own rulesAn update on the Held Through Certification for practitioners, launching in early 2027Where to find deeper support, including the free community, Mother Like No Other, The Nest, and The HavenThis episode is a reminder that grief doesn't get smaller with time, it just gives you more room to breathe. Connect with Kristin: Website: thedoulalife.ca Free Community: thedoulalife.ca/community Certification Waitlist: thedoulalife.ca/held-through-providers Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this. Your support means so much. We'd love to hear how you enjoyed this episode!

The Rainbow Connection welcomes back Bri Miller almost a year after her first recording. She was pregnant then, with her rainbow baby, Maverick. Her daughter, Caroline, was diagnosed in utero and passed away shortly after birth in 2023. This time, Bri and Kristin talk about the coping strategy nobody expects: reality TV, and how it carried her through hospital stays, the darkest months of grief, and the newborn trenches that followed. We talk about: Life one year into mothering her rainbow baby, MaverickWatching TV in the hospital during Caroline's diagnosis (below deck, obviously)Coming home the night Caroline died and turning on Netflix anyway"Train," the code word Bri and her husband used to pause and grieveWhy reality TV felt safer than scripted shows (no surprise stillbirth plotlines on Vanderpump Rules)Laughing again for the first time after lossTrue crime, escapism, and why the most horrifying content is somehow the most relaxingFinding unexpected comfort in the medical drama The PitCarrying grief into everyday motherhood, one Bravo scandal at a timeHealing doesn't have to look profound to count. Sometimes it just looks like turning on the TV. Get to know Bri: Bri Miller is mom to Caroline, born still in 2023, and Maverick, her rainbow baby. Since Caroline's death, Bri has focused on building community with other loss moms. She's now figuring out what's next, work, school, maybe growing her family again, all while staying present with Maverick and keeping Caroline close. Instagram: @brihansen Website: carolinecares.us Connect with Kristin: 📍 Website: thedoulalife.ca 🌈 The Haven — Pregnancy After Loss Community Program: thedoulalife.ca/haven 🌸 Mother Like No Other — Loss Mom Community: thedoulalife.ca/mother 📸 Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this kind of support. Your support means so much. We'd love to hear how you enjoyed this episode!

Katie shares her experience of miscarriage, the emotional impact of early pregnancy loss, and the path that led her to becoming a mother to her two rainbow babies. Through her story, we explore what it means to navigate pregnancy after loss, to reconnect with the body, and to move through grief while still holding space for hope. Katie’s journey into breathwork and yoga nidra is deeply intertwined with her healing, and her work now supports women through fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and motherhood after loss. We talk about: Experiencing miscarriage in a first pregnancyThe emotional and physical impact of pregnancy lossNavigating grief while continuing to move forwardPregnancy after loss and the complexity of holding fear and hopeRebuilding trust in the body after miscarriageThe role of breathwork and nervous system support in healingMotherhood after loss and what it looks like day-to-dayThe identity shift that comes with loss and becoming a motherSupporting other women through TTC, pregnancy, and postpartum after lossThis episode is a powerful reminder that grief and beauty can coexist — and that birth, even in loss, can absolutely be sacred. Get to know Katie:  Katie is a breathwork and yoga nidra facilitator based on Vancouver Island, supporting women through every stage of motherhood — from trying to conceive to postpartum. Her work is deeply rooted in her own lived experience with miscarriage and pregnancy after loss, and she is passionate about helping women reconnect with their bodies, regulate their nervous systems, and feel supported in the messy, complex realities of motherhood. She lives with her husband, their two rainbow babies, and their beloved fur baby. Instagram: @othermindbreathwork Website: Othermind.ca Connect with Kristin: 📍 Website: thedoulalife.ca 🌈 The Haven — Pregnancy After Loss Community Program: thedoulalife.ca/haven 🌸 Mother Like No Other — Loss Mom Community: thedoulalife.ca/mother 📸 Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this kind of support. Your support means so much. We'd love to hear how you enjoyed this episode!

Nancy shares the story of her son Callum — a pregnancy that began with surprise and joy, and slowly unfolded into uncertainty after a CMV diagnosis. In this episode, she walks us through what it was like to navigate pregnancy loss, the fear of the unknown, and how her experience shaped the way she approached pregnancy after loss. She also shares about her earthside sons and what motherhood after loss looks like for her today. We talk about: Receiving a CMV diagnosis during pregnancy and what that meantThe emotional shift from joy to fear in pregnancyNavigating the unknowns of pregnancy lossGrieving an angel baby while continuing forwardThe complexity of pregnancy after lossHolding fear and hope at the same timeMotherhood after loss and raising earthside childrenHow loss changes your identity as a motherFinding moments of grounding and connection againThis episode is a powerful reminder that grief and love live side by side — and that even after loss, there can still be space for hope. Get to know Nancy: Nancy is a mother of three, including her angel baby Callum and her two earthside sons, Declan and Landon. She lives in Oakville, Ontario with her husband Cody, and works as an elementary school teacher. Outside of work, she loves spending time outdoors with her boys, reading, gardening, and playing soccer — finding joy in the everyday moments of motherhood after loss. Learn more about CMV: https://cmvcanada.com/what-is-cmv/#prevention Connect with Kristin: 📍 Website: thedoulalife.ca 🌈 The Haven — Pregnancy After Loss Community Program: thedoulalife.ca/haven 🌸 Mother Like No Other — Loss Mom Community: thedoulalife.ca/mother 📸 Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this kind of support. Your support means so much. We'd love to hear how you enjoyed this episode!

Ummul Patrawala shares her journey through multiple pregnancy losses, including the stillbirth of her daughter Sakina at 38 weeks, and how those experiences shaped her understanding of the deep connection between trauma and the body. In this episode, we explore motherhood after loss, the physical and emotional imprint of grief, and how her rainbow baby helped her begin to rebuild trust, connection, and safety within herself. This conversation is a powerful reflection on healing after stillbirth, pregnancy after loss, and the evolving identity of motherhood in the after. We talk about: The story and meaning behind Ummul’s name and identity as “the mother of all mothers”Navigating stillbirth and the loss of her daughter Sakina at 38 weeksThe physical impact of grief, including autoimmune conditions, IBS, and chronic painPTSD and the body’s response to unresolved trauma after pregnancy lossRebuilding trust in your body during pregnancy after lossThe emotional complexity of welcoming a rainbow babyMotherhood after loss and holding both grief and hope at the same timeSupporting women through the invisible impact of trauma on the bodyLearning to listen to your body instead of disconnecting from itThis episode is a powerful reminder that grief and beauty can coexist — and that birth, even in loss, can absolutely be sacred. Get to know Ummul: Ummul Patrawala is a mother to three boys and five angel babies, living in Mississauga, Ontario. After experiencing profound pregnancy loss, including the stillbirth of her daughter Sakina at 38 weeks, her path shifted in a deeply personal way. Today, she is a psychotherapist who supports women navigating the physical and emotional effects of trauma — including chronic pain, autoimmune conditions, and pelvic health challenges. Her work is rooted in helping women reconnect with their bodies, rebuild trust, and feel seen in experiences that are often overlooked. Instagram: @ThriveHolisticCoaching Website: www.hopetherapyjourney.com Connect with Kristin: 📍 Website: thedoulalife.ca 🌈 The Haven — Pregnancy After Loss Community Program: thedoulalife.ca/haven 🌸 Mother Like No Other — Loss Mom Community: thedoulalife.ca/mother 📸 Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this kind of support. Your support means so much. We'd love to hear how you enjoyed this episode!

Sara Rian, a poet, therapist, and mother based in Metro Detroit, joins me to share her story of losing her mother to suicide — and the profound way that loss shaped her understanding of grief, love, and connection. In this episode, we explore how grief lives not just in our minds, but in our bodies, and how experiences of loss can impact intimacy, identity, and the way we move through motherhood and healing. This is a conversation about what it means to live after loss — to carry it, to feel it, and to slowly find your way back to yourself. We talk about: Navigating grief after losing a parent to suicideHow grief lives in the body and impacts daily lifeThe connection between grief and intimacyFeeling disconnected from your body after lossThe role of poetry and expression in healingHolding both love and grief at the same timeIdentity shifts after profound lossThe unspoken parts of healing and moving forwardThis episode is a powerful reminder that grief and love can coexist. And that even in the aftermath of loss, there is space for connection, healing, and coming home to yourself. Get to know Sara Rian: Sara Rian is a poet, self-published author, licensed therapist, mother, and wife living in Metro Detroit. Her journey with grief began after the loss of her mother to suicide in 2018 — a loss that continues to shape both her personal life and her work. Through her writing, Sara creates space for others to feel seen in their grief, reminding them that they are not alone in their love or their loss. As both a mental health professional and a grieving daughter, she brings a deeply compassionate and honest voice to the conversations we often struggle to have. Instagram: @sara_rian_books Website: www.sararianbooks.com Connect with Kristin: 📍 Website: thedoulalife.ca 🌈 The Haven — Pregnancy After Loss Community Program: thedoulalife.ca/haven 🌸 Mother Like No Other — Loss Mom Community: thedoulalife.ca/mother 📸 Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this kind of support. Your support means so much. We'd love to hear how you enjoyed this episode!