GRIEF AND LIGHT

In this powerful episode, strategist, musician, and author Mike de la Rocha opens up about healing generational trauma, redefining masculinity, and reconnecting with his father through emotional truth-telling.

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Drawing from his debut book Sacred Lessons: Teaching My Father How to Love, Mike explores how grief, silence, and inherited definitions of manhood shaped his early life—and how choosing vuln...

Maryam De Groef on child and sibling loss, organ donation, food allergy awareness, faith, and the many ways her daughter, Zeynah, lives on.

In this heartfelt and powerful episode of the Grief and Light podcast, host Nina Rodriguez speaks with grief educator, somatic practitioner, and mother Maryam De Groef about the unimaginable: the sudden loss of her 9-year-old daughter, Zeynah, to an anaphylactic reaction caused by a severe food ...

What if preparing for death could actually help you live more fully?

In this powerful episode, Nina Rodriguez speaks with Marni Blank, certified end-of-life doula and founder of Begin With The End, about why planning for death is one of the most compassionate acts we can offer, both to ourselves and those we love.

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This conversation weaves together the legal logistics of wills, advance directives, a...

Grief doesn’t pause when you arrive at work, so why do so many workplaces expect us to carry on as if nothing happened?

In this powerful episode of Grief and Light, host Nina Rodriguez is joined by Dr. Mekel Harris and Janet Gwilliam-Wright, co-founders of Bloomwell Partners, a consulting firm transforming how organizations handle grief and loss in the workplace. 

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Drawing from their personal experiences of loss ...

In this solo, audio-only episode, host Nina Rodriguez explores the unspoken grief many of us are carrying right now—the grief of uncertainty. 

From political turmoil and climate anxiety, to the dizzying pace of technological change, we’re living in times that feel increasingly unsteady.

This isn’t just stress; it’s a kind of ambient grief. It's the ache of losing the future we thought we were heading toward.

The episode reflects ...

What does it mean to parent a child whose life is both a miracle and a medical emergency? 

In this tender and unflinching conversation, Broadway actor and author Jody Gelb shares the story of her daughter Lueza—her first child, born with disabilities resulting from a catastrophic birth injury—whose life was defined by both relentless caregiving and radiant joy.

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Through the lens of her micro-memoir,...

In this moving episode of Grief and Light, host Nina Rodriguez sits down with Bryan and Danielle Docobo to explore their journey through profound loss, love, and advocacy following the death of their son Ethan, who passed away from the rare genetic disorder Coats Plus Syndrome. As parents navigating complex grief while raising their surviving son Liam, who lives with the same diagnosis, Bryan and Danielle speak candidly about the e...

Pet loss is real grief — and it deserves real support.

In this heartfelt episode of Grief and Light, host Nina Rodriguez is joined by pet loss grief specialist, Grant Hazell, for an intimate conversation about the grief of losing a beloved animal companion. Together, they explore the deep bonds between humans and pets — often referred to as “soul pets” — and why losing them can be just as devastating as the loss of a human loved one...

In this deeply moving episode Nina is joined by Liz Quinn — grief advocate, and host of the Healing Hearts Podcast. Liz opens up about her personal journey through layered loss, including the death of her daughter Alivia, and both of her parents. With tenderness and clarity, she shares what it means to grieve as a mother, how guilt and love can coexist, and how the relationship with a child in spirit continues to evolve.

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We often use the words grief and grieving interchangeably—but did you know they’re not quite the same?

In this thoughtful solo episode of Grief and Light, host Nina Rodriguez invites listeners into a powerful reframe: grief is the natural response to loss, but grieving is how we live with and in relation to our grief. With tenderness and clarity, Nina explores how understanding the distinction between these two terms can transform o...

How does grief intersect with race and identity when growing up in a multi-ethnic family?

In this powerful episode, host Nina Rodriguez sits down with historian and author Nico Slate to explore the layered experience of sibling loss through the lens of race, identity, and love.

Nico shares the deeply personal story behind his memoir Brothers: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Race, which honors the life and legacy of his late brother, Pete...

What if grief holds its own wisdom, guiding us towards healing and understanding?

In this episode, host Nina Rodriguez speaks with Paula Sager, writer and teacher of embodied contemplative practices, about the wisdom found in grief and the power of presence in times of loss. 

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Paula reflects on her father's illness, passing, and the ongoing connection that unfolded afterward. They discuss how m...

How can we center aliveness in a world full of loss?

In this heartfelt conversation, host Nina Rodriguez and grief activist, TEDx speaker, podcast host, and author, Lisa Keefauver, MSW dive into the complexities of grief, offering insights on grief literacy and the personal experiences that shape how we process loss. They explore the emotional impact of grief, highlighting the gap between learning about grief and living through it.

T...

How do we find the strength to keep going when the life we built with someone we love is suddenly gone?

In this poignant episode, host Nina Rodriguez speaks with Tina Fornwald, an empowerment coach, podcast host, and retired Chief Warrant Officer, about her journey through grief after a miscarriage, surviving breast cancer, and losing Mark, her beloved husband of 32 years.

Through her story, Tina illuminates the complexities of grief...

How can we ensure that the legacies of our loved ones are not forgotten?

In this episode, I speak with Matt Jacobson, a young entrepreneur whose father passed away unexpectedly, leaving a void in his life. He decided to create Lifebooks, a platform that allows families to collaborate on creating beautiful, high-quality legacy books that tell the stories of their loved ones.

Matt's story is one of resilience and hope. He is an in...

This is the threshold of grief—we’re no longer the person we were before loss, and we haven’t yet discovered who we’re evolving into. So how can we stay true to ourselves as we get to know who we are becoming?

In this episode of the Grief in Life podcast, host Nina Rodriguez explores the concept of liminality in grief, emphasizing the importance of giving oneself permission to feel and operate from a place of becoming. She discusses...

Have you ever felt like you're grieving "wrong"? Is there a "right" way to grieve?

In this episode of the Grief and Light podcast, host Nina Rodriguez talks with licensed therapist and grief coach, Shea Wingate aka. "The Grief Girlie," about the many faces of grief. 

Shea shares her own experience of profound loss and compounded grief, offering insights and wisdom gained from navigating the deaths o...

2025: It's a year of big changes, big feelings, and maybe even a little bit of big grief.  Feeling a little lost in the chaos of 2025? You're not alone. 

On this episode of Grief and Light, host Nina Rodriguez dives deep into what it means to show up meaningfully in "unprecedented" times. She explores the idea of the "pendulum redux," the power of our individual callings, and why connection and joy are ...

In this reflective episode of Grief and Light, Nina Rodriguez delves into the process of embracing a new sense of self after experiencing loss and life-altering change, offering insights and encouragement as we transition into 2025. As the new year approaches, she reflects on the ways grief reshapes our identity and forces us to confront changes we may not have chosen, emphasizing how it shapes identity, perspective, and priorities...