Grief Is My Side Hustle

Marty Ross-Dolen is truly magnificent, and I am so grateful to have had an hour of her time this week.

Not only does she hold degrees from Wellesley College and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, she is a gorgeous, incredibly insightful author. Marty's writing delves into grief, memory, and the ripple effects of generational trauma.

We discuss her maternal grandparents' legacy as the founders of the groundbreaking magazine, "High...

In the latest episode of "Grief Is My Side Hustle," I'm joined by author and death doula Darnell Lamont Walker to explore the intricacies of grief, loss, and the importance of open conversations about death. Our heartfelt discussion delves into personal experiences and cultural perspectives, shedding light on how we can better navigate the often-taboo subject of mortality.

Darnell's journey into the world of grief began in his chi...

This week, I am honored to have journalist, documentarian and seasoned NPR contributor Jill Yesko joining the show.

Jill shares her personal journey of losing her mother to COVID and the complexities of navigating grief during a time of social isolation. We discuss the impact of family dynamics on grief, as well as the process of creating a documentary film ("Erased") about Jill's mother's past, and the importance of memory and leg...

Dorothy Roberts and I really earned this conversation today, folks. After navigating some technical difficulty in the beginning, we were able to dive into a really powerful and beautiful conversation surrounding her book, "The Mixed Marriage Project." 

Her beautiful memoir explores the themes of grief, loss, and the complexities of identity through the lens of her parents' interracial marriage. We'll touch on the cultural cont...

I am so, so grateful to welcome the extraordinary Dr. Alexandra Sowa to our space this week. You may be wondering, "Meghan, what the heck does a doctor who works closely with GLP1s have to do with grief?" Turns out, quite a lot. Anyone who has experienced a significant weight loss or gain and has found themselves grieving the change in their form will probably want to share this conversation far and wide.

In this episode, Dr. Sowa ...

Elena Brower is a bestselling author, artist, podcast host, teacher, mentor and chaplaincy student. Her debut book, Art of Attention, was published in 2012, and her bestselling journals Practice You and Being You, along with her courses, classes, and talks, explore stages of studentship, practice, life, and listening. In this conversation, Meghan and Elena discuss Elena's latest book, Hold Nothing, and have a beautiful convers...

Ronald Simpson-Bey would call his grief a proponent of his survival. While he was incarcerated (for a crime he didn’t commit) during the early 2000s, his young adult son was fatally shot. Ronald’s conviction was finally overturned in 2012, and he would return to mainstream society as a grieving father who had lost such a formative piece of his life.

These days (after becoming a paralegal while imprisoned) Ronald is a st...

Kim Long is a psychologist based in Alberta, Canada. She and her team created the incredible resource hub, Dochas Psychological services, where they offer the groundbreaking Lifejacket app, as well as the Dochas compass, a short quiz that can help guide you toward the therapist and goals that will best serve YOUR desired outcome. Find out more about these groundbreaking tools here. 

In this conversation, Meghan and Kim explor...

We need more people like Katie Leonard in the world, truly. When I heard about Katie's work, I knew I needed to sit down with her for this podcast. Katie is a pediatric hospice nurse. And while I've had a few wonderful conversations with hospice nurses on Grief is My Side Hustle, this one hit a bit differently.

Katie reveals that, after a brief time in pediatric oncology, she wanted to branch outside of the hospita...

Casey Mulligan Walsh is a gorgeous writer and her book now has two major awards to prove it! 

I'm so excited to bring you all this conversation with my sweet, sweet friend, who found herself pondering what kind of legacy she'd leave the world of grief and loss- and ended up writing this gorgeous memoir! It is SUCH a gif to all of who are struggling in the wake of untenable, devastating pain. Casey has endured being ...

Alison Larkin is such a gift. She is an English-American, having been born here in the states and then adopted by British parents who raised her across the pond. 

These days, she is a comedian, novelist, actress, and audiobook narrator. Her novel, "The English American," sprang from her autobiographical one-woman comedy show about an adopted English woman who finds her birth parents in the United States. 

The grief of bei...

Kristina Amelong's brother, Jay, knew from an extremely young age that he was going to die. Not only that, but he predicted how it would happen, and that he would not live to be an adult. Kristina's gripping and gorgeous memoir, "What My Brother Knew," tells the heartbreaking story of a tragedy rooted in an understanding that reaches far beyond anything that she or I are capable of fully grasping; thus the pinnacle of our conversat...

I think you all are used to me saying this by now, but I found Timothy Frie online- and stalked him into talking to me. He is fascinating, as is his work, and I think once you listen to this episode you’ll agree.

Timothy Frie is a neuronutrition educator, nutritional psychology researcher, writer, and president of the National Academy of Neuronutrition. He helps neurodivergent people who have experienced early-life trauma und...

Hospice Nurse Julie (AKA Julie McFadden) is one of my favorite recurring guests. She is an RN/BSN nurse with a passion for education- she believes that people should know about the dying process BEFORE they're actually going through it with a loved one or themselves. We have a beautiful, funny, and candid conversation about how death and dying are reflected in the media and film, as well as what to actually expect when you're at yo...

As Meghan always says, "Art may not solve all your problems, but it CAN save your life." There's definitely a few champions of this philosophy in the world, of course- certainly artists themselves. 

Today, however, we are lucky enough to be hosting the remarkable John Palfrey, President of the MacArthur Foundation. The MacArthur Foundation is famous for many things, namely their eponymous grant of $800,000, awarded to fellows...