grieving voices

May is Mental Health Awareness Month!

Taking mental health seriously and prioritizing it is the job of the individual. Even if you find yourself in a situation where you are forced to prioritize your mental health, that doesn't necessarily equate to successful results. The effort you make, along with your intention, will create positive outcomes.

We can allow ourselves to become bogged down by grief in our lives, or we can take small, actionable steps every day that move us forward and create momentum for healing. This is precisely what we do through my program, Do Grief Differently.

There are ripples created from grief, which are often not pleasant. But there can also be really positive ripples that come from healing as well. When we are hungry, we eat. When we are thirsty, we drink. No matter what we are doing, we will make the time to eat or drink when our bodies need nourishment.

How is your body giving signals that it needs the support of the mind and spirit? 

CONNECT WITH VICTORIA: 

• Instagram
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook

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NEED HELP?

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor

If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE.

Are you enjoying the podcast? Check out my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters.

This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Would you like to join the mission of Grieving Voices in normalizing grief and supporting hurting hearts everywhere? Become a supporter of the show HERE.

We have more agency over our physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies than we would like to admit.

Admitting that we have power and control over ourselves is admitting that it’s also our job to do something about the issues that plague our physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies.

The energy of grief can be like cancer and invade every fiber of your being. It can destroy your relationships, finances, will, and break your spirit. But, what it can’t do is choose for you. You always have a choice.

In this episode, I talk about the energy of grief and I ask you to challenge the long-held beliefs that may be the very thing that could be keeping you emotionally stuck.

Life is so much harder when you go it alone. But, you don’t have to and this episode also shares an idea to explore if a deeper connection, not only to others but also yourself, is what you long to feel.

Care to explore your emotional energy more deeply? Check out my contact info below to look into Reiki Energy Healing. What do you have to lose?

RESOURCES:

• Ep 79 | Corchele Smith
• Ep 80 | David Richman

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NEED HELP?

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor

If you or anyone you know is struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, there are free resources available HERE.

Are you enjoying the podcast? Check out my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters.

💛Would you like to Learn Your Energy Type? Free Quiz ➡️HERE! ⬅️

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

• Rate & Review: Apple Podcasts
• Purchase my published book about my grief journey.

CONNECT WITH VICTORIA: 

• Instagram
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook

This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Would you like to join the mission of Grieving Voices in normalizing grief and supporting hurting hearts everywhere? Become a supporter of the show HERE.

This week, I share a bit of my heavy heart as I share my reflections around sharing our grieving voices - including my own.

This podcast has enabled me to be a heart for ears for many guests, including Emma G. and Anne. However, this week's episode is also inspired by my grief in real-time.

Since 11/14, life has been day-to-day, not knowing what the future will hold for our son. As of this episode going live, he is in the hospital (for the second time after initially being admitted) with an infection after having a traumatic blunt force injury to his abdomen while bench-pressing. He's fortunate. And, if he's even luckier, he won't need surgery; however, that would take a miracle. His pancreas is sliced with a little more than 30% good pancreas left. He has a stent in place to ensure the good side of his pancreas is draining. He also has a drainage port in the middle of his abdomen to drain the pancreatic juices excreted from the sliced-off portion of his pancreas. Right now, we are in a wait-and-see phase, with surgery likely down the road.

When life decides to...well, life - so much of our routines and day-to-day lives are upended. Grief is the end of or a change in a familiar pattern of behavior. Because of this, we experience grief as a result.

Think about all of the changes to our behaviors and activities Covid-19 has brought. Changes outside of our lives that contribute to our day, still are changes. Add in a family unit crisis or health struggle, and all of those little creature comforts that are changed add to the grief one may feel due to heavier life issues. And not to mention the fear that rears its ugly head.

No matter what you're going through today, I hope you have a heart with ears. May we share our grief with one another so the load becomes lighter because grief shared is grief diminished.

RESOURCES:

• Ep 73 | Emma G
• Ep 74 | Anne Jacobs

______

NEED HELP?

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor

If you or anyone you know is struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, there are free resources available HERE.

Are you enjoying the podcast? Check out my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters.

💛Would you like to Learn Your Energy Type? Free Quiz ➡️HERE! ⬅️

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

• Rate & Review:

This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Would you like to join the mission of Grieving Voices in normalizing grief and supporting hurting hearts everywhere? Become a supporter of the show HERE.

Do you feel like the leader of your life?

Do you believe you are leading yourself through grief in a healthy way? You may be wondering what the "healthy way" looks like.

Take a moment to consider what leaders do at the start of their day. They don't start their day dragging themselves out of bed, drinking a Mountain Dew, and grabbing a snicker bar for breakfast. Maybe some do, but I would wager to bet those leaders that do this are on the fast track to burnout.

How would you show up differently for yourself, and your grief, if you gave some deeper thought to how you're treating yourself and not harnessing the grieving process as something to push you to your edges and show you what you're capable of.

Grief pushed me to my edge until I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. It also pushed my guest, Scott Mann to his edges. And, Kristine learned how much expansion waited for her once grief entered the room.

We can lead ourselves or we can be led; one way is far more empowering than the other and helps you become the refined and evolved version of yourself after grief.

Which do you choose? I hope this episode inspires you to take your grief by the horns - not for anyone else but you.

RESOURCES:

• Ep. 70 Scott Mann
• Ep. 71 Kristine Carlson
• KX News - Veterans Voices
• Empathy App

______

NEED HELP?

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor

If you or anyone you know is struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, there are free resources available HERE.

Are you enjoying the podcast? Check out my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters.

💛Would you like to Learn Your Energy Type? Free Quiz ➡️HERE! ⬅️

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

• Rate & Review: Apple Podcasts
• Purchase my published book about my grief journey.

CONNECT WITH VICTORIA: 

• Instagram

This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Would you like to join the mission of Grieving Voices in normalizing grief and supporting hurting hearts everywhere? Become a supporter of the show HERE.

On a day like many others, Faith had taken her daughter, Elizabeth, to a doctor’s appointment to investigate Elizabeth's knee pain.

What was thought to be an innocent visit to the doctor, who suspected the issue was nothing serious, quickly turned the family’s life upside down. After an X-ray and further testing, they learned Elizabeth had Stage IV osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer.

They didn’t know it at the time, but Elizabeth had one year to live. The last three weeks of her life were on Hospice care. Faith would spend the next 10-12 years of her life grappling with the sorrow of losing her daughter before she felt like the grief had loosened its grip on her life.

The writing she had done while at Elizabeth’s bedside would later become a memoir. It’s about the story of a courageous and compassionate young woman and a grieving mother and family. Faith shares insights into things she learned at her daughter's bedside, the many stays in the hospital, tips to understanding and absorbing the medical jargon, and all that came after.

What would you do if you knew you had one year to live?

RESOURCES:

• Memoir | Hope is a Bright Star 
• Dr. Chris Kerr Podcast Episode

CONNECT:

• Website
• Instagram

______

Need help?

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor

If you or anyone you know is struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, there are free resources available HERE.

Are you enjoying the podcast? Check out my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters.

💛Would you like to Learn Your Energy Type? Free Quiz ➡️HERE! ⬅️
______

SUPPORT THE SHOW:

• Rate & Review: Apple Podcasts
• Follow & Listen  Spotify |  Stitcher | Pandora
• Read & Review my published boo

This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Would you like to join the mission of Grieving Voices in normalizing grief and supporting hurting hearts everywhere? Become a supporter of the show HERE.

We all, as grievers (or otherwise, for that matter) tend to reply with the expression "I'm fine," when asked how we're doing. After experiencing loss, we do this because it is often just easier than leaving the conversation of how we typically feel - misunderstood and unsupported.

In this episode, learn why "I'm fine" is damaging to ourselves, but also equally damaging as a message we're sending to children and to society.

If we could tell the emotional truth about ourselves, we can then begin to talk about grief like we talk about the weather.

I also touch on behaviors we resort to in grief when we either "explode" or "implode." Next week, I dive deeper into these behaviors.

Are you wanting more content like this? Head on over to Instagram or Facebook where I share more info just like this, and say hello!

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If you or anyone you know is struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, there are free resources available HERE.

If you'd like to share your grieving voice on the show or want to share your thoughts about an episode, please send an email to victoria@theunleashedheart.com.

Are you enjoying the podcast? Check out my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters.
______

WAYS TO SUPPORT THE SHOW:

• Tell Your Friends & Share Online!
  • Subscribe, Rate & Review: Apple Podcasts
  • Follow & Listen  Spotify |  Stitcher | Google Podcasts | Pandora
  • Share on Social
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • #GrievingVoicesPodcast
• Read & Review my published book about my grief journey.
• Donate | Buy Me A Coffee

CONNECT WITH VICTORIA (@theunleashedheart):

• Instagram
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Would you like to join the mission of Grieving Voices in normalizing grief and supporting hurting hearts everywhere? Become a supporter of the show HERE.

Through influenced/generational learning, we are taught unhelpful ways in which to address and help ourselves (and others) through grief.

This episode highlights the six myths (and misinformation) of grief that have a direct impact on our ability to cope with what is emotionally incomplete. These myths contribute to why we have a difficult time moving beyond the emotional dis-ease that grief brings to our lives.

Tune in next week; I'll be talking more in-depth about "Academy Award Recovery," as mentioned in this week's episode.

Are you wanting more content like this? Head on over to Instagram or Facebook where I share more info just like this, and say hello!

______

If you or anyone you know is struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, there are free resources available HERE.

If you'd like to share your grieving voice on the show or want to share your thoughts about an episode, please send an email to victoria@theunleashedheart.com.

Are you enjoying the podcast? Check out my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters.
______

WAYS TO SUPPORT THE SHOW:

• Tell Your Friends & Share Online!
  • Subscribe, Rate & Review: Apple Podcasts
  • Follow & Listen  Spotify |  Stitcher | Google Podcasts | Pandora
  • Share on Social
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • #GrievingVoicesPodcast
• Read & Review my published book about my grief journey.
• Donate | Buy Me A Coffee

CONNECT WITH VICTORIA (@theunleashedheart):

• Instagram
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Podchaser
• Website

This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Would you like to join the mission of Grieving Voices in normalizing grief and supporting hurting hearts everywhere? Become a supporter of the show HERE.

Consider this our first meeting at a coffee shop; it's like speed-dating for friendship. And, I LOVE coffee (black or, lately - iced) and deep conversation with friends.

In this first episode (I wasn't able to label it "Episode 0" as I mention), I answer the basic "get to know you" questions, how this podcast came about, and, in under 13 minutes! This will likely be a record I won't often break. Unless, however, brevity suddenly becomes a strong suit.

So, after you've finished listening to this quickie first episode, I'd love to hear from you! Please find me on Instagram or Facebook, and send me a message and let me know you've listened and what we have in common! And, if you feel like this is a podcast others will enjoy, I'd love for you to share it!

Here are links to my grief story and the other things I mentioned in the episode:

• Grief Recovery Method 
• My grief story - The Guided Heart: Moving Through Grief and Finding Spiritual Solace
• Enneagram 
• Myer's Briggs
• Reiki (energy healing)

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If you or anyone you know is struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, there are free resources available HERE.

If you'd like to share your grieving voice on the show or want to share your thoughts about an episode, please send an email to victoria@theunleashedheart.com.

Are you enjoying the podcast? Check out my bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters.
______

WAYS TO SUPPORT THE SHOW:

• Tell Your Friends & Share Online!
  • Subscribe, Rate & Review: Apple Podcasts
  • Follow & Listen  Spotify |  Stitcher | Google Podcasts | Pandora
  • Share on Social
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • #GrievingVoicesPodcast
• Read & Review my published book a

This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Would you like to join the mission of Grieving Voices in normalizing grief and supporting hurting hearts everywhere? Become a supporter of the show HERE.