When writer, radio presenter and podcaster Emily Dean lost her sister to cancer, her world caved in. Within three years, both her parents had died too. She felt as though she’d never be able to move on with such grief – but then along came a shih tzu called Ray and some surprising ways to keep going and find joy again. Emily is a total delight to spend time with, as well as warm, wise and hilarious – as listeners of her radio show with Frank Skinner will know.

Here, we talk about:

- Unusual upbringings and family roles

- ‘Being’ versus ‘seeming’

- survivors guilt and limitless grief

- how to support someone who’s grieving

- running away from sadness … and how to sit with it

- therapy and The Hoffman Process

- writing her own story

 

Read Emily’s brilliant book, Everyone Died So I Got A Dog and follow Emily on Instagram @emilyrebeccadean or Twitter @Divine_Miss_Em

Follow Helen @MsHelenRussell and the book, How To Be Sad, is out in paperback January 20th available to pre-order now. Thanks to Joel Grove for production and Matt Clacher at HarperCollins.

Reviews really help others find us and help us to make more episodes – and you can email the show with any issues you’d like us to cover or guests you’d like to hear more of on howtobesadpodcast@gmail.com