In this heartfelt discussion, Ginny Gay, a mindfulness teacher, and Brandi Lust, a well-being strategist, share their profound experiences with grief. They stress that grieving is a non-linear and personal journey, debunking common myths about its stages. The duo emphasizes the powerful connection between love and loss, exploring how grief can reveal the beauty of life's impermanence. Active listening and empathy are highlighted as essential tools for supporting those who mourn, fostering a sense of community in a shared experience of loss.
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Brandi's Grief Experience with Her Grandmother
Brandi Lust shares a story about her grandmother's passing.
She details their close relationship and her role in her grandmother's death process.
insights INSIGHT
Dichotomy of Grief
Brandi felt a duality after her grandmother's death: her presence everywhere yet her complete absence.
This dichotomy led to unpredictable waves of grief.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Ginny's Grief Journey with Her Mother
Ginny Gay shares her experience with the prolonged grief of her mother's Alzheimer's diagnosis and eventual death.
Losing her mother bit by bit over seven years presented unique challenges and a sense of gratitude for the gradual process.
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The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss
Mary-Frances O'Connor
In *The Grieving Brain*, neuroscientist and psychologist Mary-Frances O’Connor, PhD, offers a fascinating new window into one of the hallmark experiences of being human. The book addresses why it’s hard to understand that a loved one has died, why grief causes various emotions, why grieving takes so long, the distinction between grief and prolonged grief, why we ruminate after loss, and how to restore a meaningful life while grieving. Based on O’Connor’s trailblazing neuroimaging work, research in the field, and real-life stories, the book combines storytelling, accessible science, and practical knowledge to help navigate loss with more ease and grace.
God of Love
Mirabai Starr
God of Love is Mirabai Starr's personal exploration of the three Abrahamic faiths, highlighting their shared teachings and practices that promote peace, justice, and lovingkindness. The book weaves together stories of saints, spiritual masters, and personal narratives to bridge the gaps between these traditions.
In this special two-part episode of Something to Normalize, Ginny and Brandi each share their stories of losing someone central to their lives and the grief that followed. Grief can be a complex, unpredictable, overwhelming, and isolating experience. And there are so many misconceptions about what it “should” be like. What’s worse than grieving the loss of someone you love and then feeling isolated or wondering if the way you’re grieving is somehow wrong? In this episode, Ginny and Brandi explain how there’s no wrong way to grieve. We can accept our experience, and find a bridge of connection so that we’re not alone in navigating this universal, human experience.
In This Episode, Ginny & Brandi Discuss:
What it means to say that grieving is a non-linear process
What grief can look like when the relationship was complicated
How to offer compassionate support to grieving loved ones through active listening and empathy
The wide range of emotions that are possible during the grieving process
Myths and misconceptions about grief, including the “stages of grief”
The intrinsic bond between grief, love, and impermanence
The One You Feed 
