

The Science of Grief: How the Brain & Body Process Loss (#196)
Why does grief feel so overwhelming—mentally, physically, and emotionally? In this fascinating episode of DEAD Talks, grief scientist Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor breaks down the biology of loss and what happens inside the brain and body when we mourn.
As a leader in the study of prolonged grief disorder, Dr. O’Connor explores:
- Why grief feels like a physical pain
- The difference between normal grief and prolonged grief
- How the brain rewires itself after devastating loss
- The role of the immune and cardiovascular systems in grief
- What science reveals about healing and resilience
This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating loss—or anyone curious about the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and the human experience of grief.
Purchase Mary-Frances O'Connor's new book "The Grieving Body" Here
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DEAD Talks with David Ferrugio engages death a little bit differently. Each new guest shares their experience with grieving or perspective on death in a way that shatters the “don’t talk about death” taboo. Grief doesn't end; it evolves. Having lost his father on September 11th when he was 12, he learned the importance of discussion and sharing other people's stories. DEAD Talks Podcast hopes to make it a little easier to talk about grief, loss, death, mourning, trauma, or whatever it may be. You may cry, but you also may laugh.
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