Tendrils of Grief

In today's episode with Karen Roldan, a licensed funeral director, embalmer, and the creator of Behind the Funeral, to pull back the curtain on one of the most misunderstood industries in our lives — death care. With nearly twenty years of experience and a deep respect for the families she serves, Karen brings honesty, compassion, and clarity to conversations many of us avoid until we're forced to have them. As a graduate of Worsham College of Mortuary Science and a licensed professional in funeral services, cremation, pre-need planning, and cemetery property, Karen offers a rare insider perspective on what really happens behind the scenes after a death. Through Behind the Funeral, Karen is changing how we talk about grief, funerals, and end-of-life planning — dismantling myths, answering hard questions, and humanizing a profession often surrounded by fear and silence. In our conversation, we explore what families should know before making arrangements, why transparency matters in death care, and how understanding the process can bring peace during some of life's most difficult moments. This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating loss, planning ahead, or simply wanting a more honest and informed relationship with death — because the conversations we avoid are often the ones that heal us most. Episode Highlights The Death-Positive Movement Transparency in the Funeral Industry End-of-Life Planning for Millennials & Gen X Normalizing Conversations About Death Grief Education vs Grief Avoidance Ethical Funeral Practices Pre-Planning Funerals & Cremation Humanizing the Death-Care Profession Funeral Industry Myths Debunked Emotional Support During Funeral Planning Death Literacy & Public Education Digital Memorials & Modern Grief Rituals Consumer Advocacy in Funeral Services Trauma-Informed Death Care Cultural Shifts in How We Honor the Dead funeral director insights death care industry explained behind the funeral process funeral planning guide cremation vs burial explained end-of-life planning education funeral myths and truths grief and funeral services death care transparency licensed funeral director advice pre-need funeral planning what happens after death funeral costs explained compassionate funeral care talking about death and grief modern funeral practices behind the scenes funeral home death positive movement understanding cremation process how funerals really work Know Karen Roldan Visit behindthefuneral.com to learn more. [email protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenroldanaasfsp/ Did you enjoy today's episode? Welcome to New Ways Barre. We are so glad you are here. Get ready to transform your body, mind and life. At New Ways Barre, we are dedicated to fostering a supportive community where individuals can achieve holistic well-being. Please subscribe and leave a review. If you have questions, comments, or possible show topics, email [email protected] Don't forget to visit Tendrils Of Grief website and join for upcoming Webinars, Podcasts Updates and Group Coaching. Get involve and share your thoughts and experiences in our online community Tendrils of Grief-Survivor of Loss To subscribe and review use one links of the links below Amazon Apple Spotify Audacy Deezer Podcast Addict Pandora Rephonic Tune In Connect with me Instagram: @Sue_ways Facebook:@ susan.ways Email @[email protected] Let me hear your thoughts!

Today I sit down with Kyle Kittleson, the on-camera host for MedCircle, known for making complex mental health topics accessible through thoughtful, compassionate conversations. Kyle opens up about his personal grief journey after losing his mother as a teenager and how unprocessed loss shaped his emotional world for years. Drawing from both lived experience and thousands of interviews with leading mental health experts, Kyle shares powerful insights on grief, trauma, emotional healing, and rebuilding life after loss. We talk about why there's no "right" way to grieve, how avoidance quietly impacts healing, and what it truly means to work with grief rather than against it. This conversation offers grounded wisdom, hope, and practical tools for anyone navigating bereavement, supporting a loved one, or seeking a deeper understanding of mental health and grief. Episode Highlights Kyle Kittleson MedCircle grief and mental health podcast losing a parent as a teenager childhood grief and trauma unprocessed grief healing navigating grief after loss grief and emotional avoidance mental health education podcast understanding grief and trauma healing after loss journey how grief affects mental health coping with grief after losing a mother grief recovery without timelines working with grief instead of avoiding it emotional healing after bereavement grief conversations with mental health experts making sense of loss and trauma grief support through mental health education Know Kyle Kittleson About MedCircle: While treatment, medication, and therapy are all crucial components to mental wellness, the often forgotten step to optimal mental health is preventative mental health care – for you and others. MedCircle believes that people who become highly educated about mental health can improve both their lives and the lives of the people around them. MedCircle provides access to the world's greatest minds in mental health through engaging interview-style video series, virtual live Workshops, and in-depth articles on important mental health topics. MedCircle's award-winning video library gives you "behind-the-scenes" insight from the most sought after psychologists and psychiatrists. You'll learn what certain diagnoses entail and get unprecedented insight into the processes experienced doctors use to diagnose them. You'll also understand treatment options along with the risks and benefits each doctor considers, and how they go about prescribing a treatment, therapy and/or medication. Become a MedCircle Member today: https://medcircle.com/ Did you enjoy today's episode? Welcome to New Ways Barre. We are so glad you are here. Get ready to transform your body, mind and life. At New Ways Barre, we are dedicated to fostering a supportive community where individuals can achieve holistic well-being. Please subscribe and leave a review. If you have questions, comments, or possible show topics, email [email protected] Don't forget to visit Tendrils Of Grief website and join for upcoming Webinars, Podcasts Updates and Group Coaching. Get involve and share your thoughts and experiences in our online community Tendrils of Grief-Survivor of Loss To subscribe and review use one links of the links below Amazon Apple Spotify Audacy Deezer Podcast Addict Pandora Rephonic Tune In Connect with me Instagram: @Sue_ways Facebook:@ susan.ways Email @[email protected] Let me hear your thoughts!

In this episode of Tendrils of Grief, I sit down with Samina Bari—a corporate leader, author, and grief advocate whose life changed forever after the sudden loss of her husband. Known for advising CEOs and boards on over $40 billion in global M&A transactions, Samina brings that same clarity and strength to a deeply personal conversation about grief, widowhood, and rebuilding life after loss. We talk openly about the realities of sudden grief—the loneliness, identity shifts, and emotional overwhelm that often go unseen. Samina shares why grief makes people uncomfortable, how well-meaning support can miss the mark, and why grief isn't something to "fix" or rush. At the center of our conversation is her book, Don't Call Me Widow, written to help others better understand and support those who are grieving. This episode offers insight, validation, and compassion for anyone navigating loss—or walking alongside someone who is. If you've ever felt misunderstood in your grief, this conversation will remind you that you're not broken—you're grieving, and you're not alone. Episode Highlights grief after sudden loss widowhood healing journey navigating grief as a widow life after loss podcast grief and identity after death coping with sudden death of a spouse emotional healing after loss grief support for widows Know Samina Bari Samina's linktree: https://linktr.ee/SaminaBari Did you enjoy today's episode? Welcome to New Ways Barre. We are so glad you are here. Get ready to transform your body, mind and life. At New Ways Barre, we are dedicated to fostering a supportive community where individuals can achieve holistic well-being. Please subscribe and leave a review. If you have questions, comments, or possible show topics, email [email protected] Don't forget to visit Tendrils Of Grief website and join for upcoming Webinars, Podcasts Updates and Group Coaching. Get involve and share your thoughts and experiences in our online community Tendrils of Grief-Survivor of Loss To subscribe and review use one links of the links below Amazon Apple Spotify Audacy Deezer Podcast Addict Pandora Rephonic Tune In Connect with me Instagram: @Sue_ways Facebook:@ susan.ways Email @[email protected] Let me hear your thoughts!

In this episode, I'm joined by Marie Crews, a transformational coach, speaker, retreat facilitator, and best-selling author whose work is grounded in one core belief: your story can set you free. For over 15 years, Marie has helped women rewrite the narratives that limit them—guiding them through grief, trauma, and profound life transitions with compassion, courage, and clarity. Marie's 25-year journey of self-discovery led her to the practice that became her greatest healing tool: journal writing. This deeply personal process inspired her to create The Nautilus Way: Write Your Way Free, a powerful and proven method that helps women break emotional patterns, process grief, rewire limiting beliefs, and intentionally shape who they're becoming. Her story is one of extraordinary resilience. Raised in poverty in rural Louisiana and a single mother of two at a young age, Marie fought to build a stable life for her family. She eventually left corporate America to pursue her calling—supporting women's healing and studying mind-body psychology. But in 2017, Marie faced unimaginable heartbreak when she suddenly lost her son, just two years after her mother's unexpected death. Instead of letting grief define her, she turned inward, using the same tools she teaches to rise again, rediscover her strength, and choose life with intention. This lived experience, combined with years of transformational coaching, makes her uniquely equipped to support women with authenticity, empathy, and hard-won wisdom. Today, Marie leads life-changing women's retreats, including one exclusively for grieving mothers, in her newly built Gulf-front home in Florida—a sacred space for healing, confidence, and personal awakening. Her work consistently helps women reconnect with forgotten parts of themselves, uncover subconscious patterns, and step forward with renewed peace, purpose, and self-trust. Marie Crews is a certified health and wellness coach, a successful entrepreneur, and the best-selling author of Even When…She Rose—a testament to her unwavering commitment to rising through adversity and helping others do the same. This episode dives into: ✨ The healing power of journaling and emotional expression ✨ Rewiring limiting beliefs and breaking generational patterns ✨ Navigating profound grief and loss authentically ✨ Mind-body practices for trauma and emotional release ✨ Rebuilding identity after loss and life transitions ✨ The transformative impact of women's retreats and community If you're seeking healing, clarity, or a deeper connection to your own inner wisdom, Marie's story—and her work—will inspire you to rise, no matter what you've endured. Episode Highlights Journaling for grief recovery Emotional healing tools for women Transformational coaching for women Navigating grief and loss Grieving mothers support Trauma-informed journaling Mind-body connection healing Women's healing retreats Florida Gulf-front healing retreat Healing after losing a child Personal transformation stories Breaking generational trauma Rewriting limiting beliefs Journaling for emotional breakthroughs Know Marie Crews SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: Website: www.mariecrews.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marieeurecrews TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@empowermentandgriefguide Did you enjoy today's episode? Welcome to New Ways Barre. We are so glad you are here. Get ready to transform your body, mind and life. At New Ways Barre, we are dedicated to fostering a supportive community where individuals can achieve holistic well-being. Please subscribe and leave a review. If you have questions, comments, or possible show topics, email [email protected] Don't forget to visit Tendrils Of Grief website and join for upcoming Webinars, Podcasts Updates and Group Coaching. Get involve and share your thoughts and experiences in our online community Tendrils of Grief-Survivor of Loss To subscribe and review use one links of the links below Amazon Apple Spotify Audacy Deezer Podcast Addict Pandora Rephonic Tune In Connect with me Instagram: @Sue_ways Facebook:@ susan.ways Email @[email protected] Let me hear your thoughts!

In today's episode Julie Fingersh, an accomplished writer and freelance journalist with a knack for exploring the intricacies of life. Through her essays, editorials, and reporting, Julie dives into topics like culture, wellness, relationships, and parenting adult children—all while offering insights on how to lead a better, more meaningful life. Her work has graced the pages of The New York Times, Oprah Magazine, The Huffington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, and The Miami Herald, to name a few. Julie's current blog is a midlife sequel to her award-winning humor column she wrote in her twenties for Billboard Publications. Living in Marin County, California, with her husband and cherishing her role as a mother of two adult children, Julie brings humor, wisdom, and authenticity to her storytelling. Join us as we explore her journey, writing career, and reflections on life's beautiful messiness. Episode Highlights Midlife writing journey Parenting adult children Freelance journalism tips Leading a better life through writing Julie Fingersh articles Personal essays and storytelling Relationships in midlife Parenting challenges with grown kids Humor in life writing Wellness and lifestyle articles Writing for major publications Culture and relationships writer Personal growth through storytelling Writing for The New York Times and Oprah Magazine The art of personal essays: Finding your voice through storytelling. Parenting adult children: Navigating relationships as they grow. Midlife reinvention: Exploring the next chapter through creativity. Wellness and lifestyle writing: Sharing tips for leading a better life. Freelance journalism in 2024: Breaking into major publications. The impact of humor in writing: Connecting with audiences authentically. Balancing family and career as a writer. The rise of personal blogs: Creating connections in the digital age. The evolving role of culture in storytelling. Writing for impact: How personal stories shape societal conversations. Learn more about Julie Fingerish Read more about Julie and her work at juliefingersh.com. To receive a review copy, or to schedule an interview, please contact: Heather Huzovic, 646.972.0033 or [email protected] Did you enjoy today's episode? Please subscribe and leave a review. If you have questions, comments, or possible show topics, email [email protected] Don't forget to visit Tendrils Of Grief website and join for upcoming Webinars, Podcasts Updates and Group Coaching. Get involve and share your thoughts and experiences in our online community Tendrils of Grief-Survivor of Loss To subscribe and review use one links of the links below Amazon Apple Spotify Audacy Deezer Podcast Addict Pandora Rephonic Tune In Connect with me Instagram: @Sue_ways Facebook:@ susan.ways Email @[email protected] Let me hear your thoughts!