Good Grief: Life After Loss

In this deeply personal episode, Skylar sits down with her dad, Ron Jackenthal, for an honest conversation about grief, purpose, and what it means to rebuild a life after unimaginable loss. After the sudden death of his son Sam, Ron’s world was completely reshaped. Once focused on a successful career in sales, he made the life-altering decision to step away and dedicate himself fully to creating the Live Like Sam Foundation—an organization committed to honoring Sam’s life and supporting others navigating grief. In this episode, Ron reflects on who he was before the loss, how grief changed him as a father and as a person, and the moment he realized he needed to do something with his pain. Together, he and Skylar explore how loss transformed their relationship, the complexities of parenting after tragedy, and the balance of carrying both deep grief and deep love. This conversation offers a powerful perspective for anyone navigating loss—especially parents—and for those searching for meaning, purpose, and connection in the aftermath of heartbreak. Contact & Resources: Livelikesam.org Email: [email protected]  Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe! Follow Good Grief: Life After Loss on [email protected] If you have any questions please email Skylar Jackenthal [email protected]   Follow Be the change. Media Network on Instagram@bethechangemedianetwork The views and opinions expressed by guests and hosts are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Be the change. Media Network or its partners.

In this episode, Skylar explores the powerful shift that can happen when we move out of our heads and into our hearts. After losing her brother, Sam, Skylar began to notice something unexpected — other people experiencing loss started coming to her for guidance, comfort, and connection. What started as conversations with fellow grievers eventually grew into the work she does today through the Live Like Sam Foundation and this podcast. In this episode, Skylar reflects on the role grievers can play in the world and why helping others has been one of the most meaningful parts of her own healing journey. She shares how service — in big ways and small — can bring purpose to loss, ease the heaviness of grief, and remind us that the love we still carry for someone can continue to impact others. Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe! Follow Good Grief: Life After Loss on [email protected] If you have any questions please email Skylar Jackenthal [email protected]   Follow Be the change. Media Network on Instagram@bethechangemedianetwork The views and opinions expressed by guests and hosts are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Be the change. Media Network or its partners.

Young grief isn’t as rare as it sometimes seems — but it’s still something most people your age haven’t lived through. By age 18, only about 1 in 14 children will experience the death of a parent or sibling. In this episode, Skylar explores the statistics around early loss and what they reveal about why being a young griever can feel so isolating. She discusses how losing someone in your teens or twenties changes you, accelerates your perspective, and makes you aware of fragility in rooms where most people still feel invincible. This episode is for anyone who has ever felt like they grew up too fast or carried more life experience than their peers. Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe! Follow Good Grief: Life After Loss on [email protected] If you have any questions please email Skylar Jackenthal [email protected]   Follow Be the change. Media Network on Instagram@bethechangemedianetwork The views and opinions expressed by guests and hosts are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Be the change. Media Network or its partners.

In this episode of Good Grief, Skylar sits down with Maureen Hancock—one of New England’s most well-known spirit mediums and lovingly known as the “Comedian Medium.” Together, they talk about grief, the afterlife, and the many ways our loved ones continue to show up after they’re gone. Maureen shares her own near-death experience, how she became an evidential medium, what the moment of passing is really like, and why signs like songs, numbers, birds, chills, and dreams might not be coincidences after all. They also unpack skepticism, fear around mediumship, and how staying open doesn’t mean abandoning logic—it means leading with curiosity. This conversation is comforting, honest, sometimes funny, and deeply grounding, especially for anyone missing someone they love and wondering if they’re still near. Contact & Resources: Maureen’s Website The Medium Next Door: Adventures of a Real-Life Ghost Whisperer Facebook Get in contact with Maureen via email: [email protected]  Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe! Follow Good Grief: Life After Loss on [email protected] If you have any questions please email Skylar Jackenthal [email protected]   Follow Be the change. Media Network on Instagram@bethechangemedianetwork The views and opinions expressed by guests and hosts are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Be the change. Media Network or its partners.

Grief doesn’t always look like tears and silence — sometimes it looks like dark humor. In this episode, Skylar explores why joking after loss feels healing for some people and deeply uncomfortable for others. Through personal reflection and psychology, she breaks down dark humor as a coping mechanism, why some grievers lean into laughter, and why others avoid it altogether. Whether you cope with loss through laughter, tears, or both, this episode reminds you there’s no right way to grieve. Please leave a rating, share a comment, and subscribe! Follow Good Grief: Life After Loss on [email protected] If you have any questions please email Skylar Jackenthal [email protected]  Follow Be the change. Media Network on Instagram@bethechangemedianetwork The views and opinions expressed by guests and hosts are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Be the change. Media Network or its partners.