No one teaches us how to grieve, yet it’s the one experience every human will face. Stacia joins us to break down what grief really looks like, and why “getting over it” is total BS.
Summary
Grief is universal, inevitable, and wildly misunderstood. In this episode, Siobhan sits down with Stacia, a grief counselor whose journey into this work began after losing her husband at 34, becoming a widow and single mother overnight. Stacia was also the person who held space for Siobhan during her own grief, which makes this episode feel less like an interview and more like an intimate, honest conversation between two people who have been in the trenches together.
Through her deeply human and compassionate perspective, Stacia helps demystify grief, sharing how loss reshapes identity, relationships, and the future you thought you’d have. Together, they explore what grief actually feels like beyond the clichés and movie scripts, the identity shifts, emotional whiplash, changing friendships, and the surprising moments of humor that still find their way in. They also unpack harmful cultural messages like “be strong” and “move on,” and shed light on why grief isn’t something to fix, but something to learn to live with and integrate.
This conversation is validating, grounding, and a reminder that grief isn’t a sign you’re broken, it’s a reflection of how deeply you loved.
Stacia
Stacia is a grief counselor with more than two decades of personal and professional experience, whose calling emerged from her own profound loss. After her husband died suddenly, she navigated the overwhelming reality of grief while raising her young child and rebuilding her life from the ground up. The experience reshaped her path from birth doula to grief support, where she now helps others find meaning amidst heartbreak. Rooted in empathy, gentle truth-telling, and the belief that grief — much like love — is universal and worthy of attention, Stacia supports others with compassion, grounding, and practical tools for integrating grief into daily life without toxic positivity.
Resources & Mentions
Mourning Collective - Retreats for transforming grief.
On Death & Dying – Elisabeth Kübler-Ross (5 Stages of Grief)
The Body Keeps the Score – Bessel van der Kolk
Local hospice bereavement support groups (e.g., Sutter Hospice)
Common Grief Reactions
💡 Key Takeaways
Grief isn’t something you “get over” or move past, it becomes part of you.
Accepting loss doesn’t mean being okay with it; it means acknowledging reality and learning to carry love forward.
You don’t “go back” to who you were, loss reshapes identity, relationships, and how you see the world.
Platitudes and advice can sting; authentic presence, community, and ritual are what truly support healing.
Humor, honesty, and shared humanity can make grief less isolating and less taboo.